1. art and entertainment

Winter 2014 / 2015
COVERING THE ARTS IN QUINTE
Volume 24, Number 4
PHOTO: MICHAEL BRETHOUR
BelleVegas II: Hip for the Holidays!
The entire cast of musicians and vocalists joined in an exciting finale at September’s BelleVegas Variety Show extravaganza.
Those who attended the BelleVegas Variety Show held
in September will agree that it was an outstanding
evening of entertainment, filled with great music and
enough energy to light Times Square.
Near the end of the show everyone
was up dancing in their seats! All
those who participated, audiences
as well as those on stage, had an
absolute blast. The evening was
so successful that we are bringing
BelleVegas back, with a holiday
twist, on December 5, at the Empire
Theatre.
cast mates, as they are very close friends who love to
share their passion for music with their audiences!
Joining Variety for this concert are: Lenni Stewart, Tim
Campbell, Susan Walsh, Randy Coker, Tim Hunt, Debra
Tosh, Kim Dafoe, Wendy Shaer and Sam Brady.
Mezzo-Soprano Kim Dafoe is no stranger to concert
halls and theatres of the area. Stage and solo credits
include work with The Kingston Symphony, The
Kingston Summer Festival, The Kingston Grand
Theatre, The Quinte Symphony, The Stirling Festival
Theatre, The Trentones, For the Love of a Song, The
Westben Arts Festival Theatre, Tweed National Theatre,
The Belleville Theatre Guild, Bridge St. United Church,
and Opera Buffa. Kim is currently the Arts Department
Head at Centre Hastings Secondary School in Madoc.
PHOTO: BOB HOUSE
The evening featured Variety, The Dance and Show
Band, joined by local musicians and
vocalists: All you Need is Love’s
Mark Rashotte and Andy Forgie,
Susan Walsh of For the Love of a
Song, and a host of other special
guests including Sam Brady, Tim
Campbell, Jeanette Arsenault,
Solitary Man Tim Hunt, Lenni
Stewart, Wendy Shaer, Melanie Hilmi
and Colonel David Lowthian.
alto sax; Brook Wododich, baritone sax, and Dan Shaer,
vocals/tenor/keyboards/drums.
An accomplished singer/songwriter
and entertainer, Lenni Stewart’s
repertoire and vocal style concentrate
on two main genre groups traditional jazz and boogie blues, and
country rhythm and blues with her
two bands, Lenni Stewart Trio and
Manhattan Rouge Jazz Trio. “Like
a fine red wine, Lenni’s sound is
full, vibrant, smoky and sensual, and
where a good vintage might carry
hints of cherry or chocolate, Lenni’s
rich and velvety voice is reminiscent
of such greats as Ella Fitzgerald,
Maria Muldaur and Bonnie Raitt,”
states J.D. Carpenter, jazz poet and
award-winning Canadian novelist.
Debra Tosh will lend her vocal skills to
Hip for the Holidays
BelleVegas II – Hip for the Holidays will again feature
Variety’s lineup of musicians, with some of the top
musicians in the region, from Toronto to Kingston to
Peterborough. They are: Wendy Shaer, vocals; Duncan
Cooper, keyboards/vocals; Bob Arledge, bass guitar;
Neal Mattice, lead guitar; Andy Coffin, trumpet; Don
Finlay, trumpet; Roger Chong, trombone; Fred Dory,
Audiences will recognize Susan
Walsh from Belleville Theatre Guild
musicals, singing with The Commodores’ Orchestra and
Frank Howard Orchestra, years of performing with the
five-piece vocal group Harmonie, an amazing decade of
rockin’ and rollin’ with The Cadillacs Showband, and
directing, producing and performing in the annual For
The Love of a Song fall fundraiser since 2007. She feels
blessed working with her seven very talented FTLOAS
You can have
your wedding at
44 Bridge St. E.
613-966-2556
Downtown Belleville
www.dinkelsrestaurant.com
A PUBLICATION OF THE
Tim Hunt is a singer, songwriter, entertainer and coowner of Harmony Music Plus Ltd. and founder of
Musicians for Hope. Inspired by his father’s love of
Neil Diamond, Tim created Solitary Man, a world
continued on page 4...
Congratulations to our COMMUNITY PARTNER
Serving the Quinte region
for more than 65 years!
This issue sponsored by
Belleville Intelligencer
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chair
1st Vice Chair Treasurer
Dan Atkinson
Anne Cunningham
Jenny Woods
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dianne Coyle, Daniel Vaughan,
Libby Smith, Jeanette Arsenault
and Robert Kranendonk
STAFF
Carol Feeney
Executive Director
feeney@quinteartscouncil.org
Carol Bauer
Artist and Member Services Officer
carol@quinteartscouncil.org
Art in the Community:
visit the QAC’s
Gallery and Gift Shop for beautiful
Christmas gifts by local artists
On the walls…
On the bookshelf…
You have got to check out the offerings by local artists,
artisans and crafters that we have in the Quinte Arts
Council Gallery and Gift Shop! We have that perfect gift
for Christmas, whether it be a handcrafted scented soap
or set of earrings for a stocking stuffer, or paintings and
felt purses, hats and legwarmers to keep you cozy this
winter. And from now until mid-January, the featured
artists on the walls at the Gallery & Gift Shop are Dennis
Stembridge, Susan Moshynski and Robert Tokley.
There are also a number of fabulous books by local
authors, DVDs, CDs and gift cards. Books that we
currently have on hand include: Calla & Edourd, a
novella by Kathryn MacDonald; A Breeze You Whisper,
poems by Kathryn MacDonald; Act Like You’ve Been
There, Rules For My Brother, by Nick Foley; At The
Call of King and Country, by Bill Kennedy; Belleville:
A Popular History, by Gerry Boyce; Blue, by Michael
Rutland; Burn This Gossip, by Sheldon and Judith
Godfrey; Celebrating Hockey History, The Story of
the 1958/59 Belleville McFarlands, DVD by Peter
Lockyer; Flowertopia, poems and pictures by Kathy
Figueroa; Frugal Lawyer, Flashy Lawyer, by Donald
W. Desaulniers; Historic Hastings Volume 1, by Gerald
E. Boyce; History Lives Here, DVD by Peter Lockyer;
Lanark Chronicles – Book One – The Last, by W.D.
