theHumm

Kate Ryckman — Creating Her Own Little Masterpieces

2008-04-15T19:53:20Z

p(by_line_top). by Sally Hansen !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2008/04/FP-April.jpg (theHumm April 2008 Artist Trading Card image)! There is a very simple explanation for Kate Ryckman’s happiness — this young woman is well on her way to achieving her two most important goals. “All my life I wanted to be a mom and an artist,” she tells me, when I pursue the answer to the “Why?” question on her Artist Trading Card. Ryckman is already an accomplished artist, with her imaginative, light-hearted artwork currently featured at the 3 Yellow Tulips Art Shoppe in Pakenham. She will be participating in the Burnstown “Affair of the Arts” the last weekend of May, and in the West Carleton Art Society Show on Thanksgiving Weekend. The collection of lively and whimsical images on her website at www.kateryckmanart.blogspot.com reflects her love of colour and her passion for creativity. Her fresh treatment of standard subjects — chefs and flowers are among her favourites — captures your attention and curls the corners of your mouth upwards. This is a good thing. ]]> www.tucsonaz.gov/arthazards, including “A Searchable Database of Health & Safety Information for Artists”. p(emph). My Little Masterpiece When the Ryckmans decided to start a family, they wanted a closer sense of community, so they bought a house in Carp that provides Scott and his dad ample opportunity to hone their renovation skills. Kate achieved her goal of becoming a mom 16 months ago when she gave birth to their daughter Paisley, and she is expecting another baby at the end of June. When I ask her how she finds time to paint, she shows me her strategically located studio and admits that it takes a lot of organization and planning. Fortunately Kate Ryckman is very resourceful, and very energetic. When friends and friends of friends saw the playful paintings she created as baby shower gifts and to decorate Paisley’s room, they started asking her to create paintings for their own children’s nurseries. Kate recognised an opportunity and conceived a new artistic endeavour. At www.mylittlemasterpiece.blogspot.com, she invites you to choose from one of her original designs or contact her to commission a painting designed specifically for your little masterpiece. She loves working with customers to devise an original work tailored specifically to their interests and tastes. Warm up your winter with a stop at the 3 Yellow Tulips Art Shoppe at 2518 County Rd. 29 N in Pakenham (624–5932) to enjoy Kate Ryckman’s quirky, imaginative, humourous art. Preview her art at www.kateryckmanart.blogspot.com. Some of the snow should be gone by the last weekend of May, May 30–June 1, in time to look for Kate’s work at the annual Burnstown “Affair of the Arts”. Kate would love to discuss a commission with you by phone at 839–0946 or by email at katemryckman@gmail.com.

Guy Cranston and Sharon Fox-Cranston — A Pastel Duet

2008-04-15T19:40:10Z

p(by_line_top). by Sally Hansen !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2008/03/FP-March.jpg (theHumm March 2008 Artist Trading Card image)! The paint was barely dry on their studio walls when theHumm showed up to welcome and interview the newest participants in the annual Pakenham Maple Run Studio Tour. Pastel artists Guy Cranston and Sharon Fox-Cranston recently relocated from White Rock, just south of Vancouver, to return to the area where Guy’s family has multi-generational roots. These two accomplished artists are an exciting addition to the wealth of artistic talent living in the Pakenham environs. Both are active members of the Federation of Canadian Artists, and both have had paintings shown in the Federation’s gallery on Granville Island in Vancouver. Sharon’s Lane way near Gordes received an Award of Excellence at the Federation’s “Works on Paper” show last spring, and the same painting was featured on the July/August 2007 cover of “Art Avenue” magazine. Also last August, her Poppies at Les Ferriers received an Honorable Mention at the Pastel Artists of Canada’s 16th Annual Open Juried Exhibition titled “Purely Pastel” on Salt Spring Island. Shortly before leaving White Rock last fall, they held an Open Studio and sold 32 pastel paintings in one weekend. www.kudodesign.ca who now frequently partners with her husband on huge design projects. She designed their very attractive, informative and intuitive websites at www.sharonfox.ca and www.guycranston.ca. !<)//www.thehumm.com/images/2008/03/ATC-Cranstons.jpg (theHumm March 2008 Artist Trading Card)! But it is their mutual interest in painting with pastels that nourishes their many-splendoured relationship. “He asked me to marry him while we were attending a painting seminar in Oregon,” Sharon tells me. “We honeymooned in Provence, France, where we painted for a whole month,” he adds. It was a marvellous start to an artistic partnership that both describe as an intrinsic element in their life together. Sharon has been an artist since she picked up her first Crayola. Perhaps it was a self-fulfilling prophecy, but her first report card said something along the lines of “Sharon does okay in school, but her artwork is exceptional”. After studying advertising and graphic design at Humber College, Sharon painted over 3,000 pastel portraits during three tourist seasons at Canada’s Wonderland, and spent her winters skiing. She absolutely loved pastel portraiture, but as is too often the case, the pay was inversely commensurate with the enjoyment. After various jobs as a graphic designer she struck out on her own and created Kudo Design. Raised in the inordinately artistic Cranston household in Montreal, where every wall was literally covered with art works, Guy has been influenced by art and artisans his whole life. Guy’s mother, Stuart, was a talented artist; his sister Philippa is an accomplished writer and television producer; and his older brother, Toller, now wows the world with his signature paintings as he did with his signature Olympic figure skating. Guy’s father was originally from Arnprior, and Guy’s sister still lives in the family “cottage” at Marshall’s Bay. Their great-great-grandfather was the first doctor in the Ottawa Valley, and their grandfather was a doctor in Arnprior. Guy acquired his love of woodworking from his dad, and did competitive bird carving in addition to his structural and functional pieces. He is still a member of the American Association of Woodturners, but now his passion is pastels. In particular, his passion is painting landscapes with pastels en pleine air with Sharon. They find the immediacy of the medium ideal for capturing the spontaneous play of light across landscapes they love, both in Canada and abroad. They agree that there is “nothing more fulfilling and rewarding than celebrating nature in the moment. Painting on location develops an emotional bond with the location that lasts a lifetime.” (Especially if you get engaged while you’re there.) The Cranstons enjoy the saturation of colour afforded by professional soft pastels, and are looking forward to attending another workshop with renowned American pastelist Richard McKinley amid the vivid fall colours in the Gatineau next October. Like McKinley and other renowned instructors from whom they have learned (Albert Handel, Teresa Saia, …), both Sharon and Guy strive for a very painterly effect with their pastels. Sharon in particular enjoys the “loosening up” that the medium dictates. I learn that pastels actually last longer than oils when properly framed, and that unlike oils, the medium never cracks. p(emph). Pakenham Pastel Pleasure Alert Fortunately the upcoming Pakenham Maple Run Studio Tour on March 29 and 30 will provide a wonderful opportunity to view Sharon Fox-Cranston’s and Guy Cranston’s painterly pastels. Their new River Ridge Studio at 174 Dalkeith St. in Pakenham is featured as Studio 2 on the Tour’s website at www.maplerun.on.ca. Hours are from 10AM to 4PM both days. Looking at the abundance of artistic talent presented across the eight participating locations, I’m penciling in the entire weekend for art appreciation. For an immediate pastel preview, check out www.sharonfox.ca and www.guycranston.ca. For those of you who enjoy travel, Sharon’s website includes a marvellous travel link to three different artist travelogues documenting her painting trips to Provence and Languedoc in France, and to Wales and the UK. There are many excellent tips on where to go, what to see, and where to stay. No wonder she wants to be four hours closer to Europe! You can contact the Cranstons at 624–5672, or by email at sharoncranston@sympatico.ca and guycranston@telus.net. ]]>

