Fall/Winter Umbrella 2022

Fall/Winter 2022

Vol. 31 No. 3

What's Under the Umbrella?

o Juno nominated Miss Emily

o Remembering Brian Scott

o Glass artist Kathryn Moores

Janet Jarrell, Executive Director janet@quinteartscouncil.org

Heather Christiansen, Program Director heather@quinteartscouncil.org

Kodie Trahan-Guay, Communications and Media Director kodie@quinteartscouncil.org

Lin Parkin, Editorial and Content Director lin@quinteartscouncil.org

Andrew Gray, Graphic Designer drewgraymatters@gmail.com

Kim Lidstone, Bookkeeper qac@quinteartscouncil.org

The Quinte Arts Council is a not-for-profit, charitable organization, registration number 107869448 RR 0001. Publications mail agreement number 40667523. Published by: The Quinte Arts Council, P.O. Box 22113 Belleville, Ont. K8N 2Z5.

Material may be reprinted only with permission. Umbrella is mailed to members and delivered to distribution points throughout the Quinte region. The information contained within is believed to be reliable, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. We do not assume responsibility for any errors and/or omissions related to submitted content. Photos supplied by artists unless otherwise noted.

Our community is growing! We are a more culturally diverse population, with newcomers from larger cities across the province, the country and internationally. Artists, collectives, and arts organizations have created new partnerships, opportunities and experiences, keeping us connected to each other and to our communities.

The arts have social, economic, and cultural impacts that are essential to our community’s growth, well-being and identity. This growth demands further development of creative spaces and services, from recreational to residential buildings to parks and public areas. This past September, at the 28th annual Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts hosted by the QAC, Mayor Mitch Panciuk announced support for the development of a Performing Arts Centre in Belleville. We applaud our municipal and provincial governments for their commitment to increasing their investments in our cultural infrastructure. We must continue to work to meet the needs of our growing community and the growing demand for accessible creative spaces.

As the community leader in advancing, cultivating, promoting and advocating for a vibrant and diverse arts region,

the QAC needs your help to continue this important work. Please consider joining our efforts by becoming a member, volunteering, or applying to use our gallery for a show or workshopconnect with us!

Since 1991, readers have come to rely on Umbrella for articles and news about emerging and established artists working in the performing, visual and literary arts. We also highlight news and information about arts education and activities in the schools.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our contributors to Umbrella Their skill in the craft of writing allows them to share with you artists' processes, cultural experiences and the importance of heritage.

Thank you – Jennifer Shea, Ardith Racey, Greg Ceci, Peter Paylor, Scott Williams, Joy Goddard, Scott Mills, Kiki Carr, Richard Hughes, and QAC’s own Lin Parkin, Kodie Trahan-Guay and Heather Christiansen. You are exceptional!

QAC programs are funded in part by: Cover: Miss Emily, PC: Jillian Lorraine Photography Back: The Prom Date by Nicole Burley

John M. & Bernice

MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Table of Contents

Photography

Rene Fisher

Fine Arts

Susan Wallis - mindfulness & the creative process

Tim Nimigan - a lifetime of community

Kathryn Moores Cracked Glass Studio

Theatre

Jocelyn LoSole - when the universe brings you a theatre

Quinte Youth Theatre building confidence in kids

Crafts

Melanie Gray - the story of Little Owl

In Memoriam

Brian Scott - a legacy of dance

Heritage

Whiskey, log rolling, gold and war - we have history! Past meets past meets present at Glanmore House

Music

Miss Emily - It takes a village

Community choral groups return to live performance

Community Base31 - creative placemaking, building community

Firelight Lantern Festival celebrates milestone anniversary

Literary

Beth Milligan - finding creative inspiration

First Tuesday Muse speaks a community into being Fred Leonard gets back to his roots in Tyendinaga

Arts Education

2023 QAC Bursary Recipients

Quinte Arts Council

Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts & Arts Recognition Awards

Fall Scenes of Quinte Show

Artist to Watch: Justin Anderson

Sponsored by the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board

Message from the Chair + Welcome New Staff Meet the QAC summer student team

Rene Fisher

MESSAGE FROM CHAIR OF THE BOARD

Welcome to the Umbrella! Whether you are returning or reading for the first time, our hope is that you will get a glimpse of the brilliance and value of arts and culture in our community. We hope to connect you to the diverse people and places that bring beauty and self-reflection to our lives. This glimpse may invite you to honour and celebrate the creativity of others or to make space for your own creativity.

We know that Umbrella has already impacted our community in these ways, and over many years. We are committed to this work.

If you are looking for more, the Quinte Arts Council is spreading the good word about the arts and artists over several other channels. Google "Quinte Arts Council," and our website will lead you to more artists, features on our socials, What’s On Quinte events app, Belleville Intelligencer articles, podcasts, partnerships, and more.

Umbrella is a rather literal term in our view. We protect, embrace and amplify everything that is arts and culture! If there are voices missing, we want to know. Connect with us, donate, and share the good word. The cause is creativity, and its worth is immeasurable.

WELCOME NEW STAFF

Lin Parkin (she/her) has a varied skill set steeped in creativity coupled with digital media management, content management, business and marketing administration, public relations, and customer service management.

Lin earned a Floral Arts certificate in 2002 through the continuing education program in Vancouver, B.C. She also earned a Travel Associateship through an accelerated program offered by Travel Professionals International in Winnipeg, MB. She operated her own small travel business for many years before pursuing her first love of writing and a growing interest in digital media.

Her writing career began in 2007 when she went to work for a tech-savvy startup in London, ON, where she maintained company blogs, news, and resource pages. In 2014, she branched out as a freelance writer creating website content for companies from coast to coast. She also helped launch and grow a community-based business and lifestyle magazine, serving as its first writer and Associate Editor for four years.

Lin started as a volunteer at the Quinte Arts Council in 2018 upon moving back to her hometown of Belleville with her husband and son. She began regularly contributing to Umbrella in 2019.

As a Quinte Arts Council team member, Lin brings unwavering enthusiasm and dedication to strengthening arts and culture in our community.

Contact Lin: lin@quinteartscouncil.org

Andrea Kerr

Lin Parkin

Meet the QAC summer student team

T he QAC office

welcomed three students to the team for the summer: Johanna Schaly, Social Media Community Manager, Amber Davidson, Special Events Coordinator and Mikaela Thomas, Communications Assistant.

Johanna has a Bachelor of Fine Arts and is pursuing her Bachelor of Education at Queen’s University. She has a passion for helping others and is dedicated to uplifting members of the arts community. Johanna created “Spotlight Sunday,'' a project for QAC to highlight community members. As Social Media Community Manager, she spent her summer handling all the QAC’s social media platforms and learning how to use social media to engage with the community.

Amber graduated high school in June and is attending the University of Ottawa this fall to study Fine Arts. She is a visual artist and her time at the QAC taught her about working in a gallery and connecting with artists. Amber spent her summer

By Kodie Trahan-Guay

with the QAC creating member profiles for the website, and she coordinated the 1000 Words Show, a student art show in August. The student show had the highest attendance for a QAC art show post-pandemic.

Mikaela is a graduate of Nicholson Catholic College. She attended the University of Ottawa and was majoring in Visual Arts before changing her focus. She plans on enrolling in the winter semester at Loyalist College. Mikaela is an innovative and imaginative person with a passion for art in all disciplines. She spent her time at the QAC working with the events app: What's On Quinte. Mikaela connected with downtown businesses and organizations to learn what the Quinte region has to offer and to learn about the talented local artisans who sell their pieces in Downtown Belleville. Mikaela also helped organize some of the QAC archives, not an easy feat considering the council has been around since 1967.

