The Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation
The Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation is a significant and important supporter of the arts in New Brunswick and has been instrumental in Carleton County through its support in the development of the River Art Centre Studios at the Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery.
In 2019, the Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery held a Critical Writing Workshop with six emerging , mid-career and well established New Brunswick artist-writers. The workshop centred on the September exhibition titled GARDENS BEASTS WARRIORS: Anna Torma, Istvan and David Zsako. In the spring of 2020, the Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation granted the Gallery $5000 to expand the form and content of the resulting publication. The book will be released late spring 2021.
In 2017, through their support, the River Art Centre was able to purchase a professional full-size Takach etching press to establish our new Print Making Studio. In the spirit of its founder, Sheila Hugh Mackay, the foundation has successfully enriched the creative makers in our community through its infrastructure grant program. The changes to the studio provide everyone in our community an opportunity to explore and develop their creativity in a wonderful environment that can support new initiatives and collaborations. It is also equipped and available to support professional artists creation. On behalf of the ALMAG Board of Directors, staff and community we extend our sincere thanks to the Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation for their generosity. More information about the SHMF can be found at sheilahughmackay.ca
In 2018 a grant from the SHMF meant that 12 professional artists, art educators and post secondary art students had a professional development opportunities to expand their knowledge about printmaking and using the RAC Printshop. That summer Master Printmaker Robert Van de Peer lead a 9 day intensive workshop with 12 visual arts professionals to introduce protocols and expand the artists’ expertise with a variety of relief printmaking methods. In the summer of 2019 Maria Doering offered 7 days of workshops for artists and community members to introduce monotype printmaking techniques to the community.