McKay; Lanark Chronicles – Book Two – Ghost God,
by W.D. McKay, Making Waves: The Story of Canada’s
Miss Supertest Team, DVD by Peter Lockyer; Mary
Aylward, by Paul Kirby; The Trail of Broken Hearts, by
Paul Kirby; Joe Alcorn’s Boy, by William D. Hawthorn;
More Macs More, Celebrating Hockey History: The
Belleville McFarlands, by Aaron Bell; Paudash Poems,
Kim Lidstone
Administrative Assistant
accounting@quinteartscouncil.org
The Quinte Arts Council is a not-for-profit,
charitable organization, registration number
107869448 RR 0001.
Publications mail agreement number 40667523.
Umbrella is delivered without charge to QAC
members, to municipal, provincial and federal
representatives, funding agencies, community
arts councils, Quinte region public libraries and
to selected media and public distribution outlets.
Editorial Staff:
Carol Bauer
Jane Mackenzie
Carol Feeney
Poetry Editor:
Chris Faiers
Design:
David Vaughan
Production:
Carol Bauer
Published by:
The Quinte Arts Council
36 Bridge St. E., P. O. Box 22113
Belleville, Ontario K8N 2Z5
Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday - Friday
Administration:613-962-1232
www.quinteartscouncil.org
Printed by:
McLaren Press Graphics
Bracebridge, Ontario
Pottery by Barbara Chappelle
continued on page 3...
Pear Trio, oil painting by Dennis Stembridge
Felted hat and scarf by Laurene Stather
Galaxy Night, painting by Jo Darnelle
Napanee River, photograph by Phil Norton
Deadline for Spring Mar/Apr/May 2015
issue is Monday, January 26, 2015.
Umbrella welcomes submissions in the following
categories: illustrations and photographs, articles
on or about the arts in the Quinte region, poetry or
prose. Umbrella assumes no responsibility for
unsolicited materials. Material may be reprinted only
with permission of the editor. Umbrella reserves the
right to edit, crop and editorialize all submissions.
Umbrella is mailed to members and is delivered to a
wide variety of distribution points throughout Quinte
and beyond. The information and opinions contained
in this newsletter are obtained from various sources
believed to be reliable, but their accuracy cannot be
guaranteed. The Quinte Arts Council and its
employees and agents assume no responsibility for
errors or omissions or for damages arising from the
use of the published information and opinions.
Readers are cautioned to consult their own
professional advisors to determine the applicability
of information and opinions in this newsletter in any
particular circumstances.
MISSION, VISION & VALUE STATEMENTS
Mission: The Quinte Arts Council is an umbrella
organization dedicated to promoting artists and arts
organizations in all disciplines and to further
appreciation of arts and culture in the Quinte region.
Vision: Cultivating Creativity
To achieve our mission, we:
• provide effective, accessible communication tools
• engage artists in our programs and events
• provide arts education opportunities for artists and students
• provide professional development activities for
artists
• foster and engage in dialogue about the arts in our community
#ISSN 1183 - 1839
2
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
On the shelves…
On the shelves we have jewellery, scarves, pottery,
buttons, magnets, weaving, wood carvings, soaps,
lotions, teas, books, CDs, DVDs, cards, Christmas
ornaments, and more, by a variety of talented Quinte
artisans.
See new work by potter Barbara Chappelle; suncatchers,
jewellery and window hangings by Tina Osborne;
jewellery and ribbon scarves by Glamour Junkie’s
Connie Yrjola; stained glass by Lynda Pauk; fused
glass by Jane Toombes; woven items and sampler
kits by Christine Allan; buttons, cards and ‘Domestic
Camo’ by Rachel Comeau; jewellery and Chakra laces
by Janice Teare; pottery by Niki Mitz; soaps, lotions
and therapy teas by Karen Warren; crystal, silver and
watercolour jewellery by Helen Steinberg; nuno felt
items made by Quixote by Laurene; pottery by Bailey
Brown; glass sun catchers (for indoors and out) by Linda
Conway; handmade bath and body creations from Essential
Relaxation; cutting boards by wood carver, Nikolay Savov;
glass work by Zak Sieben and pottery by Perry Poupore.
Glass suncatcher by Linda Conway
Necklace by Glamour Junkie
MESSAGE
FROM THE CHAIR
Dan Atkinson, Chair
Welcome to the winter edition of Umbrella. While
the past summer wasn’t blessed with the warm, dry
conditions that most of us look forward to, we should
be thankful that it was only rain that happened so
often—my agriculture friends tell me that this coming
winter will be similar to last winter, so forewarned is
forearmed!!
We continue to forge ahead, at the Quinte Arts Council,
with implementing our strategies to reshape how we
raise funds and deliver our services to the membership.
This past September, the QAC staged a Las Vegas type
show at The Empire, with a number of local celebrities
providing outstanding entertainment. In fact, the show
was such a success and created so much interest that
we have decided to produce a second one in early
December.
We also have other projects in the pipeline, at the time
of writing this message, such as an online auction, for
which we have secured a wide variety of interesting
and exciting items. This auction is scheduled for midNovember and by the time this edition of Umbrella is
in your hands, we should know how successful it was.
The Board believes that hosting a small number of
varied fund-raising activities will improve our profile
in the community and will eventually result in a more
successful and stable financial position for the QAC. It
also removes us from the necessity of placing all our
fund-raising eggs in one basket, as we did by hosting a
Gala.
Windy Shore, oil on canvas by Robert Tokley
by Kathy Figueroa; poetry by Karen Dack; Priests in
the Attic, by Elaine A. Small; Quinte Cuisine, by the
CFUW; Season of Deceit, by Robin Timmerman; The
Pity of the Winds, by Robin Timmerman; The Puppet
and the Poet, by Nan French; The Remarkable Journey
of Maurice Rollins, by Orland French; Touring the Past,
by Bob Lyons; VinLand – The Ragnarok, VinLand –
The Beginning, and Undead At Groom Lake, by R.G.
Johnston; Whimsical Ways, poetry by James H. Brown;
Wind, Water, Barley and Wine: The Nature of Prince
Edward County, by Orland French; Your Loving Anna:
letters from the Ontario frontier, by Anna Leveridge;
Growing Up Quinte, by Jack Evans and Cyndi Crowder,
and Over the Hills of Home, by Paul Kirby. So many
items that are perfect for gift-giving!
All natural soaps and laundry kits by Essential Relaxation
Around town…
In venues around Belleville you’ll see work by:
Josephine Darnell at Dinkel’s Restaurant & Courtyard,
Robert Tokley at Earl & Engelo’s Restaurant, David
Alexander at The Boathouse Restaurant, Phil Norton at
Prime Time Steakhouse, Janice Teare at Bathworks, and
members of the Belleville Art Association at the Family
Medical Centre in the Bayview Mall.
