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The Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT) is pleased to announce that Howard Clifford will be the guest speaker for their Annual General Meeting of members on March 23. Mr. Clifford served as MMLT’s second President from 2010 to 2019, and since then as a member of the Emeritus Council. He has had an impressive career in mental health and child care, but his avocation has always been a love of the wilderness.
MMLT negotiated its first Conservation Easement Agreement with the Clifford Family in February 2009 on an exceptional pristine wilderness property near Flower Station, formerly known as the Alba Wilderness School, and now referred to as Blueberry Mountain at cliffLAND. It is the second largest legally protected area in Lanark County, after Murphy’s Point Provincial Park, and is also one of Seven Wonders of Lanark County. Blueberry Mountain is climbed by over 2000 visitors each year! Mr. Clifford has lived there for the past 42 years.
During his talk, Mr. Clifford will reflect on how his life has been blessed and changed through experiences at cliffLAND and his involvement with MMLT — the insights gained, the convictions that became unshakable, and the vision that continues to provide meaning and hope.
MMLT’s AGM and Presentation will be held on the evening of Thursday, March 23 via Zoom. For information about how to register for this and other MMLT events please visit <mmlt.ca/events> or call 253–2722. Not yet a member or need to renew your membership? Please visit <mmlt.ca/support-us/become-a-member>.
Chances are, when in school, you learned about the great arctic explorers like Hudson, Frobisher Franklin and Amundsen. However, unless you are an avid student of that particular history, it’s likely you have never heard of Dr. John Rae who, according to Canadian author Ken McGoogan, has been denied his rightful place in history alongside the others.
In March 1854, Orcadian explorer John Rae set out from Naujaat (Repulse Bay) in the central Canadian Arctic. Together with Inuk William Ouligbuck and Ojibway Thomas Mistegan, Rae discovered both the final link in the first navigable Northwest Passage and the catastrophe that had engulfed the failed Franklin expedition. In doing so, Rae completed one of the most significant expeditions in the history of Arctic exploration and ironically also sealed his fate as the most unrecognized and even vilified explorer of the era.
In March 2019, the Arctic Return Expedition team, led by David Reid, set out from Naujaat on skis to retrace the 650km route taken by Rae and his companions. Rae’s success was due in great part to his willingness to learn from the Indigenous people of the region. He traveled with patience, humility, respect and honesty. The goal of the Arctic Return journey was to bring awareness, pay tribute and honour John Rae — one of the greatest Arctic explorers of all time. An explorer too long in the shadows of history.
At Learning Again In Almonte’s last lecture of the season, David Reid will take you on a journey of discovery, history and adventure. The lecture takes place on Saturday, March 18 from 3–5pm at the Almonte Library. Admission is by donation, but you must reserve your spot by registering at <learningagainalmonte.ca/copy-of-indigenous-realities-2>.
The third annual birdhouse auction is beginning to heat up. Backyard Beauties 2023 is now accepting entries, and organizer Barbara Carroll was delighted to see that within hours of making the announcement, several entries had already arrived. New artists have come on board with birdhouses they were inspired to create after seeing last year’s items.
The Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust is celebrating its 20th anniversary and is confident this auction will be a significant start to a stellar year. Featured clay artist Chandler Swain is hard at work on her signature piece — which she is keeping under wraps until it’s displayed at General Fine Crafts in March. She did allow us a peek (see photo at right!), but wants it to be a surprise. We’re as eager to see it as we know our bidders will be.
The theme of the auction is “all things avian” — from feeders to garden décor — so pull out all the stops, put on your creative hat, and pick up your building materials. Entries for the auction will be accepted up to April 14. The auction runs from April 17–28, online.
How do we get in on this?, I hear you crow? All the information is available at <mmlt.ca>. Look for Backyard Beauties 2023 for the entry form and the instructions for becoming a bidder on the auction itself at <32auctions.com/BackyardBeauties2023>.
In the meantime, please contact Glenda Jones at <aljones@xplornet.com> or Barbara Carroll at <barbaracarroll493@gmail.com> if you want help either with entering an item or bidding in the auction in April. All proceeds go to the Land Trust. Let’s make this auction a big winner for everyone!
Hot off the NAC stage on April 1, the fabulous duo of Brooks & Bowskill will play the Almonte Old Town Hall on Sunday, April 2.
Brooks & Bowskill is the partnership of Brittany Brooks and Jimmy Bowskill (Blue Rodeo, The Sheepdogs). Their music journeys between the old and the new, weaving elements of ’60s folk rock, ’70s country twang and contemporary Americana into a sound that is completely their own. Brooks & Bowskill will melt your heart with their sweet harmonies and then rock the house with their 5-piece band of veteran musicians.
Released in January of 2023, Too Many Roads is their impressive and stunning 12-song début LP, showcasing the undeniable chemistry and talent of this exciting new collaboration. The couple wrote the songs together and to each other, reflecting on the cosmic fate of their new-found love and the roads they traveled to get there. Brooks’ velvety croon is of another time, and Bowskill’s instrumentation is masterful in this genre-bending début. You can hear Too Many Roads at <linktr.ee/brooksandbowskill>.
Jimmy Bowskill is one of Canada’s best guitarists and multi-instrumentalists, known for playing lead guitar in The Sheepdogs and as a multi-instrumentalist in the iconic country rock band Blue Rodeo, in which he plays pedal steel guitar, fiddle, mandolin and guitar. He cut his teeth incredibly early on, earning esteemed recognition at the seasoned age of 12 when he became the youngest musician to ever be nominated for a JUNO Award. Since then he has released numerous albums as a solo artist and with The Jimmy Bowskill Band. Most recently, Bowskill has stepped into role of music producer and recording engineer at his Ganaraska Recording Co. studio.
Born with the gift of rhyme and storytelling, Brittany Brooks is known for her imagery-rich lyrics that pour from a direct heart line. Her voice sounds as though she walked off a Greenwich Village stage in the ’60s and was on her way to play the late set at a country honky tonk. Her buttery vocals have been described as a dance between Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris and Norah Jones. Over the past decade, Brooks has released multiple original albums and EPs under different monikers, all supported by her particular style of guitar and claw hammer banjo playing.
Tickets are $30 plus fees, available online or by phone at Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434).
A very special Bicentennial event is being planned for March 25 from 11am to 3pm. Entitled “Celebrate Almonte”, this will be a fun way to learn about Almonte’s past and present while discovering some of the wonderful businesses that make up the current fabric of this former mill town. The event is being organized by the Almonte Bicentennial Working Group, which is made up of community volunteers.
There will be four key destinations for people to visit that day. At Levi Home Hardware you’ll find musical entertainment and historical displays of photos and memorabilia. Over at the Almonte Library you can peruse displays of past/present photographs, as well as a community art project that involves colouring canvas triangles to create a banner to be displayed at the library. Bring the whole family to meet the James Naismith puppet! The special Bicentennial Commemorative Coin is also being sold at the library.
Wander down Mill Street to Heritage Mall, which will feature a kid’s area with musical entertainment, the R. Tait McKenzie puppet, as well as activities run by the Mississippi Mills Youth Centre. Over on Bridge Street, the Almonte Legion will be serving food and featuring live entertainment.
Passports will be distributed at the key destination points which will include a map of Almonte as well as questions that can be answered by popping into local businesses. The passports can then be dropped off at any of the destination points and will be entered into a draw for prizes from local businesses. For more information about this and other Mississippi Mills Bicentennial events, visit <misssissippimills.ca/200>.
There are always so many life lessons we learn from those that have walked before us, like our parents and grandparents for instance. With an open heart and an open mind, there is always much to learn and take away. One life lesson I learned from my Dad sure has proven to be one of his best pieces of advice: “never be afraid of change”.
Boy oh boy have we been tested — and changed — in the last three years.
When challenging times arrived three years ago, it’s no secret that it was all very overwhelming and uncertain. Our business neighbours felt the same, but in that uncertainty came great connection, ideas and collaborations! Ideas flowed, great products were born, and our amazing community rallied.