Funding for the student positions was generously provided by the Canada Summer Jobs program and the Enrichment Centre for Mental Health.

The staff at the QAC want to thank the students for their hard work this summer and wish them luck with their future endeavours.

Janet Jarrell, QAC’s Executive Director, says, “As part of our mandate, we are here to support the new generation of artists by offering quality artistic experiences and opportunities. We value our partnerships with the Canada Summer Jobs Program and the Enrichment Centre as their support allows the QAC, a not-for-profit organization, to offer these valuable job opportunities. The skills acquired empowers art workers to achieve creative success with viable, sustainable careers and builds a stronger arts community.”

Amber Davidson Mikaela Thomas Johanna Schaly

Belleville

Rene Fisher

Fisher grew up in a small town outside of Austin, Texas. “As a kid, I was very interested in digital art and drawing and decided to go to Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. When I was accepted, my parents bought me my first DSLR camera as a graduation gift: a Pentax K-X. That summer, I took it with me on a high school sponsored trip to Italy, France, and Spain, sparking a lifelong desire to travel and share the beauty from around the world.”

Fisher graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2015 and embarked on the next chapter of her life moving to Belleville, Ontario, to live with her (now) husband. In 2017, after travelling and rekindling her love for photography, she upgraded to a Pentax K-3 II pursuing her love for photography again.

“Having a camera gave me an excuse to go out on long drives and see beyond travel photography and to fall in love with where I live.”

Belleville

A few short years later, Fisher became an official ambassador for Pentax and had her images published in a special Canadian Geographic edition for Best Wildlife photography.

Fisher also works with OneLook Productions as a Real Estate Photographer: “I have a camera in my hand more often than not!"

IG: @renefisher_photography

Pause in nature and bring mindfulness into the creative process

By Lin Parkin

Lastsummer, when many artists were emerging from isolation and showing their work in galleries again, encaustic artist and entrepreneur Susan Wallis took on a new artistic venture.

Choosing the old officers' barrack at Base31 in Picton, Wallis opened the doors to Melt Studio and Gallery in the spring of 2021. The decision to open her own space was also influenced by funding she received from the Federal

Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario to begin offering a new art project.

“During the pandemic, my husband and I started taking more walks. I noticed that during and after these walks, I felt both physically and mentally better.” Wallis explains, “I was able to come back into my studio more refreshed and inspired. I pondered how I could share these feelings of connectedness and renewal through nature with others.”

With 20 years experience, Wallis is regularly called upon to teach encaustic classes but has always shied away from it. Inspired by the book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge,andTheTeachingsofPlants by Robin Wall Kimmerer, she thought, “What if it wasn't simply an art class, but rather an art and nature experience?”

Wallis began exploring the idea of experiential tourism, a.k.a immersion travel, where people focus on experiencing

Edward County

Base31

a particular place by actively and meaningfully engaging with its history, people, culture, food and environment. During the pandemic, she took workshops on experiential tourism and received the seed money from the government. And PAUSE was born.

“I think everyone should spend more time in nature. But for an artist, I feel it helps us to cleanse the eye and humble

Prince

Melt Tudio and Gallery

Melt Tudio and Gallery

the hand so that when we return to the studio, we are in some way renewed,” she says. “I came across this anonymous quote that I feel best describes this importance of immersing oneself in nature: ‘And into the forest I go. To lose my mind and find my soul’.”

The PAUSE experience begins with a mindful nature walk and then the creation of the artwork. Participants are taken on a guided tour of Beaver Meadows Conservation area or Honey Pie Hives and Herbs. Wallis says, “A knowledgeable herbalist assists us in identifying plants and discusses their medicinal value along with some folklore of days gone by.”

Participants head back to Melt Studio to be instructed by Wallis, where novice and experienced artists alike create a one-of-a-kind encaustic collage made up of items gently harvested on their walk.

When asked of her most memorable moment, Wallis says, “It’s the ta-da! moment at the end when we take their encaustic collage and frame it before their eyes. They are always so pleased with their outcome, and I am always so impressed with the individuality of each piece.”

“My goal is that when the participant is back in their home engulfed in their busy lives, as they pass by their encaus-

tic

will recall their PAUSE experience and will hopefully remember to PAUSE in their daily life."

susanwallis.com

meltstudiogallery.com

collage hanging on their wall, they

Fine Arts

Melt Studio and Gallery - PAUSE 7 Nurses

Amanda Keenan

Levi Weir

A lifetime of community

By Kiki Carr Fine Arts

Retired art teacher

and long-time member of the Greater Napanee and Area Art Association (GNAAA), Tim Nimigan, was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Napanee Municipal Arts and Culture Advisory Committee in June

of 2022. Looking at his creative resume, it doesn’t take long to see how dedicated he is to his community. When asked why community is such a big part of his art through the years, he explains that it is the heartbeat of his love of creating.

That pulse is seen in his signature comic strip of almost 20 years, Our Town, for the Napanee Beaver newspaper where Nimigan uses kind humour, poking fun at everyday happenings in a small Canadian town. The pulse is also in his public art initiatives like the ‘Pallet’able

Napanee

Lennox Community theatre set, painted by Tim Nimigan

Art Program - bright street art painted on wooden pallets found all throughout the community. That pulse continues as he spearheads the Implemental Garden Project with the GNAAA - this creative project uses garden tools as a canvas for the artists which are then displayed in public gardens.

“No man is an island,” he states. “As an artist, we can spend a lot of time alone” but for him, it helps to be with people. Nimigan is a social being and surrounds himself with people, places and things to be inspired by, and in turn he hopes to inspire them back. He is wired with community in mind.

Longevity has been a big part of his goals, even early on. “I was particular about wanting to remain a practicing artist while teaching,” he notes. When it came to his students, teaching by doing was how he wanted to encourage them. He set that example by participating in several art

shows every year. Nimigan stayed continually active in local art initiatives over the years because his driving force to his students was to inspire them.

When asked if he will continue to create, he said that ideas are in the back of his head for future local art projects, and he is not slowing down anytime soon. He is painting, as always, and getting ready for juried shows. He is a Greater Napanee Area Art Association member and has upcoming community art lined up. Nimigan is as busy as ever and states, “I don’t sit around.”

It seems that at the rate of how involved he is with future plans already lined up, Nimigan may need a second lifetime achievement award very soon.

Fine Arts

Tim Nimigan, PC: Dan Fleury

Finding purpose with glass design

By Jennifer Shea Quinte West

Glass artist Kathryn

(Kathy) Moores has a friendly, open personality and an infectious laugh. She doesn’t take herself too seriously but has a strong passion for her craft as a professional glass artist.

She’s more than willing to share her knowledge, offering regular classes at her Glen Miller Road studio, Cracked Glass Design, which opened last November.

An aircraft engineer with the Canadian Armed Forces for 25 years before an MS

diagnosis forced her medical release, Moores has used her glass artistry as a way to relax. “I can get lost in it. Even when I know it’s going to take another six hours (to complete a piece), part of me – right down in the centre of me – is mellow. I’m in a happy place.”

Upon her retirement, Moores created her own glassworks but also offered commission work – either new pieces or repairs – and taught lessons. She worked in the basement of her home, in about half the space of her current studio. She never advertised, but word of mouth kept her busy.