For more information, call the QAC at 613-962-1232 or
visit quinteartscouncil.org.
Domestic Camo blocks by Rachel Comeau
The Gallery and Gift Shop is located at 36 Bridge Street
East in downtown Belleville and is open Tuesdays
through Fridays, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
As you know, all municipalities in Ontario recently
held their elections. We congratulate those who were
successful in their campaigns and also congratulate
all other candidates for placing their names before the
voters and thus demonstrating a desire to participate in
the affairs of their community. The Quinte Arts Council
is an active participant in the Regional Cultural
Roundtable Group and is part of the committee that
sent out information apprising the candidates of the
existence of a Regional Cultural Plan and asking for
their position on support for arts and culture. These
responses were sent to our membership. I was pleased
to note that all respondents, the majority of the
candidates, expressed continued support for arts and
culture programs in our communities.
As a final note, as we head towards the holiday season,
I’d like to wish all of you a wonderful Christmas. I
hope you have a safe and happy New Year and thank
you for your continued support of the Quinte Arts
Council. I’d also like to thank the staff for all of their
efforts over the past year and for the support they have
provided me.
As always, I welcome any comments or suggestions.
Dan Atkinson FCPA, FCA
Chair
The Staff and
Board of the
Quinte Arts Council
wish you all a
Happy Holiday!
Fused glass plate by Jane Toombes
Wooden cutting board by Nikolay Savoy
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
3
continued from page 1...
Guitarist, singer and songwriter, Timothy Campbell is
a well renowned performer in the Quinte area. As the
owner of Keynote Studios, he has helped to instruct
and produce many aspiring and professional musicians
over the years. As the producer of the radio show
Handmade Music, he helped area artists gain access
to the local airwaves. A co-founder of Musicians for
Hope, he continues to use his talents to respond to
his neighbours in need. As well as being a founding
member of such legendary local groups as Sands Of
Time, Bentwood Rocker and All You Need Is Love,
he continues to work with many successful musical
Kim Dafoe
handcrafted
and custom creations
repairs, re-designs
classes and supplies
by designer,
Connie Yrjola
MC Rick Zimmerman
ww w.g la mou rju nk ie .ca
class tribute to the music of Neil Diamond, and he has
performed under that stage name since 1991. In more
recent years, he has formed a new band called The
Getaway, performing hits from the 60s through to today.
613.966.5692
PHOTO: MICHAEL BRETHOUR
Debra Tosh is a dynamic and engaging person, who is
well known as an actor, director, producer and singer.
She has performed on numerous stages, including The
Belleville Theatre Guild, as a cabaret singer at many
corporate and private events, in the Musical Gifts series
at the Belleville Public Library, in professional murder
mystery dinner theatre and for countless fundraisers. A
successful realtor for Re/Max Quinte Ltd. Brokerage,
this Belleville native has devoted countless hours to her
community, as a volunteer for numerous organizations.
glamourjunkie@cogeco.ca
Tim Hunt
PHOTO: MICHAEL BRETHOUR
projects. Currently, Tim is actively recording and
performing, both solo and with the Timothy Campbell
Band.
Community Banking & Financial Services
293 Sidney St. 251 RCAF Rd.
Belleville Trenton
613.966.4111 613.394.3361
Bellevegas II promises to be as energetic as it will
be entertaining, with actor, singer and host Rick
Zimmerman as the Master of Ceremonies. Each act will
include a contemporary piece from Variety’s extensive
playlist and a holiday tune to get you in the spirit of
the season. The show starts at 7:30 pm on Friday,
My Credit Union - My Community - My Future
www.qcu.ca
Sam Brady
Sam Brady is a familiar face to many people in our
community. He, along with partners Brian Knudsen,
Greg Knudsen and Gord Vaughan of the Knudsen Brady
Vaughan Advisory Group CIBC Wood Gundy, have deep
roots in the community, and a profound commitment to
public leadership and support, reflecting their clients’
values of responsible affluence. His stage debut at the
last concert was incredible. Sam literally captivated the
audience with his vocal style and stage presence. We
can’t wait to see what he will do this time.
Wendy Shaer has an extensive background as a vocalist,
with both live bands and theatre. She is currently
lead female vocalist with: Variety, the Dance & Show
Band, The Power Connection, and the Dan Shaer Big
Band. Her past credits include: playing Mary in the
musical Jesus Christ Superstar, I’ve Heard That Song
Before, Mother Superior in Sound of Music, Annie, the
Broadway version of A Christmas Carol, and narrator
with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
She was also a cast member with West Bend Theatre and
the past lead vocalist with the Ron Merringer Big Band.
PHOTO: MICHAEL BRETHOUR
She has won two major acting awards and a directing
award at The Eastern Ontario Drama League Festival,
competed in Dancing with the Stars Quinte and was
recognized with an Arts Recognition Award by The
Quinte Arts Council.
Tim Campbell
December 5. Tickets are $35 each and will be available
at the Empire Theatre Box Office (613-969-0099 or
theempiretheatre.com).
Since 1967, the Quinte Arts Council has been serving
its membership – artists, member groups, community
friends, businesses, and students – while offering quality
entertainment, arts experiences, and arts education for
people of all ages in the community. Proceeds from
the show will be used to support Quinte Arts Council’s
programming. This is a Shaer Production with local
media/marketing partners they integrated, Mix 97, Rock
107, CJBQ, Hits 95.5 and Cool 100 on board to support
the event.
QUINTE ARTS COUNCIL
GALLERY &
GIFT SHOP
Unique, affordable gifts
Artwork by Quinte Artists
Books, Paintings, Jewellery, Pottery
Buttons, Compacts & Bottle Openers
Glass Art, Fabric Art
Gloves, Hats and Scarves
Natural Soaps, Creams & Laundry Kits
CDs, Gift Cards, and more
ART IN THE COMMUNITY - Looking For Visual Artists
The Quinte Arts Council’s Art in the Community program puts work by member
artists out into public spaces where the community and potential buyers will see
them. Pictured here is Robert Tokley hanging a new piece in the QAC’s Gallery
and Gift Shop. Robert has sold six pieces through Art in the Community. Congratulations Robert! If you are a visual art member of the QAC, producing work that can
hang on walls, and would like to be part of Art in the Community, please contact us
at 613-962-1232 or feeney@quinteartscouncil.org. We’ll need images of your work
and an artist’s statement. Currently, we are looking for work for our show running
mid-January until the end of March, as well as future shows.
4
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
Start Your Holiday
Shopping Here!