Moving forward, big decisions also had to be made. I heard my Dad’s voice over and over again when the restaurant industry was faced with ongoing closures, shortages and rising prices. With a seasonal business and a short ten weeks at that, the thought of being closed down again was a risk that became too great.
It was time to change! And thanks to Team Awesome (our wonderful staff), a wonderful change has happened.
We’re absolutely thrilled with our expanded and enlarged Maple Shop. I can almost hear the laughter that was once the Pancake House as we now move about so easily chatting with our great customers, listening to their stories and offering samples at our new Tasting Bar.
Dad also said: “celebrate those changes”, and that’s what we’re going to do on Saturday, March 4 from 11am to 2pm. Wonderful local business that have supported us (in more ways than I can count) will also be here: Hummingbird Chocolate, Dairy Distillery, the Almonte Butcher Shop, Cartwright Springs, Tiffany MacLaren representing Mississippi Mills, and opening remarks will be given by Mayor Christa Lowry. We also hope to have a surprise visit from Puppets Up mascot, Nick! Fresh coffee from Equator Coffee will keep us nice and warm.
Our horse-drawn sleigh rides with Mitchell’s Sleigh will begin at 11am, the Taffy Shack will be open, and the trails and games will be ready for visiting families.
Come celebrate with us! For more details, visit <fultons.ca>.
Lanark County is rich in many things. We have lots of trees. Lots of rocks. Lots of farms. Lots of good people. But what we have the most of is stories. And in a county full of stories, we’ve picked two of the best tellers.
On March 25, Folkus is turning the spotlight on homegrown talent with a special show featuring some folks who’ve been going down in the story mines for a while. We are so excited to bring The Gravel Project to the Folkus stage.
Thanks to some funding from Ontario Presents, we were able to establish a residency for two local artists, Vicki Brittle and Brock Zeman. They have never collaborated before, although they have competed against each other in the International Songwriting Competition Finals. They have been pondering and collaborating since the snow started flying, and are ready to come to the Almonte Old Town Hall with new songs and some side players we’ve never seen them with before. Both Vicki and Brock are blessed with original voices, a flair for lyrics, and deep roots in the area.
Vicki Brittle describes herself as a singer-songwriter with small-town grounding and a keen knowledge of the universe’s grander plans. Blessed with a soulful voice that gives her songs a haunting, memorable quality, Brittle effortlessly brings newcomers into her world. She has spent a long time listening to others — now she’s ready to share her take, to let others feel “the thunderstorms that come”.
When it comes to storytelling, Brock Zeman is a master craftsman. He has spent the past two decades years carving and chiseling Americana soundscapes, drawing from roots-rock and alternative country. Refusing to be limited by genre or label, Zeman is equal parts troubadour and fabulist, uncovering true stories from the world around him, but also spinning wild tales that somehow ring even truer.
Folkus shows are still held at the Almonte Old Town Hall, third floor, in the Ron Caron Auditorium. There’s an accessible elevator you can reach from the side entrance. Doors open at 7:30, showtime is at 8pm. There will be t-shirts and music at the merch table, and beverages and cookies at the bar. Tickets are available through Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434).
Pre-show Workshop at Union Hall
The Gravel Project will be out in the community as well! On the afternoon of March 12, you can catch up with Vicki Brittle and Brock Zeman at a free event at Union Hall (located at the corner of Tatlock and Wolf Grove Roads), a historic hall with room for songs and singers. Bring your instrument or your voice, or just come to listen. The stage will be set for an open mic with Vicki and Brock for the afternoon. Tea and coffee will be served. Watch “the sign” and our socials for details.
Most Canadians of a certain age will have heard of the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919. It was one of the most significant events in Canadian history, and one that, arguably, needs to be more widely studied.
“I believe more people should know about the strike and its results,” says author and historian Michael Dupuis.
Dupuis, an expert on the subject, will present an Author Talk at the Perth & District Union Library on March 18 based on his book The Winnipeg General Strike: Ordinary Men and Women Under Extraordinary Circumstances.
He would certainly know the Strike is understudied. Back when he was 22 and studying history at the University of Ottawa, Dupuis says he “stumbled upon the event.” This was in 1973, when Dupuis was searching for a thesis topic.
By chance, he says, while reading Canadian newspaper coverage from the time of the Winnipeg General Strike, he came across an interesting “anomaly.” Most big city newspapers reported the strike was a revolution by Reds and radical labour leaders to overturn constituted authority. Only one newspaper — the Toronto Daily Star — supported the strikers and sent its own reporters to Winnipeg to get the “true story of the event.” Dupuis’ thesis advisor couldn’t explain the inconsistencies in media coverage. “Seems like you found your thesis topic,” the advisor said.
“Once I began researching the topic,” Dupuis says, “I became enthralled.”
It was something he remained passionate about for years.
Eventually, Dupuis went on to teach Canadian history. When he retired from teaching in 2005, he began writing for academic journals, magazines and newspapers, concentrating on the role played by journalists in historical events, including the Winnipeg General Strike, the Titanic disaster, the Halifax Explosion, the On to Ottawa Trek and the Regina Riot. He also served as a consultant for Danny Schur’s 2013 Winnipeg General Strike documentary Mike’s Bloody Saturday and as an advisor to the CBC for the television special Titanic: The Canadian Story.
“Once I retired, I needed something to stimulate my mind so I turned to writing about history,” he says. “After I found a niche — the role of journalists in covering significant historical events — I had unlimited scope of events about which to write magazine and newspaper articles and then books.”
Writing history from this point of view has been a richly rewarding experience, he says.
In 2014, he published Winnipeg’s General Strike: Reports from the Front Lines. In 2018, he published a second book on the matter, The Winnipeg General Strike: Ordinary Men and Women Under Extraordinary Circumstances.
Dupuis believes that examining historical events through the eyes and words of journalists and record keepers is absolutely vital.
“Reporters are observers of people, places and things: important elements of historical events,” he says. “They use experience and judgment in reporting events. Reporters are also supposed to be objective and stick to the facts, but they are human and have preconceived notions about events they will and do cover. Nevertheless, they usually ‘get the story’ right.”
In his experience, their reporting is “remarkably complete, insightful and accurate.”
“I agree with Washington Post publisher Phillip Graham,” he adds, “that journalism ‘is the first rough draft of history.’” And in Dupuis’ thinking, studying those first rough drafts is key.
In his Author Talk on the 18th, Dupuis will talk about why, when and where the Winnipeg General Strike happened, and, through a series of archival images, he’ll introduce the major players and reveal some secrets of the Strike. He’ll also present some key and compelling photographs from the major events of the Strike, “especially the violent climax of Bloody Sunday.” Before opening the floor to a Q&A session, Dupuis will highlight the short- and long-term results of the largest and most influential strike in Canadian history.
A bit of a fascinating teaser: “The strike was eventually crushed,” he says, “but long-term results included the establishment of the principle of collective bargaining and the founding in August 1932 of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), which in July and August of 1961 became the New Democratic Party.”
Dupuis’ first Author Talk at the Perth Library in January was sold out, so it would be wise to register for a seat for this talk by visiting the “Upcoming Events” section on the library’s website, or by phoning them at 267–1224.
In 2020, Dupuis set his sights on a new challenge: writing a novel about the Winnipeg General Strike. He says it was a departure from writing factually about history.
“It was indeed a very challenging experience,” he concedes. “I had to create credible fictional characters, especially the protagonist and antagonist, and have them interact with real characters — such as Winnipeg’s mayor and the Minister of Labour. In fiction writing, the author needs a setting, plot, one or more conflicts, a climax and an ending. Fortunately, the six-week strike provided several of these elements. The two hardest parts were creating an interesting plot — or story arc — and a surprise ending.”
The finished product was the novel The Reporter and The Winnipeg General Strike. Whether he was successful at turning history into compelling fiction, he says he’ll leave up to readers. But he enjoyed the process.
