When Art Inspires Art

Peggy Baker’s Discovery of Art

“As a child of 11 or 12 years I was enrolled in art lessons that took place in the basement of the downtown mansion that housed the Edmonton Art Gallery. I took the 40-minute bus ride from my suburban neighbourhood on my own and entered the gallery up the same wide steps as regular visitors.

Each week our lesson began with our teacher taking us upstairs to look at a painting that she would explain to us by illuminating the subject, composition form and style, with forays into the illusion of perspective, the use of colour, and even something of the life of the artist. Then we filed back down the inner staircase to our art room to undertake our own projects based in some way on what we had just seen.

I have never lost the fascination of discovery that comes with encountering a work of art. The central focus of traveling for me, and my greatest source of pleasure in visiting a city, is visiting galleries and museums.”

Peggy’s love of all forms of art was the catalyst for creating an art auction in support of her work.

Waddington’s is pleased to support Peggy and her internationally acclaimed company, Peggy Baker Dance Projects. With works generously donated by artists and collectors, this benefit art auction will support the world premiere of who we are in the dark. An ambitious piece featuring violinist Sarah Neufeld and drummer Jeremy Gara, both members of the Grammy Award-winning band Arcade Fire, and eight outstanding Toronto dancers, this stunning new work premieres in Toronto with Canadian Stage and Fall for Dance North at the Bluma Appel Theatre, February 21 – 24.

View the Gallery Online