36 Bridge St. East, Belleville
Open Tues. to Fri. 9:30 to 4:30
WWW.QUINTEARTSCOUNCIL.ORG
VISUAL ARTS
Mug shots, dock shots and more at the Parrott Gallery
By Susan Holland, Curator
Not only will you be
captivated by the individuals
as you look at the images,
but you will be interested to
read about their crimes and
the punishments of the time!
There are many interesting
facts included on the labels
for the show, such as, only
18 of the 474 mug shots
collected during these years
were of women.
The exhibition provides a
unique perspective on the
social history of Ontario
during those years, including
police practices, the
emergence of photography
and the development and
Mug Shot: Lillie Williams, arrested on August 11, 1901. Courtesy of the OPP Museum
social phenomena of the mug
shot. This show continues to December 31 in Gallery One.
As we trudge (reluctantly?) into another winter season,
we invite you to warm your toes and your souls by
In Gallery Two, from December 4 to 31, you can enjoy
visiting the John M. Parrott Art Gallery! There is a lot
On the River: A Sailor’s Perspective (favorite places
going on…..
in the Thousand Islands), a selection of new
works in oil by local painter Peter Davis.
Arresting Images: Mug shots from The OPP Museum
Peter has been sailing the Thousand Islands
is an award-winning travelling exhibition that made
area for many years and has painted some
its debut in 2009 during the 100th anniversary of the
of the most beautiful scenes he enjoyed
Ontario Provincial Police. This bilingual exhibition
during his travels. Meet Peter at the opening
consists of 100 framed reproductions of criminal
reception on Thursday, December 4, from 6 to
photos (mug shots), dating from 1886 to 1908, along
7:30 pm.
with a strong educational element.
Artists Below the Line is a group of creators, founded
about three years ago, as a result of discussions about
the difficulties, challenges and pure joy that accompany
an attempt to make a living by making art. You may
know the artists and their good works through their
association with Downtown Docfest and the annual
exhibition held in conjunction, highlighting the works
of the members of the artistic community here in
Belleville. Co-founder Peter Paylor says: “…talent
is ruthlessly equitable—it doesn’t check your wallet
before it seeks you out and as a result, there are dozens
of talented artists in the Quinte Region who face real
economic barriers to being able to create, show and sell
their work if they choose. Artists Below the Line exists
in order to make the community aware of the issues
that these artists face and it was born from the belief
that once they were made aware, the members of the
community would show their support, both financially
and otherwise.”
The High Cost of Living (in colour) is the group’s
inaugural exhibition here at the Parrott Gallery and runs
from February 19 to March 25. Meet the artists and
show your support at an opening reception on Thursday,
February 19, from 6 to 7:30 pm.
In Gallery One
from January
8 to February
12, master
watercolorist
Donna Bonin will
be exhibiting work
by both herself and
some of her artist
In the Right Light, photograph by Audra Kent
students in a show
titled Adventures Abroad.
Through the generosity of Belleville artist Wim Mijusson,
This show will feature
we are the grateful recipient of the donation of the
paintings in various media.
remaining portion of his life’s work. Heartfelt thanks to
All of the work was done
Wim for his gift to us, and for making us the stewards
during Donna’s European
of these 172 paintings, created over a period spanning
Workshops over the last
50 years. We invite you to view selections from this new
several years.
collection in Gallery Two from February 19 to March
25. I have worked very closely with Wim prior to the
During the same period,
donation and have come to deeply respect and admire the
photographer Audra Kent
man and his life as portrayed through his painting. In the
will be presenting In the
coming years, you will find other selections throughout
Right Light in Gallery Two.
the Library and Gallery from time to time.
This is Audra’s first solo
show and her images are
And while you’re here, take a moment to browse the
stunning and span a wide
Gallery Shop. You may find that special something
variety of subject matter.
you’ve been looking for!
The opening reception for
both shows is Thursday,
January 8 from 6 to 7:30 pm.
,
View from the Dock, Endymion Island, oil painting by Peter Davis
For more information, please give us a call at
613-968-6731 ext. 2240 or visit our website at:
bellevillelibrary.ca.
CALL FOR ARTISTS
Rednersville Road Art Tour
The highly successful Rednersville Road Art Tour is now inviting new hosts and guests to participate on their 2015 Labour Day Tour.
Application forms can be found on their website - www.rednersvilleroadarttour.com - under the heading “Join the Tour”. Each host venue
must either be on the Rednersville Road (County Road 3 in Prince Edward County) or within the area bounded by the Bay of Quinte on
the north and within 2 kms south of the Bay. Guests do not have to reside in the required host geographical area. They would be
co-located with a willing and available host. Deadline to apply is December 15, 2014.
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
5
Fibre art at Gallery One-Twenty-One
By Kathryn Fellows
The Annual Christmas Show at Gallery One Twenty
One runs throughout the month of December. Not only
will you find wonderful gift ideas, you will be pleased
to see the reasonable prices on numerous items, priced
for the discerning shopper. Joining the members of the
gallery will be: Marion Casson with her wonderful
weaving and scarves, Claudette Boulanger and
Claudia McCabe with original pieces of art, Christine
Walker-Bird, who works in fabrics, leathers, mittens,
Lisa Morris who makes very unique jewellery, Marc
Bourdon with jewellery and glass sculptures – literally
something for everyone!
From January 6 to February 14, 2015, we present
our first ever Fibre Artists’ Show, with an opening
reception on Saturday, January 10, from 2 to 4 pm.
Please join us for the oPening
saturday, november 1, 2-4pm
CLASSES
C HRISTINE ’ S
S WEDISH W EAVING
“Walk with me into the woods or swamp - be inspired,
as I am, by the wildness of the spaces so close to where
we live.” Gallery One-Twenty-One member Ann Fales
will be joined by members of the Quinte Fibre Arts
Group to display their works. Ann, originally from B.C.,
grew up in a family where all of the children’s clothes
were made by hand by her mother. She received her
first embroidery kit when she was five and was making
many of her own clothes by the time she was nine. Ann
eventually became a mature student and studied at the
University of Washington where she received a BA in
Sociology and Anthropology. An MA in Adult Education
from the University of Chicago followed a couple of
years later, and then her Ph.D. She eventually accepted
a position as Assistant Professor of Adult Education at
OISE in Toronto.
In 1980 Ann moved to a farm on the Moira River, where
she still lives. She began quilting in 1994 because she
was inspired to make ‘wall art’ using fabrics. She took a
quilting course from Phyllis Sawyer at Foxboro Fabrics
to learn the basics, and the rest is history!
“A creative way to relax at the
end of the day!”