Michael Dupuis and his wife recently moved to Perth from the West Coast. They’ve quickly become fond of life in the pretty old town.
“I have enjoyed meeting people in Perth — in the banks and stores, the coffee shops and City Hall. Everyone is friendly and relaxed,” says Dupuis. “My wife and I live in the Perthmore subdivision and have been warmly received by our neighbours. Besides, everywhere we go is less than a 10-minute drive — a welcome change from our previous big city life. We attend Perth Blue Wing games at the arena, take aqua fit classes at the Community pool and each pursue favourite interests: I play pickleball two or three times a week, and my wife is involved in quilting activities. We can’t wait until Spring arrives to explore the town more as well as the surrounding area.”
Dupuis, who is also the author of Bearing Witness: Journalists, Record Keepers and the 1917 Halifax Explosion, will be giving two talks in April at the Isabel Turner Library in Kingston — one on the Halifax Explosion and the other about the Winnipeg General Strike. You can buy any of his books by emailing him directly at <michaelgdupuis@gmail.com>.
This year marks the 50th year of operation for Fortune Farms Sugarbush. From a humble beginning with a traditional wood fired evaporator and buckets we have converted to the latest equipment — a new camp, an oil-fired evaporator, a reverse osmosis system and pipelines to collect the sap. Even the forests have changed as many of the older trees have expired, and in combination with our careful management and thinning, have been replaced with younger trees. The sugarbush does look a bit different with trees of all ages common throughout, but it still produces a bountiful crop of sap for making maple syrup and it is always a pleasure to walk through.
Since we began farming at this location we have had three major weather events that significantly affected our forests: a micro-burst in 1997, the ice storm of 1998, and the derecho of 2022. The storms this past summer did a lot of damage to the sugar bush. The derecho wind knocked down several trees and it was followed by a more traditional windstorm that damaged certain areas. All told we lost about 250 trees and 200 taps. The derecho was very strange. The wind blew in direct lines at very high speed which broke the tops off the trees in some areas and tipped them over like dominoes in others. This created a very tangled mess of branches and tree trunks, and damaged our pipeline systems. We have a new log wagon with a hydraulic lift so we can now pick up the logs and transport them out of the woods with minimal damage. Dragging the logs tends to create ruts and exposes the tree roots. With the help of skilled forestry workers, we cleaned up the mess and re-established our pipeline system.
Dr. David Sills of Western University, the leader of the Northern Tornadoes Project, has analyzed historic wind events and based on his observations has suggested that these serious storms may become more common in the Ottawa Valley. We will see what this means for our forests — we can’t move them — so we will continue to manage for all ages of trees and hope that we are not in the path of too many storms in the future!
We are just finishing repairing the pipelines as of February 16, and are getting ready for tapping next week. We know the sap has been running in the early February warm weather, but it was not in our plans to tap this early. Hopefully the sugar is still in the tree and we will get good flows of sap in late February and March. With the warm winter that we’ve experienced, we expect that the sap will run very well once the next warm spell arrives.
After 50 years of making maple syrup we have learned that there is no such thing as an “average year”, so we adapt to the ups and downs of the business. One thing is certain, our family enjoys the maple business and the time spent with our many friends and customers. For details about this year’s maple season and special events, please visit <fortunefarms.ca>!
Back in 1975, The Hub held a Women’s Day conference as part of International Women’s Year. The issues presented were simply to encourage and support women who wanted to do things that were considered somewhat radical for that time — such as seeking higher education, getting politically involved, and applying for jobs usually reserved for men. Kaye Crowe of the Vanier Institute of the Family launched the day with a rousing keynote speech, followed by an informative medical panel after lunch. All told, 170 women attended a variety of workshop sessions, with the only “difficult” issue being one workshop on rape.
Another conference was held two years later at Pakenham Public School, and once again most of the workshops dealt with what would be seen today as “easy” subjects. Even when we opened Lanark County Interval House in 1979, recognizing the need for a refuge for women attempting to escape abusive situations, we were still unaware of the true extent of male violence in our society — let alone how difficult it would be to overcome. Back then we were looking forward to a future where, as a result of our work and support, our daughters and granddaughters would have many personal and professional choices as they built fulfilling, accomplished lives.
We never imagined that those choices could bring them harm, but that has indeed happened. Today we see women who choose professions traditionally reserved for men — law enforcement, the military, etc. — revealing how they have been marginalized and sometimes even sexually harassed and assaulted by their superiors and workmates. Women who bravely run for political office have revealed horrendous online harassment including threats of violence, rape and murder. Women in the media are also targets of online abuse and threats, and women in sports are telling their own stories of harassment and abuse by their coaches.
While the conferences and other efforts decades ago may appear relatively non-controversial today, and may not have anticipated all of the negative consequences of women overturning barriers and stereotypes, they did begin changing the world in positive ways that continue today. Difficult subjects such as male violence are no longer taboo. The “Me Too” movement has encouraged people to speak out about abuses they have endured and reveal the names of their abusers. Both women and men are telling the stories of how they were sexually abused as children at home, at school, at church and at sports programs, in some cases forcing significant progressive developments. The recent reveal of many years of gang rapes and other degrading forms of abuse within a number of Canada’s junior hockey leagues has shocked the nation and resulted in major changes in governance.
It’s significant that years of hard-fought and hard-won progress have made people feel empowered and secure enough to lift the veils of secrecy and shame, but our efforts need to continue. More can be done in positive and enjoyable ways to equip all of us with the knowledge and skills to fight both the subtle inequalities that impact our lives and the horrific behaviours that have been coming to light.
The What Now Lanark County Committee is hard at work organizing a conference to be held at Almonte District High School on Saturday, May 6. The theme of the event is Imagine — Learn/Inspire/Act, and it will be a conference to discuss and imagine the power within our communities to change, enabling people to thrive in a more equitable world; one of kindness, self-love, acceptance, justice and safety!
This time the subjects will not be quite as “easy”, but will reflect the once-hidden issues that greatly affect all our lives. We are genuinely excited about the array of women and men already committed to present on a vast number of topics including Bystander Intervention, Nine Types of Abuse, Misogyny in the Health Care System, Human Trafficking, Women in Business, Child Sexual Assault Prevention in Education, Climate Action, White Ribbon Action, Allyship/New Masculinity, the Effects of Concussions and Possible Dementia, and an Update on the Renfrew County Inquest’s 86 Recommendations to End Violence Against Women.
Plans are to feature each one of the session presenters in upcoming issues of The Millstone News <millstonenews.com>, and to run columns in upcoming editions of theHumm. We hope the commitment and enthusiasm they’ll share will inspire you to attend and learn more. Conference registration will open in April; in the meantime, please reach out to us via email for any additional information at <whatnowlanarkcounty@gmail.com>.
Christine Graves and Kate Weekes have appeared onstage together over the years, as solo artists and accompanying each other on voice, guitar, glockenspiel and ukulele. On March 12 at 2pm, each artist will take the Maberly Hall stage for a full set of original music, as well as the long-held tradition of making songs sound better together on a collaboration or two.
Christine Graves (right) has toured Canada and the US as a singer-songwriter and with the group Malaika. She won an Ottawa song writing contest 2017 for her Rise Above Song of Protest Song of Hope. She has re-emerged in 2023, returning to touring and performing with a new LP called Everyday Life.
Her four independent releases garnered much CBC airtime from 1995 to 2006, and since then Christine has been focussing on work in health care, caregiving family members, teaching ukulele, voice and movement, and learning to hula hoop. Her recordings are slowly making their way onto streaming platforms everywhere. The LP Everyday Life features a new crop of Canadian-inspired and moving songs with themes that range from finding unifying threads in our troubled times to the experience of accompanying a parent on a good death journey. Christine’s voice has always been acknowledged with praise; her song writing is blossoming. She is pleased to appear with her old yet younger musical pal the great Kate Weekes for this album release concert. “The upcoming release concert celebration, jointly held with Kate Weekes, is a delight for me,” Christine explains. “Having the wilderness guide confidence to tackle any adventure, Weekes is intrepid as she launches her new project. It is wonderful to release music to the world at the same time and to hold an event like the Maberly Hall concert together. The affinity we feel for one another is beyond logistics or business arrangements. Kate is a colleague and special person in my world. Perhaps there is ‘little sister affection’ from myself to Kate, bonded by backstage jams at Blue Skies Music Festival over the years, and the honour of a handful of double-billed shows over the years.”
