What's happening on your lake: Art for everyone

WHAT'S HAPPENING ON YOUR LAKE?

Art for everyone

SUBMITTED BY THE MUSE - DOUGLAS FAMILY ART CENTRE AND LAKE OF THE WOODS ARTS COMMUNITY

The arts community in Kenora and Lake of the Woods has always been strong, including a rich array of artists from all creative disciplines—visual, vocal, performing and literary arts. While the pandemic had a profound impact on the arts, local arts organizations like The Muse - Douglas Family Art Centre and Lake of the Woods Arts Community (LOWAC) found ways to offer virtual programming and exhibits to bring artists and their audiences together when it wasn’t possible to do so in person. Both organizations are looking forward to welcoming arts enthusiasts “back” now that restrictions are being eased.

The Douglas Family Art Centre had only been open a matter of months when COVID-19 hit, and it was required to close its doors. “This was incredibly disappointing,” said Sophie Lavoie, curator. “Our original opening date was delayed, so we were raring to go and had some outstanding exhibits planned for the earlier part of 2020,” she said. Not knowing when they would be allowed to re-open, The Muse team put their heads together. “It was becoming evident that, during the lockdown, the arts were playing an important role, assisting people with the processing of the pandemic and just getting through the days of isolation.” The Muse put out a call for artists to provide artworks for an exhibit that would be entitled Art in the Time of Corona.

The response was extraordinary and the exhibit, originally featured live at the Douglas Family Art Centre, from late October 2020 to February 2021, featured over 46 pieces of works by artists of all levels of experience who expressed their COVID-19 experience through poetry, paintings, glass, ceramics, photography, textiles, videos, and more. “It truly was a means by which we could come together as a community and through the art that was created, support each other, and share in our collective experience,” said Lavoie.

With both the museum and art centre closed during lockdowns, Art Centre programmer Shelby Smith was at the core of developing online content for Art in the time of Corona, Maud Lewis, and Strike a Pose. “We also had up for a limited time Colour with a U and there is currently Story Trees as well.” The virtual exhibitions are available at themusekenora.ca/ exhibitions/virtual-exhibitions.

The Man in the Mirror, c1895, photographer unknown, from the collection of the Banning Family on Coney Island, is one of over 60 portraits featured in Strike a Pose: Portraits from the Collection, now available as a virtual exhibition.

Once its annual ArtsFest was cancelled in 2020, LOWAC, which is a local non-profit that supports the arts community, knew it too needed to find new ways to fulfill its mission to foster and promote the spirit of creativity in the City of Kenora and the surrounding area of Lake of the Woods.

“As artists ourselves, our Board was seeing first-hand how much the arts community was helping to bring people together online to experience, create and share art in the early days of the pandemic,” said LOWAC’s chair Leanne Fournier.

Aimee Baldwin, Moon in June studio, conducted a lively pinch pot making session for LOWAC’s Arts@Home.

A call was put for submissions for Arts@Home, which would include free online performances, workshops and presentations from regional artists. Thanks to the tremendous response and a Dream Fund grant from the Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation (KLWCF), the program ran from September 2020 to April 2021. Audiences were invited to create their own art pieces, as well as listen, learn and enjoy the talents of a wonderful array of area artists.

“We were thrilled with the response,” said Fournier. She adds that it’s well-recognized that the arts sector continues to be affected by the pandemic. For this reason, LOWAC has again successfully applied for KLWCF funding and will be offering Arts@Home starting this fall.

“Arts@Home is free and open to anyone anywhere who can join online via Zoom,” said Fournier. Scheduling is still underway. Check lowac.ca/artshome for updates.

Upcoming exhibits at The Muse

The Muse is pleased to welcome everyone back to its Main Street locations with three wonderful exhibitions.

Beads Of Truth: Ruth Cuthand

The Douglas Family Art Centre: September 17 - November 27, 2021

Ruth Cuthand was born in Treaty 6 territory, in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. For more than 40 years she has used her art as a platform to speak about historic and contemporary settler/Native relationships and to challenge mainstream perspectives of colonialism. In 2020, she was presented with the Governor General’s Award for Visual Arts. Beads of Truth features beadwork that addresses the history of diseases introduced to Indigenous peoples from European settlers, the poor conditions in which many live on reserves, and the effects of intergenerational trauma.

Bakaan Nake'ii Ngii-Izhi-Gakinoo'amaagoomin/ We Were Taught Differently: The Indian School Experience

The Lake of the Woods Museum: September 23 - October 20, 2021

This award-winning exhibit originally opened at the Lake of the Woods Museum in 2008 and is on display again this fall. The exhibit will allow visitors to learn about the Indian Residential School system with a particular focus on the two schools located in Kenora—Cecilia Jeffrey and St. Mary’s. Powerful images, text, archival material, and personal recollections combine to tell this story. The primary objectives of this exhibit are to acknowledge this part of our history; to promote awareness about the residential schools and the long-term effect they had on the First Nations people; and to honour those whose lives have been touched by the schools. It is an exhibit for everyone.

Somewhere In The Sky, Nancy Bergman

The Douglas Family Art Centre: October 1 - December 24, 2021

Local textile artist Nancy Bergman presents a selection of her art quilts symbolizing the sky and its mysteries during a 24-hour day. She observed that the circle is found everywhere in nature and dominates our lives. "When we view the sky, we see the circles of the moon, sun, planets, and stars. Ancient cultures used the circle to note the way that time and the seasons passed in a cyclical way.”

For more information, visit: themusekenora.ca or call (807) 467-2105.

Title photo: Art in the Time of Corona, originally exhibited at the Douglas Family Art Centre, is now available as a virtual tour (where you can see the artists names and statements) at themusekenora.ca/exhibitions/virtual-exhibitions.