September 7, 2007 - Media Release

Gallery to exhibit McKee’s work of the Northumberland Strait

AMHERST, NS (September 7, 2007) – The Cumberland Health Care Art Gallery located on the main floor of the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre is will be exhibiting the works of Port Howe artist Colleen McKee in the coming week. McKee, a former board member of Visual Arts Nova Scotia has submitted a series of works of the Northumberland Strait area where she lives. “We’re always happy to have different scenery exhibited at the gallery,” stated David Wood, Chair of the Foundation, “as a regional acute care centre for the County, the patients come from all over and during difficult times a scene of somewhere they recognize can help take their minds off things and hopefully help them through a difficult time”.

McKee who is completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, started her formal study of art at the University of Toronto prior to her family moving to Nova Scotia. A former volunteer with the Dalhousie Art Gallery and a docent of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, McKee formerly represented Cumberland/Colchester on the board of Visual Arts Nova Scotia.

“I’ve had a longstanding interest in nature and the environment,” said McKee, “it started when I was young and has carried through my life. Now that my husband has retired, we’re able to spend more time in my home studio on the Northumberland Strait near Northport to work on this continuing series of that area.”

The Cumberland Health Care Art Gallery has a total of four galleries at the regional hospital with a portion of each sale going towards the Equipment Fund of the Foundation. During the month of September and into October, the Gallery will also be exhibiting the works of Bert vanLeeuwen, Arlene Collins, and Shirley Barnes.

The Cumberland Health Care Foundation is a registered Canadian not-for-profit charity dedicated to enhancing the provision of a high standard of health care within Cumberland County by raising funds and supporting new and improved services, programs, equipment and facilities. For additional information, please visit our website at www.chcfoundation.com.