The early post-retirement years were challenging in terms of transition. “I was lost for a little while, even though I had my glass studio at home.” Moores felt she needed more structure and focus in her day, hence the idea of opening a studio separate from her home.

Moores has spent a good amount of time over the years learning about glass art techniques. She has taken courses from glass artists from around the world, often one-week-long intensive versions. Her interests have evolved from traditional stained-glass pieces to fused

glass. “With fused glass, you cut your glass – the pieces you want for a specific design. There’s no soldering. The heat (from a kiln) brings it all together. Depending on the end effect that you want, it may go through the kiln 2, 3, 4 or 5 times.”

“I love stained glass. I love leaded glass. But my wheelhouse is really fused glass. I just find that there’s so many different things you can do with it. You can make functional. You can make fun. You can do sculpture in it.”

Moores offers classes in both fused and stained glass at her studio. She notes that the beginner’s course in fused glass is three hours long, and the artist will have a completed piece within days (after it’s run through the kiln). A stained-glass piece can take much longer to create.

Moores has always been an artist at heart. She has enjoyed sketching (in pen and charcoal), painting and is interested in sculpture. She was never encouraged to pursue art, but it has been a hobby throughout her life, with glass becoming her preferred medium.

“I do love working with glass. It’s not considered a solid, liquid or gas because it’s so malleable. It depends on what you’re doing with it. I love everything about it. I do believe, as artists, the more enthusiastic we are about our work, the more it draws people in.”

crackedglassdesign.com

Fine Arts

When the universe brings you a theatre

By Peter Paylor

Jocelyn LoSole was twelve-years-old and living in Orillia when she decided to take some workshops at the Second City Performing Arts Centre in Toronto. Soon, she was cast in a local youth production of Jesus ChristSuperstar.

“It was such an amazing experience for me as a 13-year-old because, at the time, I didn’t realize that I had such a

passion for performing. I remember one specific point during rehearsal, we were doing “Hosanna,” looking at the cast of forty-five people; we were in a church, the sunlight was coming in through the stained-glass windows, and it was so surreal for me, and something clicked… from then on, I was just completely in love with performing and acting…I don’t think about anything else in the day other than acting. It’s just my identity at this point.”

Belleville

After five years of community theatre in Simcoe County, LoSole decided it was time for professional training. She attended Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto from 2015 to 2017, studying musical theatre, and then went overseas to Glasgow, where she graduated with a Master's Degree in Musical Theatre Performance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in October 2019. In January 2020, she decided to return to Scotland for

Sean Scally

a couple of years to build her resume. She was getting a career going until March came – and COVID.

LoSole flew back to Canada in October 2021. Her parents moved from Orillia while she was gone, so she landed in Belleville with the idea of starting up her own company, Sole Theatre. “I decided to just let the universe bring me a theatre,” she says. The next day, she saw a Facebook post from Theatre in The Wings. That was in April. She started doing acting classes there in May, first with adults, then teens, then another round with adults.

LoSole has thoroughly enjoyed her first experience of teaching the craft. “It’s been one of the most enlightening experiences I’ve ever had in my life,” she says. “I keep picturing my journey here like a plant. It’s been growing so rapidly, but it’s so cool to see the growth.”

Next up for LoSole is her first foray into directing. She is busy rehearsing Tim Kelly’s stage adaptation of Frankenstein, which Sole Theatre will be producing at Theatre in The Wings in November with an all-female cast.

After Frankenstein, LoSole wants to spend more time behind the scenes before she embarks on a professional career in acting. “I would rather just stand on my own two feet and know that I have built a life for myself that I am proud of and that I am in control of, and nobody is able to tell me what to do, what to think, what to believe.”

“I’ve built these resources for myself, so when I move into an industry where a lot

of people will probably try to tell me what to do, I’ll be able to stand on my own two feet, especially as a woman, and say I will make my own choices because I made my own choices when I was twenty-five.”

jocelynlosole.com | soletheatre.com

Theatre

Sean Scally

Building confidence and character in kids with performance art

By Lin Parkin

Located north of the city, just off Highway 62, is a dance studio where big dreams are born. That dream for Crystal Clark and Annastacia Smith, co-owners of Ontario Dance Academy, is to make performance art accessible to everyone.

“Our goal is to take our current commitment to high-quality training and apply it to a community-based, free youth theatre program,” says Clark. “We are providing opportunities for young performers in the region to have a high-quality experience, with the same quality and standards that they would receive in a large metropolitan area.” With that intention, Clark and Smith created Quinte Youth Theatre, a free-for-participants performing arts youth group.

Performers of all experience levels participate in a full musical theatre production with singing, dancing, and acting roles. Acknowledging some youth want to be involved but not be on stage, there are also roles in stagecraft, including set design and building, visual arts, lighting, programming and stage management.

Each discipline engages the brain, body, and emotions, increasing self-awareness and building life-long skills. “The arts attract children looking for a voice and a sense of belonging, and in

Belleville

a city such as Belleville, often many youth are not able to gain these valuable experiences as cost is always a huge factor,” explains Clark. “We are hoping to create a sustainable, costfree option for young people to gain this important piece of shaping their future lives.”

Born as a passion project, Clark and Smith volunteer their time and rehearsal space to the program. In 2022, Quinte Youth Theatre’s inaugural production was Nickelodeon's “SpongeBob -The Musical,” which included thirty local youth performers and artists and over four hundred hours of volunteer time.

Rebekah King, whose daughter performed in the musical, says it was an extraordinary experience for them. “My daughter is a talented girl but lost her spark during COVID. Playing the role of Sandy in “SpongeBob-The Musical” reignited her love of all things theatre and singing,” says King. “She is now part of several productions and is interested in a career in both vocal performance and musical theatre. The theatre experience has been truly magical for her. It has taught her so much; being able to work collaboratively with peers and other theatre professionals was an experience that she will never forget."

On what’s next for Quinte Youth Theatre, Clark says, “We are currently working towards raising enough funds to support our next production. In the interim, we’re offering a series of free monthly workshops that are open to the community.”

IG: @ontariodanceacademy

Theatre

Crafts

Little Owl

By Joy Goddard

Melanie Gray's sterling

silver cedar necklace catches the sunlight as it dangles from her neck. The piece is like a snowflake—one-of-akind—cast from the cedar she collected near her home. Embedded in her art is a deep respect for nature, a reflection of her Haudenosaunee roots.

“When taking a plant to use for my art, I give thanks to the Creator and sprinkle tobacco (grown from her garden) at the base of the plant, giving back to it," she says. "I put good words to the art.”

She is especially reverent when creating art from a deceased animal or bird. Encountering a dead porcupine on the road, she expresses her gratitude to the animal aloud before taking its quills to make earrings. Similarly, she burns sage and sweetgrass to give back to

Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory

the bird that's lost its life before she uses its feathers in her art. “In the Indigenous culture, nothing goes to waste.”

Indigenous traditional teachings inspire her art, with the legend of the Three Sisters (beans, corn, and squash) reflected in some of her designs. She explains that while art gives us a way to express ourselves, historically, it served primarily as a function. Taking clay from the Earth to make adorned pottery, for instance. Gray honours this by showcasing old Haudenosaunee pottery in her necklaces.

Beauty and power stem from Indigenous learning. “We can enjoy jewelry because it is pretty, but it can speak to you too," she says. Her blue lace agate necklace is a case in point. “I'm always grateful to work with such a peaceful stone. It reminds me of a breezy day when the water is calm.” Gray's moonstone jewelry reflects the legend of Grandmother Moon, who watches over everybody and embodies power, strength, and beauty like the stone.

