Ken MacDougall: The Enjoyment of Form (photos)

Painting and drawing in Sault Ste. Marie and the Algoma region for most of his life, accomplished local artist Ken MacDougall has had a busy summer.

Preparations for his upcoming exhibition at the Art Gallery of Algoma (AGA), his first in almost 20 years, have been extensive as he will be showcasing primarily new work.

Ken MacDougall: The Enjoyment of Form will be housed both AGA galleries from Thursday, November 6 through Saturday, December 6, 2008.

Hosting an exhibition of this size and scope is a first for the Gallery.

"I will never retire. I will be drawing and painting until I drop," MacDougall told SooToday.com. "I have said that it will be my last show, but I shouldn't really hold that to be a truth because this may turn out so exciting, I might enjoy this so much, that I'd want to have another show."

MacDougall's exhibition development was captured as producer Anne O'Connor and director Dan Nystedt filmed the process for an upcoming full-length feature documentary which shares the exhibition's name.

"When I was first approached about this [film], it was to be a little 15-minute DVD thing," explained MacDougall. "But as things grew with Anne O'Connor and her creativity, and getting people to film and this and that, it just grew into a full-length film.

"The way Dan [Nystedt] is always so energetic and excited about what he does, when he shoots me working in the studio, I don't even know he's there," he continued. "I'll be doing what I do, and he does what he feels is best. He's the professional. He's the creative guy. He's the skilled guy. He knows exactly what he wants to shoot and how it's gonna be done. I just let him be who he is."

To get a behind the scenes look at a portion of the filming process which took place this past summer in the Arboretum, please view the photo gallery below.

Although the Thursday, October 30th gala screening of Ken MacDougall: The Enjoyment of Form at the AGA has already sold out, a second has been scheduled for Thursday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m.

"This [second] screening is special for several reasons," says O'Connor. "Ken's work will be hanging on the walls. Dan will have filmed the hanging and the opening of the exhibition and included that in the film."

Tickets are $10 per person and may be reserved by calling (705) 759-3917.

Following the October 30th gala, tickets will be made available at the Gallery.

Co-produced by Ian Roberts and Emily Colombo, Ken MacDougall: The Enjoyment of Form was generously supported by Algoma University, Art Gallery of Algoma, Arts Council of Sault Ste. Marie and District, Dumanski’s, Linking Learning Leveraging, NORDIK Institute, Sault College, Service Canada (HRDC), and TenarisAlgomaTubes.

The full press release regarding MacDougall's exhibition and film follows:

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Passion, focus, money?

What does it take to continue drawing and painting for 60 years by the shores of Lake Superior, far from the big cities?

What does it take to avoid being derailed by demands and doubt?

These are some of the questions raised in a soon-to-be-released documentary about local artist Ken MacDougall.

The film, titled Ken MacDougall: the enjoyment of form highlights MacDougall’s preparation for a land-mark exhibit to be displayed at the Art Gallery of Algoma throughout November.

Directed by local filmmaker Dan Nystedt, the documentary will be screened for the public October 30 and November 13 at the Art Gallery of Algoma at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the screening galas can be purchased from Anne O’Connor at 759-3917.

Ken MacDougall: the enjoyment of form will be submitted to local, provincial and national documentary stations, film festivals and awards in 2008/2009.

The film compliments MacDougall’s upcoming exhibit The Enjoyment of Form at the Art Gallery of Algoma.

The exhibit will be on display November 6 to December 6, 2008.

Unique to the gallery, Ken’s exhibit of 90 drawings and paintings will occupy both gallery rooms at the Art Gallery of Algoma.

Dan Nystedt filmed Ken whiled he prepared for this exhibit.

He captured the stories around Ken’s drawing for CJIC, his role in designing images like Mr. Bon Soo and the Greyhounds logo, teaching at Sault College and sitting quietly by the canal sketching.

The film Ken MacDougall: the enjoyment of form has significance to the historical ‘Art scene’ in Sault Ste. Marie, as well as takes an in-depth look at Ken’s awe-striking talents.

The exhibit and the film are expected to attract a lot of attention from local media and the public.

“This documentary is the work of a group of young artists who have shown the same focus and effort towards this project that we appreciate in Ken,” says film producer Anne O’Connor.

Ken MacDougall: the enjoyment of form was produced by Anne O’Connor, and co-produced by Emily Colombo and Ian Roberts.

It will be shown continuously during the exhibit.

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