The Turret: À l'intérieur Painting Auction

 The Turret: À l'intérieur Painting Auction showcases works by the students in Luke Fair's Summer 2026 Painting En Plein Air class at NSCAD University created at the Turret Arts Space. Painting en plein air, or painting outdoors, is a rich and exciting experience where artists aim to capture their environment by painting on location. On rainy days, students in Fair's class had the unique opportunity to apply the methodology of paining en plain air to interior architectural scenes in the Turret Arts Space. Painted in a single afternoon, these expressive paintings capture the light, shadow, and colours of the storied walls of 1588 Barrington Street.

Featured artists: Mariah Butler, Noah Check, Luke Fair, Roman Lecours, Freya Poirier, Charlotte Salley, Olivia Smith, Max Taylor, Aeron Wang, and Callista Welsh-Marshall

Auction sales are split 50/50 between the individual artists and the Turret Arts Space. 

Plein Air paintings are studies, painted quickly on location. As a result of the method, imperfections are often present. You are bidding on a painting that may have imperfections, including but not limited to, scuffs, small dents, and/or dirt/hair/plant matter trapped in the paint.

Turret Arts Space is redeveloping 1588 Barrington Street (formerly known as the Khyber Building) as an accessible multipurpose hub for art and community! Our two anchor tenants Khyber Centre for the Arts and LOVE Nova Scotia will hold down the fort with gallery exhibitions, live art, and youth programs. Turret will run an international artist-in-residence program and learning centre. Turret Arts Space will also be the first Queer History Visitor Centre in Canada, celebrating the iconic history of the Turret Club and the Gay Alliance for Equality (1976-1982). Right now, our beloved building is vacant while Turret Arts Space awaits news on federal funding for the redevelopment. This auction helps to raise funds for ongoing operating costs during this waiting period.