Art's hold over her began when she was a small child. She remembers the excitement of sitting at her cousin’s (Kathy Loft) kitchen table making a daisy chain. When Gray was twenty-one, art helped her cope with the grief of her mother's death. Now, she helps other people struggling with mental health issues through her various art therapy groups.

A graduate of the Toronto Art Therapy Institute, she provides a safe space for people to express themselves. “Some

times we don't have words, so art can be a vessel to begin the conversation about self. It is powerful,” she says. “A single painting can topple empires.” She's also a trained silversmith who co-teaches a beginner's course at The Kingston Lapidary and Mineral Club (The Tett Centre).

Her brand is Little Owl. Both she and her late mother (who called her Little Owl) love owls. Indeed, the night her mother died, Gray spotted an owlet on the rain barrel at home as she pulled into the driveway. Although she'll choose a Kanyen'kéha name in the future, for now, she calls herself Little Owl.

Find Melanie Gray’s jewelry at Rebecca Maracle Mohawk Feathersmith Gift & Gallery.

IG: @littleowljewelry

A legacy of dance

By Lin Parkin Belleville

Born in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Brian Scott received his dance training in Newcastle, England, and a scholarship to study at the International Ballet School in London.

He danced with Ballet Russe, the Opera Ballet at Covent Garden, the English National Ballet, and the National Ballet of Canada. Early in his career, Scott appeared in many British golden era films, including Invitation to Dance, starring Tamara Toumanova and Gene Kelly, Let’s Be Happy

After a knee injury, his career pivoted from dancing to teaching. In 1972, he came to Belleville at the request of the Belleville Branch of the National Ballet Guild. The branch consisted of volunteers and parents who wanted to establish local, high-calibre dance instruction for their children. Scott taught the Cecchetti method, and before long, the school was welcoming international dance students to study with him and his group of teachers.

As the school’s founding Artistic Director, his contributions to its success were vast. In 1992, the Quinte Dance Centre became the Quinte Ballet School. By 1980, the school established itself as one of Canada's only independent professional ballet schools. In 2002, in recognition of its contributions to the arts on a national level, the school was renamed the Quinte Ballet School

Scott received the Confederation Medal for dedicated service to the community and country and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. He retired in 2000 as the Founder and Artistic Director of the Quinte Ballet School of Canada and Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers in Dancing. Scott passed away on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, in his

“Brian was a mentor, a father figure and probably one of the biggest personal, cultural, educational influencers in my life. He was tough, demanding,

sometimes a bit harsh, but always full of love and playfulness too,” said Eli Klasner, a former student of Scott’s, in a comment on Facebook. “His approach helped make me who I am today, and will live out all of my days remembering him with only love and admiration.”

The Quinte Ballet School of Canada remembers Mr. Scott fondly; “The Quinte Ballet School [of Canada] owes an enormous debt of gratitude to Brian Scott and to the Quinte Ballet Guild. We wouldn’t have reached our 50th Anniversary without them.”

Photos supplied by Quinte Ballet School of Canada

quinteballetschool.com

Whiskey, log rolling, gold and war - we have history!

By Richard Hughes

S top by Meyers Pier

to enjoy the gentle waves on the Bay as lovely sailboats glide by, one foot resting on the great steel cleats by the dock. Imagine the rumrunners a hundred years ago, in their sharp suits and dark fedoras, supervising the loading of hundreds of cases of Corby’s whiskey onto their boats, heading for the likes of Al Capone and the bootlegging gangs in the U.S.

History is so much more than streets and buildings and a river and a bay. Knowing the past brings an appreciation of the achievements, beauty and amazing stories the community has experienced. It brings a whole new dimension, adding energy to everyday locations, new understanding and a sense of identity or personal connection to the community.

On your stroll along the Moira River, imagine springtime in the late 1800s;

violent waters rushing down from the north, with 100,000 logs crashing and tumbling on their way to the Bay listening to hundreds of French-speaking loggers moving them along - a wild scene.

On Pinnacle Street, note the grand Armouries fortress. Imagine hundreds of bright-faced young men in their new uniforms, ready for war, lined up in ranks and then marching to the train station past cheering crowds, wives and mothers tearfully waving good-bye.

Sir Mackenzie Bowell

Walk through the quiet village of Madoc and imagine the main street in 1866 jammed with thousands of prospectors burning with gold fever, arriving by horseback or the daily stagecoach from Belleville, confident that endless wealth awaits them.

History helps us understand society, culture and how all past activities shaped today’s community. It teaches us that

change and progress are normal and should be encouraged.

There are economic benefits too. Historical sites and natural features are valuable assets, giving a location its unique charm or appeal that people want to see and experience.

The grand homes in Old East Hill, Glanmore House, Prince Edward County museums, and the Central and North Hastings mining centres fascinate visitors. Family history researchers come from far and wide to experience the sites of their ancestors and visit their cemeteries.

Our history includes Sir Mackenzie Bowell, who rose from junior clerk to owner of the Belleville Intelligencer and then to Prime Minister of Canada. Dr. Bert Collip, co-discoverer of insulin which has saved millions of lives. Susanna Moodie, pioneer author, whose books remain in print after 175 years. And Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, the most decorated regiment of World War II.

In October, the community lost its greatest contributor to the development and appreciation of Belleville’s rich local heritage. Mr. History, Gerry Boyce (pictured below), passed away, but his legacy will live on forever. Mr. Boyce researched and authored the region's definitive histories and brought these stories to the public. He inspired teams of volunteer researchers for six decades in gathering priceless historical documents, thousands of photographs, maps and memorabilia, leading to the creation of the Community Archives. Gerry Boyce was the source and inspiration for understanding and appreciating local heritage, and for this, we are eternally grateful.

Photos supplied by Hastings County Historical Society hastingshistory.ca

Gerry Boyce

The Armouries

Past meets past meets present

By Ardith Racey Belleville

Art installations are typically designed to change our perception of space or place, but the summer installation at the Glanmore National Historic Site was an attempt to reconcile the precolonial past with the Victorian past and with the present.

Metis artist Tracey-Mae Chambers’ yarnart installation, part of a national project titled Hope and Healing Canada was “an effort to recalibrate our collective histories and stories,” says Danielle McMahon-Jones, Exhibit Developer Coordinator at Glanmore House. She viewed the project as a “perfect way for a national historic site to be part of a cultural shift that asks us to think about what happened before Glanmore was built.”

She says, “the museum world is collectively trying to shift its interpretation of history to address decolonization and reconciliation because there’s so much history that’s invisible; so much history that’s before the house.”

In June, Chambers created the installation on the veranda at Glanmore during National Indigenous History month to create conversations and respond to the discoveries of the remains of Indigenous children buried at Residential Schools.

To date, she has completed 104 similar installations at various ‘museums, galleries, universities, public spaces and former Residential Schools’ all across Canada. When McMahon-Jones was contacted by Chambers, she and Jennifer Lyons, Manager of Museum Services, were delighted to house the exhibit because they “loved the message she was bringing.” Reactions from the public have been “overwhelmingly positive” because it has “an impact on so many levels,” says McMahon-Jones.

No doubt this is because the piece, as art, works on so many levels. Together with the blood and teardrop symbolism, the dreamcatcher motif further emphasizes Indigenous history, and the webbing mimics the natural world of spiders. “Everything is intersected,” says McMahon-Jones, “so the piece is symbolic of what Chambers is trying to say about how we can heal through art, and the need to shift our interpretation of our collective histories.”

