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| This is a design by Sheila Coultas that will be painted on the wall outside Five Island Gallery for August 2. |
This Saturday I allowed myself to be whisked away to Tors
Cove, where I was expecting to enjoy a relaxing day "around the
bay". No such chance! It proved to be a day of intense
conversation and discovery as I bounced between gallery and studios. The fish plant may be closed but the
cultural industries in Tors Cove are going full tilt.
Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year is Five Island
Art Gallery. Knowing that Frances
Ennis and Bill Coultas were involved, I expected to see some hooked mats and
photography but I was not prepared for an entire schoolhouse full of
paintings! It seemed "all the familiar suspects" were there, plus many names I did not
recognize even after twenty years of looking at art in this province. The bulk of the painting was
representational and colourful but the full gamut of price range was covered
from modestly priced watercolours to large works that would represent a
significant investment in anyone's budget.
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| A sampling of McCausland's treasures on sale: character-rich dolls, jewellery and felted goodies. |
Catherine McCausland has opened her home studio,
BalleyCatter Crafts, to the public this summer. I think of her as a textile artist extraordinare, someone I
can count on to create small whimsies that I can wear on my wrist or decorate a
Christmas tree with as well as create installation-sized work when the theme
merits. My big surprise was that
she was unveiling the product of five years of intense experimentation with
felting. McCausland has created
felted pieces for the wall that evoke the watery worlds of Monet. However, where Monet portrayed Giverny,
Catherine studies the Barrens and the rolling hills and sparkling ocean of her
home cove.
Completing the day for me was a visit with Marnie Parsons at
Running The Goat Printshop. I
recognized the drawers of typeface that I love and the familiar sight of the
sturdy letterpress that I had originally fallen in love with in her
"townie" location but her spanking new set up includes an impressive
Heidelberg–The Prince of the Presses.
I confess I feared for Marnie's long flowing skirt when I saw those
vacuum suckers and wind mill blade in action.
These three venues are collaboratively hosting a special day
of craft, poetry and family fun on
August 2nd to mark the 314th anniversary of the arrival
of Sir Edmond Halley (the astronomer and geophysicist for whom Halley’s comet
was named) in Tors Cove. At the end of a
prolonged scientific voyage, Halley came to Tors Cove looking for fresh water
and wood, and was greeted with gunfire. Apparently, local fishermen mistook his
vessel for a pirate ship. A rude welcome, whatever way it was.
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| A study of the comet by Sheila Coultas |
Schedule for the day:
Five Island Art Gallery: Halley’s Comet Flying Over
Tors Cove
10 am – 6 pm
·
Help artist Sheila Coultas paint her version of
Halley’s Comet flying over Tors Cove on the concrete wall by the old
schoolhouse.
·
Try your hand at rug hooking with Frances Ennis as she
begins hooking another version of Halley’s Comet over Tors Cove.
·
Or, chat with artist Dave Hoddinott as he creates a new
painting.
BallyCatter Crafts: Halley's Approach to Tors Cove and
Islands
10 am – 6 pm
10 am – 6 pm
·
Discuss map-making with artist Catherine McCausland and
cartographer Pierre Garigue.
·
Observe Catherine as she works on a handmade felt map
inspired by modern data and ancient charts.
·
Add compass readings and map-detailing to sample maps.
Running the Goat Printshop: Edmond Halley in Toad’s
Cove
11 am – 6 pm
·
See the letterpress-printed broadside featuring new
poem by Des Walsh, commissioned for the day
·
Make star paper crafts
Collaborative Activities
7 – 8:30 pm
·
Light-poem installations
·
readings by David Benson
·
sparklers, and
·
revelry.
All Welcome!
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