​Bruce County Museum launches new digital education program inspired by Alan Weinstein

The Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre has launched “Mining for Gold: The Art of Alan Weinstein,” a new, asynchronous digital education program for secondary students, inspired by the work and philosophy of Canadian artist Alan Weinstein.

This program complements the on-line publication Alan Weinstein: The Bruce County Collection, 1970-2015, showcasing the artist’s work, career, and legacy, following a 2021 donation by the artist of more than 500 pieces of his prints and paintings.

The design of “Mining for Gold” aligns with the Ontario Visual Arts Curriculum for Grades 9 to 12. It provides teachers with a flexible, ready-to-use program that enriches classroom learning. For students, it offers a meaningful opportunity to connect Weinstein’s legacy with their own creativity and personal expression.

Through three interactive digital modules, students explore the life and work of Weinstein, discovering thematic series from his career through the 1970s. They will engage with Weinstein’s philosophy of “mining your gold,” which emphasizes uncovering their own unique, creative voice. Students will learn the fundamentals of intaglio printmaking (dry-point) using recycled materials to create their own original artwork as a way to reflect on, and better understand, their creative process.

“This program is an excellent contribution to our education system,” said Weinstein. “I am grateful knowing that this digital resource will make my work accessible to a broad audience. The designer, Chris Irvine, and editor, Rick Archbold, created a splendid visual overview of five decades of my paintings and prints.”

“This education program teaches a fun, accessible technique that young artists (and non-artists) may not have tried before,” said Lauren Beer, education and outreach co-ordinator at the museum. “It guides them through exploring their own gifts and artistic voice, just as Weinstein has done throughout his career.”

The program is available on-line through the museum’s Digital Education Centre at www.brucemuseum.ca.

Since his one man show in 1961 at the Pollock Gallery in Toronto, Weinstein has been given solo exhibitions in museums and galleries in Canada, the United States, and Australia. He has participated in juried invitational and group shows, nationally and internationally.

Born in Toronto in 1939, Weinstein was educated at Princeton, BA, University of Iowa, MFA, and the École du Louvre. He has taught at the Universities of Saskatchewan, Guelph and Texas at San Antonio.

His work is represented in public collections across North America and abroad. His paintings and prints have received awards and honours in the United States and Canada over the past 50 years. He maintains studios in Iowa City, Iowa, and Teeswater, Ontario. He is married to author Nina Barragan and they have four children.