You can check out some of Christine’s music at <Christinegraves.Bandcamp.com>.
For her fourth solo album Better Days Ahead, singer, songwriter, guitarist and nascent banjo player Kate Weekes dove deep into “the liminal space created by lockdowns and cancelled plans” to unearth a stirring, picturesque collection of ten original songs ranging from Appalachian-influenced murder-suicide ballads to anthemic folk-pop to whimsical instrumental waltzes, all buoyed by an eclectic assortment of instruments including (but not limited to) fiddle, flugelhorn, frame drum and fretless bass. Alongside long-time producer and multi-instrumentalist James Stephens, Weekes guides listeners on vivid sonic journeys inspired by nature but nurtured by imagination.
When it comes to sharing this concert with Graves, Weekes writes: “I remember taking a songwriting class with Christine Graves when I was a teenager. She played hacky sack with us at the break and seemed to epitomize ‘cool’. More recently, it’s been an honour to share the stage with Christine and collaborate in our performances. Christine sang harmony vocals on my 2019 album Taken by Surprise as well as my 2023 release Better Days Ahead. She blends her voice perfectly with mine and lends a haunting mirror to my words on the track All in the Letter. In the spring of 2022 we traveled down the Rideau River together as part of ‘Rideau Roots: A Songwriting Journey by Canoe’. I’m thrilled by the timing of our solo albums being released this winter, and look forward to sharing the stage at what feels like a homecoming concert in Maberly.”
Find more details on Kate Weekes and her music at <kateweekes.com>.
Tickets to this amazing double-bill are only $23 (fees included), available from Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca or 485–6434).
Local 2-Spirit Deaf ASL Instructor Sarina Elliott will lead an American Sign Language course at the Carleton Place Public Library. Queer ASL for 2SLGBTQ & Allies will take place on March 20, March 27, and April 3 from 7–8pm, and is suitable for both teens and adults. Join Sarina to learn American Sign Language and Deaf culture! This introductory class is for anyone who prefers an inclusive and welcoming space — you don’t have to be 2SLGBTQ+ to attend. This immersion class will be taught entirely in ASL, so be prepared to turn your voice off.
This small group class uses games and fun activities to get you signing. One of the first things you’ll learn is how to introduce yourself with your name and pronouns in ASL, and how to ask others for their name and pronouns, as well as fingerspelling, family signs, signs related to gender and sexual orientation, basic grammar and lots more.
All of the topics will be explored through a Deaf Queer perspective, and you will come away with some basic signing skills. The cost is $75 per person. Please contact <lisa@blackbearhealinghome.com> or 558–3199 (phone or text) to reserve your spot.
The Carleton Place Library will also host Sign Language for Babies (ages 0–18 months) on Friday mornings from 10:30–11:30am from March 24 to May 5. Learn how to teach your baby American Sign Language, with instructor Lisa Garrett. Signing is for everyone, and this fun and inclusive class is open to hearing babies and Deaf babies. Lisa uses games, songs and books to teach you everything you need to know.
The cost is $120 per parent/baby duo. Please contact <lisa@blackbearhealinghome.com> or 558–3199 (phone or text) to reserve your spot.
For more information about the instructors and Black Bear Healing Home, please visit <blackbearhealinghome.com>.
The Pakenham Maple Run Tour returns on April 1 and 2 with eight fascinating tour stops and over 30 artists and artisans. A tour like no other, Maple Run is a unique blend of art, fine craft, interesting and heritage buildings and spectacular spring scenery. To top all that off, it takes place right in maple syrup country! Maple Run, a self-guided free tour, truly offers something for everyone in the family.
An incredible gathering of artists and artisans from the area, up the Valley, and across Eastern Ontario will present an impressive array of artistic expressions. Art and fine craft are the roots of the tour, but the Maple Run venues are a tour all by themselves, whether for their history, their architecture or their function. Farmgate Cider’s heritage post and beam cider barn — reconstructed during the pandemic and now open as a tasting room and event space — is the newest and biggest stop, located just off Highway 417 at the Kinburn Side Road. The “home farm” for Farmgate Cider, it will present seven artists and yes, cider tasting and sales.
In the village of Pakenham, a cluster of four tour stops will welcome you. First visit the three artists at Stonebridge Haven, a peaceful heritage home and retreat perched high on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Cross the unique Five Span Stone Bridge — the only bridge of its kind in North America — and venture into the heart of Pakenham village, with its historic stone general store and unique shops, and find three more tour stops. Photography, clothing design and textile design can all be found at Paddye Mann’s clothing design studio in a heritage stone building that was home and workshop to one of the first tailors in Pakenham. The sunny and welcoming Pakenham branch of the Mississippi Mills Library hosts an Ottawa Valley landscape painter, a paper artist, and a children’s book author as well as a lunch stop. St. Andrew’s United Church, built of local stone in 1897 and featuring a rare sanctuary design, hosts six artists presenting miniature quilts, pewterware, felting, soaps, jewellery and fine art.
Heading west from Pakenham, travel to the base of the Pakenham “Mountain” and visit a ceramic artist and an artistic blacksmith at Cartwright Springs Brewery. While there, you can of course enjoy a tasting — the brewery is known for offering fine craft brews and even bottled carbonated maple sap!
The warm and entertaining Chris van Zanten studio offers you demonstrations of the fiery art of glass making — an experience of colour and drama. At the eighth tour stop, the Cedar Hill Schoolhouse, step back in time to a one-room schoolhouse hosting five artists presenting leatherworking, hand painted pottery, gemstone jewellery, baking and honey products. Continue down the Cedar Hill Road for a visit to Fulton’s Sugarbush while in the area of the schoolhouse.
Following the entire route of the Maple Run tour is easily done in a day, since the tour stops are open from 10am to 5pm. A car is needed — or if weather permits, why not cycle? The route covers about 40km.
Information on the Maple Run Tour can be found at <mapleruntour.com>, and follow their Facebook page for news, updates and more.
A series of new celestial events is about to happen at your local library in 2023. The Friends of the Mississippi Mills Library are hosting a constellation of four concerts amidst the book stacks and the circulation desk of the Almonte Branch. The new Solstice Concert Series will mark the start of the summer season, the beginning of winter, and the spring and autumnal equinoxes (mid-March and mid-September). With a line-up of jazz, chamber, folk and kids’ shows, this series aims to satisfy all tastes and celebrate the rhythms of the year.
Singer/songwriter Jennifer Noxon and The Brindled Cats will kick off the series on Sunday, March 19. These Almonte-based musicians will serve up a collection of much-loved jazz standards alongside a tantalizing mix of Jennifer’s poetic original songs. The Brindled Cats (Brendan Gawn, acoustic bass and Rob McMurray, guitar) have each played in various collaborative configurations over the years, and Jennifer (vocals and percussion) has two albums of original songs and a third on the way. Together, the trio shares a love for well-crafted songs and melodies. The afternoon concert will be sure to get toes tapping, with many opportunities to sing along.
The eclectic stylings of TRiPOD will mark the summer solstice in the gardens of the library on June 18. Award-winning singer-songwriter Terry Tufts has produced six solo recording projects and is considered a triple threat performer as an award-winning songwriter, astonishing guitar player and remarkable vocalist. As TRiPOD, he is joined by talented pianist Kathryn Briggs and their daughter, vocalist Beth Tufts. Featured at many local venues over the years, including the popular Five Wednesdays concerts at Augusta Street Park, this family band always hits the right entertainment mark. From covers of the ’60s to original tunes, TRiPOD will bring their special brand of wit and music to this outdoor concert.
