Art = Work at the Owens Art Gallery

Mary Pratt, Supper Table, 1969, oil on canvas, 61 x 91.4 cm, Collection of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. © Estate of Mary Pratt

Art = Work

October 25 – December 14, 2025
Vernissage: October 24, 7:00 – 9:00pm AT
Owens Art Gallery, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB
Curators: Emily Falvey, Lucy MacDonald, Jane Tisdale, Rachel Thornton

The Owens Art Gallery exists because of a desire to expand the teaching of Fine and Applied Arts for students at the Mount Allison Ladies’ College (1854-1937). Taking this history as a point of departure, Art = Work highlights the importance of art and art education in rural communities, especially for women and gender minorities. In this spirit, the exhibition’s title is borrowed from a protest slogan created by the late Mary MacDonald, BFA ’06 (1984-2017), a beloved artist, curator, former Owens intern, and community builder known for centring rural artists.

Art = Work presents historical works from the Owens’ permanent collection alongside the work of contemporary artists with ties to Mount Allison, and it highlights the unique relationship between Fine and Applied Arts that has emerged in Sackville, New Brunswick. Featured artists include Enid Alexander, Ellen Ayer, Gladys Allison Borden, Dianne Bos, Mary H. Cann, Melanie Colosimo, Paula Jean Cowan, Beth Mann Couillard, Mabel Killam Day, Jean Dixon, Marjory Rogers Donaldson, Annie Dunning, Alexandrya Eaton, Christianna Buffett Forsey, Winifred McGill Fox, Leah Garnett, Kris Gunn, Hazel Gunning, Margaret Harris Fraser, Childe Hassam, Sarah Hart, Emma Hassencahl-Perley, Eugenia May Hicks, Annie Inch, Margery Hayes Jamieson, Adriana Kuiper, Sophia McLean Wood Law, Wenda Lyons, Harriet Campbell Meacher, Gwendolyn Meux, Patricia Pollett McClelland, Eunice Dixon McCormack, Christian McKiel, Elizabeth McLeod, Alana Morouney, Ethel Ogden, Greta Ogden, Mary Pratt, Catherine Della Stanley, Karen Stentaford, Roberta Taylor, Laura K. Watson, D’Arcy Wilson, Faith Wood, Susan Wood, and Janice Wright Cheney.

Art = Work complements Leaders in the Field: The History and Legacy of Art at Mount Allison (November 1, 2025 – February 16, 2026), curated by John Leroux and organized by the Marion McCain Institute for Atlantic Canadian Art at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery.

Owens Art Gallery
Mount Allison University
61 York Street
Sackville, NB E4L 1E1
506-364-2574
owens@mta.ca
www.owensartgallery.com
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Monday to Friday, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday and Sunday, 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Admission is Free

The Owens is partially accessible. The stairs from the entrance nearest the University Chapel have a handrail. There is also ramp access at this entrance, however, the ramp is steep. The stairs to the entrance off York Street have a handrail, but no ramp, and are covered with temporary wood treads. The main floor of the Owens is wheelchair accessible. Our second-floor gallery and gendered bathrooms are located in the basement and are not accessible. Two flights of stairs lead to each of these floors. LED lights are used throughout the building. The Owens welcomes guide dogs and other service animals. The closest accessible parking spaces are located on York Street across from the Owens. For detailed information on venue access, please visit our Accessibility page. If you would like to visit the Owens at a quieter time, or when all staff and visitors are masked, private visits can be arranged from 9:00 – 10:00am on weekdays. If you have any questions about your visit, please email owens@mta.ca or call (506) 364-2574.