Art gallery honours art donors

Oravec and Bernardi flanked by gallery curator Lisa Daniels and county Warden Bill Weber. John Oravec and Marisa Bernardi make ongoing donations of contemporary, Canadian art to the gallery's permanent collection (Lambton Shield)]

The third floor of the Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery has a new name.

Anyone who enters the gallery’s third floor will now be entering The John Oravec & Marisa Bernardi Gallery.

A special event was held at the gallery Thursday officially naming the exhibition space.

Oravec and Bernardi are avid supporters of the gallery and are passionate about contemporary Canadian art. Over the past decade, they have donated a number of important art works to the gallery, filling an identified gap in the gallery’s permanent collection.

“On behalf of Lambton County Council, I want to thank John and Marisa for their long-standing tradition of donating to the gallery’s permanent collection,” said county Warden Bill Weber.  “Their donations play a crucial role in building a dynamic, permanent collection for our community, making contemporary art accessible to everyone.”

“All of the art works donated by John and Marisa have been certified by the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board (CCPERB),” said Lisa Daniels, gallery curator. “Each of the works has been designated as important to Canada’s Visual Cultural Heritage, which means that if they were lost to Canada, our national heritage would be significantly diminished.”

The JNAAG’s regular hours at Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday 11 – 4, and Thursdays 11 – 8:30. Admission is always free, however, donations are always accepted with a smile.
Original Article