Wild Woods Art Walk starts on October 1

Sep 20, 2023

Across South Frontenac, a small group of artists are working hard on weather hardy installations that will be installed along the Millburn Creek Trail in Battersea for a three-week exhibit/nature walk along the 3.19km trail.

Sarah Wiseman, who came up with the idea for the art walk, is a poet and carpenter who lives in Battersea. 

“I went to a textile walk in the Outaouais, and found it really interesting to come across these pieces in the middle of a trail. I walk along the Millburn Trail quite often, and thought that with its variety of terrain it would make a good location for a wild woods art walk. So, I approached the Battersea Pumpkin Festival Organisers to see if they wanted to include an art walk in this year’s festival, and the NCC (Nature Conservancy of Canada) who protect and maintain this conservation area, and everyone agreed,” she said. “I like the idea of bringing awareness to the conservation trail, attention to local artists and of bringing surprise and delight to those out for a beautiful fall walk.”

As Sarah began to get the work out to local artists about the opportunity to create pieces that can connect to different locations, and vistas along the trail, it became clear that a one-day exhibit as part of an already busy community event, would be limiting. So, the Art Walk is now a two-stage event.

As of Sunday October 1, there will be seven installations spread out over the trail for people to experience as they walk the trail, and these will remain in place for three weeks, until the 22nd.

And during the Pumpkinfest in October 14, there will be an additional group of pieces that will be easily accessible from the trail entrance that is across from the Battersea Ballfield, which is he central site for the festival.

“Not everyone at Pumpkinfest will want to hike the entire trail, so this is a way for them to see some of the art,” said Sarah.

The pieces on the walk starting on October 1st include a range of media, from textile art to metal sculpture to giant origami, you never know what you might come across. Most of artists who responded to the call to participate are local. Along with being willing to install their work outside, and risk the impacts of weather, artists needed to consider the protected nature of the Milburn Creek trail, and make sure their art installations would have little impact on the natural environment. 

Sarah is planning to put together a map that can be accessed at entrances to the trail, and there is further information available at a Facebook event page called “Wild Art Walk – an Exhibit on a Forest Traill.