Planted in the Granville NSCAD campus among the cobblestone streets and shops is the place that gives NSCAD students an opportunity to sprout a career.
Seeds Gallery, established in 2007, is home to the work of current NSCAD students and alumni.
Developed as the brainchild of SUNSCAD, the NSCAD student union, its purpose was to give budding artists a safe place to take the first big step and break into the tumultuous world of art. The project was a labour of love for the students; they handled everything from promotion to renovation, recalls manager Jeniffer Simaitis.
Simaitis, who affectionately refers to Seeds as her “baby”, says the gallery isn’t just a launching pad for students, but also for first-time art goers.
“Even I still get intimidated going into art galleries,” remarked Simaitis. “I wanted Seeds to be an accessible, comforting experience for the public.”
The gallery has dulcet, serene white walls and a gentle, almost homey rattle and hum in the air. Simaitis is a huge advocate for public awareness of artists and of art itself. The mentality of Seeds definitely reflects that.
The gallery has a luminous and enticing front window display, showcasing student work that is rotated bi-weekly. Simaitis says that as a student artist, it’s the best way to get started in getting your work out to the public, as it removes a lot of the pressure attached to private shows.
One of the more innovative things happening at Seeds is a project that Simaitis says has been in the back of her mind for years. It started back in 2007 when local artist Shakeel Rehemtulla, of local silk screen designers Woodenbullets, designed a limited edition T-shirt and tote bag for NSCAD.
The items were eaten up voraciously by NSCAD students looking not only to show their student pride, but support local talent as well. The following year, Seeds got local artist Ray Fenwick to design a limited run of T-shirts featuring the various NSCAD campuses. This line was consumed just as eagerly.
This year Simaitis finally put into motion the “T-shirt of the Month” project. The intent of the project is to spotlight a different local artist every month, while at the same time helping to engage the public in appreciation and awareness of art outside of the context of a gallery or studio.
Simaitis said she’d always been attracted to the idea of T-shirts because of their accessibility.
“People can support artists without breaking the bank” she says.
Each month a local artist will contribute his or her artistic creativity to a limited run of 25 T-shirts. Well, 24 really, because the artist gets to keep one. The artists range from filmmakers, painters and even installation artists, such as this month’s featured artist Graeme Patterson.
NSCAD alumnus Kat Frick Miller handles the printing of the shirts. Miller graduated in 2008 and is currently doing a residency in Lunenburg.
“The limited run of shirts, and painstaking process of her screen printing it by hand, aid to keeping it a piece of art,” says Simaitis. “I feel bad though. People keep calling about the shirts and I have to tell them that we’re sold out. But on the other hand, it lets me know that people are attracted to the idea, and that they’ll be eager for the next release.”
The next release just happened to be last weekend during the all-night art fest that is Nocturne, an event Seeds hoped would draw in people who are unfamiliar with the work that NSCAD does. Moon Hee Nam, art director for The Coast will be October’s featured artist.
“Everyone is always welcome to come down and check out the work and have a chat,” Simaitis says with a smile.
She loves company and urges people to check out the openings for new artist spotlights every second Monday at 6 p.m., with the next one on Oct. 26 featuring jewelry by Vanessa Neily and prints by Sarah Roy.
Whether you want to support an artist and buy a shirt or just get your feet wet in the ocean of art, pop down to Seeds. Who knows? Maybe it’ll grow on you.
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