Michael Bowie — It’s All About the Light

2008-02-13T18:51:20Z

p(by_line_top). by Sally Hansen !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2008/02/FP-February.jpg (theHumm February 2008 Artist Trading Card image)! Amateur photographers discover very quickly that lighting conditions are the determining factor in our ability to capture worthwhile images. Michael Bowie has spent a lifetime learning how to control and/or work with those conditions to achieve superb results. Today he applies his thirty years of experience as a film photographer and printer to his ongoing mastery of the continuously and rapidly evolving field of digital photography. Michael and his partner, Janice Bowie, are the owners and staff of LUX Photographic Services Inc. at 11 Lake Ave. W. in Carleton Place. theHumm decided to feature Michael’s photographic expertise after viewing his photography at several exhibits, and after several other featured artists told us that they rely on Michael to reproduce their artwork to their demanding archival standards. Bowie has been providing high quality photographic services since incorporating as LUX in 1983. His trademark is excellence. His slogan is “It’s All About the Light”, and LUX is the Latin word for light. to learn more about photographic permanency. LUX uses only superior archival materials including archival pigmented inks (not dyes) and nanoporous papers to produce prints rated to last a century. p(emph). “In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.” (Aaron Rose) According to Michael, the bottom line is not the technology but rather the “wonderful ways of looking at things” that make photography endlessly alluring to him. As a member of the Photography Matters group who meet monthly in Carleton Place, Bowie has just proposed the lowly toothbrush as the subject of their next creative shooting exercise. His point is well taken as I marvel at the variety of images currently on display in the LUX gallery resulting from the annual “Naked in the House” photo shoot. Ten photographers are given thirty minutes with a nude model (this year it was a couple) and allowed one camera, one lens and 36 exposures, film or digital. The show runs until February 26. Anyone interested in photography or in having images reproduced or restored will enjoy dropping in at LUX and/or visiting "their website.":http://

In Pursuit of Volunteer Recruits

2008-02-13T18:42:25Z

p(by_line_top). by Sally Hansen How can a group or organization committed to a worthy cause attract and retain volunteers? This chronic challenge is becoming a burning issue for many of the organizations that make our communities kinder and gentler and more sustainable. According to agencies that track trends in volunteering, things are probably going to get worse as more worthy causes compete for a shrinking population of volunteers.Seventy-five percent of the Boomers, the “Me Generation”, are telling pollsters they’re not particularly interested in volunteering, and the demographic landscape is changing. According to national surveys in 2004, 55% of people aged 15-24 volunteered time to various causes, while only 32% of seniors did. Admittedly, seniors volunteered for longer periods of time, but by 2031, 25% of us will be over 65, as opposed to 13% in 2001. We’ve tapped into a number of resources to compile a short list of Do’s and Don’ts designed to help you find and keep the kind of volunteers you need to achieve your goals. Our Google search on “attract volunteers” yielded about 1,100,000 results. At the end of our list, we’ve provided two very worthwhile Internet resources you can pursue for a much more detailed discussion of the care and feeding of volunteers. p(emph). Do: * Understand and describe your requirements – what do you need volunteers to do? * Ask not what your volunteers can do for you; ask what you can do for your volunteers. * Analyse what types of people would be interested in performing the kind of work you need done. Who would be motivated to do it? Why? * Target different potential volunteer resource groups and analyse their motivations and their needs; ** Ontario high school students need to perform 40 hours of voluntary community services to graduate; ** new community members may want to meet people and join a social network; ** older volunteers and house-bound individuals can volunteer for work that can be done from their homes; ** busy parents need a lot of flexibility in scheduling their contributions; ** busy parents may be attracted by family volunteering opportunities; ** new retirees frequently like to utilize their expertise and experience; ** students and new employees often want to improve their resumes and demonstrate their initiative. * Identify and market the specific rewards associated with volunteering for your organization. ** How do your volunteers make the world a better place? ** Do your volunteers have fun? ** Market the documented health benefits of volunteering. ** Market the benefits that your training program provides to volunteers. ** Market the skills, knowledge and experience that can be gained. * Create a social network that meets the needs of your volunteers. * Put as much or more work into retaining your volunteers as recruiting them: ** Capitalize on your volunteers’ talents, knowledge, and contacts. ** Match volunteers’ work to their interests. * Treat volunteers as partners; seek their input and their feedback. * Provide the support and guidance they need to succeed. * Ask counter-productive volunteers to leave before all your good volunteers do. * Make sure your volunteers feel appreciated – through public and personal recognition, by sharing credit for ideas as well as work, by always looking delighted to see them and always thanking them for their contributions. Find ways to demonstrate how volunteers’ contributions have made a difference – to the recipients of your services, to the community, to the environment, to your goals. p(emph). Don’t: * waste their time; * take them for granted; * ignore their complaints; * ignore their suggestions; * treat them like mushrooms; * blame them for problems. You have to pay people to treat them like that. One final suggestion of what not to do is don’t ever make a volunteer feel guilty for resigning. If you make them feel appreciated for what they have done, they may come back. p(emph). Helping Those Who Help Others Appropriately, there are many resources available to organizations that utilize volunteers. Governments recognize the importance of the tremendous contribution made by charitable and not-for-profit organizations, and seek ways to encourage and support their work. With the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage, "www.volunteer.ca":http://www.volunteer.ca provides an impressive array of information and resources, from “The Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement” to links to comprehensive statistics and facts, all the way to sample skits that can be used at a “Volunteer Recognition Event”. In addition to providing free access to a large library of materials targeted for non-profits, www.nonprofitscan.ca provides practical guides and toolkits such as “Starting a new charity or nonprofit”. With over a million hits on “attract volunteers”, it’s obvious that too much information becomes “disinformation”. Sometimes the best advice is right in front of your nose. Try finding someone who has done something similar to what you are trying to achieve. I’ll bet they’ll volunteer to help you do it in your community.

Worth Fighting For — A Conversation With Donna Dillman

2008-02-13T18:18:20Z

p(by_line_top). Interview by Chandler Swain !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2008/02/Donna-Dillman.jpg (theHumm February 2008)! In response to discovering that prospecting for uranium is being carried out across thousands of acres of land in a giant swath that extends from the Sharbot Lake area up through West Quebec, groups like the "Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium":http://www.ccamu.ca are forming to try and stop it. Recently the Ottawa Citizen’s Coalition Against Mining Uranium brought Dr. Jim Harding to the area as part of his book tour. He has studied the nuclear issue for 30 years and is a renowned expert on the dangers of all aspects of uranium, from mining to its use as fuel. His book __Canada's Deadly Secret: Saskatchewan Uranium and the Global Nuclear System__ is shocking and important. To find out more about Jim's work and what's at stake go to the excellent "Straight Goods website.":http://www.straightgoods.ca/ViewFeature8.cfm?REF=19 As the mainstream media has clearly decided not to follow this story, public awareness and advocacy has to be done by committed “regular people”. Dr. Harding says that there is proactive dismissal of the real facts about the dangers of mining uranium and the use of nuclear power by the industry, so it is vital that we find out the other side of the story. If the government is going to get the message that we are serious about a moratorium on the mining and prospecting of uranium, many of us are going to have to get busy. Please think of joining CCAMU and supporting the work that has been started. Check out the "kNOw Uranium website":http://know-uranium.org for details. I had the chance to interview Donna Dillman about her recent hunger strike. Her work is inspiring and has really kickstarted a strong citizen's movement. Here is her story so far. **Chandler Swain: Why did you stop eating on Thanksgiving last year? What did you hope to accomplish?** Donna Dillman: The local Algonquin populations, with the help of many hundreds of non-Natives, had been successful in holding off the exploratory drills for 101 days at the point when I started my campaign against drilling for uranium. During the summer, I'd overheard one of the Chiefs comment that, "One can live a long time without food, but clean water is essential to all life," and I realized the truth in that. Food and eating are symbolic of wellbeing and I hoped to help increase awareness around the risks inherent in uranium exploration. Supporting the call for a moratorium was also a goal. as it becomes available. **Any last words?** Throughout this protest, and while on the side of the road at the mine site, I've had a unique opportunity to distinguish between needs and wants and to consider carefully which desires fulfilled today will undermine the well-being of my children and grandchildren and those not yet born. As a society, it is time we grew up and realized that we live on a finite planet; that we must begin to live on Earth as if we want to stay. This is not rocket science. It is simply a matter of changing direction. And not the kind of directional change that our current leaders are proposing. What they propose amounts to little more than having us get up from our seats and walk toward the caboose, while the train continues toward the cliff. We must turn the train around, not turn our backs while the train heads for disaster. It is our generation that has brought us to the precipice. It is up to us to pull back before it is too late. What will the Fisher Price toys and the RESPs mean when our grandchildren's soil is unusable, their water undrinkable and their air unbreathable? For more information, please contact info Donna Dillman at 2799 McDonald's Corners Rd, R.R.#3, Lanark, ON, K0G 1K0, 259–9988, or visit the "CCAMU website.":http://www.ccamu.ca ]]>

