Look

By Wendy Elliott As a kid Geof Turner remembers seeing magical animals on the lawn outside the Charles Macdonald Concrete House Museum in Centreville. The magical creatures are still there thanks to Turner and other dedicated board members, and the unique museum is always worth visiting. Exhibits change each season at the museum and this year one highlight is a recent donation. Old Dyke Road is one of Macdonald’s largest paintings.The beautiful pastoral work was received about six weeks ago from a local family, and summer curator Davlyn Laing says the gift “was so exciting and we are so grateful.”…
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By Anna Horsnell Amber Juby and Vanessa Raven-Vipond are passionate about art. They are also dedicated to their community of Kingston-Greenwood. Together they have thrown their enthusiasm and energy behind the non-profit society, NOVA Seven Arts Council, more simply referred to as 7Arts. The name says it all. NOVA is the acronym for New Opportunities for Valley Artists, and Seven sums up the focus on painting, drawing, photography, writing, music, design, and craft. The 7Arts mission statement is “to engage our local community by providing an inclusive, creative environment that will teach, support and promote the arts and art education…
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Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal Set to Run in August 2020Submitted It’s down to the wire, but Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal (FODAR) is set to run August 19 –22 2020. The final decision to mount the festival was confirmed in early July after COVID-19 restrictions were loosened by the province. FODAR, which has been a fixture on the national dance scene for half a decade, will mark its sixth year when it opens on Wednesday, August 19 with Dance on Film at King’s Theatre. In addition to two live performances at the theatre, FODAR will also be staging performances…
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Visually Speaking: A Mid-Year Update from Valley ArtistsAnna Horsnell As promised, the artists who shared their goals for 2020 back in January are giving us an update on how they’re making out. There have been highs and lows. The creative community is resilient, but this time of pandemic has been a challenge for many, even as they share songs, images, and uplifting words on social media. Thank you to each artist below for sharing their thoughts openly and honestly. Bob HainstockThe Covid-19 storm has been financially punishing in terms of exhibiting and selling work in the half dozen Canadian galleries…
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The Women of Wolfville Will Tackle Change, But Not NowWendy Elliott The 19th annual production by the Women of Wolfville, Changing Now by WOW, will not be staged in April as planned. In fact, the final sketch has yet to be written. Right now everybody is dealing with abrupt change. Self isolation is the new term that we were confronted with mid-March. Coping with Covid-19 will be the final piece for our show. For the last three months the cast of close to 40 women have been looking at how society can be changed positively from the inside out. Among the…
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Visually Speaking: Young Artists Pay Tribute to International Women’s DayAnna Horsnell Dramatic colour, skillful drawing, wonderful imagination, and brave interpretations of a theme. These are qualities that make art stand out, qualities that make us stop and maybe see things through another’s eyes. When the artist is ten or sixteen years old, surprise quickly turns to genuine appreciation. Such was the case on March 3 at a wonderful youth art showcase in the the Lions Hall of the Kings Mutual Century Centre in Berwick (otherwise known as the Apple Dome). One of the many events this month inspired by International…
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Art Spot: Hannah Paton of Lighthouse Fibre Studio Hannah Paton’s weavings are on display at the Wolfville Memorial Library, 21 Elm Avenue, throughout the month of March. In a few sentences, please tell us about yourself:I’m a textile artist living in Halifax. I moved here in 2008 to study English at the University of King’s College, and after graduating I decided to take some classes at NSCAD University. I graduated with my BFA in textiles and fashion in 2019. What is your artistic medium? How did you come to this style?I’m a weaver. I initially studied photography at NSCAD, but…
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Visually Speaking: The Face of EkphrasisAnna Horsnell The new exhibition at the Acadia University Art Gallery is a resounding success on so many levels. Where to start? The ten fascinating portraits, the three student curators, or the wonderfully supportive community of Acadia University itself? Welcome to “The Face of Ekphrasis: Mabel Killam Day & Poetry”. The story leading up to opening night is a tale worth telling. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the gallery was faced with the possibility of not having an exhibit to open this month. Ten portraits by artist Mabel Killam Day had been pulled from the university’s…
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