Chambers describes the piece as “being kind of like the porch because it’s looking into the window into the house from an Indigenous lens.” The window as a lens perspective allows viewers to see inside the house, which celebrates an opulent Victorian past, to ‘look’ through an Indigenous lens and into the natural world.

This idea is echoed by McMahon-Jones’ thoughtful observation that it became home to spiders, dandelion fluff, and leaves. “It weathered several severe storms. The nature of museums is to start with the house, with settler stories, but there’s a larger story that reverberates–that’s invisible because there aren’t objects in the house to tell that story, which is the story of decolonization,” says McMahon-Jones.

McMahon-Jones would love to have Chambers do another installation and is also open to other artists, travelling exhibits, local artists, and partnerships with the community. “HopeandHealing Canada was just such a great message and a priority for Glanmore,” she states enthusiastically.

The installation, leaves an enduring message that resonates on many levels, marrying peoples, past traditions, and the environment through a powerful collaboration that addresses a bigger picture about our collective past and present.

Photos by Christopher Gentile glanmore.ca

Music

The music industry

has a longstanding reputation of being an old boy's club and a rather shady one at that. So how does a gifted young woman breakthrough? With tons of talent, an iron will, dogged determination, lots of luck and a big old-fashioned heap of help from family and friends. Miss Emily has waded through the mud, muck and mire of a male-dominated industry - not just surviving but thriving.

Miss Emily (born Emily Fennell) was raised in Prince Edward County by a gospel-singing father and piano-playing mama. Music was a staple, and Miss Emily fondly remembers listening to old soul and gospel records, but her father's voice remains her favourite.

Her first public performance came at four-years-old and piano lessons followed with a local teacher, Heather Ross, who proved to be another monumental influence. At seven years old, a family friend, Susan Pasternak, inspired her to become a professional musician.

It takes a village

By Greg Ceci

Today, Miss Emily parks her boots in Kingston but maintains roots in Prince Edward County and Belleville. She gratefully remarks, “I feel like I’m a product of a supportive collective community, and it’s a great feeling.”

As an attractive but naive seventeen-year-old gigging in bars, Miss Emily experienced many obstacles, barriers and hardships and describes her experiences as funny, sad, cringe-worthy and sometimes scary but she's relied on her hard work, abilities and sense of humour to endure and flourish. Regarding business and production, Emily minds the shop but also has the humility to surround herself with a strong support circle. Miss Emily says, “My followers and supporters are part of my village, and my career only works with them in my corner.”

Success bears responsibility, and Emily knows that young songwriters now look up to her – most of them young women. She offers these words of wisdom, “Put in a lot of hours honing your craft and educating yourself, assume you have to work harder than

Prince Edward County

everyone else, create a village and treat them like gold, be ready to be treated unfairly and, even in 2022, you'll still have to work harder than men.”

Her songwriting reflects her experiences, feelings and the stories that move her. Those songs have led to opening

PC: Suzy Lamont Photography

Miss Emily & daughter Piper attend the Juno's, PC: George Pimente

for The Tragically Hip, Sam Roberts and The Trews at Big Music Fest in front of twenty-eight thousand people and performing at the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in Fredericton.

Her fourth album DefinedByLove was released in September 2022. With eighteen years under her belt, Miss Emily feels her career is just starting to roll with plans to tour across Canada, the USA, and overseas. When asked about her greatest achievements, Miss Emily says, “I am very proud of the albums I’ve made. I’ve collaborated with exceptionally talented and decorated artists. It is an honour to make music with people who I have so much to learn from.”

Change comes slowly, but Miss Emily and her village are leading the charge.

themissemily.com

Miss Emily has received four Maple Blues Awards; Female Vocalist of the Year (2020 and 2022), New Artist of the Year (2020), and a Sapphire Blues Video Award in 2020 for Hold Back the River . In 2022, Miss Emily’s album LIVE at the Isabel received a Juno nomination for Blues Album of the Year.

"With eighteen years under her belt, Miss Emily feels her career is just starting to roll with plans to tour across Canada, the USA, and overseas.”

PC: Jillian Lorraine Photography

Miss Emily LIVE Album Press Photo

Community choral groups

By Scott Mills

I love the humanity... to see the faces of real people devoting themselves to a piece of music. I like the teamwork. It makes me feel optimistic about the human race when I see them cooperating like that.”- Sir Paul McCartney.

Suppose Sir Paul McCartney is correct that we can be optimistic about humanity when listening to a choir. In that case, the Quinte region is a place that every

-one should be looking to, as we have a rich tradition of choral music here, including choir groups active for more than half a century and Belleville’s own Griffin Opera House that opened in 1884. Our music has survived, and will continue to bloom, after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deemed a super spreader due to the production of respiratory droplets and aerosols, a number of reports linked COVID-19 outbreaks to singing, devastating

choirs around the globe. Considered the hardest hit sector, choirs were ordered to seize all live group operations. Strict protocols and procedures were enforced by public health authoritieschoir practices ground to a halt.

Choirs were quiet. Performances were cancelled, including Command Performance Choirs' long-awaited performing trip to Europe. Despite this, choir director Moira NikanderForrester said, "When this all

"I love to hear a choir.

A Cappella Quinte

Shout Sister Choir

happened, what became clear to me was how essential getting to sing together was.”

Umbrella organizations such as Choirs Ontario and Choral Canada began to gather resources to support community organizations. Although some groups decided to take a hiatus for a few seasons; our local choirs did find ways to continue practicing as they waited to return to live music making.

Technology was the saving grace. Groups like the Shout Sister Choir, Happy Harmony Choir, and A Cappella Quinte used Zoom rehearsals and pre-recorded tracks to keep the choirs connected and moving forward. Command Performance Choir even started outdoor rehearsals when regulations permitted.

Weathering the COVID storm, choirs are planning and preparing for new performances. Groups are growing into the next phase with new, experienced

music directors. Heather Christiansen has taken over the reins of the Belleville Choral Society (BCS), and Patrick Headley is the new director with A Cappella Quinte.

Nyssa Fry, the main administrator for Shout Sister Choir, said, “We are energized to rebuild with a stronger foundation and be able to reach more people than ever before.” Laura Hare, President of the BCS, stated, “It’s been inspiring to see the reaction of the members of the community to the potential of restarting the BCS.”

New members are always welcome and the choirs are keen to bring their love of live music to even bigger audiences. Visit their social media pages or websites for information on how to join or when to see them perform.

Like Sir Paul McCartney, perhaps you will experience what it is like “to see the faces of real people devoting themselves to a piece of music.”

This article is dedicated to the memory of Stephen Forrester (14-Aug-1945 - 22Jul-2022).

Happy Harmony Choir

Belleville Choral Society, Randy Coker & Larry Taylor

Revitalizing the barracks - creative placemaking, building community

By Heather Christiansen Community

Tim Jones, CEO of Base31, was raised in a family of artists and originally embarked on a career in live theatre. With twenty-two years at Artscape in Toronto and a decade of experience with the Canada Council for the Arts, he knows that Base31 is a canvas for storytelling and community development.

“I truly came to understand the power of art to heal, to create a sense of pride and identity to advance social change to open minds and hearts.”

Of his time at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Jones says, “It gave me a much more acute sense of what art is and its role in advancing culture.”

Jones uses the phrase ‘Creative Placemaking’ engaging arts and culture to catalyze the transformation of places.

Respectful of the past, while engaging creative minds and cultural resources to co-create a new future, and that is what Base31 is all about.

