Tucked beside various car-related businesses, an unassuming brown duplex at 72 Laird Dr. houses a unique space devoted to art, Laird Art Gallery.
In 2022, Young Hee Sung and her husband Hang Ryeol Na, were facing a rent increase in Ajax and were searching for a new location that could serve as both home and workplace. The property on Laird was perfect because of its mixed zoning for both residential and business uses. The couple run the art gallery on the main floor and live upstairs with the two youngest of their five children, who together range in age from six to 23.
Since settling here, the family has been very happy with the welcoming community and its amenities and advantages. They have found the neighbourhood to be very receptive to their gallery, and as a busy mom, Young Hee appreciates being able to work and live in the same space.
In fact, Young Hee, the gallery’s director, explains that the gallery “serves as a window to promote my art and to communicate and interact with the local community.” She uses a style based on an Asian brush painting technique she learned growing up in Korea, which combines lines and dots to create an embroidery effect. In her work, she focuses on everyday experiences and “tries to capture and reflect the beauty and significance of each passing moment.”
On her journey to Leaside, Young Hee lived in the United States for many years and practised her art in several cities there. In fact, she was part of a team recognized for their work with the Public Diplomacy Award from South Korea for promoting Korean art and literature in Canada and the U.S. in 2016.
In May 2022, Young Hee organized an exhibition at her new gallery with her friends and an alumni group called Nokmee (“green beauty” in Korean) from the art college at Ewha Womans University, which she attended in Korea. This was followed by more exhibits featuring her friends and professional artists throughout that year. Young Hee was the sole artist in the show called “Connection” in 2023, which can still be viewed on the gallery’s website. Her aim is to organize one exhibition a year when possible.
In addition to creating her own paintings, Young Hee offers art classes on a rolling basis. The classes are for seniors and adults, and the gallery space can accommodate up to 12 students. Young Hee features acrylic painting and watercolours and welcomes all levels of ability, including beginners. There are two fall sessions and more will follow in the coming months. She also gives art talks for the Korean Artists Society of Canada and hopes to promote an art culture with artists and writers in the Leaside community to share her gratitude for the “blessing” of being an artist.
While Hang Ryeol acts as the gallery manager, he also runs a non-profit organization called All Seeds Academy in the other half of the building. All Seeds is funded by the New Horizons for Seniors Program, a federal grants program under Employment and Social Development Canada. Its purpose is to provide educational courses for seniors and economically disadvantaged individuals. Hang Ryeol teaches environmental health and courses related to environmental policy and science, science technology and public policy, Korean language and Bible study. The Academy also offers courses such as art (taught by Young Hee), singing and home caregiving.
