Climate in Turmoil
Joanne Gervais
17 June – 11 July 2025
Climate in Turmoil is a vivid depiction of the Earth’s shifting elements through a series of two- and three-dimensional paintings by Joanne Gervais. Combining traditional wall-hung works with sculptural pieces mounted on driftwood and found materials, this exhibition captures the raw power and fragile beauty of nature in crisis.
Abstract landscapes evoke fire, water, land, and sky – from the scorched expanses of the Australian Outback to the icy vastness of Canada’s Northern Territories. Volcanic eruptions, grassland droughts, and devastating forest fires speak to the escalating chaos of a once-balanced planet.
At its centre is a haunting portrait of a young woman set against the vastness of the Milky Way. Rendered in delicate glazes, thin layers, and muted tones, she quietly asks: “What of Us?”
Surrounding this are turbulent works of anxious impastos, glaring reds, and stark whites, creating a contrast between calm and catastrophe – capturing a world in crisis.
Climate in Turmoil invites viewers to reflect on the environmental extremes we face and our role within them.
Closing Reception
Date: 9 July 2025
Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Unit 115, Tett Centre - 370 King Street West
Join us as we mark the closing of Climate in Turmoil by Joanne Gervais, the first exhibition in the KAC's new Pocket Gallery program.
Come experience these powerful works one last time and connect with the artist and community over conversation and light refreshments.
About the Artist
Joanne Gervais brings a wealth of diverse experience to her fine art practice, which she began in earnest in 1994. Her early training in Fine Crafts and Graphic Arts, including textiles, pottery, metalsmithing, silkscreen printing, graphic & fashion design, combined with studies in anatomy, laboratory science, physical education, and Teacher Certification in the Vocational Arts, provided a solid interdisciplinary foundation for her artistic career.
Joanne wants her artwork to benefit the world around her in a positive, albeit small, way. That is the greatest motivation that she needs to continue the long lonely days that a professional artist experiences in the quest of creating the masterpieces that one hopes will leave some sort of mark or influence in the world that one lives in.
About the Gallery
The Pocket Gallery is a small but dynamic exhibition space in the foyer of the Kingston Arts Council office, located in the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning. Previously known as UNIT 115, this space now offers paid exhibition opportunities for KAC members.
Whether you're an emerging artist or a seasoned professional, the Pocket Gallery offers an exciting, flexible, and supportive environment to exhibit your work.
About the Exhibition Program
Location
The Pocket Gallery is housed in the foyer of the Kingston Arts Council office. The KAC office is located in a high-traffic area on the first floor of the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning, in Unit 115, and is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10AM – 5PM, as well as additional evenings and weekends for special events.
Dimensions Can Be Viewed Here
Program Goals
The Pocket Gallery program seeks to:
-
- Support KAC Members with paid exhibition opportunities;
- Foster connections across the local arts ecology;
- Support and showcase artists working in varied fields of practice;
- Provide professional development opportunities for emerging and mid-career artists;
- Offer a space for creative exploration, including the exhibition of experimental artworks and installations; and
- Support and engage artists and audiences from equity-deserving communities.
Curation & Installation
KAC staff are generally responsible for installation and deinstallation, however, we are open to varied approaches to curation and installation of Pocket Gallery exhibitions. Exhibiting artists are welcome to curate and/or install their own exhibitions to varying degrees, depending on their preference and experience. Emerging artists are also welcome to support curation and installation or shadow KAC staff during these processes as a professional development opportunity.
Parallel Programming
Pocket Gallery exhibitions create opportunities for parallel programming and activities. This could include opening or closing receptions, artist talks, community artmaking sessions, exhibitions that invite viewer participation, and more! We encourage applicants to explore opportunities for parallel programming when applying, however, parallel programming should remain feasible within the program’s budget and KAC staff capacity, as well as the artist’s own capacity. In other words, we’re not looking for a major programming series, but rather a simple activity either embedded in the exhibition itself or offered as a one-off event.
Artist Fees & Sales
The artist fee for Pocket Gallery exhibitions is $600, with additional budget allocated towards parallel programming as needed. Exhibition fees are set according to CARFAC’s 2025 Minimum Recommended Fee Schedule (Category I, Single Work / Small Sites: $494); artist fees for duos or small collectives may be negotiated separately, pending budget.
The KAC will direct patrons to the artist to purchase any works directly from them. Should the artist wish for KAC to facilitate sales on their behalf, a 20% commission fee will be collected to support administrative and staffing costs.
Questions?
Please contact B.C. Gorrie at PCC@artskingston.ca if you have any questions about this program!
Call for Submissions
The Kingston Arts Council welcomes applications from artists working in all mediums to submit to our first Call for Submissions for the Pocket Gallery program. Please review all details below.
Submissions to the Pocket Gallery for August through December 2025 are now closed.
Applications for 2026 will open in the late fall, 2025.
Eligibility
-
- Applicants must be current KAC members (click here to register).
- Open to solo artists, duos, or small collectives.
- All disciplines welcome — visual, audio, XR, performance, installation, etc.
In order to be eligible to apply to exhibit in the Pocket Gallery, applicants must have a valid KAC Membership.
The Pocket Gallery is best suited for solo exhibitions, experimental works, and creative installations. We will additionally consider applications from artist duos or even small collectives, but the small nature of the space and budget constraints will be taken into consideration.
Artists working at all stages of their careers are welcome to apply, and all mediums or fields of practice will be considered as long as there is a component to the exhibition that can be exhibited in the gallery space (visual, tactile, audio, performance, XR). Applicants seeking to submit audio works should consider that the Pocket Gallery opens into a shared hallway in the Tett Centre, and is attached to the KAC office.
How to Apply
Gather the following necessary materials, and fill out the Pocket Gallery Application Form.
-
- Applicant Name & Contact Information*
- Artist Biography*
- Exhibition Proposal — brief overview of your proposed exhibition*
- Supporting Documentation (images of your proposed artwork and/or examples of past work)*
- Artist CV
- Technical Requirements (if applicable)
- Programming Ideas (optional — ex. opening/closing reception, artist talk, creative programming)
(* required)
Pocket Gallery Application
Evaluation and Selection
Applications will be juried by a selection committee composed of KAC staff and volunteers. Applications will be evaluated based on:
-
- Artistic merit;
- Alignment with program goals and KAC’s vision and values;
- Feasibility of the proposed exhibition within the gallery’s space and resources; and
- Potential for community engagement and impact.
All applicants will be notified of the status of their application as soon as possible; please do not call the KAC for updates on your application.
Questions or Concerns? Contact Us!