Home Is Where the Art Is

Join Members of Atlanta Contemporary for a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of some of the best contemporary art collections. This month we are going to CANADA! with an exclusive look at the private collection and home of Catharine Mastin, former executive director of the Art Gallery of Windsor, and David McNamara. 

You must be a member of Atlanta Contemporary in order to attend Home is Where the Art Is.

If you are not yet a member and would like to participate, click here to process your membership. Once confirmed, send an email to Abby Bullard at abby@atlantacontemporary.org with your receipt and she will then share the Zoom registration link.

About the collection:

Catharine Mastin and David McNamara have been collectors since they first met almost thirty years ago. Their collections include Canadian Art, retro ceramics, vintage commercial signs, bar paraphernalia, pressed tin toys, vinyl albums and hundreds of books. They live in a fabulous heritage neighborhood in Windsor, Ontario, Canada called Walkerville, just a stone’s throw from Detroit, Michigan. We can’t do it all on this exciting virtual tour but we will focus on their Canadian Art collection and take a peek at mid-20^th century ceramics.

Catharine Mastin was blessed to be born into a family that loved art. Her grandfather, Franklin Carmichael (1890-1945) was a founding member of Canada’s pre-eminent landscape art collective, the Group of Seven (1920-1932). He was also a founding member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (1925) and the Canadian Group of Painters (1933). Growing up with art around her, Catharine has never lived a day without art in her private spaces.

Building on this foundation, Catharine and David have together developed their love of Canadian art to included more of her grandfather’s contemporaries and support of the communities they have lived in throughout their marriage—Toronto, Windsor and Calgary. David is the truly inter-disciplinary collector of the pair and he shares a passion for the history of most anything he sees. His love of Canadian art has evolved side-by-side Catharine’s professional track as a prominent Canadian art historian, curator and Executive Director. Today, Catharine proudly notes that he can walk into a gallery and almost always spot the artist’s work from afar— including all members of the Group of Seven and even postwar and contemporary artists including William Perehudoff, Mary Pratt, Joyce Wieland and Chris Cran.

Today, their collection numbers more than 100 Canadian modern and contemporary works of art and they have done this by setting aside money to buy each other artworks for special occasions like birthdays and Christmas. Artists in their collection include Calgarians such as Henry George Glyde, Marion Nicoll, David Pugh, David Thauberger, Helen Stadelbauer and Chris Cran among others. Their story embraces the artistic history of the places they have lived because they have wanted to embrace and support them. Most all of the artists in their collection have earned national or international reputations for artistic innovation and excellence. On her new path as an independent scholar and writer, Catharine is currently writing a book on Marion Nicoll scheduled for release in 2021.

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Atlanta Contemporary believes in free admission, every day and our support program is vital to engaging experimentation and risk-taking through exhibitions, programming, and support of working artists. Click here to learn more about membership -or- upgrade to the next level in support of AC’s artists during COVID-19.

While we miss seeing you in the galleries and on our campus, we invite you to engage with us VIRTUALLY. With Pop-Up Programming, Virtual Talks, quarantine cocktail recipes and pandemic playlists – we want to connect with you #togetherapart. We’re here for you Atlanta – we’ve got your back!

On Friday, March 13 in the interest of promoting public health, we decided to temporarily close Atlanta Contemporary to the public. Staff remain available by email and phone and will telework during this time. The executive leadership of Atlanta Contemporary will continue to monitor the situation and asses the need for continued closure. Stay safe and healthy. We look forward to welcoming you back to Atlanta Contemporary soon.