Jon Oxley, Art Gallery administrative manager

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
As a high school student in 1976, I attended a public lecture at the U of A Students’ Union Building by a young scientist named David Suzuki. He was on a cross-Canada tour warning of a pending crisis being caused by global warming – 1976! One audience member asked him when, if not addressed, will global warming become a full-blown crisis. I’ve always remembered Suzuki’s response: “Sometime around 2020, plus or minus 10 years, there will start to be environmental refugees, significant species loss and irreversible melting of the ice caps.” Suzuki’s talking points have come back to me time and time again and he was just following the science and math to their rational consequences. That lecture certainly set a theme for my own life choices.

When did you join ULethbridge and what do you do here?
I've joined, or rejoined, ULethbridge many times — as a student in 1984, as a Gallery staff member in 1999, as Students’ Union manager in 2004 and now as the Art Gallery manager since 2013.

I work with a very dedicated team of seven others, along with students and interns, to care for the substantial art collection, host numerous art exhibitions, share access to art through programs and exhibition loans, and work on Fine Arts research and art projects.

And all of that, of course, is done with the good graces and help of many people in Facilities, Caretaking, Administration, Faculty and Food Services who contribute, everyday, to help us meet our missions and goals.

What's the best part of your job?
Working on anything that unites people or peoples with art and the ideas that art represents. I don’t work directly in any teaching capacity, but I really appreciate being around and supporting students and teachers who are always exploring. I appreciate that we work in a place where we’re authentically encouraged to try to improve things all the time: campus recycling, energy use and waste reduction, interpersonal and community relationships, transit schedules (!)…to name just a few.

What do you like to do outside of work?
I’m a pretty voracious reader and gardener, and I wear a number of volunteer hats at Lethbridge organizations. My favourite physical activities are either on my bike or in my kayak, and at the ocean. I love to hike socially with family and friends. And … we live in a 112-year-old house, struggling to reduce its carbon footprint, with some success.