Look for a more intimate chamber music concert inside the library on September 24, as well as a much-anticipated children’s concert on December 17.
Tickets for all the concerts will be available through Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434) and more information will be posted on the Friends of the Library Facebook page.
The Friends of the Mississippi Mills Public Library (FMMPL) is a fundraising group that works to support and promote the services of the Mississippi Mills Public Library. We offer elegant artisan wares at the Friendshop, opposite the circulation desk at the Almonte branch of the library. In the summer months, look for us next to the Almonte Farmers’ Market. Throughout the year we can be found running online auctions and a mammoth book sale. Anyone is welcome to join FMMPL through the annual membership of $10 per person or $35 for a corporate membership. FMMPL is always looking for new, enthusiastic friends to help support their fundraising efforts. Contact us at <friends@missmillslibrary.com> or visit <missmillslibrary.com/about#Friends>.
Spring is the season of creation, and to celebrate, West Carleton Arts Society (WCAS) is once again presenting its Spring Fling Art Show at the Kanata Civic Art Gallery, 2500 Campeau Road, from March 6 to 19.
This year’s show will feature the works of 35 local artists in a range of media. “This is always a fun show,” says Sharon Collins, WCAS Shows Director. “We have watercolour, oil and acrylic paintings, as well as photography and mixed media works. We will be presenting some 59 pieces of juried art that can be viewed and purchased at the show.”
A three-member jury, independent of WCAS, reviewed all submissions and provided scoring results which determined entrance into the show.
“We are thrilled that we can once again have a physical show at the Kanata Civic Art Gallery,” Collins adds. “It’s a great opportunity to view these amazing artworks and support local artists.”
Established in 1988, the West Carleton Arts Society is an active, non-profit volunteer organization of vibrant, talented visual artists and fine craftspeople. Its dynamic program includes regular ARTiculate artists’ presentations, an annual Spring Into Art Conference, the fall Expressions of Art show and sale, and the Artistic Creations Christmas sale. Member benefits also include opportunities to show work at several local venues and to engage with other regional artists.
For more details, visit <westcarletonartssociety.ca>.
Studio Theatre Perth has a long and illustrious reputation for bringing terrific live theatre and musicals to this area. Recently, Marilyn Nicholas-Dahan joined the organization and agreed to take on the role of Youth Outreach Co-Ordinator for Perth Theatre Productions. One of her first initiatives was to create affordable workshops for youth aged 10-17, which will be starting up in April. theHumm reached out to Studio Theatre to find out more about them.
theHumm: What will these workshops focus on, and who is the target audience?
Marilyn Nicholas-Dahan: The series of 11 workshops is meant to be an exploration of a variety of activities that make up a live theatrical production. Take the actual writing of a script; how does that happen? Or how should one approach making costumes for a specific play? How does one move in those costumes? What are some ways to use one’s voice to create a character? How to be heard in the back row, without straining your voice. How should one approach lighting a particular scene? What is stage management? Participants will learn some fun games and improv techniques. There will be masks and movement to employ self-expression. And, of course, lots of tips about auditioning and acting — not only on a stage, but in front of a camera too. With lots of variety, participants will get a good taste of many parts of a theatre production.
Can you tell us a bit about the people who will be leading the workshops?
Some of the people facilitating a workshop (or two) are members of the Studio Theatre Perth family and have been volunteering in various jobs there, including acting, stage managing, designing, running lights and sound, doing choreography and directing. The dynamic husband and wife duo Dani and Dave Corbishley have been involved in theatre for decades. Donna Sproule is a master at creating magnificence from everyday objects. Janet Rice, once employed as a technical writer/consultant, found a second career on the stage and on camera — professionally and in community productions. Alexis Scott brings with her a passion for storytelling and a love of community that, when combined with her theatre training and experience with youth, makes her a natural fit for these workshops. Others are quite new to Studio Theatre — Emily Poole contacted us with her impressive make-up portfolio and we were quick to get her on board for the workshop series. Allison G will offer great insights into Acting and Auditioning, drawing on her professional experience.
Why is it important for community groups like Studio Theatre Perth to offer creative opportunities for young people?
Young people need ways to explore and express that creativity and to be with like-minded people. Not all youngsters are math whizzes or star athletes. They may not otherwise be part of a team. Community theatre can also be very energetic, exciting, inspiring and ultimately very fulfilling. Most of all, it’s fun. And I might add that there are many celebrities who were involved in community theatre long before they became famous — Meryl Streep, Robert Pattinson, Chris Evans and John Lithgow, to name a few. So you never know where theatre may take you.
Covid has kept young people isolated socially for a couple of years and they certainly need a way to re-connect — more than ever! It is a sad fact that all too often the creative, artsy programs are the ones that are pared down or cut out completely in our schools’ curricula, so it falls to the community to pick up the slack and offer creative outlets for young people.
Many theatres — community and professional — were hit hard by the pandemic and unfortunately a few have closed their doors permanently. Perth Studio Theatre managed to make it through the long spell of dark and silent stages while the virus kept us and our audiences housebound. Also, many of the community theatre groups that began decades ago are now finding their core memberships entering their golden years and there is a real need for younger, new members — a need to inspire those young folks to care about theatre enough to see it continue. I don’t think any of us would want to live in a community devoid of art and theatre — culture is and always should be a vital part of our lives.
What other initiatives are you considering?
It is our intention to continue with workshops, which could include an exploration into Shakespeare, First Nations Storytelling, stage fighting, learning about directing a play, and more hands-on experiences like set design, prop building, and set painting techniques.
We hope to implement at least one Youth Production annually, as well as having an active youth membership which will afford us the opportunity to choose more plays for the Perth Studio Theatre season with roles for younger players. It is also hoped that in some of the off-stage areas such as sound and lighting, or some of the design work and so on, that mentorships can give young folks hands-on experience once they have been through some of the workshops and gained insight into what those offstage duties entail. Volunteerism is the lifeblood of community theatre and there are so very many jobs that need doing. Not all young folks want to be ON the stage.We’d like to welcome everyone who is interested to come and volunteer and learn by doing.
Where can people go for more information, to register for the workshops, or to find out more about Studio Theatre Perth?
Registration is at the Studio Theatre in the lobby — come in-person on Sunday, March 5 between 1 and 4pm. There is a second registration date at the same location on Wednesday, March 8 between 6 and 7:30pm. The fee for the entire workshop series is just $75, which includes a membership to PYP (Perth Youth Players). For more information, visit <studiotheatreperth.com>, or email <youthplayers@studiotheatreperth.com>.
The Lanark & District Maple Syrup Producers’ Association (LDMSPA) is pleased to announce that Maple Weekend is back again this year, taking place on April 1 and 2. This year’s event will feature twelve participating maple producers in Lanark, Leeds, and Frontenac counties, and is a great way to celebrate the emergence of spring and maple syrup season.
“Maple Weekend is an ideal opportunity to visit sugarbushes and experience local maple farming,” explains LDMSPA president Jamie Fortune. “Spending time outdoors in a maple bush is a great way to enjoy spring and mark the changing of the seasons.”
Taking place on the first weekend of April each year, Maple Weekend is a fun, two-day, family-friendly event that celebrates Ontario’s maple heritage at participating sugarbushes across the province. An early spring seems to be on the horizon this year, which could mean a banner year for production and even more reasons to visit a sugarbush before maple season is over.
On April 1 and 2, visitors to participating sugarbushes can experience the best of this season. Experiences may differ from farm to farm, but often include taffy on snow, pancake breakfasts, sugar-making demonstrations, outdoor activities, scavenger hunts, and chatting one-on-one with the producers who make this sweet liquid gold.
“Every year the excitement builds the closer we get to spring, and producers work long hours to gather sap and manufacture maple products,” says Fortune. “We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors to share our traditions.”
