Coffee & Culture, Thursdays, 2:30 pm

Thursday, January 26, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Curatorial Tour: Junkosphere

Join Caroline Stone and Jason Sellars as they discuss the process of working with artist Nicola Hawkins to create the new exhibition Junkosphere.

Thursday, February 2, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Genealogy – Where to Begin?

Have you ever thought about digging up your roots to find out more about your ancestors? Not sure where to begin? Archivist Melanie Tucker will share some great ideas on how to begin searching your own family history.

Thursday, February 9, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Curatorial Tour: New Romantics

Bruce Johnson will discuss concepts behind classical and current romanticism and take you through New Romantics, featuring new work by Philippa Jones, Kelly Richardson and Anthony Redpath.

Thursday, February 16, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Who were the Romantics?

Join Beth Pratt for a historical look at artists of the Romantic era and how they changed views on art. Learn how the artists of this period paved the way for the Impressionists and why their art still resonates nearly two hundred years later.

Thursday, February 23, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Tea

Don’t miss this special Coffee & Culture in honour of the Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. We’ll share a cup of tea and some treats as we look back at archival material from past royal visits. Feel free to bring along your own royal memorabilia to show and share with the crowd.

Thursday, March 1, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
The Hungry Month of March & the Cultural Connections to Homemade Bread

Bread has touched all our lives in Newfoundland. From mastering the art of making bread; to a meal of bread in the leanest of times; from sweet treats to a poultice to “bread for the road”, join folklorist, Diane Tye as she looks at the many cultural aspects of homemade bread.

Thursday, March 8 , 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Genealogy and Maps

Are you searching for your family history? Ever consider looking for your ancestors on maps? Did you know that there are many map sources including Google Maps and Google Earth which can help you? Join Daniel Duda, Map Librarian from the QEII Library as he explains how maps can provide a link to genealogy.

Thursday, March 15, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Film – Seven Brides for Uncle Sam

Some of the largest military bases outside the United States were in Newfoundland. From the beginning of World War II until the end of the Cold War as many as forty thousand Newfoundland women married Americans. In the film Seven Brides for Uncle Sam the momentous events of history that brought men and women together are a backdrop to poignant stories of romance, heartbreak and joy. This film is screened in cooperation with the National Film Board of Canada.

Thursday, March 22, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Abstract Expressionism and the French Canadian Artist

Art Gallery Educator Anne Pickard-Vaandering will explore this movement that took root in the United States in the 1940s and 50s. Learn how painter Jean Paul Riopelle and other French Canadian artists made a distinct contribution during this period in their own work.

Thursday, March 29, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Lee Wulff Archival Adventure Films

Archivist Sandra Ronayne will introduce us to two families as they journey the province. Meet the Landells in Sailing in Newfoundland as they sail into Happy Adventure, Bonavista Bay on The Maggie – a 22 foot motor sailing vessel. Next, climb aboard and travel from Port Aux Basques to the Avalon Peninsula with the Webber family in Newfoundland Trailer Trip.

Thursday, April 5, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Presentation by the Multi Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB)

Experts and educators from MMSB will be on-hand for this environmental program that tackles the themes explored in Junkosphere. Learn what you can do to live better and consume less.

Thursday, April 12, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Black Powder

Black powder firearms dominated warfare from the mid 1400s to the 1880s and yet this technology had major shortcomings – slowness, inaccuracy and unreliability. Join Bernard Ransom as he presents how black powder technology worked and what happened when it didn't.

Thursday, April 19, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
The Artificial Newfoundland

Join Alexandra Gilbert as she explores the development of the tourist industry in post-confederation Newfoundland and examines the way Newfoundlanders perceived the industry and the affect it has on those who lived here.

Thursday, April 26, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Planet in Focus Film Festival

The Rooms, in partnership with the Alliance of Natural History Museums of Canada, is pleased to present a series of compelling documentary films from the 2011 Planet in Focus International Film Festival.

Thursday, May 3, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Studio visit with John McDonald

Join artist-in-residence John McDonald for a look inside The Rooms studio as he works towards his upcoming solo exhibition.

Thursday, May 10, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Film - Blackwood

In anticipation of our exciting summer exhibitions Black Ice: David Blackwood’s Prints of Newfoundland and Back in the Day: David Blackwood’s Newfoundland and Labrador please join us for Blackwood, the film studying the works of Newfoundland-born David Blackwood, one of Canada's greatest contemporary etchers.