Aaron Guravich - Olga Korper Gallery 
My ADAC internship with Olga Korper Gallery has lead directly to a permanent position at the gallery over the last four years. I gained practical knowledge and experience that I could not have accessed anywhere else. It was a great way to make a direct connection to a gallery. I believe the inroads created by the internship program are crucial for those looking to build experience in the arts industry. It can be a very difficult business to approach from the outside and the connections that are made through the ADAC often prove beneficial to both the galleries and the interns.

Aaron Guravich
Gallery Assistant, Olga Korper Gallery, Toronto, ON


Mary MacDonald - Zwickers Gallery 
I discovered ADAC web searching some very helpful suggestions from my friendly local artist-run centre, Struts Gallery, in the fall of 2006. I had just graduated with my BFA the previous spring from Mount Allison University and was looking for something in my field of study. Of course there was always that naysayer at the party, a puffed up know-it-all that had said, "Artist! Ha! What are you going to do with that?" So off I went to Halifax where I found myself working at a coffee shop around the corner, loving city life and working out of my studio/bedroom.

I applied to the internship program with ADAC, and was extremely pleased to find that I had found a place at Zwicker's Gallery with its extremely knowledgeable staff and Director, Mr. Ian Muncaster.

During my term at Zwicker's I was introduced to the commercial art world for the very first time. I enjoyed seeing and coming into close contact with exceptional Canadian Art from the 19th C to the present. I was fascinated by the quiet venerable maps on the fourth floor, the riots of colour streaming from the Jean-Claude Roy paintings and the stories that were gleaned from each appraised work under Mr. Muncaster's sharp eye.

I also learned how to frame, pack and ship art, a useful skill for any emerging artist, and how artists and commercial galleries interacted on a daily basis. Zwicker's, a traditional close-knit family, were very kind to their friends (especially at tea time!) and I am pleased to say that I was a part of it for a short while.

Thank you ADAC very much for giving young arts professionals the opportunity to hit the ground running and proving all those naysayers wrong! Best of luck to you and Zwicker's Gallery (Zoe included).

Mary MacDonald
Assistant Director, Eastern Edge Gallery, St. John's, NL


Diana Scott - Prime Gallery 2006/2007 
Photographer Diana Scott was an ADAC intern from 2006 to 2007. In 2006 she graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts, majoring in Photographic Studies. While Diana's true love is photography she is passionate about all art forms and chooses to immerse herself not only in her own art but the art of others. In September 2006 she began an internship placement through ADAC and worked for PRIME Gallery in Toronto, Ontario as a Gallery Assistant for owner Maryrose Coleman.

After spending eight months at PRIME as a Gallery Assistant, she learned much about the operations of a well established gallery, but also learned about the workings of owning a small business, that would later play a major role in her future endeavours. While in her last three months at PRIME gallery, she was offered a position to manage an art gallery of her own! In May 2007, she began her position as the Operations Manager for Artists Walk gallery in the historic Village Square in Burlington, Ontario. From February 2007 to April 2009 Diana was responsible for the daily inventory and finances, finding new artists, putting together events and exhibitions, selling art works and much more. In this time she also continued to work towards her passion, Diana Scott Photography, her freelance business which she carried out on the side.

Recently in April 2009, Diana resigned from her Operations Manager position and took her new found knowledge and skill sets and began her full time sole proprietorship; Diana Scott Photography. Currently, she practices Portrait, Commercial and Event Photography and runs her photography studio at Artists Walk in Burlington, Ontario.

Diana truly believes that obtaining her placement through ADAC was the first stepping stone to making her dreams come true. It gave her the expertise, confidence, and knowledge she needed. Thank you ADAC!

Please support Diana and check out her most recent works at: www.dianascottphotography.com


Stanzie Tooth - Lonsdale Gallery 2008/2009 
Painter Stanzie Tooth was an ADAC intern for six months in 2008. In 2007 she graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design, with an award of distinction for excellence in painting. During her years at OCAD, Stanzie worked for the university gallery, first as a gallery assistant and later went on to coordinate a student gallery space on her own. It was through these experiences that she first realized her passion for curating.

During her internship for Lonsdale Gallery, Stanzie immediately began planning events for the gallery, such as the annual charitable arts show the Love Show 2008. Soon, after recognizing her interest in programming, the gallery director, Chad Wolfond, began endorsing Stanzie's curatorial proposals for such shows as Art Market and Responsive Space. As of January 2009, Stanzie took on the position as the curator for Lonsdale Gallery. Through her position she is able to introduce new artists to the gallery while working with existing artists on new and exciting projects.

Stanzie continues paint and show throughout Ontario. Some of her recent exhibitions include: Voices at Studio 22 in Kingston Ontario, Grounded at the Ministry of Health in Toronto and Through the Woods at the Canadian Heritage Building in Toronto. She maintains a full time studio in Toronto's art and design district while working at the gallery.

Stanzie is looking forward to her upcoming personal projects as well as the next season of programming at Lonsdale Gallery. This fall, she will be overseeing her first curatorial project for Nuit Blanche at the Gladstone Hotel.

Stanzie's internship through the Art Dealers Association of Canada was an invaluable experience, which fostered her career in art writing and curating. Above all, the support of the staff at the ADAC through her internship gave her the confidence to pursue her goals. Thank you ADAC!

For more information on Stanzie's work, visit:
www.stanzietooth.com


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