Officially launched in 2015, Maple Weekend has been steadily growing. In 2017, it was nominated for Ontario Tourism Event of the Year, and after a two-year hiatus due to Covid the event was held again in 2022 and drew more than 15,000 visitors to sugarbushes across the province.
Maple Weekend features two full days of activities and specials. Running from 10am to 4pm both days, visitors can enjoy tasting a new crop of maple syrup and getting an inside look on how this sweet liquid gold is produced.
Please visit <mapleweekend.ca> for more information about the participating producers and what’s being offered at each location.
Tales from the Boat is the brainchild of longtime Arnprior resident Jeanette Grant. She was the “ideas lady” who recognized an opportunity for the members of the Prior Chest Nuts dragon boat team to tell their stories in writing, because whenever the team got together they told stories.
This volume is the result of their teamwork and a tribute to Jeanette, who passed away in August, 2021 of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). She was one of the founders of the team more than ten years previously and one of its most passionate supporters. Jeanette was one of the golden girls, who, after surviving breast cancer, sought to live her best life by staying active and promoting dragon boating for upper body exercise. The Prior Chest Nuts got support to purchase their dragon boat, the Kahlua, which they paddle on White Lake, where they will be back practicing in May of 2023.
So, the idea for this book was born. The authors have a wide range of interests and skills, most of them not involving writing. They have attempted to capture the “Tales from the Boat” in as authentic a way as possible, preserving the “voice” of the woman whose story it is. The team members are local and live in an area from Renfrew to Kanata, and Constance Bay to Almonte.
If you would like to purchase a copy, please contact White Pine Books in Arnprior <whitepinebooks.ca>, Mill Street Books in Almonte <millstreetbooks.com>, or purchase directly from team member Ann McMillan (883–5851). The book can also be found on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The team hopes to entertain, perhaps amuse, and maybe even inform readers about the thoughts and lives of women in small town Ontario, past and present.
Think of Studio Theatre Perth’s newest production as a butterfly, an incredibly hilarious butterfly. Why a butterfly, you may ask? No, not because it’s beautiful (though it is), but because it is the end result of an amazing metamorphosis. That metamorphosis started over a century ago as a pre-World War I spy novel by John Buchan, with a Canadian named Richard Hannay trying to save England from doom! The legendary Alfred Hitchcock took this novel, The 39 Steps, as the inspiration for his 1935 (pre-World War II) thriller of the same name. Orson Welles called the film a masterpiece!
So far so good, but you may be asking: this does not sound hilarious yet. Quite right, Hitchcock’s films are not known for being knee-slappers — although there is actually quite a lot of humour in this film. However, the real hilarity was to come 70 years later. Patrick Barlow, from the British regional theatre scene, adapted the Hitchcock script, although amazingly he changed the original story and screenplay very little. How then, you may ask, did he transform the thriller film script into a comedy/thriller hybrid?
What he did was built on an idea of two English writers to perform the whole play with four actors, two of whom played over 150 characters. While this production has increased the cast from 4–9 in the interest of fostering inclusivity in community theatre, it still has relatively few actors playing many, many parts, changing back and forth rapidly. The result is a very physically energetic fast-paced play full of hilarious mayhem — reminiscent not only of Monty Python, but, as director Carolee Mason notes, of a long history of clown culture in the theatre. The role of the clown in theatre gives the actor the ability to be, as actor Lara Klymko says, completely uninhibited. The result is liberating for actor and audience.
However, crucially, the mayhem does not detract from the thriller, nor from some serious insights as to meaning in life. You may rightfully ask: how it is possible to combine all these different elements together successfully? Having attended a rehearsal, this reporter can tell you that well-known local director and teacher Carolee Mason has managed to do so with a talented cast and crew. She refers to the play as a celebration of theatricality. While most plays ask you to suspend your disbelief, the characters in this play are clearly actors playing characters, and trying to tell the elaborate story as they go along with the basic props one might find backstage at a theatre. They creatively produce trains, bridges, cars, fog, sheep… just about anything. This requires a lot of imagination and massive amounts of energy. Josh Gallant, who plays the hero, noted you have to be fit to be in this very physical play, which has at least six chase scenes!
The production is full of iconic references, both past and present, that will give play-goers of all ages a good laugh. The play itself, and certainly this production of it, has the effect of inviting and immersing the audience into the theatrical world of the play, while they are still trying to figure out the mystery. Assistant director Janice Reid talks of the rare but exciting synergy that occurs when the comedy and thriller genres are combined successfully. The 39 Steps is a tremendously successful example of this.
In this writer’s not inconsiderable theatrical experience, The 39 Steps is close to being unique in its intertwining of genres, its side-splitting humour, and its underlying message of hope. As the author/adaptor says in his foreword, the finest comedy comes from the greatest truth. In conclusion, you owe it to yourself to see this play!
Catch The 39 Steps on March 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 and April 1 at 7:30pm, and on March 26 and April 2 starting at 2pm. Tickets are $24 ($19 on opening night), with a special new youth price of $12 (for ages 17 and under). They can be purchased through Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434) or at the door on performance days.
“Meh, maybe tomorrow…” When the grey days of February tuck themselves tightly around my shoulders, I can easily convince myself that there’s a ton of time to get things done. That’s especially true of doing housework. If the sun isn’t angled to catch the spots I missed I can ignore them, and if I look up high I’m not going to see the dust bunnies multiplying like… well, bunnies under the furniture. Nothing is less appealing than housework.
I’d much rather be in the basement with the stove warming my workroom where I can create another birdhouse for the auction (ahem: mmlt.ca/Backyard Beauties 2023). The radio provides my entertainment, and with no clock ticking I can work away contentedly for hours. Is it really procrastination if I end up with something lovely? Is it time wasted or time spent?
I can start the day with best intentions: laundry, cleaning, painting, baking. But before I know it, the dogs need a run in the woods, and I should ski the trails once or maybe even twice. There’s lots of time to do the other stuff, and the one or two days when the snow is exactly right may not come around often, so I need to take advantage of them. The dogs aren’t content with one walk a day, so twice a day I convince myself that being outside beats looking at housework. We need the exercise; we need the fresh air; we need to revel in winter because in summer it’s too hot to play outside.
The days when it snows overnight are a godsend to this procrastinator. First thing in the morning I need to get out there and shovel off the decks, the paths, and the edge of the driveway. I never know when our faithful driveway guy will come, and I need to be ready. Shovelling should be followed by coffee and a sit down with the crossword puzzle, and… oops, there it is, lunch time. Half the day shot, and nothing done, again! There’s no use starting something in the afternoon due to the aforementioned dog walking/skiing thing, and I might have to shovel again, so there’s one more day without constructive activity.
I spent many hours in the fall knitting arm warmers for our German family when I could have been doing otherwise. However, they didn’t receive them. The parcel got to Germany, sat five days in the post office there, and then were supposedly send back to us!! We haven’t gotten them yet, nor do I think we ever will. They gave me hours of procrastinating, and now I really do have nothing at all to show for that time.
So what shall we do to stop making excuses? I’d like to give you the “make a list” suggestion, but we all know the list will go unheeded. You could try the “one thing per day” notion, but I’d bet you’d be like me, and the one thing would not turn out be what you had planned. You could play the mind game of “I love doing housework”, although many might question your sanity.
So here’s how to deal with procrastination. First off, it’s a long word that’s hard to spell, so let’s call it what it is: the winter blahs. When winter ends, the blahs will go too. We’ll find renewed energy and the desire to freshen things with the flurry of spring cleaning. The sun will warm the corners, show up the dust, and we’ll know it’s time to throw off the February greys and get at it.
I’ll pitch the dying poinsettias and trim up the geraniums, start fresh cuttings and plant some marigold seeds to set in the windows. If I procrastinate on that project, I’ll miss out in the summer.
Secondly, guests are expected in the spring, so housework will have to be done, but it’s not too bad if you can throw open the windows, hear the birds and sweep the dregs of winter right out the door. It doesn’t have to be done in one day, but a task begun is a task half done. I know how good it’ll feel when things are clean and tidy again.