Monk’s Cloth, patterns, books,
notions, yarns, kits and much more!
Classes & Wholesale
205-135 Tracey St. Belleville
By appointment or by chance
Christine 613-779-7928
www.funandfastpatterns.ca
christine@funandfastpatterns.ca
493 Flying Club Road,
Stirling, ON K0K 3E0
(613) 395-0727
Showcasing the artistic expressions of
30+ local, national and international
artists and artisans
Jewelry • Pewter • Pottery • Art • Scarves
Hand-crafted Wood Vases & Bowls
Stained, Blown and Fused Glass Designs
Don’t let another gift giving event pass
you by without visiting The Gift Boutique.
Experience… Gift Giving at its very best!
December Hours: Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun: 10-2. Closed from
Dec. 25/14 to Jan. 13/15, re-opening on Wed, Sat and
1st and 3rd Sundays from 10-2 (Jan 14-May 1/2015).
Should you not be able to shop during these hours
kindly contact us for an appointment. We will be
happy to accommodate you.
In 1995 Ann and her husband became winter caretakers at
a floating fishing lodge in B.C. “There I had lots of time to
quilt and the surreal beauty around me provided visual and
psychic inspiration to create my own quilting designs”.
Ann is a member of the Prince Edward County Quilters’
Guild, and the Quinte Fibre Artists and has received
many awards for her fibre art.
One of the artists who has influenced Ann is Joan
Reive. Joan has been painting and sewing for most of
her life. She was a member of Gallery One-Twenty-One
for 13 years and has been a member of the Belleville Art
Association since 1967. She spent 35 years teaching art
classes for Loyalist College in the Continuing Education
program. As a fibre artist, she is a member of the Quinte
Fibre Arts Group, the Quinte Quilters’ Guild, The Quinte
Needle Arts Guild, The Trent Valley Quilters’ Guild and
Studio Art Quilts Association as well as The Canadian
Quilters’ Association. Joan is very well known in the
community as a watercolour artist and paints in acrylics
and oils as well. She has won many awards for both her
fibre art and her paintings over the years.
Marta Mouka lives in Tweed Ontario. She was born
and raised in the Czech Republic. After graduating
from college, she studied graphic design at the College
of Applied Arts in Brno, Czech Republic. Her family
immigrated to Canada in 1984 and for the next 25 years
she held a graphic design position in the advertising/
publishing field.
“I have been creating art for over 20 years. At first it
was a peaceful escape from my demanding professional
work. Now that I live in a centuries-old farm near
Tweed, with my partner and numerous orange cats, my
full focus is on art. I became a full time artist in 2008.”
two small businesses and still found time to knit, tole
paint and design her own clothing.
Pat has been a member of the Prince Edward Quilt Guild
for more than 15 years. She has received Best Overall
and Best of Show awards. In 2004, Pat was invited to
join the Quinte Fibre Artists. She has shown her work
at various quilt shows: the John Parrott Gallery in
Belleville, Black Prince Gallery, Art in the Community
and Tall Poppy Café.
Karen Kaiser is originally from Kingston. She was a
teacher, having graduated from Peterborough Teachers
College. She has also been a graphic designer in
advertising, a salesperson, a manager of West Moira
Orchards with her husband Kurt, and for 23 years she
has been an artist. Traditional rug hooking became an
interest to her in 2001, and she has hooked hundreds
of rugs in various styles. Currently Karen is a member
of the Ontario Hooking Craft Guild, is a member of
the board of OHCG and is coordinator for the OHCG
school. Karen has shown her works at many venues in
Eastern Ontario.
Lindy Powell is a member of The Dumpster Diva
Collective, regional artists who all work in recycled
materials. Lindy, a retired teacher from Loyalist College,
has been enjoying creating ‘artsy items’ from recycled
fabrics, clip-on earrings from her mother’s era, and
vintage buttons.
“My fashionista daughter has finally convinced me
that if I wear more than seven accessories at once I run
the risk of looking tacky, so crazy quilting is a way to
indulge my love of ornamentation. I use buttons and
bits of jewellery to embellish my work … finally I’ve
found a use for all of those fabulous clip-on earrings I
can’t resist buying at thrift stores and yard sales. When it
comes to crazy quilting, more is more.”
Mary Andrews Minigan is a third generation artist
whose Belleville childhood included an arts education
by osmosis. Her grandmother, Nettie Wardner, was an
accomplished watercolourist, and her mother, Muriel
Andrews, was a well-known painter and teacher.
Mary graduated from the University of Western Ontario
with a B.A., and found herself working for Revenue
Canada, a job that was not a natural fit for a creative
person. In 2000, tired of feeling like a square peg in a
round hole, she left RCA to pursue interests closer to
her heart. Over the ensuing years she studied with many
inspiring fibre artists through Fibreworks, St. Lawrence
College and Quinte Fibre Artists. Mary lives in Thurlow
and at Consecon Lake.
Marta Smith has been involved with women and their
images, in various forms, for her entire career. Born and
raised in Toronto, she earned a diploma in Fashion Arts
from Ryerson, teaching certification from University of
Toronto and a B.A. from York University. She currently
lives in Milford Ontario.
Creating art dolls and fibre works is a natural
combination of her skills in textiles and jewellery
making, and her interests in feminism and images of
women. Found objects and materials make their way
into the designs and she finds it is a creative challenge
to manipulate an element and use it for other than its
intended purpose.
Marta is a member of the Canadian Doll Artists
Association and the Quinte Fibre Artists.
Marta has had her work accepted in numerous juried shows
and group exhibitions. Her work is displayed in a number
of galleries in Toronto, Kingston and the Quinte area.
Susan Walker has spent her life as an accomplished
dressmaker, sewing and creating beautiful and useful
items, mainly clothing. More recently she has been
creating watercolour paintings (and recently won an
award at the Belleville Art Associations’ juried show). Her
favourite subject matter seems to be painting sheep. But
back to her sewing…. her children’s jackets are adorable!
Patricia Sztuke was born and raised in ‘The County’
and has lived much of her life in a lakeside home
between Bloomfield and Wellington. Patricia taught
mentally challenged children, raised a family, operated
Bethany Garner is a professor of Fine Arts/Textile
Design at St. Lawrence College. She brings 20 years
of surface design and fibre arts experience to her work,
using multiple design and hands-on applications in
continued on page 8...
6
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
Shapes and colours at the Art Gallery of Bancroft
Lost in Tourngait National Park, 4’ x 5’ (partial shown), oil on canvas by Linda Lang
From December 3 through 27, the Art Gallery of
Bancroft will be featuring the photographs of Don
Wilson in a show titled Aesthetic Fabrications:
Photographs of an Industrial Geography.
