Guided Tour: Denyse Thomasos FULL
Date: Oct 12
2:30 pm
- 3:30 pm
Where: Level 3 Art Gallery
One of the finest painters to emerge in the 1990s, the late Trinidadian-Canadian artist Denyse Thomasos (1964-2012) left an indelible, yet frequently overlooked, mark on contemporary painting.
Join Renée van der Avoird, Associate Curator, Canadian Art, Art Gallery of Ontario; Sally Frater, Curator of Contemporary Art, Art Gallery of Guelph; and Michelle Jacques, Head of Exhibitions and Collections / Chief Curator, Remai Modern for a guided tour of Denyse Thomasos: just beyond in our level 3 Art Gallery.
This is a free tour but a ticket is required. Please reserve your free ticket online or by calling (709)757-8090.
About the Artist:
Born in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, the acclaimed painter Denyse Thomasos was raised in Toronto and spent most of her professional career in Philadelphia and New York City. Thomasos earned a BA in Painting and Art History from the University of Toronto in 1987. She attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in 1988 (Maine, US) and the following year completed her MFA in Painting and Sculpture, Yale School of Art, Yale University (Connecticut, US). Throughout her career, she attended various residencies, such as the Ucross Foundation Artist Residency in 2000, in Ucross (Wyoming, US) and the Bogliasco Foundation Artist Residency in 2003 (Genoa, Italy). She won numerous prestigious awards, including the Guggenheim Fellowship Prize in 1997; the Joan Mitchell Foundation award in 1998; and the New York Foundation for the Arts award in 2008; as well as grants from both the Canada Council for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Her work has been collected by private collectors, as well as major corporate and public institutions, including Rutgers University (New Jersey, US); Canada Council Art Bank (Ottawa, ON); Bank of Montreal (Toronto, ON); Banque Nationale du Canada (Montréal, QC); Art Gallery of Guelph (ON); Oakville Galleries (ON); the Hart House Collection at the University of Toronto (ON), and private collections throughout Canada and the United States. When Thomasos died tragically in 2012, she was at the height of her career, with major museum shows, a full professorship, New York and Toronto gallery representation, and many prestigious awards and residencies.
Image: Denyse Thomasos. Metropolis, 2007. Acrylic, charcoal, porous-point marker on canvas, unframed: 214 x 335.6 x 3.5 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario. Purchased with the assistance of the Toronto International Art Fair 2007 Opening Night Preview, and with the Financial Support of the Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Assistance Program, 2008. © The Estate of Denyse Thomasos and Olga Korper Gallery. 2007/241
Today's Events & Programs
Your Friday’s Just Got Creative
Whether you’re a confident sketcher looking for community and inspiration, or someone who’s always wanted to try drawing but never felt brave enough—this is your chance!
Join us in a welcoming, relaxed environment where creativity flows and everyone belongs. Each week, we explore a new theme while building our skills and own drawing style. From investigating the intricate details of our natural history collection to learning and drawing from our gallery exhibitions.
What to Expect:
• A supportive space to learn, share, and enjoy art together
• Guided exercises with an experienced instructor
• Tips and techniques for all skill levels
• Quality drawing supplies provided (or bring your favorite sketchbook!)
No pressure, just possibilities. Come for the art, stay for the conversation.
Cost: $25 per session plus HST. 10% discount for members. Reserve your spot today online or by calling (709) 757-8090
Let’s draw together at The Rooms!
What fills the void when a species disappears?
Legends from the past and lessons for the future.
Step into our Connections Gallery and hear the stories of the Great Auk, the Newfoundland Wolf, and endangered whales as they echo across the ages through their body and bones.
Commiserate with the extinct, heed the calls of the endangered, and get hands on with remarkable specimens. Then, stand in awe before The Earth, Our Mother, Billy Gauthier’s breathtaking sculpture carved from the skull of a fin whale.
Join us for an unforgettable experience where science meets storytelling and leave inspired, with a deeper love for the rich natural history of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Included in the cost of admission. This tour is suitable for all ages and includes unique specimens not currently on display.
Your Friday’s Just Got Creative
Whether you’re a confident sketcher looking for community and inspiration, or someone who’s always wanted to try drawing but never felt brave enough—this is your chance!
Join us in a welcoming, relaxed environment where creativity flows and everyone belongs. Each week, we explore a new theme while building our skills and own drawing style. From investigating the intricate details of our natural history collection to learning and drawing from our gallery exhibitions.
What to Expect:
• A supportive space to learn, share, and enjoy art together
• Guided exercises with an experienced instructor
• Tips and techniques for all skill levels
• Quality drawing supplies provided (or bring your favorite sketchbook!)
No pressure, just possibilities. Come for the art, stay for the conversation.
Cost: $25 per session plus HST. 10% discount for members. Reserve your spot today online or by calling (709) 757-8090
Let’s draw together at The Rooms!
Fishing for Cod
For centuries, fishing for cod has played a vital role in the lives of the peoples of Newfoundland and Labrador. Generations of fishing men, women, and children made use of the land and sea to sustain them and spent their lives “making fish.”
Each tour is approximately 30–40 minutes and is included in the cost of admission. Free for Rooms members.
In celebration of Black History Month, join us for a special evening of music and poetry in partnership with SARfest, featuring performances by local artists Mado & Sam and Project Highlife.
This event was organized in conjunction with SARfest, the ‘St. John’s African Roots Festival’, which promotes African and Afro-descendant cultures in Newfoundland and Labrador through festivals, Black History Month celebrations, workshops, and other events.
Tickets: $15 plus HST. 10% discount for Rooms members. Get your tickets online or by calling 709-757-8090.
About the Performers:
Sam Youbal is a young self-taught musician, producer, and music director known for his passion for music. Fluent in more than four languages, Sam bridges cultural and musical boundaries with ease, bringing a unique global touch to every project
Madeline Diamond-Grah (professionally known as Mado) is an emerging musician and performer celebrated for her expressive voice, compelling stage presence, and emotional range. A bilingual artist fluent in English and French, Mado is passionate about connecting with diverse audiences through music.
Project Highlife is a dynamic musical collective led by Ghanaian bassist George Gogoe, featuring Khamadi “JJ” Ojiambo on guitar (Kenya), Julien Bouchard on drums and percussion(Canada), and Elena Vigna on violin (Mexico). Based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, the group delivers an electrifying fusion of highlife and Afropop, blending deep, infectious bass grooves, driving percussion, and expressive violin melodies into a distinctive, high-energy sound.