Art Gallery Opening Reception
Date: Feb 9
7:00 pm
- 9:00 pm
Where: Level 3 Atrium
Opening Reception
You are invited to join us for a free public art gallery opening reception!
Daze Jefferies: stay here stay how stay explores transfeminine belonging in Newfoundland, using the ocean as an archival body to counter historical narratives. Through textile, wax, and multimedia, the artist honours intergenerational knowledge, embraces rural trans pleasure, and addresses discourse on trans and sex worker bodies with a narrative of care, intimacy, and resistance.
Sheilagh O’Leary's: A Sea Change is a tribute that spans three generations, exploring cultural erasure and resurgence through analogue portraits and cyanotypes. Inspired by her mother's experiences as a French-Mi'kmaw woman, the exhibit delves into complex interactions of embodiment, power dynamics, identity, and environmental stewardship, symbolizing life, renewal, and change
Jenny Yujia Shi: The End of a Line draws from her childhood in Beijing and immigration to Halifax at eighteen. Exploring displacement's impact, the autobiographical display spans a decade, offering a poignant glimpse into Shi's migration experience and reflections on Canadian citizenship, positioning herself within Canada's complex history.
There will be live entertainment by harpist Venessa Goodyear and refreshments available (cash bar 19+). Admission to the Art Gallery exhibitions will be free during the event.
See more about the artists here:
Daze Jefferies: Stay Here Stay How Stay | The Rooms
Sheilagh O’Leary: A Sea Change | The Rooms
Jenny Yujia Shi: The End of a Line | The Rooms
Image: Daze Jefferies. with/holding (2023). Mixed media, digital illustration, maternal grandmother’s handwriting. Courtesy of the artist.
Events & Programs
Join us for a delightful morning at The Rooms!
Bring your little ones to our enchanting Harbour View Room for unguided playtime surrounded by an array of toys and books tailored for infants and toddlers aged 0 to 4.
No prior registration is necessary; simply pay your admission at The Rooms front desk and drop in anytime between 10:30 am and 12:00 pm! Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please note that caregivers must accompany their children throughout the session. While our program room can accommodate up to 20 adults with their little ones, if it reaches capacity, we kindly ask caregivers to momentarily step back to make room for others to join in the fun.
The Playdate is included in the cost of admission. Free for Rooms Members.
With support from Thomas and Susan (Kent) Foran Family Foundation.
Eco printing is a great technique for those new to natural dyes. It has a striking visual impact, is easy to learn, and everyone comes away with something — in this case, a piece of silk fabric and dyed watercolour paper. Natural dyeing, the process of adding colour to textile materials through the use of natural materials such as plants or animals, was added to the 2024 Craft at Risk List and listed as Endangered.
Cost: $40 plus HST. 10% discount for Rooms members. All materials included. Register online!
About the Presenter:
Susan Furneaux is a teacher, artist, craft consultant, and mentor. She specializes in natural dye and fibre techniques, learning, teaching, and exhibiting throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, nationally and internationally. Susan has won multiple awards for her embroidery, natural dyes, and innovative use of natural materials, including the 2024 Arts NL Arts and Education Award. In 2022, Susan was a mentor with Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program. Motivated by reciprocal knowledge exchange, capacity building, and the preservation of traditional skills, Furneaux shared the craft of Bark Tanning.
Presented in partnership with Heritage NL.
Come with your family to share in The Rooms Provincial Archives Open House!
Visit the Reference Room to see archival treasures, talk to reference staff about genealogy collections, or take a “Behind the Scenes” vault tour.
Vault tours: 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm
Children can also join in the fun by creating their own handprint family trees or making a personalized button. Enjoy coffee, cookies, and prizes!
Free event.
Peoples of Newfoundland and Labrador
Stroll across land and sea, and through time, to meet the peoples who have made Newfoundland and Labrador home for the past 9,000 years.
Each tour is approximately 30 – 40 minutes and is included in the cost of admission. Free for Rooms members.