White Water Gallery Presents: Landfall

A photographic installation by artist-in-residence Ava Margueritte. Landfall is now open and on exhibit until September 6th, with a reception Thursday, August 28th from 6 8 pm.

Artist Ava Margueritte returns to North Bay, her hometown for her first public solo exhibition, titled Landfall at White Water Gallery, 159 Main Street East, North Bay.

Margueritte knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue a creative path. Ava studied at Algonquin Secondary School and there she was introduced to Media Arts beginning a love affair with art and design. She was fortunate to have strong, supportive mentors in North Bay who encouraged her journey. Al Faucon, Luc St. Louis, Greg Lefebvre and Liz Lott all played a role. Finding a passion for Photography Margueritte was selected to attend OCAD University, Canada’s premier art school for the Fine Art.

Ava has deep roots in the North Bay community, starting her career in the summer of 2012 with her first exhibition alongside Lott at a Downtown Gallery Hop. Margueritte now lives in Ottawa and pursues her artistic practice and commercial photography business full time.

She photographs her subjects with a medium format camera and scans and edits her negatives at home. She is represented at De Montigny Contemporary, has exhibited nationally and internationally and is mentored by the 2025 Karsh Laureate Christine Fitzgerald.

Margueritte has had many accolades receiving several prizes including: The Marc Guertin Craftsmanship Award, School of the Photographic Arts: Ottawa, 2020, The Julia Margaret Cameron Award, Barcelona, 2021, The Athens Photo Festival, Greece, 2022, and was recently Shortlisted for Critical Mass, USA. In her spare time Ava focuses on bookmaking, drawing, painting and whenever possible swimming in Trout Lake! Composed of 10 photographic pairings, Landfall expresses the nuance of binaries and how mental health is not static.

Our environments, living conditions, employment, and even the weather play a role. People have their own natural rhythms, and sometimes the demands of societal structures are rigid and unyielding, superseding their personal needs. Striving to always meet the expectations of others, we are at risk of failing ourselves and becoming more vulnerable to symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Founded in 1974 and incorporated in 1977, the White Water Gallery (WWG) was originally created to facilitate opportunities for local artists in need of professional development who were unable to find accommodating venues for their research and dissemination projects. This need, combined with the dedication of many local artists, founded an institution devoted to the support of artistic development prioritizing research, risk-taking and experimentation in the arts.

Today many of Canada’s most established and successful artists acknowledge the role WWG has played in advancing their careers. The White Water Gallery is now one of Canada’s oldest artist-run centres and remains committed to supporting artistic practices that prioritize risk and innovation.

Understanding the need to advance the public’s threshold for viewing contemporary art, the gallery encourages outreach programming that promotes accessibility and shared knowledge. WWG is excited to both present Landfall and to have Ava Margueritte working at the gallery space as artist-in-residence for the duration of the project (July 29-September 6).

There will be a closing reception on August 28 from 6-8 pm.