GENERAL POLICY

Chancery Art Gallery is a commercial gallery which accepts original works of contemporary fine art on consignment and acts as the artist’s non-exclusive agent for exhibition and sales. Gallery does not rent wall space to artists, does not charge artists for exhibiting their work and does not collect any fees. Only when consigned art is sold does the gallery retain a commission.

Gallery offers mostly personal (solo) exhibitions. From available artwork of the selected artist Gallery chooses certain pieces and then designs a show with original title and adequate musical background. Each exhibition normally continues for three-four weeks.

For each exhibition, gallery does installation and dismantling; prints announcement post cards, price lists, signs and labels; arranges private invitation mailing and press release; supplies liquor permit, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and musical arrangement for the opening reception; provides adequate display of artwork and gives a non-stop slide show of artwork temporarily located in a climate-controlled storage on premises; organises security, sales, and shipping to purchasers.

Delivery of artwork to the gallery and return to the artist, term of consignment, currency of payment, gallery commission, trade discounts, limited exclusivity, etc. – subject to Contract

For ethical reason, we are inclined not to exhibit those artists who have been already shown by our local colleagues in other galleries of Muskoka district.

.GALLERY SPACE

Gallery occupies the ground floor of 19th century house facing a tiny walking lane right off the downtown main street – a street mall for nice shopping and fine dining. High 11-foot ceiling is covered with its original metal tiles; Walls combine old red brick and modern white plaster; Hardwood on the floor; Pieces of antique furniture of the period and antique baby-grand piano (functional) give a theatrical resemblance of a habitable hall as it was a hundred years ago.

You may find how your proposal would fit in the gallery space (click on each below to see the photos)

• Brick part of the southern wall in the back W 96” x H 96” (245 x 245 cm) usually holds one large work, but is also suitable for a triptych.

• Beside this brick wall, there are two plaster panels: one W 33” (84 cm) next the powder room on left is perfect for a slim tall piece; another W 37” (94 cm) alongside the desk with bookshelves on right.

• On the main shelves of the western wall information about the featured artist is displayed; There are also books and films related to the art theory, history and psychology; Two LCD displays give a slide show of artworks which are not on the floor at the moment, but available immediately for show and sale; Stairs lead up to the gallery/psychology office/library; part of the wall between the shelves and the stairs W 18,5” (47 cm) sometimes exhibits a few small pieces.

• Main panel W 180” (460 cm) of the western wall usually displays 3 or 4 paintings.

• Northern exposure of the glass wall and entrance door provides the most desirable natural light supported by the Halogen “Natural Light Plus” in fixtures with theatrical “barn doors”. There is a space for two paintings: one on the brick part of the wall W 36” (90 cm) and one on the easel (under about 30” or 80 cm wide).

• Eastern wall between the window and the mantel W 87” (220 cm) has the best observation from the street; a focal point W 59” (150 cm) above the mantel with Price List and Guest Book on the top; the rest of the wall W 130” (330 cm).

• Another focal point part of the southern wall W 79” x H 59” (200 x 150 cm) above the piano usually exhibits one large piece.

Usually there are from 15 to 20 artworks exhibited per show. The exhibit shown on the above photographs contained 17 paintings.

INSTRUCTIONS

To be considered for exhibition and sale, the artist shall submit to the gallery digital images of his/her available artworks, bio, artist's statement and any other relevant information. The following data should be included for each art work: title, year, medium, size, and suggested retail price. Suggested price is expected to be consistent with one outside the gallery.

Submission methods: CD or web links.
No graphic e-mail attachments, please.

Upon receiving the submission and its consideration, the artist will be informed regarding gallery's further intention. If artist wishes the submitted CD to be returned, an appropriate self-addressed stamped envelope should be provided.

ANNUAL EXHIBITIONS

• Ardour Eruption, annual group show of Young Artists of Northern Ontario – with intention to support the rather exclusive fraction of young and talented “off-City” Canadians who sincerely believe that “Art Matters”, and to delight the genuine art admirers of Muskoka during the snowy February..Submissions for 2009 now accepted

• Déjà Vu, annual selection from the International Toronto Art Expo – for art collectors who have managed somehow to miss this one of the greatest Canada's cultural events in March. This is a "curator's pick" show – no submissions are accepted.

• Lazy Cottager, September retrospective of the past summer solo exhibitions – for those Muskoka summer residents who finally managed to leave their lake cottages, golf courses, tennis courts, yacht clubs, etc... This is a "curator's pick" show – no submissions are accepted.

The following thematic exhibits
may be either group or solo:

• Acknowledging Freudian Psychoanalysis as the most profound metaphor ever offered for the comprehension of human behaviour, spring exhibition presents artists' free associations on Unconscious Drives, Basic Instincts, Inter-Personal Conflicts, Libido, Love, Dreams, etc.

• Recognizing Therapeutic Recreation as an effective treatment modality, summer exhibition thus reflects on thoughts, things and actions that make us feel better mentally and emotionally without cheap Prozac or expensive therapy.

• Fall is not an easy season for many: back-to-work depressions, psychotic de-compensations, increased suicides... Perhaps not surprisingly, October is the International Mental Illness Awareness Month. Add the Halloween zombies, and the picture becomes even more vivid. Therefore, the autumn show is somewhat spooky and scary.

• Winter – a time of falling stars, realisation of mortality and philosophical reflection on life. In a broader view, all human existence is nothing but Narrative, anyway. So far, "Fairytale" is a generic icon for the winter exhibition.