Suzette MacSkimming — Art That Works On All Levels

2008-01-14T16:59:16Z

p(by_line_top). by Sally Hansen !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2008/01/FP-January.jpg (theHumm January 2008 Artist Trading Card image)! __the__**Humm** congratulates Perth artist Suzette MacSkimming on the permanent installation of fifteen of her vibrant works at the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University. The stunning collection of large mixed-media/monotypes is believed to be one of the largest recent acquisitions of original work of an area artist. Suzette characterizes Sprott’s purchase as “a courageous act”, fostering hope that Ottawa’s public institutions are becoming more receptive to investing in contemporary regional art. For the artist, the biggest thrill of the public vernissage was the enthusiasm of the faculty members and guests viewing her artworks. “It gave me such a good feeling that my large works had found an appreciative home — I received the most wonderful feedback!” When I first saw Suzette MacSkimming’s artworks in her home studio near Perth, I was thrilled to experience the same fascination I felt decades ago when I first saw a huge Jackson Pollock original at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY. Without knowing it, I was hooked on Abstract Expressionism. p(emph). Painting to the Beat MacSkimming was hooked on Abstract Expressionism in the 60s as a fine arts major at the University of California, Berkeley, where she was taught and mentored by some of the art movement’s leading artists. Initially enrolled as a Sociology major, she took a few art courses and eagerly embraced the excitement and freedom of the “Beat Generation”. She also loved “flinging paint” in the celebrated style of Pollock and Montreal’s Jean Paul Riopelle. !<)//www.thehumm.com/images/2008/01/ATC-Suzette-MacSkimming.jpg (theHumm January 2008 Artist Trading Card)! Like Vassily Kandinski, who in the early 20th century incurred the wrath of the Nazis by advocating an abstract art that moved beyond imitation of the physical world, MacSkimming believes that “in abstraction, there is the possibility of entering a new world. I use the process of artistic creation to understand my own life.” This search for the real holds endless fascination for her. “What I find real is in my paintings. I start with a plan, but once I put on the music, the act of painting takes on a life of its own. There is something pure about giving the soul and the imagination free rein.” Her artworks evoke intense emotional responses — the truest measure of successful abstract art. The sale to the Sprott School of Business was the result of a spontaneous emotional response by a visitor to her studio last spring during the annual Country Lanes Studio Tour on Victoria Day weekend. The guest spoke to the Sprott administrator in charge of selecting art for the school and suggested that she take a look. When asked if she had anything suitable for larger spaces, Suzette raced downstairs and retrieved a large monotype diptych she had stored in her basement. The rest, as they say, is art history. p(emph). Art That Works On All Levels A printing technique known since the 17th century, monotype art is enjoying a resurgence of interest among artists in Ontario. Some, like Suzette, have travelled to the Contemporary Artists’ Centre in North Adams, Massachusetts, to use the unusual flat-bed presses there. Oil-based inks are layered, scraped, and rolled directly onto the printing plate. By adding oils of various viscosities to the ink, the opacity and transparency of each layer of colour can be controlled. Specialized inking and pressing techniques allow multi-coloured layered effects with only one pressing by the powerful hand-operated hydraulic press, with no danger of smearing the ink as would be the case with a conventional roller press. After the printing stage, MacSkimming applies other art media (pastels, crayons, ink, collage material) to develop the work further, often applying many layers to create fields of vibrating colours that lead the eye in many paths across the surface. Sometimes she incorporates material gathered from the natural or industrial world into the composition. The mixed-media/monotypes capture the spontaneity and “groove” of paintings, while revealing unique effects that are not possible by any other method. MacSkimming’s complex, multi-layered, deeply textured, richly hued compositions are visually fascinating and psychologically compelling. Both her acrylic canvases and her monotypes invite interpretation and offer pleasure on many levels. They can be readily appreciated as beautiful celebrations of texture, colour and form. They can trigger unbidden emotional and psychological responses. They reward systematic and intensive examination with continuing revelation and discovery. As frequently is the case with music and dance, also intrinsically abstract art forms, the more knowledge and experience the audience brings to the art, the greater the potential reward. p(emph). Finding the Groove Music was a major influence in the development of abstract art, and it is an integral component of Suzette’s creative process. Like Jackson Pollock, she uses a “direct” painting technique, allowing the imagery to evolve spontaneously, without preconceptions. Inspired by her dreams, by the natural beauty surrounding her, and by universal themes such as the passage of time, she creates sensual, evocative artworks that literally pulsate with energy. In contrast to Pollock’s art, to me her works are more open-ended questions than statements, and therefore endlessly challenging and evocative. In her Artist’s Statement, MacSkimming writes: “‘Abstract’ art can be puzzling. It may take time to get into, but in the end it may also let the viewer grapple with a bit of her/himself, come to a different way of looking at one’s surroundings, even uncover some buried truths.” Suzette MacSkimming’s abstract expressionist art is a great place to expand your art appreciation horizons. For immediate gratification, visit her "website":http://www.suzettemacskimming.com where you also will be able to learn about her five-day workshop in April offering an intensive look into the various aspects of painting with acrylics. Or visit the Agnes Etherington Art Centre Rental and Sales Gallery at Queen’s University in Kingston. Giclée prints of some of Suzette’s gorgeous works are available by contacting her at 267–7721 or "by email.":mailto:smacskim@cyberus.ca For delayed gratification, Suzette regularly participates in Country Lanes Studio Tour, Victoria Day Weekend (May 17–19), and the Perth Autumn Studio Tour, Thanksgiving Weekend (Oct. 11–13), so mark your calendars and check __the__**Humm**!

Brian Mantrop — Sliding into Creative Chaos

2007-12-06T15:33:16Z

p(by_line_top). by Sally Hansen !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/12/FP-December.jpg (theHumm December 2007 Artist Trading Card image)! Science reinvents itself, and so did Brian Mantrop. Studying geophysics at Queen’s University in the late 60s, Mantrop abandoned his view of a predictable Newtonian universe and set out on a life journey that continues today. He embraced the counterculture of the era and took a year off to travel in search of the freedoms celebrated by the music of the Beatles and Bob Dylan. His attempt to return to structured studies only convinced him that he had found his true calling… “an endless search for exotic lands where true Utopia might exist.” Somewhere along the way his youthful dream became a reality, and for over 30 years Mantrop has used his camera to focus his emotions as he expresses his fascination with life. In 1995 he published a successful book “about love, consciousness and exploring life”. The title is __Talking to the Other World — A Journey of the Spirit__. In it, his text and his fine art photographs portray his lifelong pursuit for connection to the universal energy of light and love. This pursuit has yielded fascinating images of people and places from his travels around the world — China, India, Sri Lanka, Morocco, England, Ireland, Wales, Tibet, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Canada, and USA. Brian Mantrop has no intention of slowing down. The world is his palette. The universe is his inspiration. p(emph). At Home in the Enchanted Forest The emergence of psychedelic art in the 60s mirrored the counterculture’s pursuit of freedom to explore one’s potential and invent one’s self, freed from rigidly defined roles and rules. A visit to the home Brian shares with fellow life traveler Kathy Cashman is an eye-opening, mind-expanding redefinition of what a “home” can be. Named “The Enchanted Forest”, their home south of Westport epitomizes the same lack of boundaries that characterizes his photographs. Not only is it “off grid” and largely self-sustainable, it is organic beyond anything I have ever seen. To whet your imagination, think of something out of a lushly illustrated text of “Hansel and Gretel”, but on steroids and with a strong infusion of Asian art. Brian is unabashedly proud of the fact that he has never worked more than six months a year, but when you look around the Enchanted Forest, it is obvious that his definition of work excludes things like carpentry, floor tiling, gardening and every type of decorative art imaginable. Their circular home literally pulses with energy and the celebration of life. The large central living area is filled with musical instruments, and is a frequent gathering place for impromptu jams. Brian’s artistic talents are in evidence everywhere — every wall, floor, table top, counter, post, nook and cranny is decorated. Even outdoors inlaid stones pattern the walkways and patios, and mosaics adorn benches and archways. The non plus ultra is the whimsical carving of a human figure topping a forty-foot tree trunk. No, Brian didn’t do it. It was a gift from a friend who worked for the hydro company. There is also a piece by Lanark County wood sculptor Dave Card. !<)//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/12/ATC-Brian-Mantrop.jpg (theHumm December 2007 Artist Trading Card)! p(emph). The Mothers of Invention In January 2000, a ruinous fire destroyed their previous house, four months after they had let their home insurance lapse. Brian refers to the traumatic event as a “hotlatch” — when something is taken away, it is given back again. Within a month caring neighbours, friends and clients had donated enough money for them to start rebuilding, and with enormous community support the couple moved into their perpetual work of domestic art within a year. In keeping with Mantrop’s indomitable spirit and insatiable curiosity, he transmuted the calamitous fire into a muse of invention when he discovered fungus growing in the 34-foot tree trunks, salvaged from the fire, that support his new edifice. On a creative whim, he sprinkled fungal tree spores on the emulsion side of some of his slides, cultured them for 90 days, and embarked on a new journey of organic experimentation to continue his exploration of the unknown. Sometimes the results are very psychedelic. They are always fascinating. For Brian, the random nature of the quantum physics involved in culturing slides adds the dimension of spontaneous chaos that makes his current photography so personally exciting and rewarding. With a 30-year repository of fine photographs to choose from, he selects images that allow him to best express “the dynamic beauty and magic of the universe.” The inherent randomness of the fungal culturing is perfectly congruent with his view of the universe, his trust in the unknown, and his commitment to a life journey of spiritual exploration and creativity. p(emph). No Bad Trips According to Mantrop, “the most critical thing as an artist is not being inhibited by wondering whether people will like your art.” His travels are an essential component of his spiritual journey. He seeks out places where he does not speak the language to more fully open himself to the energy vibrations and spirituality of the people and the place. The Enchanted Garden is similarly designed to develop organically, nurturing new ideas and emotions. He has even liberated his photographs from frames, mats and glass. He offers his unique photographic art as superb quality giclée images available in many sizes, printed on canvas or in limited editions on rag paper. At wikipedia.org, “A psychedelic experience is characterized by the perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly ordinary fetters.” You can’t go wrong liberating your mind by surfing through Brian Mantrop’s creatively exuberant images on "his website.":http://www.theenchantedforest.ca He and partner Kathy Cashman (designer clothing) are regular participants in the annual Westport Area Fall Colours Studio Tour, but I wouldn’t wait that long. I highly recommend a trip to The Enchanted Forest next spring when Mantrop’s unfettered imagination is again on display in the organic gallery he has created south of Westport. Call him at 484–2151, or contact him "by email.":mailto:brian.kathy@rogers.blackberry.net And keep his Trading Card!

