ART HIVES : free creation workshop
Presented by
The Art Hive is back at the Museum for its seventh year! This activity takes place on the first Sunday of every month from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Art Hive is a space for well-being, connection, and inclusion, rooted in a philosophy of democratizing the arts. Everyone is welcomed as an artist, regardless of their level of artistic knowledge or technical skills.
Personalized support is provided by art therapist Sara Giard Pagé and a museum mediator. A wide variety of creative materials is available to participants. There are no instructions; independent experiences of creativity, learning, and knowledge-sharing are encouraged. Each session begins with the presentation of an artwork from the Sherbrooke Museum of Fine Arts collection, followed by an art therapy exercise related to the theme.
Through collaboration, participants build connections and create collective works. Everyone who feels drawn to this experience is welcome. Beverages and light snacks are served during each session. The activity is open, so participants can join at any time between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Welcome to all!
ABOUT SARA GIARD PAGÉ
With over 15 years of experience in the helping profession, notably as a psychoeducator, Sara Giard Pagé transitioned her professional practice to art therapy, earning her degree from UQAT in 2021. She co-founded and co-directed the Sherbrooke Art Therapy Center (C.A.T.S.) for several years, where she provided art therapy services while also practicing in a hospital setting. She continues this work today, supporting individuals facing mental health challenges, while also offering services in her private practice as a self-employed art therapist.
Sara has developed expertise in addressing anxiety, depression, burnout, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). More broadly, her skills extend to areas such as emotional expression and management, relational difficulties, behavioral patterns, and self-discovery, self-esteem, and self-assertion. Her desire to make the transformative power of art accessible to a wider audience has led her to include facilitating the MBAS Art Hives among her professional activities.
ABOUT EMMANUELLE MEUNIER (Currently on Maternity Leave)
Graduate in the Art Therapy Master`s (Concordia University, 2015), Emmanuelle is the Museum ‘Art Hives’ facilitator since 2019. Since the very beginning of her career, she works with a wide array of populations; youth, adults, veterans, immigrants, refugees, first nation communities, etc. More recently, she decided to further develop her private practice with youth who get her help individually, whether it is through online or presential sessions. Emmanuelle`s humanistic approach brought her to study the community art studio method with Janis Timm-Bottos, also art therapist and director of the Art Hives Initiative and Network. It made sense for Emmanuelle to get involved in her community to create the first Sherbrooke ‘official art hive.
This very Art Hive is also the the second art hive in a museum in Quebec.
ART HIVES CALENDAR 2025
| Dates | Topics | Works from the MBAS collection | Introduction to free creative activity |
| Sunday January 5, 2025 | Pacing Back and Forth | Manfred Mohr, Random Walk, 1970, ink on paper, 22 x 15.3 cm, Luc LaRochelle Collection. | Manfred Mohr (1938– ) is a German artist who has lived in New York City since 1981. Recognized as a pioneer of digital art, he began programming computer-generated geometric drawings in the late 1960s. The drawing Random Walk can be seen as the visual path of a somewhat random stroll. Walking aimlessly, whether to pass the time or with no particular destination—pacing back and forth—is a universal experience we’ve all encountered. In this Art Hive, we invite you to incorporate a random path into your artistic composition. After all, isn’t artistic creation also a way to simply pass the time? |
| Sunday February 2, 2025 | Mystery | Unknown Artist, Untitled, 20th century, silver gelatin print, 13.5 x 26.8 cm, Luc LaRochelle Collection. | This black-and-white photograph is shrouded in mystery: its artist is unknown, and it is dated to the 20th century. It entered the collection of the Sherbrooke Museum of Fine Arts in 2001. As we observe this silver gelatin print, countless questions arise. What does a duck figurine alongside ceramic dishware signify? Who owned these items? Why were they photographed? We may never know… Today, we invite you to reflect on the mysteries within yourself to guide your creation. What is the question that, for you, will remain forever unanswered? |