Thirdly, and best of all, as spring rolls around, there are a million things to do outside, so the sooner the indoor work is complete the sooner we can get outside and enjoy it. Little goals, little steps, big accomplishments. That’s the crux of dog training, and it’s going to work for me too. Now, if the dogs will only let me get to the first task, maybe I’ll be able to convince myself that this method is going to work. But wait a second: I think I see sap running on the maple tree. I should go out and see if there are buds on the forsythia yet. I could get out the ice chipper and clear the driveway of ice… surely it’s not lunch time quite yet! And there I go with the best of my intentions paving the proverbial road…
Almonte’s Sivarulrasa Gallery will feature three new exhibitions beginning in March.
Eric Walker’s Video Works 1999-2022 and Recent Print Making will run in Gallery II from March 17 to April 28. This intriguing show combines recent linocut prints by Eric Walker with 8 video works he created between 1999 and 2022 (including one co-directed with filmmaker Penny McCann). Eric Walker earned his BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 1984. He is a Sang-Mêlés Acadien from the Chebake (Western Nova Scotia). He works in both experimental video and mixed media constructions which blur the boundaries of painting, collage, and sculpture.
Sandra Gregson’s Being Tree will run from March 24 to May 5 in Gallery III. This series of paintings was developed by the artist by imagining the stillness of a tree and noticing root systems, cyclic change, growth, decay, and urban development. Her works explore landscape shaped by both natural processes and human endeavours. The works view the land in an intimate way, while contrasting the interplay between natural and built environments.
Iryna Merkulova’s Blind Contour show will run in Gallery I from March 31 to May 12. Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, and now based in Montreal, she completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (with Distinction) in 2021 at Concordia University. Her studio practice is mainly focused on painting and drawing with occasional work in video and other media. Merkulova’s new body of paintings explores urban neighbourhoods in Montreal, drawing attention to the idea of making existing urban spaces more humane.
Meet all three artists at the combined Artists Reception for these three shows on Saturday, April 1 from 2–4pm. Registration is not required. For more information, visit <sivarulrasa.com>.
Union Hall’s famous Pancake Breakfast is returning! Once again, we are celebrating the coming of spring on Sunday, March 26, from 8am until noon.
Diners will enjoy generous portions of pancakes, ham or sausages, baked beans or blueberries, with lashings of butter and maple syrup (courtesy of Fortune Farms), accompanied by fruit juice, Equator coffee or tea. A gluten-free option is available. Prices for large and regular portions are $10 and $8. Children five and under eat for free.
This annual fundraiser is organized for the benefit of the public at large and all are welcome. Reservations are not necessary. Bring the whole family and re-connect with your neighbours in the cozy atmosphere of this local community hub and landmark. After breakfast, visitors can take a closer look at maple syrup production by visiting area sugar bushes.
We have been working throughout the fall and winter to upgrade our storage and serving areas, while respecting the charm of this heritage building. Come and check it out if you are looking for a venue for your family celebration, meeting or commercial event.
Union Hall is situated at 1984 Wolf Grove Road at the corner of Tatlock Road, an 8km drive west of Almonte. The Hall has been a community hub owned and maintained by the local community since 1857, with financial support from the Municipality of Mississippi Mills and The Hub/Rebound.
Art… and Soul
Polymath or Renaissance Man — which is the better descriptor for a whirling dervish of creativity who creates stunning glass sculptures from his home on the banks of the Rideau River in Burritts Rapids? Vaz Zastera is one of the most energetic and prolific artists I have interviewed over the past quarter century as theHumm’s Intrepid Arts Reporter.
Zastera’s unique glass sculptures are the epitome of his creative endeavours. So far. They defy description. They have to be seen to be believed. And they have to be viewed from all angles in decent light to reveal the incredible complexity and excruciating exactitude that is invested in each piece. Each involves hundreds of steps and takes from three months to a year to complete. Vaz uses the highest quality optical glass crystal, and cuts, grinds, polishes and laminates the individual pieces together, working from the centre outwards.
Many of his glass creations are commissioned pieces, both private and corporate. In 2011, Zastera was honoured to be commissioned by Forefactor Toronto to design and create custom one-of-a-kind glass sculptures as awards for the Canadian Investment Technology Awards, held in Toronto. He created the awards as unique cold-worked optic crystal sculptures, based on his original design called “The Egg.”
Some of his most spectacular architectural sculptures were inspired by driving past a new thirty-story tower with an all-glass exterior in downtown Ottawa. He describes his inspiration thus: “Shivers ran up and down my spine. It came to me that day that I would create scaled sculptures of similar form and design. I grew up surrounded by architecture as my father, and now my brother, are architects. Unconsciously, I absorbed the imagery.”
Compelled to Create
Zastera generously and gratefully acknowledges the enormous contribution that his father, Vaclav Zastera Sr. (1930–2012), made to both his and his brother’s artistic careers. On his informative website at <zartwerks.com>, Vaz devotes a link to his father’s life and art. The family left Czechoslovakia just ahead of the Russian occupation when Vaz was five years old. He thought he was embarking on a camping holiday. After high school in Almonte, he tried to heed his father’s practical advice to not pursue a career as an artist, but quickly discovered that electrical engineering was not his calling. He switched to music — playing, writing and performing it, but eventually realized he didn’t have the passion for it that would propel him to be among the best.
Fortuitously he landed a job as an apprentice master optician (precision glass machinist) with a leading company making precision optics such as glass pieces for satellites and the aerospace industry. Thrift can be a gift. Vaz couldn’t stand to throw away glass with flaws or that was not up to spec, so he started upcycling by creating optical glass jewellery. Eureka! — the master optician became an artist. He considers himself very fortunate to have discovered his true passion by the time he was forty, and thinks maybe glass flows in his veins.
Customers loved the way the jewellery sparkled and changed colours in the light. As demand grew, Vaz purchased grinding and polishing machines at an auction, set up his own shop at home and started to make his own pieces for use in the jewellery. He experimented with various cutting and layering techniques, and explored and manipulated the reflective and refractive affinities of the glass to maximize their spectacular effects. His ambition to create larger pieces led him to attend two courses at the internationally renowned Corning Museum of Glass.
Zastera’s mastery of the “black art” of optical contacting caused a real buzz at the Museum. Even experienced glass artists thought he was somehow faking it. He was invited to demonstrate “a process by which two surfaces are adhered together at room temperature without adhesive or heat”, which is why he identifies as a cold glass artist. The two pieces of optical glass must be free of all molecular and chemical contaminates prior to attempting contact. The process necessitates many, many steps of meticulous polishing and cleaning, and unlimited patience. An informative video overview of Vaz’s presentation is available at <zartwerks.com/optical_contacting.html>.
His demonstration was particularly fortuitous because it resulted in an ongoing collaboration with the late Jirí Harcuba, a widely respected Czech artist and educator whose specialty was portraiture in engraved glass. Zastera is rightfully proud of the resulting pieces. He was also invited to present his lecture/demonstration at the Glass Art Society’s 40th annual conference in 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky.
What’s Next?
Years ago Vaz expressed his creativity in a different medium, again inspired by his distaste of waste. At the time he was moonlighting at a do-it-yourself facility where customers could paint their own cars. Intrigued by the high-gloss enamel automotive paint destined for disposal, he began experimenting with a variety of materials on which to paint. Another Eureka moment occurred when he began painting on galvanized sheet metal. The resulting smoothness caused unique multidimensional interactions, creating complex compositions that invite several levels of interpretation. He worked in this medium for many years until his glass epiphany.
The day before I interviewed him, he had just achieved a milestone in his latest scientific/artistic/optical adventure. Vaz is working with the team at Voltari Marine Electric who just made waves at the Miami International Boat Show with their fully electric (i.e. zero emissions), carbon fibre Voltari 260 — “the world’s first electric performance boat” <voltarielectric.com>. Vaz loves boating and he loves technology, so one can only wonder how this latest passion will electrify his art.