A Tale of Two Book Clubs

2007-12-06T15:21:37Z

p(by_line_top). by Joanne Mitchell Avid reader Joanne Mitchell has recently been tracking down bookclub members throughout the Valley. Her goal was to investigate how various clubs differ in terms of picking their books, running their meetings, and finding the delicate balance between talking and eating dessert… Here are her profiles of two groups from the Arnprior area. p(emph). Arnprior Library Book Club When I joined the Arnprior Library Book Club in July 2004, I was taken aback by the meetings’ informality, but I have come to see that as its charm. No one is obliged to prepare for a meeting, but may if so moved. The discussion is unstructured, but lively. If things get slow, leader Hanka Latreille throws in a question or two. Latreille inherited the leadership role from Margot Marcellus, who moved away in 2004. Marcellus started the club in May 2003. The number of members fluctuates between 6 and 12, and is currently 10 women between 40 and 70 years old. Two are original members. The meetings are held year round on the second Tuesday of the month from 7:30 to 9:00pm in the meeting room of the Arnprior Public Library, 21 Madawaska St. Several new members have commented that they found the public location less intimidating than coming to someone’s home. The last few years we have held potluck dinners for the July and December meetings. Routine is not our motto, however. One meeting was a “field trip” to Diane Schoemperlen’s reading in Eganville. Another was split into two sessions: lunchtime and evening. Similarly, our book selection is varied. In general we read contemporary novels, but have read three non-fiction books, two plays, a collection of short stories, mysteries, and poetry. One meeting, each member read the John Steinbeck work of her choice, covering the span of his career. To date, we have selected our books simply by adding members’ suggestions every few months, but we are currently experimenting with nominating and voting on the next six books. New members are welcome. For more information, contact Hanka Latreille at (613) 623-4082 or hlatreille@hotmail.com. p(emph). Galilee Centre Book Club A brand new program at the Galilee Centre in Arnprior will explore spiritual themes in contemporary literature. Meetings are open to anyone from the Arnprior area, or from “as far away as they’re willing to come,” said David Illman-White, the program’s organizer. Illman-White has selected the first four titles, but members will make requests as the group develops. With meetings being held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month, he expects people are unlikely to attend every one, but rather choose those of most interest. The group held its first two meetings in October. This program arose from an Arnprior men’s book club that Illman-White started in 2005. Most of the original members—five men ranging in age from 21 to 50—met through working at L’Arche, an organization that administers residences for developmentally disabled adults. They discovered that they were reading similar types of books—primarily novels—and wanted to discuss them. For some members, the opportunity for thoughtful male dialogue was critical. Their discussions began by asking each other how they liked the book, then broadened out to how the book related to current affairs, history, politics and world issues. Often the men would reflect on the novel’s spiritual elements and relate them to their own lives. The person who chose the book would do some background research on the author and his or her career. By 2007 the men’s book club was down to three members and, keen to continue discussing literature, Illman-White launched the new group. For more information, contact David Illman-White at (613) 623-4242 or drop in at the centre on the second or fourth Thursday of the month at 7pm. The Galilee Centre is located at 398 John St. N., Arnprior, between the Arnprior & District Memorial Hospital and the Ottawa River.

