The Road to Art

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, there are lots of arts and craft shows to attend, now that winter has supposedly disappeared.

Today we took in the Art Journey Show and Sale in Smiths Falls.  It's an annual event held at the Memorial Community Centre, and apparently this year they have several new artists.

There is a wide variety of talent presented at this show. We not only found paintings in many different styles and mediums, we also found photography, pottery, jewelry, wood carvings
and turnings, as well as folk art made from iron.  It's not a large show, but it was well attended.

It's interesting to see how Helen Nicholson seems to like to try to incorporate familiar faces such as Marilyn Monroe, Johnny Cash or Joan Rivers into her paintings of otherwise everyday scenes.

The artist who's work captured my attention today was Margaret Martin, who joined the group last fall. The works she showed today, were more interesting to me than the ones shown on the Art Journey webpage. I was especially taken with the one of a living room, complete with a bookcase full of books in the background.

If you missed this show this year, then perhaps you can catch some of the others around the area in the upcoming months. A few that I know of are:

1.  The 416 Art Kruze between Kemptville and Cardinal June 6 & 7.  We have never done this tour, but might try to combine it with a little geocaching along the way this year, if the weather is favorable.

2. Another one I've never been to, but am certainly looking forward to exploring this year is Artfest Kingston.  It's taking place between July 1 and 4 at the City Park in Kingston. This one seems to incorporate the art of music as well as the visual arts. You can even participate in workshops, or help paint a mural.  Even the kids can get involved! A sunset dinner cruise is also available in July 2.  

3.  The 17th Annual Rideau Lakes Studio and Garden Tour, July 4 &5 which basically goes from Portland to Chaffey Locks and beyond, through the back country.  It's a lovely drive, with many interesting stops along the way.  If you have never done a studio tour, this is a great one to start with.

4. And for those who don't like to drive all over to see the artist studios, you can find a lot of great art all together at the 5th annual Art in the Barn Show and Sale, at the Lombardy Fair Grounds 5 km south of Smiths Falls on Hwy 15. That will be held on July 10-12 this year. I understand they have expanded to take in a second building as well this year.  This show is always a favorite of ours, even if we don't get to go exploring to find the artists.  Don't miss it!




 

Rideau Lakes Studio and Garden Tour

Sunday's weather was perfect to go gallivanting so we took in the Rideau Lakes Studio and Garden Tour.  We started in Portland, at the studio of Michael Doxey.  I found his pieces interesting and not at all like everyone else makes. It was a good way to start the tour.





Next we visited, a woodworker, John Cochrane who had a wide variety of products on display. We got his card as he might just be the man to build me a coffee table that actually fits in the room someday.

Next door to John, Lorna an Dennis Hutton  displayed some lovely paintings. She does acrylics and watercolour, while he paints in acrylics and oil.  There is lots to see, and well worth the stop.

At a large brick farm house we found the functional pottery of Sherry Rogers and fine arts and quilts by Margaret Kelk.  The was another attraction there too.  Barn swallows had built a nest above the light on the front porch.  The mother was guarding the nest. People were directed to the side door. 

The next stop was at the studio of sculptor Doug MacDonald in Phillipsville.  I bought some little cement balls that held tea lights from him years ago.  I didn't see any of those on display this time, but when I mentioned them, someone brought a couple out. Today's version is much smoother than what I have, and not nearly as interesting to me, but if you are looking for a sculpted piece to hang on a wall, this is the place to stop.









John Shea is also on this tour, and is by far one of my favourite artists. We didn't go to his place as I've seen his work so many times and it was off the beaten track. We wanted to make sure we had time to get the rest of the stops in before closing time. Actually, I'm thinking we should have gone as I've never seen him in his home setting.  Oh well, maybe next time.

The garden at Barb and Jim Rowat's place is worth a visit, even if you are not into art. I remembered this was where we learned to put pieces of Irish Spring on garden stakes years ago, to ward off the deer. Apparently theirs have gotten used to the soap after 10 years, and it no longer works for them. There was actually a painting here that I was very tempted to take home with me.  Beautiful daisies, all in blue and white. Honestly, I simply don't have the wall space, or they would have sold that one to me!

Shaun Seaman's studio is also worth exploring.  It's a true cottage on Indian Lake.  His grounds are totally fascinating and a work of art on their own with various cement pathways leading down from the road to the cottage..

There was a jeweler there too, but she's not listed on the brochure, so I don't know who she was. She had some very interesting pieces there, and some of them were quite reasonably priced.

We stopped in at Eleanor Pinsonneault's Cedar's Art Studio at Chaffey's Locks.  The usual Chaffey's deer was grazing under the apple tree and a lady with a camera was in hot pursuit.

Our last stop of the day was at Roberta McKinney's weaving studio. She has several looms set up and gives classes.  The looms were currently set up to make tea towels, each one with a different pattern. The students make a towel, and then rotate to the next loom. By the end of the class season, they have all made 9 towels, each with a different pattern.  Her studio is located on the same piece of property occupied by the Loonie Sports Club.  This is quite an amazing facility to be found so far out in the boonies.  On this particular day painter Margaret Martin also had her work on display there.

It was a lovely day for a drive, and there was lots of exploring to do, so we really enjoyed our day.  The tour continues on Canada Day, so if you want to do something different, perhaps this will fit the bill.  Go have a great day.

Happy Canada Day everyone!