Our members enjoy access to past and upcoming presentations, receive our award-winning magazine, Ornamentum, and so much more.
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WHAT'S NEW |
Fall 2026 Newsletter Read all about it! Our Fall 2026 Newsletter is here and it is packed full of decorative arts intel! From exhibitions across the country, or the globe, we have you covered with captivating recommendations of what to watch, visit, and listen. Read about the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry back to England, an exhibition celebrating three artists' grandmothers' legacies, a decorative arts enthusiast's guide to Halloween, and more! Interest in reading previous issues of our newsletter? Read them here. Image: Zizipho Poswa (born 1979, Mthatha, South Africa; active Cape Town, South Africa), uNa’kaMzingisi (Mzingisi’s Mother), 2024. Glazed earthenware, 134.6 × 50.8 × 58.4 cm. Princeton University Art Museum © Zizipho Poswa. Image Courtesy: Southern Guild (2025-123). | .png) Your support Matters Bid! Bid! Bid! The Art of the Staycation: Discovering Canada's Hidden Gems will offer a wide variety of arts-based experiences throughout Canada. Auction lots will include curator-led tours, workshops, private access to wardrobe departments and props departments at some of Canada's performing arts organizations, private studio tours, and so much more! Our virtual fundraising auction launches in early November--perfect for holiday gift giving! Check back to view lots on offer and find out how you can bid on exclusive arts-based experiences catered to collectors. Every bid placed and every dollar raised directly supports independent voices shaping Canadian culture. Image 1: Courtesy of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts / Image 2: Star Kazak Pile Woven Carpet, circa 1850, wool. The Jean and Marie Erikson Collection, Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary (2014.263.000) / Image 3: Bijin (Beauty) figure Japan, Hizen, c. 1680–1700, Porcelain with overglaze enamels, The Macdonald Collection. Courtesy of the Gardiner Museum |  Ornamentum Online Featured Article Poisonous pigments in period papers are spotlighted in Ornamentum's most recent feature, Timothy Greening's McKay's Choice? Investigating Arsenic in 19th-Century Canadian Wallpaper. Greening examines the decorative backdrops from the Victorian era and how artifacts are identified as hazardous. Read about how these pigments came to be manufactured for wallpaper and where else they may have been applied. Visit ornamentum.ca to access the feature article and the Spring/Summer 2026 issue, POISONS & INTOXICANTS. Image: Colin McArthur & Co. wallpaper roll (detail), c. 1906, Canada. Courtesy of Heritage New Zealand Puhere Taonga. |
ORNAMENTUM: CSDA/CCAD's AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE Ornamentum is
Canada’s preeminent publication dedicated to exploring and cultivating
the aesthetics of the everyday. Written for a broad readership, this
award-winning magazine highlights creative design and craftsmanship in
both historical and contemporary work. |
On newsstands across Canada until May 2027 | COLLECTIONS, CONNECTIONS, AND DESIGN HISTORY The Fall/Winter 2026 issue of Ornamentum is guest-edited by Jan Hadlaw and Michael Windover, who proposed a focus on the inter-institutional ‘xDX project’ as a way of bringing attention to the role of collections in building networks of researchers for the creation of design history in Canada. This issue highlights the history of the Design Exchange’s collection, from its inception through its fragmentation and its reintegration as a linked data research tool. The issue also considers the range and role of design collections in Canada more broadly. Learn More Digital Issue Print Issue Subscription
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AT-A-GLANCE |
ABOUT CSDA/CCAD The Canadian Society of Decorative Arts/Cercle canadien des arts décoratifs is a national nonprofit that promotes decorative art and design in Canada, through guest lectures, special events, and publications. We're a diverse community, ranging from artists and makers, to experts and enthusiasts. | BECOME A MEMBER Take advantage of benefits including special member discounts, artist’s talks, opportunities for exposure through our newsletter and social media, and behind-the-scenes access to institutional and private collections that are not available to the general public. All are welcome! | NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP Learn about upcoming exhibitions, hear from artists about their craft, and stay updated on all the latest decorative arts news from Canada and around the world! |