Artists on Location during Creemore Festival of the Arts
A big part of the Creemore Festival of the Arts is the Artists on Location show.
Over two days, more than 40 artists will be at about 20 locations throughout the village’s commercial district displaying work in a variety of mediums, including paint, pottery, photography and metal. Some of the locations are retails businesses and real estate offices, others will be set up outdoors and also in existing gallery space.
Organizer Jim Harkness said the event showcases local artists and brings existing artist groups together.
“It also introduces the public to the business outlets and introduces the businesses to the artists,” said Harkness.
Harkness will be one of the exhibitors in the show. He is creating 150 carved birds for a Woodpeckers of Creemore show in the south side yard of Mad River Pottery, at 113 Mill St.
A little to the north of Creemore’s commercial district, artist Peter Adams has turned his barn into Caution Gallery, a name used only partially with tongue-in-cheek because people will have to use caution while going through the gallery (watch out for chickens underfoot). Adams will be showing his oil paintings in the upper level, and elements from his Detritus project on the main floor. Kevin MacLean will be there too, showing his metal oddments.
Miniaturist Ingrid Hunt is returning to the tour. She will be at the Horticultural Park with 15 new original works and a number of reproductions available.
Harkness said another feature of the festival will be the hanging of a banner on the north wall of Fawcett Funeral Home, at 182 Mill St. The creation of The Purple Hills Draft Horse by Ann Clifford was funded by a Purple Hills Arts and Heritage Society grant.
Clifford said it is a digital enlargement of a rendering inspired by her own love of horses. An arts educator and youth worker, she was inspired by her students’ use of line and colour in their artwork. Clifford is the co-founder of an equine facilitated learning program in Toronto for urban youth, police and horses.
She said she had been speaking with local farmer Mike Issac about horses and he told her about growing up around draft horses that had been in his family for generations That was the first inspiration for the piece, said Clifford.
“The banner is also a very special memorial for my oldest childhood friend, Miranda Oliver, who had an untimely death in 2013,” she said. “We spent many magical summers up on my family farm near Dunedin, riding our horses bareback through the fields and creating art and music.”
The banner will stay up for Thanksgiving weekend.
The Artists on Location tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 1-2. Start at Station on the Green to pick up a list of which artists are where.
Trina Berlo photo: Woodcarver Jim Harkness (centre), Purple Hills Arts and Heritage Society’s Artists on Location organizer, with participants Peter Adams and Ingrid Hunt, who will be showing work Oct. 1-2.