Pattie Dolan — Weaving a Rich Life Tapestry

2007-11-14T14:35:26Z

p(by_line_top). by Sally Hansen !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/11/FP-November.jpg (theHumm November 2007 Artist Trading Card image)! The “fabric of our lives” is a literary metaphor alluding to all the complex layers that comprise a human existence — our bodies, our emotions, our spirituality, the genetic code we inherited, the experiences that shape us, the options we are given and the choices we make. Using subtle tones and a lush palette of textures, Pattie Dolan creates fabric art metaphors. By deconstructing and reconstructing common and found objects on her loom, sometimes incorporating felting and papermaking, Dolan weaves fabric canvases that urge us to step close and reconstruct from our own perspective. p(emph). Weft, Warp and Woof Many of Dolan’s pieces are sculptural. Her main focus is on textures. Works range from small framed papers to large hemp kimonos on steel frames, and a gorgeous white felted coat adorning a 10-foot mannequin. Her pieces merit careful scrutiny. In one piece I discovered long steel nails woven into the hemp body of the fabric. Some pieces have many layers and she often includes other fabrics and lace and handmade paper. Sometimes Dolan incorporates objects found at the race track or in the Pakenham fields surrounding her spectacularly designed and decorated home. Walking the family’s two dogs twice a day provides lots of opportunity to search for unusual and exciting additions to her pieces. Friends donate unusual fabrics, and she has collected exotic fabrics from all over the world. p(emph). Adventure Loomed Pattie Dolan was born in Vancouver, and graduated from the Royal Columbian Hospital School of Nursing in New Westminster. She moved to Pakenham for the first time in the summer of 1975, with her husband, Dr. Michael Dolan, who had attended medical school at the University of Ottawa. While working as a nurse in Almonte and Arnprior, Pattie met a young weaver named Stephen Brathwaite who, with partner Ian Paige, had a “cutting-edge arts and crafts gallery at the end of Pakenham’s five-span stone bridge.” Pattie was intrigued and Stephen was encouraging, advising her on the purchase of her first loom. Her first fabrics were sewn into jackets by her sister, and their mother still proudly wears one of the garments made by her two daughters. !<)//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/11/ATC-Pattie-Dolan.jpg (theHumm November 2007 Artist Trading Card)! In 1978-79 Pattie studied midwifery at the University of Alberta in Edmonton to pursue her interest in childbirth, finding it a “lovely way to bond with women”. In 1980 the adventurous couple talked to recruiters in Toronto, and moved to Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, to work at a military hospital that also provided services to the Saudi Royal Family. In 1982 they extended their escape to warmer pastures by moving to Kentucky where Michael completed his residency in emergency medicine at the University of Louisville. Pattie joined a Louisville weaving group and began making functional pieces such as rugs and table runners, employing traditional over-shot weaving. “I loved the whole process — from start to end, I loved the motion of weaving; I would just get lost in it.” Their son and first daughter were born in Louisville, and by the time they returned to this area in 1986, they had purchased 199 acres of Pakenham countryside and had a basic dwelling built on it. The Dolans’ third child was born in Ottawa, and Pattie got a job with the Victorian Order of Nurses, doing home nursing in a rural setting. She found providing nursing services in patients’ homes very rewarding, with the emphasis on the patient rather than on the “system”, and the patients much happier being in their own homes. Even Michael’s hobby of racing a Lotus Elan did not appease their appetite for adventure, however, and in 1991 the family moved to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, where Michael practiced emergency medicine at Saudi Aramco’s large hospital. Pattie took her loom, and during their seven-year stay, she intertwined her weaving with her parenting. Her art imitated her life, becoming more adventurous and international. Soon she was participating in solo and group exhibits, and receiving commissions for tapestries to hang in corporate headquarters. In Saudi Arabia she signed her pieces M. P. Dolan (her first name is Mary) to avoid sexist bias. During their annual summer sojourns back to Pakenhan, Pattie had the good fortune to be instructed in papermaking by a family friend, Wendy Cain, who just happened to be an art instructor at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto. “I found it fascinating, and I loved the instant gratification of seeing what I had created.” Back in Saudi Arabia, she produced a series of Saudi papers, responding to the so-non-Canadian natural and manufactured landscapes. She also taught hand-papermaking to fourth-year interior design students at the Women’s University in Dammam. When their son Patrick finished Grade 9 in 1998, they had to choose between sending him away to boarding school (expatriate students were not allowed to continue their education in Saudi Arabia past Grade 9) or returning to Canada. They came home to Pakenham where Michael renewed his family practice, and now also works in the emergency department of the Almonte General Hospital, and as an anaesthesiologist. In 2002 Pattie Dolan had a huge exhibit at the Mississippi Mills Textile Museum. Again with Stephen Brathwaite’s encouragement, she joined the Mill Street Gallery Artists’ Co-op, now housed next to Fitzgerald’s Restaurant in the Victoria Woollen Mill at 79 Mill St. in Almonte. Co-op member artists are usually on site on weekend afternoons, and the servers at Fitzgerald’s will be delighted to assist you with an art purchase any time the restaurant is open (Tues–Fri lunch 11:30AM–2:30PM, Sat & Sun brunch 10:30AM–3PM, and Tues–Sun dinner 6–9PM). Fitzgerald’s phone number is 256–2524. From November 2 to 4 Pattie Dolan will be the featured artist at the 27th Annual Exhibition and Sale of the Ottawa Valley Weavers’ and Spinners’ Guild. Admission is free at the Glebe Community Centre at 175 Third Avenue in Ottawa. Hours are from 4–8PM on Friday, and from 10AM–4PM on Saturday and Sunday. You can contact Pattie Dolan by "email":mailto:dolanm@can.rogers.com or by phone at 256–8198.

Kaija Savinainen Mountain — The Uplifting Power of Cranes

2007-10-13T03:22:33Z

p(by_line_top). by Sally Hansen !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/10/atc-Kaija.jpg (theHumm October 2007 Artist Trading Card image)! Nature is the sustaining inspiration for countless artists — Van Gogh’s "Starry Night”, Vivaldi’s "Four Seasons", Georgia O’Keeffe’s calla lilies, Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Carnival of Animals”, and Kaija Savinainen Mountain’s bold figurative paintings of sandhill cranes, horses and deer. Mountain readily acknowledges the strong influence that the pioneering German Expressionist painter, Franz Marc, has had on her work, describing him as “a kindred spirit”. Like Marc, most of Mountain’s art portrays animals in natural settings, and is characterized by bright primary colors. Her paintings, again like Marc’s, are redolent with a profound sense of emotion, rejoicing in the purity of the animal form. Kaija’s element is the outdoors. Her passions are art, running, skiing, gardening and rescuing animals. Born in Finland and raised in Sweden until she moved to Canada, she lived on a farm and had horses and dogs from her earliest childhood. When her parents immigrated to Thunder Bay in 1967, she had “a huge hole in my soul” caused by the lack of a horse. Her dad traded an old car that he fixed up for an emaciated yearling quarter horse. Kaija rode him bareback because they couldn’t afford a saddle. “Dad always taught me ‘If you have an animal, take care of it; be responsible from beginning to end.’” The lesson stuck. Mountain has been adopting needy animals all her life. Since moving to her farm in Ramsay Township in 1989, she has rescued two more homeless horses, four dogs, countless cats, chickens, bunnies, cockatiels, budgies and is constantly caring for wild animals that get themselves into trouble. She also suffers from gardenitis, expanding her exuberant and delightfully naturalized gardens each year. It is a true blessing that her job as an art instructor for the Upper Canada School District at the TR Leger Campus in Smiths Falls leaves her with her summers “free”. Mountain may not have much free time, but she has a free spirit. She left home in grade 10 and did a variety of jobs, eventually becoming the first female gardener for the Alberta government. Much to her co-workers’ surprise, she didn’t wreck any lawnmowers. She met her husband Jim Mountain when he delivered her run-away dog to her upon her return from a trip. Later, when he told her he was moving to Lethbridge, she asked him if she could come with him. After they got married she worked in a bank and in a factory, using her horse as her main mode of transportation. One day a neighbour mentioned that her drawing class was short one person, and Kaija decided to give it a whirl. The instructor showed the class Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”, and “it was like somebody opened the door; I never looked back.” Five years later she finished her BFA at the University of Lethbridge, winning the President’s Medal as top student in the Faculty. Shortly after Jim was transferred to Ottawa by Heritage Canada, the couple were expecting their second daughter, and decided to look for a place to buy. Kaija knew she wanted to live on the Canadian Shield, bought a map, circled the desired area, and started driving. In 1989 they found what they were looking for in Ramsay Township west of Almonte. The property had a barn that had not been severed off, and it reminded Kaija of parts of Europe that she missed terribly, right down to the vegetation. As the girls began to grow, Kaija took up cross-country skiing with them, first helping to coach, and eventually becoming a competitor herself. She also took up competitive running, and is well-known in the area as the woman who “runs with the wolves”. Out for a run one day in 1998 with her two dogs, three very wolfish looking puppies appeared out of the bushes and started running after them. This happened for several days, and Kaija and her neighbours realized the youngsters had been abandoned and were hungry. After months of patient feeding and miles of running, the three dogs settled in at the farm, and Kaija acquired her running team. The team has been her mainstay during her battle over the past four years against two diagnoses of breast cancer, and grueling bouts of chemotherapy and radiation. The Uplifting Power of Cranes On a run one day in 2006, exhausted and discouraged, Kaija stopped at the edge of the Indian River to splash water on her hot face, and suddenly heard the fantastic sound of huge wings over her. Looking up, she saw four enormous sandhill cranes hovering over her, each with a wingspan of more than six feet. It was a transforming moment in her life and in her art. “They called me — paint us! We are here for you.” Her response is a stunning, emotionally compelling series of crane paintings titled “Sing My Spirit Home”. Kaija paints entirely left-handedly to better tap into the instinctive, subconscious, non-rational energies supposedly emanating from the right hemisphere of the brain. In her hand, the technique succeeds. The spontaneity of the surface imagery is underpainted by Mountain’s deep familiarity with her subjects, and her profound appreciation for their complexity and promise. Her art invites her viewers to participate in her exultation of nature and life. Her teaching invites her students to explore their artistic possibilities without fear. To Kaija’s great satisfaction, in grade 2 her younger daughter responded to an art teacher’s criticism by saying “My mommy doesn’t colour in the lines either, and she’s an artist!” Mountain believes that discipline and training lay the foundation for excellence, whether you’re an artist or an athlete or a teacher. “If you practice enough, you know where you are going” applies equally to her competitive running and cross-country skiing as it does to her “spontaneous” painting. She is driven to create. She is driven to compete. She is driven to survive — with the uplifting power of cranes. Join Kaija Savinainen Mountain’s celebration of nature this Thanksgiving weekend as she participates in the annual Crown and Pumpkin Studio Tour, October 6–8 from 10–5 each day. Mountain was one of the original organizers of this great tour, featuring 18 stops at artists’ studios in the Blakeney-Clayton-Almonte area. Her Willow Creek Studio is Stop #4 at 411 Bellamy Mills Rd. not far from Blakeney. For more details on the Tour, contact Karen Riches (English, 256–8370) or Barbara Mullally (Français, 256–3647). Kaija’s work is also on display at Mill Street Gallery housed next to Fitzgerald’s Restaurant in the Victoria Woollen Mill at 79 Mill St. in Almonte. You can get an excellent preview of her work at "her website,":http://www.willowcreekstudio.ca and you can reach her "by email":mailto:kaija@willowcreekstudio.ca or by phone at 256–2879. And did you know that clicking on the “Art and Soul” link on this site provides 23 archived artist profiles published in theHumm since November, 2005?