Prince Edward County

BIRD WOMAN, A Sculptural Work in the Drill Hall, PC: Ophelia Spinosa

Ophelia Spinosa

Tim Jones, PC: Eliot Kim

Jones and his partner, Assaf Weisz and two Ontario-based companies purchased 700 acres in Prince Edward County in December 2021. Historically, a World War II Royal Canadian Air Force base, it is emerging as a cultural destination. There are 75 tenants on 70 acres, and the team, (a local staff of 20) creating more space for creatives, innovators, musicians and artists.

The first season kicked off loud - Sarah Harmer, David Wilcox, Sloan, Bedouin Soundclash, the Big Lake Arts Chamber Orchestra, We’re Funny That WayQueer Comedy and Music Festival, and David R. Maracle and Friends, Digging Roots: a benefit for Tsi Tyónnheht Onkwawén:na Mohawk Language and Culture Centre.

“We are looking to engage the public, audiences of all kinds, young and old,” explains Jones. “It is partly going to be about the experiences we create here, but it’s partly about how we record those stories, not just of the military history, but there is the loyalist history and the ten thousand years of Indigenous ownership and stewardship.”

In the spring, Base31 announced partnerships with the Municipality of Prince Edward County, All Welcome Here, PEC Arts Council, History Lives Here, Department of Illumination, The County Foundation, Chamber of Commerce and Jacqui Burley, the original property manager whom Jones credits with saving the place.

Jones says, “arts can breathe life into a place.” Evidence of this can be seen all over Base31, with public art and placemaking programs commissioning artists to reimagine the site and revitalize the barracks. Installations of archival photographs from local residents, sculpture, Alchemy Artists Residency pairing artists with local wineries and

farms, Maison Depoivre and Melt art galleries and ten shipping container mural paintings projects are in the works.

“We have been lucky that there is such an amazing openness in the County to this way of working, to wanting to collaborate, to make something new,” says Jones. “I know that there’s not going to be one author of a site like this; it’s going to be many different people whose ideas come together, that adds up to a bigger story here…you need a process that is open and welcoming to other people and ideas.” Jones states, “We need to think of [artists] as value creators and put them at the centre of city building.”

@base31pec | base31.ca

DAVID R. MARACLE & FRIENDS play in the Drill Hall, Closest to the Camera is Dancer Youngblood, PC: Ophelia Spinosa

Annelise Noronha. PC: Ophelia Spinosa

Picton’s lantern festival celebrates milestone anniversary

By Lin Parkin

In November 2022, The Department of Illumination celebrated their 10th anniversary of the Firelight Lantern Festival at Crystal Palace in Picton.

Festival co-founder Susanne Larne first approached Artistic Director Krista Dalby about starting a Lantern Festival in 2013. “We didn’t know each other, but she heard that before moving to the

County, I produced community arts events with Clay & Paper Theatre,” says Dalby. “When I lived in Toronto, I was a part of the Kensington Market Winter Solstice Festival for a number of years, where I learned to make lanterns.”

While Larne grew up in Picton, she spent some time in Vancouver and was inspired by a lantern festival she’d seen there. Dalby

says, “So when Susanne asked me, ‘Do you want to start a lantern festival with me?’ I immediately said yes!”

Its first year was an overwhelming success, and the festival continued to grow and expand over the years. Dalby explains, “The Firelight Lantern Festival is a means to bring the community together at a time of year when the days get

Prince Edward County

PC: Ramesh Pooran

FLF 2014 Lemon Bucket Orkestra, PC: Michael Lindon

PC: Ramesh Pooran

shorter and the nights get longer, using light as a symbol to sustain us through the winter ahead.”

Despite the challenges presented in the last two years, the festival has maintained its resilience. “In the first year of the pandemic, we created an at-home festival with an online program, a lantern scavenger hunt in downtown Picton, and provided lantern kits for folks to make their lanterns at home, which we displayed in the window of Books & Company,” Dalby explains. “Last year, we were able to go ahead with an in-person festival, but it had to be all outdoors with timed ticketing, and we couldn’t have a parade or workshops. Despite it all, we really did make the magic happen!”

This year things are getting back to normal. The festival typically kicks off with a series of lantern-making workshops. “This is where the real community-building happens. We spend time together being creative while getting to know each other,” Dalby explains. “Many newcomers to the community

find their way to our workshops, and it’s a great place to meet people.” Participants range from little kids to seniors, from absolute beginners to professional artists.

“The night of the festival is absolutely thrilling. We try to knock people’s socks off with joy and beauty, and wonder! We encourage folks to wear costumes and bring their sense of fun,” she says. “Ultimately, we want to foster a sense of togetherness while showing how much beauty we can create when we work together towards a common goal.”

As a milestone year, the Firelight Lantern Festival is expanding to two nights with live music, circus performers, extravagant costumes, and a parade of lights. Dalby hints, “In our studio, we’re building a new giant lantern puppet, plus there will be illuminated art installations and other surprises!”

“Over the last ten years of the Firelight Lantern Festival, there have been moments that have been some of the best

times of my life, when I look around, and I think, this is it, this is what makes life worth living,” reflects Dalby. “Art, music, and human connection… this is what I’m here for, and this is my superpower, to be able to create the opportunity to share this with others.” deptofillumination.org

Krista Dalby and Susanne Larner FLF 2019, PC: Ramesh Pooran

FLF 2021 Floatie Wedding Chapel by Nella Casson. PC: Lindsey Van De Keer

Overcoming adversity, finding creative inspiration

By Peter Paylor

Beth Milligan can trace her roots as a playwright back to her years in the Arts Program at Centennial Secondary School (CSS) in Belleville.

She remembers one semester in particular. “I had two visual art classes, a script writing class, Director’s Craft, drama class, and vocal music. It was awesome,” she says. Milligan wrote FragileMinds that semester with four of her classmates, a play about the history of Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf. She enjoyed writing, but visual art was her passion.

After graduating from CSS, Milligan studied Fine Arts, first at Bishop’s University in Lennoxville, Quebec, then at Mount Allison in Sackville, New Brunswick. After graduating, she opened her own graphic arts business.

In 2011, Milligan started losing her vision. By 2013, she became legally blind and was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa and cataracts. She has been progressively losing sight ever since.

“I had to come up with a direction to go with my life that fit my circumstances. It forced me (but in a good way) to go back to script writing. All those fundamental drama, directing, and script writing skills that I honed in high school, that all pivoted towards me choosing to be a playwright.”

In 2016, Milligan became one of the founding members of the Quinte Playwrights’ Collective. “I started writing five-minute pieces, then ten-minute pieces, then twenty-minute pieces… it all kind of happened organically.”

Several of Milligan’s plays had readings at the Belleville Club. Another was produced

at the Old Church Theatre near Trenton. Beatrice, based on the life of Beatrice Lillie, was one of the three winning plays in the City of Belleville Play Writing Competition. In the spring, Beatrice had a reading at Theatre in The Wings in Belleville.

With support from the Canadian Institute for the Blind, Milligan took training on JAWS (Job Access With Speech), a program designed to make the writing process easier for people with sight loss, but the new technology was frustrating.

Milligan found it stifled her creativity to the point that she was ready to give up

“I find it very freeing,” she says. “I’m able to concentrate solely on the creative process as opposed to listening to technology"

on writing. So, she went old school: she found a scribe. Meeting weekly, Milligan has since written a dozen short plays. “I find it very freeing,” she says. “I’m able to concentrate solely on the creative process as opposed to listening to technology talk back to me.”