| Sunday, March 2, 2025 | Overcoming the Competition | Frederick B. Taylor, Cross Country Race No 7, 20th century, ink on paper, 27.5 x 9.5 cm, Sherbrooke Museum of Fine Arts Collection. | Frederick B. Taylor (1906–1987) was born in Ottawa. He studied architecture at McGill University before training in art under Le Corbusier in France. Today, he is recognized in Canada for his paintings and prints depicting wartime industry workers and Montreal architecture scenes. Cross Country Race No 7 is a print showcasing a skier competing in a cross-country race. One can imagine them pushing their limits, giving everything to reach first place. The drive to succeed and the feeling of being in competition with oneself and others is a universal experience. For this Art Hive, we invite you to incorporate a collaborative element into your creation. Harness the strength of teamwork to explore the artistic process as a group! |
| Sunday, April 6, 2025 | Generosity | Cécile Grondin-Gamache, Frédina nourrit ses poules, 20th century, oil on canvas, 25.5 x 20.3 cm, Sherbrooke Museum of Fine Arts Collection. | Cécile Grondin-Gamache (1930–2018) was a self-taught artist from Ste-Marie de Beauce. Her works depict rural scenes that illustrate the challenging lives of her ancestors. Beyond her artistic practice, Grondin-Gamache was deeply engaged in her community, dedicating much of her time to volunteering. Her loved ones remember her as a generous individual. The oil painting Frédina nourrit ses poules portrays a farm worker feeding her chickens, reflecting the demanding and self-sacrificing nature of farm life. For this Art Hive, we will explore the theme of generosity together. Does generosity inspire us to create for others? Let this idea guide your artistic expression today. |
| Sunday, May 4, 2025 | Closing Your Eyes | Gisèle Leclerc, Demoiselle sur fond gris, 1978, oil on canvas, 30.2 x 25.5 cm, Luc LaRochelle Collection. | Québec painter Gisèle Leclerc (1931–2013) studied at the École des Beaux-Arts de Québec from 1941 to 1954. She discovered expressionism through art books showcasing German artists breaking away from traditional academic styles. Leclerc’s works are known for their intense expressiveness, often conveying pain, discomfort, and solitude—sometimes hinting at self-portraits. In Demoiselle sur fond gris, the figure wears a jet-black dress. The woman has no visible feet or arms, appearing frozen, perhaps even uneasy. Her closed eyes—do they reflect a desire to escape elsewhere? Today, we’ll delve into the theme “Closing Your Eyes” as both a source of inspiration and a means of escapism. Let this concept guide your creativity. |
| Sunday, June 1, 2025 | The Creative Volcano | Serge Lemoyne, Hommage à Matisse – Prélude #1, 1996, acrylic on wood, 30.3 x 30.3 cm, Luc LaRochelle Collection | Hailing from Acton Vale, Serge Lemoyne (1941–1998) is a celebrated figure in Québec’s art history. Bold and rebellious, he questioned the artist’s role and sought to make art accessible to a wider audience. During a decade of intense creativity, he painted exclusively in blue, white, and red, referencing the Montréal Canadiens hockey team. His century-old house was itself a living artwork, where he frequently invited the community to gather and create. Though small in size, Hommage à Matisse – Prélude #1 captures Lemoyne’s signature artistic energy. Bold, generous strokes of paint cover the wooden panel, embodying his vibrant and explosive approach to art. In this Art Hive, inspired by Lemoyne’s volcanic creativity, we encourage you to unleash your artistic momentum with a touch of eccentricity! Go bold—exaggerate your use of materials and gestures. Why not experiment with the drip technique, a hallmark of Lemoyne’s style? |
| Sunday, July 6, 2025 | A Breath of Fresh Air | Nina May Owens, Bark Lake Little Summer House, 1959, oil on canvas, 18.6 x 25 cm, Sherbrooke Museum of Fine Arts Collection. | Nina May Owens (1869–1959) was a painter from Bolton-Centre who achieved an independent and professional artistic career. In the early 1900s, she trained in Montréal and traveled to Europe to refine her craft. Her landscapes reflect European influences. Interestingly, Bark Lake Little Summer House (1959) is dated the same year as Owens’ passing. This oil on canvas depicts a serene vacation spot, a tranquil place in nature where time seems to stand still. Today’s theme, “A Breath of Fresh Air,” invites you to portray an outdoor space that brings you peace of mind. Let this inspiration guide your artistic journey toward creating your own oasis of calm. |