Mississippi Valley Textile Museum Exhibits

2007-09-13T14:52:11Z

p(by_line_top). by Reva Dolgoy !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/09/patchwork.jpg (theHumm September 2007 MVTM image)! There are three exhibits currently at the "Textile Museum":http://www.textilemuseum.mississippimills.com in Almonte that would make any curator stand up proudly if one or two were at their museum at one time, but three is an embarrassment of riches! On the first level there is an exchange called “Patchwork” between Les Quilteuses de L’Herault of France and The Laurentian Quilters’ Guild. This is the first stop in Canada with others in Quebec till next May. The fifty-two participants shared material, each taking from the eight squares (50 centimetre x 50 centimetre) four from France and four from Canada using at least 6 to explore, with a finished perimeter of 3.2 x 4 meters. Their work is as diverse as the personalities that one would expect from two cultures separated by an ocean. And yet differences appear, as hockey played by girls in the winter, or a Moroccan holiday, the seasons in Langedoc Roussillan before the grape harvest and the north shore of The St.Lawrence in sugaring-off time. The exhibit has already been seen in France, it is here in Almonte till the 23rd of September and then travels to Quebec and will be at various venues for a year till May 2008. On the second floor are three quilt artists participating in a show called “Unclothing and Uncovering”. The first two came to quilting through the accidental discovery of machine wizardry. Wendy Feldberg explores the relationship between history and art in her views of the Rideau Canal construction with deeply felt interpretation of malaria and the effect that it had on the workers and their families. With the designation of the Canal as a World Heritage Site interest has grown tremendously so this is a timely exhibit. Camilla Karijo Rother interprets quilting as a vehicle for graphic design or the painterly strokes of rhythmic pattern of colour coming out of darkness. She works in series of torn silk or carfully shaped cloth, always pushing herself. Karen Goetzinger graduated from Mount Mary College, in Wisconsin, the only one of the three with a degree in History of Arts and Fashion Design. Her work is labourious and the kimonos that she has in the exhibit take her a year to complete… seven in seven years! Each is a canvas upon which she carefully pieces colour and texture so that a real kimono seems to hang in front of the viewer with all the iconography of Japanese textile art. In the Winter Gallery is the most unusual exhibit . Carl Stewart works as a programmer for The Company of Canadians by day and “garbage picker” early in the mornings on those days when garbage and trash are put out. He explained that with his bicycle and his trusty knife his route takes him around the city and when he sees a likely mattress he “skins” it like an animal on the trapper’s line. The older mattresses are stuffed with cotton batting, husks and all, the later ones with foam, springs and cardboard. This exhibit is the result of his eye seeing the design potential in fabric that we hide away under sheets and coverlets. The central figure of a naked man seen from the back with “Posture Guard” and “Medic” around him in lettering is the main theme. Called “Fragments,” these are variations of floral designs of different eras, picked out in metallic thread, paint or fresh water pearls, beading, and coloured braid. This is not a prurient exhibit nor a titillating voyeuristic show of private art, rather it presents a new view of recycling seen through the eyes of an artist. The exchange is on till September 25, “Unclothing and Uncovering” and “Fragments” till October 28 . The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum is at 3 Rosamond St. E, Almonte Ontario. Phone 256-3754 for information or hours.

A Green Dream for a Ghost Town

2007-09-06T17:27:29Z

p(by_line_top). by Rob Riendeau !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/08/Herron-Mills-Ed-Weaver.jpg (theHumm August 2007 Herron Mills image)! Ed and Deb Weaver live in a ghost town. That’s not a metaphor — their house is in the middle of "Herron Mills,":http://www.foghorn.ca/herronmills.html which is not far from the village of Lanark on Highway 511. At one time, Herron Mills was a bustling community with a schoolhouse, post office and accommodations for the workers employed by the lumber mill, grist mill, woolen mill, shingle mill, tannery, and bake house. Today, all that’s left of this hub of industry and community are some dilapidated buildings, stone foundations, and piles of 19th century milling equipment. Oh, and the Weavers — with their dreams of restoring life to this ghost town through some ambitious and achievable ideas. A preliminary rendering of the two mills and the dam envisioned by Ed and Deb Weaver for their Herron Mills property| A large section of the criteria for approval actually focuses on the heritage of the site, which Ed sees as a big bonus to his proposal. The entire area that he hopes to redevelop has only been out of commission for fifty to sixty years. By damming the river again and putting the mills back in he is actually acting as a caretaker for the area’s heritage. And apparently, he’s not alone in thinking this way. A recent letter from Hon. David Ramsay, Ontario’s Minister of Natural Resources, concludes: “I commend you for your efforts to contribute to Ontario's energy supply and for your commitment to preserving Ontario's cultural heritage. As the mill on your property may be historical, I have forwarded your letter to my colleague, the Honorable Caroline DiCocco, Minister of Culture, to see if there are opportunities available to assist additional efforts on your part to restore or preserve Ontario's cultural heritage.” This letter was also sent to Premier Dalton McGuinty and Norm Sterling, MPP, Lanark-Carleton as well as Sarah MacHardy, MNR. Official assistance for this project has actually been quite forthcoming. “We’re going through MNR’s new Coordinated Approval Process,” explains Ed. “They act as project leaders and get representatives from the Ministry of the Environment, Fisheries and Oceans, my neighbours, and me, and they coordinate the communication towards getting the final approval. If things go well, it could take ninety days and we’d be able to begin construction, but it could take up to two years.” As far as the neighbours are concerned, many are of the opinion that restoring the dam would be one of the best things that could happen to the area. p(emph). Reviving the Ghost Ed’s taking care of the permitting process and has invested a great deal of time and energy into the project already. He estimates that it is going to take $600-700 thousand to complete the project. The price is relatively low because the Weavers already own the land and have the headway and tailway in place. “In terms of dollars and sense,” Ed explains, “someone could come in and just put the turbine in the middle of the dam and start generating electricity to sell to the grid. You’d generate the same income and you’d save a lot of money. But it’s not about that — it’s about putting something here that the community will have for the next hundred years and that people will come out to see.” The Weavers want to appeal to area archivists and amateur historians for assistance. “We’re looking for as many old pictures as we can find to get the look of the outside of the buildings. We’ve got some, but we’d like more. The Gillies mill was a shingle mill and all of the original equipment is still there. We want to put it back the way it was — all of the pulleys up above and all of the equipment inside working. Hopefully we’ll be able to open the doors up to the public.” It’s important to Ed and Deb to show both parts of the project — the heritage side and the power generation side. “Phase one is to get the dam working because that generates the income in order to fund the heritage restoration. We want to show how an 1880 mill can be revamped to today’s technology and generate enough hydroelectricity for a thousand homes. At the same time, we want to be able to bring children to the site and show them what this piece of equipment was and how it works. Eventually we’d like to have volunteers working the equipment so people could actually watch boards being cut and see how it was done back then. There might even be a business for someone running the shingle mill on the weekends to actually make shingles for barns and cottages.” p(emph). Community Spirit Of course, a project of this scale needs a lot of person power. There are piles of equipment and old timber to be moved out so that the foundations can be restored and the site can be secured for restoration. There are already a few volunteers coming out to help with the work, but more are certainly welcome. “As far as this site goes, if we don’t save it right now, we’ll lose it. But I can’t do it all myself. Now it’s time to see if there are people out there with some time and energy and maybe even expertise that they can bring to the site. It’s not about personal gain — this will be around longer than any of us.” If you would like to be involved in this exciting project and help bring life back to a ghost town, contact Ed and Deb Weaver "by email":mailto:herronmills@aol.com or visit their "website.":http://www.foghorn.ca/herronmills.html]]>