In the meantime, you don’t have to wait until the next Merrickville Artist’s Guild Studio Tour to see Vaz Zastera’s stunning glass sculptures and jewellery in person. Consult his coordinates on the back of his Artist’s Trading Card to request a visit to Zartwerks Studio. In his typical high-energy approach, he totally remodeled his former bungalow on the banks of the historic Rideau River into an artistic and architectural masterpiece of its own, with three studios. His state-of-the-art cold glass studio incorporates traditional cold working tools and modern-day precision glass machines. There is also a wonderful display of his paintings, and even a few of his father’s. It is unfortunate that he will not have nine lives in which to explore and master all the artistic and scientific possibilities that capture his imagination.
Artist Trading Card
WHO Vaz Zastera
WHAT Glass Artist, Renaissance Man
WHERE Zartwerks Studio, Burritts Rapids; zartwerks.com; vazthewizard@gmail.com; 724-7014
WHEN By appointment, vazthewizard@gmail.com;724-7014
WHY “Working in multiple media gives me full range to express my creativity, particularly with the complexities of glass where the interaction and play of light provides depth and beauty.”
For the entire month of March, the work of basketmaker Ankaret Dean will be on display at the MERA Schoolhouse. Ankaret herself will be celebrated at a special “meet the artist” event on March 4.
Ankaret Dean has been enjoying basketry since the 1970s. After graduating from the Sheridan College School of Design in 1975, she travelled extensively, teaching and exhibiting her work. Since moving to a farm in McDonalds Corners in 1991, she has been actively involved in the MERA School House, and in 2018 she opened the Lanark Highland Basketry Museum.
This basketry exhibition demonstrates the use of basketry as both practical and useful household objects, as well as a sculptural art form. The dozen or so colourful waste paper baskets show many different techniques and materials used in basketry, including recycled newspaper and cardboard. The winged flying creatures hanging on the walls give the impression that they would like to fly away out of the windows. If visitors would like to try their hand at basketry there will be two workshops offered during the exhibition, and a few basketry kits, offering the chance to try some basic basketry skills. For more information on workshops offered, please contact the MERA administrator at <meraschoolhouse@gmail.com>.
Everyone is invited to join Ankaret at the MERA Schoolhouse in McDonalds Corners (974 Dalhousie Concession 9A) on Saturday, March 4 from 2–4pm to meet the artist, view their works and purchase that “must have” piece. To arrange to see the exhibition at times other than the Meet the Artist event, please contact Wayne Stryde at <gwstryde@outlook.com>.
Weaving Cultural Identities was a prominent feature of the Vancouver Biennale 2018–2021. Bringing together diverse communities, Weaving Cultural Identities celebrates Indigenous and migrant stories and experiences. The touring exhibit will be on display at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum (MVTM) in Almonte until April 15, with touring support from the Canada Council for the Arts and the BC Arts Council. Curated by Zarina Laalo, this exhibit connects Coast Salish and Muslim artists in exploring lost heritage, cultural knowledge, and self-identification through textile traditions. The contemporary world is a global society of diverse cultures and beliefs, and this exhibit engages with the challenge of reconciling lost heritage, sharing sacred space, and celebrating cultural knowledge.
The thirteen textile artists and five graphic artists of various ethnicities were engaged to reflect on their sense of belonging and cultural identity, while representing larger ancestral and cultural traditions. These explorations manifested in ten textile works and eight graphic representations, and subsequently evolved into a platform for community dialogue around uncomfortable issues such as forcible displacement, diaspora and assimilation. The MVTM is looking forward to continuing this dialogue and providing a forum for discussion within the local community.
Michael Rikley-Lancaster, the Museum’s Executive Director/Curator, explains that: “Weaving Cultural Identities is an exhibit that we are truly excited to bring to the Museum and to our community. It offers an opportunity for visitors to engage in self-reflection about their own cultural identity, and to participate in the discourse surrounding marginalized histories. We hope that this exhibit promotes discussion and provides relatable content for many in our community.”
About the Vancouver Biennale
The Vancouver Biennale is a non-profit charitable organization that celebrates art in public space, creating a catalyst for learning, community engagement and social action where people live, work, play and transit. Their mission is to make great art accessible, transform and activate public space, grow the cultural assets of host cities, and bring a wide diversity of people together through the shared experience of art. For more information, visit <vancouverbiennale.com>.
With the season changing before our eyes, what better way to orient ourselves to the burgeoning green world than through River Life — Botanical Reflections, an exhibit featuring the artistry of Linda Hamilton. The artist is inviting you to see the garden that’s in, and around, the river and the wet. This moving world is a green world — a home for plants.
Linda is a botanic artist who creates paper sculptures of flowers and foliage: “my aim is to create work that connects people with the natural world, and to inspire them to reflect on that connection.”
You’d be hard-pressed to say that her works were anything but real. Just consider that right there, in a pottery vase placed just so, stand my paper creations — a rose, a Rudbeckia and three oak leaves. Somewhere there’s an acorn, but its realism may have so sufficiently fooled a squirrel that it’s made off with it.
They’re all creations that unfurled during various workshops given by this multi-talented Almonte artist. But that was just a taste of her art, as there have also been recent exhibits at the Mill of Kintail; a diorama of native wildflowers for the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre in Midland last summer; over 300 hand-dyed violets for the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum in Boston in Spring of 2021; and a collection of over 30 custom shadow boxes for The Language of Flowers exhibit in Carlisle, Massachusetts in 2019. And don’t forget the multiple custom orders that continue to be filled as appreciation of her art grows.
“In creating this series of plants for River Life — Botanical Reflections, my intention was to reflect the diversity and beauty of life that grows along the banks of the river. There’s something special about living here, near the river,” says the artist. Linda is asking us to take the time to slow down and really see what can be found here in the Mississippi River watershed. “I’m fascinated by the shapes and colours of the plants and flowers growing near water. Just as these plants have found a place to grow and thrive near the water, so have I!”
“Each plant is made by hand using paper, wire, paint, and glue. The work is meditative and absorbing,” Linda explains. “I love watching plants and flowers ‘grow’ in my hands, becoming more familiar as they take shape. My process involves careful observation, picking and tracing or pressing plants, taking photographs, and sketching. Sometimes I work from reference images and drawings as well. My goal is for realism, but I also aim to show all parts and various stages of a plant’s life.”
Over time Linda has been amazed at the biodiversity in a particular place and collects plant material for a personal herbarium. For this exhibit, we worked together to frame her art with an array of different voices through time, inviting the viewer to reflect on the blue-green world. The collaboration of art and narrative asks us to think about our own moments in the outdoors and how nature informs our worldviews, poetry, literature and science.
And just as plants grow in concert with each other, so does this exhibit. Barbara Mullally — jeweller and metalsmith — will display some of her creations that tie to the theme; check out <barbaramullally.com>. Local writer Heather Phaneuf has contributed a narrative and a series of reflections, or quotes, in support of this creative event.
River Plants — Botanical Reflections runs from February 26 until April 22 in the Corridor Gallery of the Almonte Branch of the Mississippi Mills Public Library. A welcoming space open to local and regional artists, the gallery offers the public a unique way to interpret, understand and learn about the world around us. Like now — where you’re asked to slow down when near the tumble of water, the swirl of a pool, or the hum of a stream. To take the time to see those green beings that live all around us: the foliage, the flowers, the fruit.
Learn more about Linda’s work by visiting her website at <daydreamflowers.ca>. To chat with the artist, drop by the library on Sunday, March 5 from 12–2pm when she will be more than happy to talk about her art and approach.
Wanting more? Get hands-on by registering for one of two workshops to be held in the library meeting room: an Iris course to be held on Wednesday, March 29, or a Morning Glory/Bindweed course on Monday, April 17. Both run from 1–4pm and a registration fee of $60 applies which will cover all materials for the session, including extra supplies to make more flowers at home. Sign-up directly with Linda by email at <Lvohamilton@gmail.com>.