Kathy Hamer
Published Saturday November 7th, 2009
New president of ArtsLink NB says the province has truly outstanding artists and we need to recognize their talents and value to society
q Provenance?
a I grew up in Ontario, and first came to New Brunswick in 1968 to teach summer school at Mount Allison University in Sackville. I came back to Mount A in 1971 and taught French and was involved in administration there until 2003, when I moved to UNBSJ as vice-president. I retired in June and am living in Sackville.
q How did you become involved in the arts
and specifically in ArtsLink NB?
a I've always been involved in music in some form, though strictly as an amateur, and I do a lot of equally amateur photography. I've been very fortunate to have travelled a lot and to be exposed to visual art, music and architecture, especially in Europe. As dean of arts at Mount A, I had oversight of departments of fine arts and music. I think it was my role as dean that deepened my awareness of the importance of the full range of the arts - not only to artists themselves but also to the communities in which they live and work. In addition to my role in ArtsLink NB, I currently serve on the boards of Opera New Brunswick, the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra and the New Brunswick Museum. During my years in Saint John, I was very much aware of the arts in the city. When I retired, it was a natural next step to put my interests and experience to work in support of a sector that I believe has so much to offer to New Brunswick. I joined the board of ArtsLink this summer, and was asked to take on the role of president in September.
q What do you hope to accomplish through ArtsLink?
a Our website, artslinknb.com, summarizes our objectives well: advocacy for the arts community, promotion of arts education and public awareness, provision of guidance and resources to artists, and creation of a network and forum for artists from all disciplines. We see this sector as an integral part of the growth and prosperity of the province. We are encouraging the provincial government to bring its support for arts and culture to the level of that provided by the Nova Scotia government. Our goal is for ArtsLink NB to do for the anglophone arts community what the AAAPNB (the Association Acadienne des Artistes Professionnels du Nouveau-Brunswick) has done so effectively for the francophone community.
q What would you be doing if you weren't involved in arts organizations such as ArtsLink?
aNow that retirement has given me - theoretically, at least - more time, I would like to become a much more proficient photographer. It's an interest I've had for a long time. As long as I'm able to contribute, I hope to continue to be involved in arts organizations. I used to be very involved in study abroad programs and would love to develop similar travel-study opportunities that would appeal to broader audiences.
q What place on Earth inspires you?
a I've lived in a number of places in France, and almost all of them inspire me - the sense of history, the light, the language, the way of life. Paris probably tops the list. During a recent visit, I was overwhelmed by the number and richness of art exhibitions and the range of musical offerings - everything from Rembrandt, Renoir, Haydn and Brahms, to very contemporary artists from all disciplines. The city itself is a work of art - in part because of a long history, but also because of ongoing care on the part of all levels of government to preserve and enhance the city core. It is a stimulating and exciting city that has welcomed innumerable forms of creativity over many generations.
q What place in New Brunswick inspires you?
a Almost anywhere along the Fundy shore. The landscape is so varied - from the dikes and fields of the Tantramar Marsh to the ruggedness of the Fundy Trail. The range of light and colour is wonderful, especially in the fall. Living close to water, whether it be the sea or the small lake where our home is located, is very important to me.
q Your favourite hero of fiction?
a Dr. Rieux from Albert Camus' novel The Plague. He fights against overwhelming odds to stave off an outbreak of bubonic plague in his city and then treats the sick and dying with little thought for the risks to his own health and life. I've always been attracted to such individuals, fictional or real.
q What is your greatest fear?
a I have an irrational fear of heights - for which I have no explanation.
q Greatest joys?
a Choral music, especially Bach, and time with my family.
q Your favourite artists?
a I love Rembrandt, Vermeer, Monet and Cezanne, among many others. All of them can transform an ordinary object or scene into something extraordinary.
q What is your greatest extravagance?
a Books, CDs and some of the art purchases I have made over the years - though I don't call them real extravagances.
q Favourite painting by a New Brunswick artist?
a I have a watercolour by Stephen May, painted when he lived in our house during one summer. It's a representation of our dining room with summer sun flooding the space - again, something quite ordinary transformed by his ability to render the effects of light.
q What are you reading?
aAt the moment, a history of daily life in France from 1939 to 1949 - the story of the war and occupation and the national trauma of defeat, collaboration and resistance and the challenges of daily survival.
q Your most treasured possessions?
a Family photographs.
q What talent would you like to have?
a I'd like to be outstanding in some creative way - photography or music or writing.
q What is your motto?
a Carpe diem - seize the day. And, at this point in my life, perhaps "You're only as old as you feel!"
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