Glenn Gangnier and Ali Ross — Wonderful 1 x 1

2007-09-06T16:18:24Z

p(by_line_top). by Sally Hansen !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/09/FP-September.jpg (theHumm September 2007 Front Page image)! Coincidence is intriguing, so when Glenn Gangnier asked me if I was familiar with the poetry of e. e. cummings, I knew I would title this artist profile “Wonderful 1 x 1”. Cummings was celebrating a wonderful marriage in his poem of that title. The Gangnier-Ross Pottery Studio celebrates the wonderful results of the marriage of the respective talents of two talented and experienced potters — Glenn Gangnier and Ali Ross. Between them they share over fifty years of creating gorgeous ceramic pottery. As cummings’ poem testifies, sometimes 1 x 1 can produce a result that is greater than mathematics decrees. The Gangnier x Ross equation delivers a product that benefits from joining complementary interests and skills. In my conversations with them, each spontaneously acknowledged the contribution that the other has made to their creativity since combining artistic forces several years ago. Gangnier is the glaze guru and the “thrower”, excelling at both. When he first found pottery (or, as he puts it, pottery found him), he would sit down at the wheel and throw fifty cylinders at a time, seeking the self-discipline and the focus that would allow him to spend the rest of his life doing what he loves — and making a living at it. His porcelain glazes are superb. His functional pieces glow with deep, rich lustres, and his designs resonate with his passion for the organic. They are distinctly beautiful. When I walked into the home of a friend in Stratford, ON, he was amazed when I commented on his collection of Gangnier ceramics. My niece in the U.S. declared her wedding gift from the editor of theHumm — a Gangnier pitcher — one of her two favourite wedding gifts. (The other was purchased at Riverguild Fine Crafts in Perth also.) !<)//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/09/ATC-Glenn-Ali.jpg (theHumm September 2007 Artist Trading Card)! Ali Ross found her muse in Mexico at the age of 15, and has followed her to NYC, Spain and other parts of Europe. Ross excels at making plaster molds and doing slab work, creating plates, large serving platters, trivets, tiles and a wide variety of beautifully formed functional ceramic pieces. She credits travel and Mediterranean influences with opening her palette and extending her creativity. Her parents pulled up stakes when Ali was twelve, moving the family to Mexico. According to Ali, “It was the greatest gift they ever gave us — a new culture, a new language; it opened up so many doors”. When she was 15, a traditional Mexican potter opened up another door for her, and she has never wavered from her potter’s path. “Since I was 15, I’ve never lost the excitement of it. The medium is so fluid; it allows you to discover and inform yourself.” She received her basic training in South Wales, and learned plaster mold and model making at the Parsons School of Design in NYC. In Spain, as a recipient of a Rotary Foundation Scholarship, she attended a co-op program at the very old Escuela Nacional de Ceramica de Manises near Valencia. “What a place to learn, the cradle of ceramic tradition itself on the Mediterranean. My time in Spain and Portugal and Morocco gave me the opportunity to study and research and document many different types and styles of Majolica ceramics.” Glenn’s explanation for why he left high school in his teens is a classic: “So often school doesn’t lead someone to their passion.” He hitchhiked and hopped a couple of trains to reach Vancouver looking for adventure. He had a fabulous experience whitewater rafting on the Columbia River (pre-Revelstoke Dam days) with an ordained priest. They designed and built their own raft. He worked as a roughneck on oil rigs, as a cook, and eventually ended up as a janitor at St. Michael’s Hospital in Lethbridge. On a lark, he signed up for an evening pottery class at the University of Lethbridge. The instructor inspired him; the medium entranced him, and he returned to Ontario to attend Sheridan College. He wrote a form letter and sent it to every production pottery in Ontario, seeking a position as a potter’s apprentice. Donn Zver Pottery in Troy, ON, took him on, and together they built a production studio from the ground up, building kilns and ware racks. Gangnier was so impressed with the value of his practical experience that he proposed and then developed a cooperative program that was embraced by Sheridan’s School of Craft and Design. He graduated in 1985. “It is so important to learn how much things cost, what’s waiting for you in the real world, whether you really want to take on this way of life, making a modest living and letting the beauty you love be the thing you do.” Glenn and Ali have been professionally acquainted since the mid-eighties, and attended the same two-week course in Banff in 1991. Glenn was looking for a location to build his own production studio, and Ali encouraged Glenn to locate in the Brooke Valley area, correctly describing it as “a cradle of creativity. Glenn bought a 20-acre property in winter of 1991, and started construction that summer, living in a pop-up tent. The following summer Gangnier’s pottery was open and fully functional. After many years of friendship, Ali came to work in Glenn’s Pottery in 2001, and the couple forged a business partnership in 2005. The two share a close personal relationship as well. Their work reflects both their compatibility and their complementarity. Brooke Valley is also a cradle of humanity — Glenn and Ali have been volunteer members of the "Guatemala Stove Project,":http://www.guatemalastoveproject.org Glenn as a board member and Ali as a coordinator and cofounder. They continue their involvement in Guatemala with a women's cooperative known as the Women of Ixchel, raising funds to set up micro projects and help build schools, among other initiatives. This Thanksgiving weekend the Gangnier-Ross Pottery will be one of the highlights on the annual "Perth Autumn Studio Tour,":http://www.perthstudiotour.com October 6–8 from 10–5 each day. They will be hosting the photography of David Zimmerly and the antler carvings of Barry Rudachyk at their utterly delightful rural studio at 1155 Brooke Valley Road, Perth. From September 21–23 they are participating for the first time as guest artists in the "Prince Edward County Studio & Gallery Tour.":http://www.pecstudiotour.com Their pottery is also featured at Riverguild Fine Crafts at 51 Gore St. E in Perth (267–5237), and at the Gardiner Museum Shop in Yorkville.

Carmen and Cam Allen Launch Sundance Studio Tour

2007-08-08T04:26:52Z

p(by_line_top). by Sally Hansen !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/08/FP-August.jpg (theHumm August 2007 Front Page image)! Labour Day has been celebrated on the first Monday in September in Canada since the 1880s. The holiday originally marked the printers’ revolt in 1872 in Toronto, where labourers tried to establish a 54-hour work-week. In 2007 most Canadians view the event as the last long weekend of summer, with adults closing up the cottage and kids partying before they head back to school. In the Valley, many of us celebrate Labour Day Weekend by heading into the beautiful Ontario countryside and enjoying one of the many wonderful artist studio tours designed to bring us closer to nature and our local artists. This year Labour Day Weekend marks the introduction of a new walking studio tour at "Sundance Studio,":http://www.sundancestudio.ca the home and studio(s) of Carmen and Cam Allen, located a few minutes west of Maberly, and about 30 minutes from Perth. For the past five years the Allens both participated in the "Inroads Studio Tour":http://www.inroadstour.ca that features visits to artists’ home studios sprinkled across the Land O' Lakes & Lanark Highlands Tourist Regions. Carmen’s three-dimensional stained glass pieces celebrate her love of nature, and her whimsical copper garden pieces reveal her sense of humour. Cam deploys his lifetime of building and engineering skills to design and build wooden birdhouses, feeders, and (new this year) mailboxes and home plaques embossed with a laser. !<)//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/08/ATC-Carmen-Cam.jpg (theHumm August 2007 Artist Trading Card)! The Allens’ home is situated near the midpoint of the ruggedly beautiful terrain encompassed by the far-flung Inroads Studio Tour, so Carmen and Cam decided to complement the successful driving studio tour with a smaller walking tour at their woodland retreat. The first Sundance Studio Tour will take place September 1st, 2nd and 3rd, and features twelve artists, each highlighted in a separate nook of the Allens’ well-tended and ever-expanding gardens, ponds and forest trails. Sundance Studio is the retirement project this energetic couple inadvertently and incrementally embarked on when they decided to wind down their construction business. They originally intended to improve the unfinished house they had bought, sell it, and buy a place more suited to their needs. But after years of working together on their favourite activities — artistically enhancing their delightful country property, and creating hand-crafted artwork — they realized they had created an environment that would be hard to surpass. So they bought a large piece of undeveloped nature across the road to satisfy their two outstanding requirements: a private place to walk “the boys” (two adoring and adorable golden retrievers), and a place to park cars during their new walking studio tour! Sundance is an ideal setting for a walking tour, offering each participating artist a private area to display their work and chat with guests. The Allens have invited ten other artists and artisans, a musical duo named Caccia, and the Fall River Pub & Grill to provide an event that appeals to all our human senses. Caccia will perform live music throughout the weekend, with Anne Archer on flute, penny whistle and recorder, and Chris Giguere on classical guitar. Lunch will be served by Maberly’s Fall River Pub & Grill, known for its great food and organic and local ingredients. Truffles from Kathleen’s Kitchen will compete with the heavenly smells of the gardens for your olfactory attention. And there is enough to see and touch to keep you busy and happy for at least a full day of the three-day holiday weekend. In addition to Carmen’s stained glass and copper, and Cam’s wooden feeders and birdhouses, Dawn Burnham’s porcelain/stoneware bowls and Mark Burnham’s wooden creations will be on display. Bill Neddow’s wooden bowls, Doug MacDonald’s architectural sculptures in cast stone, John MacDonald’s metal garden sculptures, and Loretta Moore’s hooked rugs will impress and tempt you. And if immersing yourself in nature is part of the reason you decided to join the tour, you’ll love Gary Barr’s landscape paintings. For something a bit off the beaten path, Marilynne Gowan’s multi-media sculpture is sure to capture your attention. As an extra inducement to get husbands to come along, Grant Frazer will be exhibiting his unique hand-forged quality knives. It is obvious that Carmen and Cam Allen are lavishing the same care and attention on their new Studio Tour that has made Sundance Studio such a perfect venue for it. There will be sheltered seating for lunch and to enjoy Caccia’s live music. Parking is readily available across the road and washrooms are provided. All five senses have been carefully considered and catered to. Come! Indulge yourselves. p(emph). Sundance Program Sundance Studio Tour takes place Saturday and Sunday, September 1 and 2, from 10–5, and Monday (Labour Day), September 3, from 10–4. Details and a map are available at "their website":http://www.sundancestudio.ca or by calling 268–2171. Sundance Studio is located at 1047 Zealand Road, northwest of Maberly. Travelling west on Route 7, Zealand Road is accessed by taking route 36 (Maberly/Elphin Rd.) north and turning west on Zealand Rd. Traveling east on Route 7, turn north on Zealand Rd. just past route 38 to Sharbot Lake and Kingston. You’ll be glad you did.