Her latest project is a series of radio plays titled The JacksonNashMysteries. The first episode “The Mystery of the Dropbox” will debut as a podcast in November.

Milligan put the weekly writing sessions on hold briefly to travel to the Guide Dog Foundation in New York to meet and train with Mesa (pictured right), her new guide dog. “It’s been a life-changer,” she says.

She is currently working on Episode Seven of The Jackson Nash Mysteries. “I feel like I’ve taken some side steps in my life that have been very helpful in terms of having creative depth and things to write about,” Milligan says, “but I actually feel like I’m on the right path, and I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing.”

riverandmain.ca | guidedog.org

Speaking a community into being

By Scott Williams Tweed/Madoc

Peter Snell, Bill Piton

May 3, 2016, just before

seven in the evening, in a typical – stereotypical – small-town watering hole. The room is dim, a few candles on tables contrasting with the fluorescent light illuminating a small stage. A patron walks in, followed soon by several more. The space fills, and organizers breathe a sigh of relief. Welcome to the very first First Tuesday Muse, a poetry open mic, then held at the fabled Tweedsmuir Tavern in Tweed, Ontario.

First Tuesday Muse (FTM) was the brainchild of Billy Piton and Peter Snell, who had already collaborated on the optimistically named Tweed National Theatre. In their own words, Piton was the “let’s” guy (as in: “let’s do it”), and Snell was the “goto guy whenever Billy had crazy ideas.”

“Billy and I just wanted to keep on doing creative things,” says Snell. “Billy had seen poetry readings in other places – Kingston, Toronto – so why not Tweed?” A moment’s skeptical thought would have suggested some answers, but Snell adds, "Billy was always willing to leap into the abyss without much thought.” Thus FTM was born, a counterpoint to the musical open mics Piton was already organizing.

The pair had no idea if anyone would show on that first evening – whether it would “take off or die a quick death” – but take off it did. “We found all the clandestine poets that came out of the forest – literally came out of the woods with their sheaf of papers.”

The meeting format has stayed consistent since that first night. Participants sign in on arrival and are given a slot in which to read. After each reading, the host provides commentary. “We’re not workshopping poems here; it’s not a critique,” says current host Tamara Best. “It’s an observation, or a feeling, or a connection – something that resonated.” That commentary – a tradition begun by original host Snell – contributes to the sense of engagement one gets at an FTM event. Best, herself an active poet, describes getting to a point in her own work where she needs the interactions you get when reading in public. “It’s an essential part of the editing process,” she says.

Exposing your work to others – and opening it up to commentary – can be terrifying. In a 2016 newspaper article penned by Ardith Racey, an early FTM participant, she said, “it takes courage – or complete stupidity – to read out private, emotional stuff to anonymous adults.” Making yourself vulnerable carries risks, but poet Charlotte Dafoe says the risks are worth it. Dafoe uses the meetings as a tool to fine-tune her work and says, “I’ve been rewarded so much by taking the risks I’ve taken.”

Darren Moore

Providing a safe space for those risks has been a hallmark of FTM since its inception. “It didn’t take long for people within the community we had created to start referring to us as family,” says Snell. “People felt an obligation to it and felt support from it.” Best agrees and describes this summer’s first post-Covid meeting, now held at the craft brewery in Madoc (the Tweedsmuir Hotel and Tavern was destroyed by fire in March 2021), as a reunion “a gathering of friends.”

A recent participant commented that “doing poetry made me a poet,” and in a similar vein, doing community has made this a community. By sharing and participating in each others’ work, this is a friendly and supportive community – a family – that has quite literally spoken itself into existence.

Sheila Stanley

Lacey Koch

Ana Lasage, Peter Snell, Mark Lesage John Paul

Photos by Billy Piton

FB: First Tuesday Muse

Grandma’s Spirit Calling Us Home to Tyendinaga, co-authored by Fred Leonard

By Jennifer Shea

Growing up in Toronto

Fred Leonard Jr. had no exposure to his Indigenous Mohawk roots. He was not an avid reader nor writer. That changed in his 20s, when Leonard Jr. discovered the Indigenous history book, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. “In two weeks, I read it three times. I couldn’t even sleep.” That experience led to wanting to learn more about Indigenous culture and finding out about his roots.

When Leonard Jr. was looking to purchase his first home, he was guided to the Bay of Quinte area. He wasn’t aware of the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory at that time, but a visit to the Territory’s Aboriginal Resource Centre provided the direction he needed for a genealogy search. He has since travelled across North America to meet Indigenous elders and learn traditional knowledge, spirituality, and history.

Leonard Jr. was hired on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory to work on an environmental contaminants research project. While working there, he was often approached by residents who said, ‘You look like my husband’ or ‘You look like my cousin’, fueling his desire to learn more about his family’s history.

It was recommended that Leonard Jr. visit a seer, Doreen South, to try and connect with his ancestors. “I was very

Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory

skeptical about these kinds of things, but I met her. She was telling me things about my family she couldn’t possibly have known.”

During his session with South, the spirit of his great-grandmother came through. “She said, ‘I have led you here. Over these years, I have led you to each book (you’ve read), and I want you to write a book about my life.’ I said, ‘I’ve never written a book before’. She said, ‘It is in you to do this’.”

Leonard Jr. was in his mid-40s, and he wasn’t sure where to begin. South offered that some of his great-grandmother’s messages would come through her, but most would come directly to him. He would sit at the computer or with pen and paper and be guided about what to write.

As a result, Leonard Jr. lists himself as co-author of the book with his great-grandmother, Yontheraha:wi (“she carries the basket”). The first half of the book is the story of Yontheraha:wi in her own words.

It’s her account of life growing up on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in the late 1800s through to her passing in 1943. She discusses home and family life, schooling, cultural traditions and the many hardships and challenges faced. She stresses the importance of family and traditions. “Your ancestors are a bridge to the past. Don’t forget us, because our stories matter. We are breathing life back into our stories.”

The book also features a section in the words of Shako’nikonhra rátyes (“he is along minding”), one of the twins born to Yontheraha:wi in 1903. He and his sister Ruby were abducted by an Indian agent as babies and never reunited with their mother while alive.

Leonard Jr. writes the second half of the book in his own words, summarizing much of the historical research he conducted and chronicling the challenges his people faced, including epidemics, wars, poverty, deprivation, environmental hardships, and suppression through colonization. “I want readers to remember about our culture through the book.”

Since the book was launched in 2021, it has been well-received. Author Doug George-Kanentiio says, “There is nothing like Grandma’sSpirit anywhere else in Iroquois-Indigenous literature, but there should be.”

FB: Fred Leonard

“Your ancestors are a bridge to the past. Don’t forget us, because our stories matter. We are breathing life back into our stories.”

Arts Education Program

Supporting new generation artists

By Kodie Trahan-Guay

The arts foster creativity, passion

and drive and an arts-based education is a foundation on which a lifetime of success can be built. Each year, the Quinte Arts Council (QAC) awards six bursaries to students graduating from secondary schools in the Quinte region who are going on to study the arts at a university or college in Canada.

Arts education is a core part of the QAC mandate. The QAC Artists in Schools program helps introduce students

to practicing artists while filling gaps left by funding shortfalls.

“The students who received the 2022 Graduating Bursaries spent half their high school careers in some form of lockdown. They are a resilient group of students who pursued their passions despite extreme adversity,” says QAC Executive Director Janet Jarrell. “Supporting arts education for students is critical because it supports art as a viable career.”