In this exhibition, Wilson has created a dialogue of
the conflicted, between control and chaos, the bleak
and the beautiful. He describes this body of work as
an exploration of the shape of dissonance – a space
between form and function, redundance and purpose.
Photographed at the GP Flakeboard Plant in Birds
Creek, which was shut down in 2003, the images present
a tightly constructed, sparse landscape of constrained
ambiguity.
Wilson said, “These images are meant as metaphors for
the uneasy balance we strike, a balance between our
personal sense of purpose and value, and the burden of
our utility within a broader societal context.”
Wilson describes the plant as once animated by the
hopes and labours of a prospering community, now
sitting idle, a vacant landscape of steel and concrete
abandoned to the vagaries of economics. “Every time
I go back to the site, a little bit more has been taken
apart, plants grow up through the asphalt and rust
continues to consume steel. It’s a wonderful place to
have been granted access to, exciting to be around an
alien landscape of large industrial structures. The kid in
me was in his glory. At the same time, it’s a melancholy
place full of the evidence of human activity, echoes of a
lost purpose.”
O’Marra will be the juror. O’Marra is known for his
realist paintings and drawings and has recently begun
exploring abstraction as well.
her mentor, Doris McCarthy. Lang has led expeditions
and exhibited throughout Canada (including the Arctic),
United States, and in Russia.
The Art Gallery of Bancroft has been holding the student
exhibitions since the early 1990s, and after the passing
of artist and gallery committee member Michal Manson,
in February 2010, the student exhibition was named in
her honor.
Glaciers Gone Bye is an educational exhibition of
oil paintings and journal excerpts, based on changes
Lang has seen in the Polar Regions since 2002. Such
changes include seeing entire mountains melt in three
years, polar bears climbing bird cliffs in search of food
and the effect of climate change on the Inuit people,
their landscape and the wildlife they share the land
with. There will be an educational booklet produced
with the exhibition, as well as school tours and
presentations. Opening reception and awards ceremony will be held on
Saturday, January 10, at 2 pm.
From February 4 through 28, the Art Gallery of
Bancroft will be featuring the paintings of Linda Lang
in a show titled Glaciers Gone Bye.
Linda Lang is an internationally acclaimed expedition
and climate change artist, whose paintings are based on
the knowledge she has gained from her Inuit friends,
scientists and over a dozen expeditions to the polar
regions. She first travelled to the Arctic in 2002 with
Lang began studying painting at the age of 12, when
she took lessons from Alice Forestell in Tottenham,
Ontario. She has taken many workshops, including some
with Doris McCarthy, and studied Fine Arts at York
University. Lang also studied animation and website
design at Ontario College of Art and Design.
Wilson received a Bachelor of Applied Arts,
Photographic Arts, from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute
in Toronto. He is a founding member of A Place for the
Arts Artists Collective in Bancroft.
The artist is grateful to the Ontario Arts Council
for Exhibition Assistance. There will be an opening
reception on Friday, December 5 at 7:30pm.
Untitled photograph, by Don Wilson
From January 7 through 31, the Art Gallery of
Bancroft will be holding its 24th annual juried student
exhibition, titled Michal Manson Memorial High School
Exhibition.
This annual exhibition gathers artwork from four high
schools in the area, as well as from home-schooled
students. North Hastings High School in Bancroft,
Centre Hastings Secondary School in Madoc,
Madawaska Valley District High School in Barry’s
Bay and Haliburton Highlands Secondary School
in Haliburton will be submitting 10 to 15 pieces per
school for selection for the exhibition. Artist Allan
Lang’s painting Lost in Tourngait National Park is based
on an expedition she did in 2011 to Tourngait National
Park in Labrador. Lang said, “Our guides were used to
watching for polar bears on snow and rocks and almost
missed a polar bear hiding in the bushes. That was the
first time we had seen a polar bear so far south. This
painting explores the disconnection of his not belonging
there.”
Lang is a former board member of the Society of
Canadian Artists, an elected Signature Member
of Artists for Conservation, former Art Liaison
for International Polar Year, and founder of Polar
Artists Group and the Arctic Quest 2006 project. She
represented Polar Artists at the launch of International
Polar Year in Paris, France in 2007, participated in
the Circumpolar Artists Round Table discussions at
the United Nations Office in Geneva, and in 2008 and
2009 she represented Canada at the Northern Lights
Festival in the Russian Arctic.
Lang has taught art workshops for the Toronto District
Catholic School Board, for the McMichael Canadian
Art Collection, and for Students on Ice Climate Change
expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica in Russia and
the United States.
There will be an opening reception on Friday, February
6, at 7:30 pm.
Untitled photograph, by Don Wilson
The Art Gallery of Bancroft is located at 10 Flint Avenue
in Bancroft. For more information, contact the gallery at
613-332-1542 or agb@nexicom.net.
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
7
continued from page 6...
A passion for art... on the high seas!
In the two years since Peter Davis retired from his
position of over 20 years as the designer of the QAC’s arts
newspaper, Umbrella, he has continued to work on a series
of paintings of the 1000 Islands. Peter and his partner,
Jane Mackenzie, have been sailing since 1989, and the
section of the St. Lawrence River between Kingston and
Brockville quickly became their favourite destination.
islands were the obvious subject matter.
Peter has worked for over 50 years as a painter and
visual artist, including advertising art direction,
magazine and newspaper design, and photography.
When he decided, a few years ago, to do some
landscape paintings, the St. Lawrence and its beautiful
Some of Peter’s favourite places on the river can be seen
at his up-coming show at the John M. Parrott Gallery
in the Belleville Library. The opening reception is on
December 4, from 6 to 7:30 pm, and the show runs until
December 31.
The islands contain many places where boaters can find
the solitude of an anchorage or the companionship of a
dock in the unique 1000 Islands Park. It also supplies a
painter with the opportunity to explore the scenic beauty
and the ever-changing light which the river provides.
surface technique and stitch, dye, paint and screen
printing, colour theory and studies, and free form
intuitive stitch technique. Bethany is an accomplished
quilter and stitch instructor. She has exhibited her
artwork in exhibitions across Ontario, Canada and the U.S.
Carol Anne Peterson says, “My fabric creations are
an eclectic collection of fancy, functional fabric pieces
that are fun to look at, wear and show off. I sometimes
create my own fabrics using photographs, dyes, batik,
stamps, tie-dye, paint sticks, fabric paints, discharge and
sunprints. I like to make quilts that move: jackets, bags,
purses, camera straps.” So she is likely to run into one
of her creations at the supermarket, or at the theatre, or
anywhere else. “Every day brings new challenges to be
met and an excitement about new things to be learned.”