Chris Van Zanten — Redefining His Own Sandbox

2007-08-08T04:15:03Z

p(by_line_top). by Sally Hansen !>(//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/07/FP-July.jpg (theHumm July 2007 Front Page image)! It’s really HOT. Chris Van Zanten is showing me how he creates his gorgeous blown-glass (a.k.a. “hot glass”) art. I’ve arrived at his glassblowing studio in Pakenham at 9:30AM on a sizzling summer day. Chris started work at 4:30AM while it was still cool outside. “Now that I have my own sandbox, I get to choose when I want to play,” he chortles. If you look up “glassblowing” at Wikipedia.org, the second sentence says, “Glassblowing is a form of art that requires extreme training and an intense level of aptitude.” Just to make sure I fully appreciate the basis for this statement, my interviewee informs me that I will be blowing a piece before I leave. He responds to my obvious panic by reassuring me that he has taught many people, from kids to seniors, how to do so. I am hugely relieved to learn that at no time do Van Zanten’s hands leave the blowpipe on which “my” piece is created, and I leave with an even greater respect for his art. p(emph). Bulldozing a Career Path Chris’ career path reminds me of one of my favourite jokes: ‘Do you know why people make plans? To make God laugh.’ At the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in the mid ’70s, Van Zanten intended to become a professional printmaker. Two months before completing his program, he developed a violent systemic reaction to the harsh chemicals in use at the time. He was unable to complete his final portfolio or follow his chosen artistic path. So he started a heavy equipment company with his brother David. “They thought they were paying me to move dirt around, but in fact I was terra-forming, using a 50,000-pound spatula.” !<)//www.thehumm.com/images/2007/07/ATC-Chris-van-Zanten.jpg (theHumm July 2007 Artist Trading Card)! On a more delicate scale, the boutique at the National Gallery of Canada invited Van Zanten to form some glass art using his 2000+ºF furnace in conjunction with the Emily Carr exhibition last summer. The pieces illustrate in colour, form and motion, how Carr has influenced his life and his art. The series is stunning, as is his new “Borealis” series. Another major influence in his life was his father who was born in the Netherlands. John Van Zanten was a builder of many parks and golf courses in Kanata, and a potter. But more importantly, “He taught me to think for myself”. Chris’ mother is a fabric artist and his paternal grandmother was an artist who painted oils in the Renaissance Master style. “I’m an artist by default,” Chris tells me; “it’s in my blood”. In many ways his best friend and wife, Barbara, has been the biggest impetus in his circuitous route to finding his true artistic calling. When the couple moved to a new home in Nepean in 1990, she suggested that the front hallway would benefit from the addition of a stained glass piece. Four months later Chris “went pro” as a commissioned stained glass artist. The second marriage for both, Chris acquired a three-year-old stepson who was diagnosed as suffering from Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. The couple decided that Chris would work at home to ensure that their son received the support he needed, and Chris embarked on a serious affair with glass art. It became everlasting love as the result of a field trip with some of his stained glass students to the Corning (NY) Glass Works in 1996. “I saw a poster for Hands-On Glass Studio that said ‘Make your own ornament for $50,’ and after about thirty seconds of hot glass in hand I knew that this was what I wanted to do.” He studied at several studios in the States, and then worked among several glassblowers in Merrickville. He also taught glassblowing in Merrickville and Bloomfield. It wasn’t until 2005 that he got to build his own “sandbox” from scratch, with the help of some really knowledgeable good friends, especially David Paterson. Chris estimates that his OSC (Old Shoe Creations) Glassworks Studio is at least 30% more energy efficient than most, due to innovations he designed and built himself. Since the main furnace runs 24 x 7 unless he is going to be out of town for more than a few days, this is an important consideration. p(emph). Fire in my Bones Van Zanten is a fulfilled man. “Glassblowing is the culmination of my entire life — the technical, the spiritual and the interpersonal. I find a new horizon every time I look into the radiance of the 2100ºF glass furnace — it has become the fire in my bones.” His t-shirt identifies him as the Master and Commander of the Balrog. He tells me, “It’s a bit like Star Trek — going where no one else has gone before. After 2,000 years of glassblowing, I’m naïve enough to think I can create something mystical.” And he does. The only thing Chris likes better than creating hot glass art is sharing his passion for it. He welcomes visits by seniors, home-schooled kids, and tourists. He offers classes to anyone adventurous enough to work with molten glass at the furnace/Glory Hole/torch, and then cool it by placing it in the annealer/kiln that is only 1000ºF. "His website":http://www.cvz.ca is a marvelous place to see what he makes, and how he does it. There is a brief video that shows Chris creating a footed bowl, but it’s not the same as being there! For that exciting experience, you can sign up to make your own paperweight or friendship ball. He also offers classes in cold (stained) glass and corporate team-building workshops. Commissions are always welcome. To celebrate the opening of the new location of the 3 Yellow Tulips Art Shoppe at 2518 County Rd. 29N in Pakenham, Chris presented the owners with a very appropriate stained glass component for their new sign. Both his architectural and art works are on display there and at The Pakenham General Store, 2425 County Road 29, at Riverguild Fine Crafts (51 Gore St. E, Perth), at The Gallery Gift Shop (150 John St., Arnprior), and in galleries from Edmonton to Nova Scotia. p(emph). Going Blowing Van Zanten will spend Thanksgiving weekend participating in the Crown and Pumpkin Studio Tour, offering frequent glassblowing demos at his delightful Pakenham location, bordering on the Waba Creek and the foaling site for Canada’s RCMP horses. November 8–12 Chris will be at the Nepean Craft Christmas Gift Sale at the Nepean Sportsplex, and Nov. 24–25 he is participating in the West Carleton Red Trillium Studio Tour. His fun website is a great resource for information about his classes, his custom designed tools, and keeping up with Chris. The link to his "Edmonton representative":http://www.landogallery.com/vanz.html has many photos of his hot glass works, from Emily Carr-inspired totem vases to bird feeding nooks to gorgeous and very functional cups and glasses. You can phone him at 623–5222, but given the nature of his work, please leave a message so he can get back to you. You can also "email him.":mailto:bvanzanten@sympatico.ca It’s a pleasure to enjoy this artist’s enormous pleasure in sharing what he loves and does so well. You’ll be sorry if you don’t cut out his Artist Trading Card at the top of this page and save it for future reference. Go blow!