Jul 28, 2011


Photo: Parham artist Heather Hugh

Landscape artists from all over Ontario and Quebec set up shop under the towering pines at Bon Echo Provincial Park this past weekend for the Friends of Bon Echo 16th annual Art Exhibition & Sale. The annual show is popular with artists and buyers alike.

Multi-media artist, Heather Hugh of Parham, who has family from around the Bon Echo area and who is new to the show, said that it was the first time she has ever seen the famous Bon Echo rock. “For years I have thought of doing the show but its size, scope and history, as well as its association with the Group of Seven artists always kind of intimidated me. But when I got here and actually saw the place for the first time I really felt like I fit in and it really felt like home.”

The show is a perfect fit for Hugh, who continues to be inspired by similar Canadian Shield scenery that surrounds her in Parham. She refers to her latest works as “textural paintings”. They are acrylic works on fabric, which she says came from necessity because as a former seamstress she had huge stores of fabric. Hugh creates three-dimensional animals from a special sculpting medium, paints them and sets them in a similarly painted local landscape. Her pieces also contain a bit of local lore. One such piece, titled “Henderson Moose”, is based on the infamous moose that has been spotted numerous times roaming the Henderson road just north of Arden. “It's fun to take these kind of local legends and use them for inspiration,” she said.

Another local painter, Katie Ohlke of Plevna, who teaches graphic art and photography at the North Addington Educational Centre, was participating in the show for her third year. Ohlke works in acrylics and paints mostly nature and landscape scenes. Katie covers a lot of stylistic ground and is known for changing her styles, which range from realistic nature scenes like her “Mazinaw Giant” to plainer black and white scenes as well as colourful stylized abstract landscapes. “I've been painting all of my life and enjoy the fact that different styles will always teach me something different about painting.” Katie sells her work at the park’s gift shop and in November 2012 she will be one of two artists participating in a show at the visitors’ centre at Algonquin Park which will include landscapes and photographs inspired from that location. “That will be an exciting show and my first time showing there.”

The last booth I visited was that of Napanee artist Tim Nimigan, who has been painting for 40 years and who studied fine art at the University of Guelph and who taught art from 1974-2006 at Napanee District Secondary School. Tim last showed at Bon Echo close to a decade ago and was thrilled to be back. “I wanted to come back to the park and absolutely love the setting here, which also really suits the subject matter I am currently working on.” Tim's small framed 5”x5” acrylic paintings are quaint landscape scenes that he has come across in his travels between Bon Echo park and the Napanee area. He just recently began exploring colour, and his carefully drafted works have a light, whimsical quality, which he says people are really responding to. “I really enjoy doing theses small scale works and they are helping to get my confidence up when it comes to colour.” When not painting, Tim also works as an auctioneer and a silk screen printer. Those interested is seeing more of his work can visit www.artamongtheruins.com.

The three-day show included various activities for kids including soap stone sculpture, pottery and painting, a great line up of food, and live music. For more information about the show and other upcoming events at Bon Echo visit the Friends of Bon Echo website at www.bonechofriends.ca

 

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