| Sunday, August 3, 2025 | Jumping into the Water | Sophie Lanctôt, The Delirium of Naked Bodies, 1993, acrylic and colored pencil on wood, 31.7 x 24.5 cm, Luc LaRochelle Collection. | Sophie Lanctôt (1962- ) is a contemporary artist interested in themes of fragility and survival. In her works, she leaves “traces,” sorts of clues that symbolize erasure. The Delirium of Naked Bodies (1993) depicts a rather transparent dress hanging from a pole above a lake tinted gray-blue. Here, it may be interesting to focus on the title to interpret this scene. Who left this dress by the water? Why does this translucent garment blend into the background? In this Art Hive, we will explore the theme “Jumping into the Water” to talk about courage but also vulnerability. |
| Sunday, September 7, 2025 | My Ancestor | Wyatt Eaton, Untitled, 19th century, oil on cardboard, 24 x 20 cm, Sherbrooke Museum of Fine Arts Collection. | Wyatt Eaton (1849-1896) was a Canadian artist born in Philipsburg, in the Eastern Townships. He trained at major schools in New York, London, and Paris. He is known for his portraits of politicians, genre scenes, and landscapes. The work we are observing is untitled and dated to the second half of the 19th century. The identity of the subject is not revealed. Some clues are given about her: notice, for example, the rosary around her neck, her large shawl, and her hairstyle. Who was she? What would she tell us if she could speak? We are all connected to those who came before us. In this Art Hive, we propose the theme “My Ancestor” to reflect on those who were here before us. |
| Sunday, October 5, 2025 | My Fortress | Onésime-Aimé Léger, Old Castle, 1913, oil on cardboard, 24 x 19 cm, Sherbrooke Museum of Fine Arts Collection. | Fine Arts Collection. Born in a small village in Ontario, Onésime-Aimé Léger (1881-1924) was a painter and illustrator trained at the Council of Arts and Manufactures. While major cities were undergoing the transformations of the industrialization period, Onésime-Aimé Léger surrounded himself with artists and men of letters to live a bohemian lifestyle through his art. The work Old Castle (1913) depicts a castle blending into an autumn-colored landscape. The treetops on the horizon add an almost architectural element to the scene. When looking at the work, everyone sees a different castle. Today, in this Art Hive, we will explore the theme “My Fortress” by focusing on what is precious to us. |
| Sunday, November 2, 2025 | Exquisite Corpse | Paul Béliveau, Opus Incertun XL; The Paradoxes, 1990, mixed media, 38 x 19 x 18 cm, Luc LaRochelle Collection. | Paul Béliveau (1954- ) is a contemporary artist known for his work in drawing, engraving, and painting. His works are created with underlying philosophical questions and invite reflection on art and imagination. The work we are looking at today, Opus Incertun XL; The Paradoxes (1990), is part of a series of works whose composition is organized in a grid with two or three distinct zones, as if laying out the sequence of a thought. Here, a bench, a fire, and a nail appear against a red, black, and white background. How are these images connected? Today, with the theme “Exquisite Corpse,” we propose to draw inspiration from the surrealist game to create group representations influenced by the thoughts of several people. |
| Sunday, December 7, 2025 | A Silhouette | Unknown Artist, Untitled, c. 1880, Chinese ink on paper, 15 x 11.5 cm, Painchaud Clotilde and Louis Collection. | These two drawings, dated to the 1880s, were made with Chinese ink by an unknown artist. They entered the Museum’s collection in 1989. Silhouettes have been represented for a very long time in the history of art, whether on an amphora (a vase) from Athens or on a contemporary mural. The shadow of a person can be used to trace their silhouette or profile according to their morphology and attributes. Today, in this Art Hive, we will explore the theme “A Silhouette” to guide our creation. Once the silhouette is traced, does it not represent the absence of that person? |