For their third Slow Art Day, RiverBrink Art Museum, located in Queenston, Ontario (Canada), invited visitors to slow down and deepen their connection with three selected artworks from their permanent collection. Guests were welcomed into the gallery and encouraged to sit quietly with each artwork, observing closely for five minutes before joining a facilitated group discussion led by Programming and Curatorial Assistant Moyu Chen.
Featured works included:
- “Effet de Pluie, Pont Aven” by Gustave Loiseau (n.d.)
- “Portrait of Frances Davis” by Francis Cotes (c. 1760)
- “Settlers’ Cabin in the Foothills [Early Canadian Settler]” by Cornelius Krieghoff (1859)
Participants reflected on visual details, brushwork, subject matter, and emotional tone. The museum provided extra seating to ensure an accessible and comfortable environment for slow looking, and a helpful handout (featured below) with observation questions created by the museum team.
We at Slow Art Day HQ love the art, the simple design and the ongoing partnership with RiverBrink. We look forward to what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2026.
– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl
P.S. You can follow RiverBrink Art Museum on Instagram: @riverbrinkartmuseum