Carol was a teacher and educator for 35 years, teaching
in Scarborough, Toronto and the Quinte area. She
currently lives in Belleville, and is a member of
Eastminster Quilters, the Quinte Quilters Guild and the
Quinte Fibre Artists.
Marianne Sanders grew up in Wooler. After earning a
university degree in Psychology at Western University in
London, she moved to Calgary and became a baker and
pastry chef. In the late 1980s she opened her own dessert
catering business and became known for her birthday
and wedding cakes. This grew into a bakery and two
restaurants that were in Where to Eat in Canada.
In 1999 Marianne and her husband moved to Prince
Edward County, supposedly to a quieter life, and became
busier than ever. She is actively involved with Waring
House, making exquisite desserts for the loyal patrons.
Marianne has been developing techniques in fibre arts
and has been showing and selling at Mad Dog Gallery
for about seven years. She is a member of the Quinte
Fibre Artists.
From February 17 to March 28, Gallery One-TwentyOne presents two guest artists, Margaret Pearson
and Conrad Beaubien, with an opening reception on
Saturday, February 21, from 2 to 4 pm.
Margaret Pearson, an emerging Canadian artist, is based
in Peterborough. As a retired teacher, Margaret has had
time to concentrate on her interest in abstract painting.
“The simplicity of mid-century design has been a strong
influence in my paintings: bold shapes, strong colours
and hard edged or undulating lines are characteristic of
my latest works. Paintings may be like a puzzle for a
viewer to solve, but more often an emotional response is
triggered. The work is complex in its simplicity and can
be provocative and profoundly moving.”
Close encounter – Brockville Narrows, oil on canvas, 20” x 20”, by Peter Davis
Chopsticks, by Margaret Pearson
Following a career in network television, Conrad
Beaubien’s independent credits of creator, writer,
director and producer include the award winning
Sketches of Our Town series. After decades of chasing
the moonlight and scouring the land in search of stories,
he now holes up in a cabin on the banks of Slab Creek
in Prince Edward County. He chases the moonlight
still. He grabs hold of words, paint, steel - mediums
close at hand - in a faithful try to connect the dots of the
universe. Conrad is a regular contributor to the Times of
Wellington as well as Watershed. He recently launched
Back of Hoards Station, his latest work for the stage.
“I regard art as our first language and attempt in
my daily search to remove the self from the process
allowing in a metaphysical way, the whole that we
are a part of to enter. It is work without name, without
prediction of outcome yet after resting with a completed
piece, I find a thought or an answer in that search has
been made present. Form has been rendered to no-form.”
8
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
New Works On Paper at Oeno Gallery
Shadowridge
Studio & Gallery
Last year, Oeno Gallery opened the winter season with an
exhibition entitled LET IT SNOW! The folks over at Oeno
have made a solemn promise to never do that ever again.
Instead, they have curated a stunning show, New Works
on Paper, comprised of work by several gallery artists.
Often created quickly, these works on paper have an
immediacy, a sense of intimacy and fluidity that other art
forms sometimes cannot convey. The show will feature
new and colourful monoprints by internationally renowned
printmaker, Susan Collett, that evoke the dreaminess and
iconography of her travels to China. Ben Woolfitt has
created eight new works with text and silver leaf.
New to the gallery, Quebec artist Catherine Farish has
created Notations—a series of small works printed
on old piano rolls. The show will also introduce some
of her larger and delicate paper works.The show will
also feature small colourful watercolours by Jennifer
Hornyak and Quebec artist Zhu Lan has created new
black and white works on rice paper for the exhibition.
Prelude to an Ice Dance by Tina Osborne
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Vojrvf!kfxfmmfsz!'!qbjoufe!tjmlt/
xxx/ujobptcpsof/dpn
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Great Escapes
Bev Hanna-Jones
Explore... Dream... Discover
with
Featuring Escorted Group Tours, Cruising & Cycling Adventures
Arabesque, monoprint (32”x56”) by Catherine Farish
Charlie Pachter’s rare illustrations of Margaret Atwood’s
The Journals of Susanna Moodie continue to provoke
strong emotional responses. Created in 1980, these
works are among the few that remain.
Newfoundland Grand Tour 2015
Rounding out the show are limited edition works on
paper by Alice Teichert and mixed media paperworks by
Otto Rogers from the 1990s.
July 26th - August 6th
Join Bev for an amazing
adventure on "The Rock"
next summer.
Several of these artists use text in their work, adding
another layer of complexity, meaning and voice. Finally,
there is a rare spectacular, monumental watercolour of a
large tree by County resident Robert Wiens.
The show will be on from December through January.
In February and March, the gallery will be exhibiting
works by many of its artists—check the website for
details.
Booking Now.....
Ask to be on my mailing list for upcoming tours
All Great Escapes are designed &
escorted by Bev Hanna-Jones
Mercator II, monoprint (29”x63”) by Susan Collett
Payments through Marlin Travel
Belleville Reg 316 3882
Contact Bev Hanna-Jones, bevhj@sympatico.ca,
or call 613-827-5961 for more information.
The John M. Parrott Art Gallery
Belleville Public Library – 3rd Floor
ESTEVEZ ART ACADEMY
FALL AND WINTER
254 Pinnacle Street, Belleville
*Exhibitions * Collections * Events
Parrott Gallery Shop
Featuring the work of regional artisans, handcrafted just for you!
*Jewellery * Clay * Fibre * Wood * Glass
And so much more!
613-968-6731 ext. 2240 www.bellevillelibrary.ca
Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Oil Painting Course
$180+tax for 12 2-Hr sessions.
Register at 395 Front St. Belleville.
613-210-2979
Join anytime!
Tues morning 9,30-11,30 & evening 7-9
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
9
Amelie Koning: six decades of sharing her love of art
By Dave Boorne
Ten years ago, Amelie Koning received an email from
the Netherlands. The sender asked if she was Amelie de
Bourbon and had she sold a small painting titled Open
Hands in April 1955, sixty years ago, in Holland. Amelie
Koning de Bourbon replied that she was the artist of the
piece and it had been sold in an art show while she was
a student at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague.
It was one of her first sales and she was pleased about
the reconnection and glad that the piece is still being
enjoyed.
