Art Gallery Opening Reception
Date: Feb 28
7:00 pm
- 9:00 pm
Where: Level 3 Atrium
You are invited to join us for a free public art gallery opening reception for three new exhibitions!
Grounding
Marking The Rooms 20th anniversary, the ideas behind this building’s architecture act as touchstones for exploring artistic expression in this province.
Bringing together some of the most beloved artworks from The Rooms’ collections, this exhibition considers how our surroundings and structures shape what has been valued, preserved, and shared by our communities.
Artists include Dinah Andersen, David Blackwood, Grant Boland, Vessela Brakalova, Maurice Cullen, Jerry Evans, A.Y. Jackson, Philippa Jones, Michael Massie, Mary Ann Penashue, Barbara Pratt, Christopher Pratt, Mary Pratt, Ned Pratt, Helen Parsons Shepherd, Gerald Squires, Jessica Winters, and many others.
To Launch Forth into the Deep: A Legacy of Supporting the Arts at Memorial University
This exhibition, part of Memorial’s 100th-anniversary celebrations, offers a glimpse into its extraordinary collection of over 4,000 artworks. By empowering artists to thrive at home, Memorial transformed Newfoundland and Labrador’s cultural landscape, enriching local life, and elevating the province’s voice on the national stage.
Artists: Anne Meredith Barry, Peter Bell, Jerry Evans, Gilbert Hay, Frank Lapointe, Heidi Oberheide, Christopher Pratt, Mary Pratt, Helen Parsons Shepherd, Reginald Shepherd, Gerald Squires, and Don Wright.
Amber-Lynn Thorne: Because of the Sea
In her work, Amber-Lynn Thorne weaves together ceramics and written reflections. She transforms the ocean into a place where discarded histories are lovingly reclaimed—a boundless reservoir of memory. Her art invites us to witness the quiet power of the hand: to hold, to mend, and to connect the tangible with the deeply emotional.
There will be live entertainment by pianist Alla Melnychuk, refreshments, and a cash bar 19+. Admission to the Art Gallery exhibitions will be free during the event!
See more about the artists here:
Grounding
To Launch Forth into the Deep: A Legacy of Supporting the Arts at Memorial University
Amber-Lynn Thorne: Because of the Sea
Today's Events & Programs
Fall in Love with Creativity!
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, join us to turn everyday fabric scraps into beautiful braided fabric wreaths. Inspired by our exhibition, Toby Rabinowitz’s A World Within a World, we’ll celebrate joy and creativity in everyday life while giving old materials a fresh, fabulous twist!
No experience needed - just bring your enthusiasm! Got fabric scraps you’d love to include? Bring them along! If not, we’ve got plenty to share.
Cost: $40 plus HST. 10% discount for Rooms members. Register online or by calling 709-757-8090. This workshop is for ages 16 and up.
Join us for an inspiring afternoon highlighting the artists who captured the spirit of the 2025 Canada Summer Games—live and on location. While athletes competed across St. John’s, a volunteer collective of artists worked quickly with pen, paint, and pastels as they documented the energy of competition and community in real time.
This event offers a behind-the-scenes look at their creative process, from the challenges of drawing in motion to the thrill of finding the perfect line amid the action. You’ll hear first-hand stories from the field—weather swings, crowded venues, and the art of working fast—alongside selections from sketchbooks and paintings created during the Games.
Whether you’re an art lover, Games fan, aspiring sketcher or a curious community member, this session promises insight, inspiration, and practical tips for drawing in public spaces.
Tickets: $12 plus HST. Free for Rooms members. Get your tickets online or by calling 709-757-8090.
Image: CBC/Using watercolour, artist Shay Hucklebridge captures the scene at women’s soccer at the King George V Park. (Shay Hucklebridge)