Gabrielle Edwards Ryan Gray

2022 Graduating Student Bursaries: The Elaine A. Small Bursary

Neon Revell graduated from Bayside Secondary School and is attending Concordia in the fall to study Studio Art. Art is incredibly important to Revell. “Making art gives me a way to process events, feelings, and to express what's in my head when I can't convey it with words,” he says. “Experiencing other people's art is an amazing way to connect, to get a glimpse of what's in their heart and their lives.”

The Hugh P. O’Neil Bursary

Payton Denyes graduated from Centennial Secondary School and is attending Toronto Metropolitan University to study Media Production. “Next year, I would love to combine my passion for the arts with my dream of working with people in a career that supports the creative growth of others while creating films and events that inspire on a global scale,” she says. “I want to work in a diverse industry such as the entertainment and film industry where I can help others share their stories.”

Holli Finch graduated from St. Paul Catholic Secondary School and is attending the University of Ottawa to study

Fine Arts. “Rather than dreading going to work every day, which makes up most of one's life, I want to do something that excites me,” she says. “I want to create something I am proud of. This is what art is for me; it is my expression, my means of exercising my creativity and hopefully, I can live off this.”

Susan Richardson Bursary

Anissa Nielsen graduated from Centennial Secondary School and is attending Queen’s University with a Major in Biochemistry and a Minor in Music. “After graduating, I would like to continue performing, as I cannot imagine my life without music. I wish to remain involved with the artsparticularly classical music - in the community and would love to eventually direct a youth choir,” she says.

Quinte Arts Council Bursary

Gabrielle Edwards graduated from Trenton High School and is attending Seneca College to take Acting for Camera and Voice. “I am pursuing a career in the Arts because of the positive influence I can create as an actress and producer. As I continue to grow in my school community, I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have had to make a positive difference and cannot wait to make even more change in the arts community,” she says. “I look forward to creating diversity with my artistic creations and creating more opportunities in the film industry for people who aren't given opportunities that they should.”

Ryan Gray graduated from Centennial Secondary School and is attending Toronto Metropolitan University to take Media Production. “It may sound cliché, but through my love of music, passion for visual arts and relating to movies, I have processed key moments of my life through this creative outlet,” he says. “Media is an integral part of society and has immense power to effect change, and it is my hope to be able to have a career in this field, changing our world.”

quinteartscouncil.org/arts-education/

Neon Revell Anissa Nielsen

Payton Denyes

Celebrating artistic excellence in Quinte

By Kodie Trahan-Guay

It is the most anticipated event of the year: the prestigious Quinte Arts Council Arts Recognition Awards presented at the Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts.

“For nearly 30 years, the QAC has hosted this celebration of local artists and arts organization for their artistic

excellence, cultural leadership and contribution to the arts,” says Janet Jarrell, Executive Director. “Our 2022 Champions are working behind the scenes, giving children the gift of music, in video production or making the northern edge of Quinte the place to be for theatre - these winners are truly arts champions.”

Tweed & Company: creates and produces original Canadian musical theatre and presents other professional Canadian theatre productions. Nominator Victoria McCulloch says “This season, more than 50 contract performers, technicians and creative team members will be hired from home and across the country, as well as local theatre camp counsellors. Patrons support local businesses, hotels and restaurants.”

Dan Atkinson served on the QAC board for 13 years and joined the board of the Quinte Ballet School of Canada in 2014 after retiring from Welch LLP.

“Dan has exhibited an understanding of the Quinte Ballet School of Canada. He was able to convey in layman's language the importance of being fiscally responsible in order to ensure that the artistic vision can be realized,” says Nominator Catherine Taylor.

Quinte Arts Council

(l to r) Anna Fraiberg, Jen Achilles, Dug Stevenson, Janet Jarrell, Victor Cooper, Sue Smith, Mayor Mitch Panciuk, QW Mayor Jim Harrison

Dan Atkinson

Anne Cunningham

Eighty Twenty Studio: Nominator Dug Stevenson, of the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Team, says, “Victor Cooper and Kelly McKinney are repeatedly creating high-quality products for their clients in a way that is raising the bar for video quality in our region and across southeastern Ontario. Their series Stoney Lonesome not only tells stories about our home, but they also shot it in our home, cast many local actors, and they're helping to put our home on the map by successfully pitching it to Bell for their Fibe streaming channel.”

Howard Rees is a jazz musician passionate about mentoring and developing a love of music in children. Nominated by Andrea Kerr, former Curriculum Coordinator for the Arts at the HPEDSB. “Howard had an immense impact on 130 students from four schools in the center of Belleville. Students studied his original choral jazz music, improvisation, and lyric writing… expanding their pride in themselves, their creativity, self-esteem, concentration, a sense of belonging, and music skills, as well as an appreciation for the performing arts.”

Anne Cunningham: An arts educator, visual artist and arts advocate Anne Cunningham is a pillar of the arts community in Quinte. In the 1970s, she joined the Quinte Arts Council board, where she served for over four decades as a Director, Vice-Chair, Chair and Past Chair. “Anne’s significant contributions and impact to the arts demonstrates why these awards were created many years ago,” says nominator Marilyn Lawrie, former Executive Director of the Quinte Arts Council. “She deserves to be recognized for all she has done for the focus upon and nourishment of the arts in our com-

munity. This region is so much stronger for having Anne in our creative midst.”

Thank you to the event sponsors McDougall Insurance and Financial, Ralph Johnston, The John M. & Bernice Parrott Foundation and The City of Belleville, and to host Paul Dinkel of Paulo’s/Dinkel’s Restaurants and local artist Mark Armstrong for designing the awards.

Photos by Marilyn Warren

Quinte Arts Council

(l to r) Tweed Mayor Don Degenova, Emily Mewett, Tim Porter, Janet Jarrell, Vicki McCulloch

Howard Rees Mayor Mitch Panciuk

Fall Scenes of Quinte

By QAC Team

Autumn is an inspirational season for artists, and the season's beauty was at the forefront of Fall Scenes of Quinte, the Quinte Arts Council (QAC) Gallery Show and Art Sale this October. The show featured the works of David Alexander, Tom Ashbourne, Peter Bates, Judy Clark, Kelli Dossi, Daniel Fobert, Sabrina Jovic, Lorraine Mackie, Helen Van Poorten, Sandra Lee Randle, Lola Reid Allin, Joanne Rich, and William Richards. Fall Scenes of Quinte ran from October 3rd-31st and was the third collaborative show at the QAC gallery this year.

Sandra Lee Randle, Autumn Mood

Daniel Fobert, SpringBrook

Peter Bates, AlgaeOnTheBay

Kelli Diosi, Frankford Trees

William Murdock Richards, Birch Stand

Helen van Poorten, Who Are You?

Judy Clark, LastLight

Lorraine Mackie, CountyRoad49

Quinte Arts Council

David Alexander, West Zwick’s Pavilion

Lola Reid Allin, Soccer Pitch

Justin Anderson took up landscape and wildlife photography as a hobby while hiking nature trails in Quinte West and across Ontario. Now an award-winning local photographer, Anderson stepped up his game by becoming a licensed drone pilot.

While Anderson is well-known locally as the afternoon drive host for Mix 97, his drone photography and films are quickly becoming his signature stamp. His stunning aerial shots showcase the region's finest locations. Audiences can see familiar places like Meyers Pier, Bay of Quinte, Vanderwater Park, Belleville City Hall, streetscapes, and more like never before.

Find Anderson on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram.

Content created in collaboration with the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board