Warren G. Flowers attended the vernissage of What is Art For?

The vernissage for What is Art For? on Feb. 5 was a lively gathering of artists, students and art appreciators. One special guest was Warren G. Flowers.

Mr. Flowers had served as Chair of the Board of Governors for 13 years and has a bond with the College that resulted in the gallery being named after him. He was a huge supporter of Dawson student-artists, having attended many Artists in Bloom events and purchasing a number of artworks.

Mr. Flowers accompanied Lise Kimberly Glickman, one of the artists whose work is in the exhibition. Warren and Kimberly are longstanding friends. They got to know one another because of the friendship between Kimberly and Mr. Flower’s daughter Brenda. Brenda and Kimberly are both teachers who once taught at the same school.

Kimberly’s piece for the exhibition is a passionate, embroidered portrait of a woman creating art.

What is Art For? began during the pandemic summer of 2020. Montreal artist and educator Kathleen Vaughan posed the question to many artists around the world. She created a mail art project and sent out her kits of special papers, textiles, and embroidery floss.

Eighty-four collaborators created material and digital works revealing their fears and hopes for art and us all. Now, almost six years later during our present moment of upheaval, strife, uncertainty, and fear, Vaughan’s display in the gallery re-asks the question, inviting visitors to take to the materials in the gallery’s maker space to offer their own answer to this question, however it resonates.