As I drove into the driveway at 15639 Loyalist Parkway,
I noticed a peculiar birdhouse on a lamp post beside the
drive. I parked beside another car in the studio parking
lot and approached the front door. I could hear friendly
chatter and laughing. Upon entering, Amelie was
engaging three tourists in a discussion on the colours and
shapes of various caftans, scarves, sarongs and chemises.
She told them of the artistic process and invited them
to see her creative studio, with its wonderful light. The
Amelie was born in Indonesia before WWII.
Illness overtook her and her two brothers, and
her parents returned with the family to Holland
just as the war was to overtake them in a far
different way. Her father was a member of
the Dutch underground and the entire family
suffered the ravages of those years.
As a child she was always drawing and had
an intense interest in art. She loved visiting
the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague and has
fond memories of a work by Picasso and the
creativity and freedom it displayed. Her artistic
inspiration, however, came from Georges
Braques, with his wonderful sense of colour
and composition. Her love for the arts took her
to the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague,
where she studied fine arts.
In 1960, Amelie moved to Toronto, where
she met Steven Koning. At that time the
art scene in the city was not that developed, so she
and her friends started the Beaches Artists Co-op
on Queen Street. With two sons, and after 30 years
of marriage, the Konings bought a cottage in Prince
Edward County. Shortly after this, Steven retired
and bought an orchard on Highway #62, south of
County Road #1. Amelie continued her art business.
Ten years later, she and Steven designed and built
a fabulous waterfront home and studio, midway
between Wellington and Bloomfield, which was
completed in 2009.
guests took items from the racks in the elegant display
room and tried them on while discussing the colours,
sizes and their complexions. They each found items that
would suit their wardrobe. Talk and smiles began their
time at the gallery. Warmth and satisfaction concluded it
as Amelie said goodbye.
Arts on Main Gallery in Picton. Here she worked on
the advertising and publicity committee, as she did with
the Bloomfield Business Association. For 40 years, she
participated in art shows in Holland, England, Germany
and Canada. She has shown her paintings at Art in the
County for seventeen years and loves showing at Arts on
Main Gallery and her own beautiful studio.
“I love to create. I create silks that allow the buyers to
interpret what they are seeing or touching so
that each piece becomes part of them. I love
the freedom of the colours interacting with each
other,” she stated. “One hundred percent of the
women who visit me here try on a piece of my
art. A large proportion of them buy and when that
happens, I see the art becoming part of them. It
gives meaning to my life and I realize that being
an artist it is one of the reasons I am on this earth.”
Reflecting on her career spanning six decades,
Amelie sees promise for young artists who are
well-trained and willing to work hard. “They
must have a unique talent and at first they might
have to work at another job to get started,”
she stated. “There are no Justin Biebers in this
branch of the arts!” Amelie reflected on the
need for better arts management from a business
point of view in the area and wishes that local
government would become more supportive of
artists and arts groups and become more aware
of what the arts bring to the area. “The next 10
years look promising for this area,” she said.
“Many artists are moving here and tourists love the area,
the wineries, the beaches and the art.”
This took place at 10 am on a Sunday morning!
Oh—the little birdhouse at the end of the driveway—it
has a motion detector built into it, signalling Amelie
Koning de Bourbon that she is about to have another
happy customer visiting her lovely gallery and trying on
her beautiful wearable art.
Amelie was a member at Gallery 121 in Belleville.
Steven was the treasurer. She was a pioneer member at
For more information you can visit artistsincanada.com/
amelie.
Masters of plein air painting at Quinn’s of Tweed
of Guanajuato, Oaxaca,
Cuernavaca, San Christobal
de Las Casas, and Merida.
The Big Eddy, oil by John Stuart Pryce
This November, Quinn’s of Tweed Fine Art Gallery
opens a very important exhibition, highlighting the
works of two of Canada’s most celebrated plein air
artists, Donald Fraser AOCA and John Stuart Pryce
OSA, IPAP. The entire Upper Gallery will be dedicated
to these plein air greats, with 75 paintings on display.
Donald Fraser’s works are a collection of never-beforeseen watercolours from his many Mexican trips, starting
in 1970. These paintings capture the colour, zest, and
charm of both small villages and the bustling city streets
10 Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
Each morning Don would
head out with his 18 x 24 inch
paper-block under his arm, a
jar of water in one pocket of
his jacket and his watercolour
tubes in the other. With a
couple of brushes protruding
from his shirt pocket he
would ramble until he found
a scene he liked. Hunkering
down on a nearby step or
curb, with his paper propped
on his knees and his water
jar, paints and palette spread
on the ground, he’d happily
proceed to paint. Don tried to
get on the paper everything
he saw around him, the
indigenous pedestrians, the
brightly coloured houses, the
ornate ironwork grills and the
mysterious flower-covered
garden walls which lined the streets. In the evenings, he
relished going to the outdoor concerts, to depict on paper
the rhythms of musicians as they played.
John Stuart Pryce is a signature member of the IPAP,
International Plein Air Painters, and a well-respected
instructor in plein air painting. John’s love for art
began at a very early age, as he discovered the great
satisfaction derived from his ability to draw and paint.
He continued developing his artistic interests, and
eventually became an art major at the highly acclaimed
H.B. Beal Tech School in London, Ontario. Since that
Calle Mayor, watercolour by Donald G. Fraser
time John has worked and studied in Montreal, Chicago
and Toronto. John’s love for open-air painting is obvious
and as he puts it, “The purest and most rewarding form of
painting, in my opinion, is ‘en plein air,’ as it challenges
all of the skills and discipline of the artist.”
Come see the works of plein air masters Don Fraser and
John Stuart Pryce at Quinn’s of Tweed Fine Art Gallery
from Saturday November 15 to January 11.
For more information, please visit QuinnsOfTweed.ca.
Off the beaten track in Cuba
Kathryn MacDonald and James Archbold are taking
Travel Notebook Learning Adventures to Cuba and invite
you to join them for one of four writing and photography
workshops during the winter of 2015: Cienfuegos: People
& Place (January 23-February 1); Trinidad de Cuba:
People & Place (February 6-15); Baracoa Safari: Into the
Biosphere (February 27-March 8); Baracoa: People &
Place (March 20-29).
“There is nothing like writing and photographing on
location,” Kathryn said. “Whether travellers wish to polish
their skills for sharing their experiences with family and
friends, or whether professionals want to increase their
sales, our workshops will deliver methods for success. In
today’s travel marketplace, writers are expected to provide
photos to accompany their articles, and the reverse is
a whole range of activities to stimulate the senses and
provide simple fun.”
In addition to James’ adventure training skills, he is the
photographer who will coach that aspect of the integrated
writing-photography workshops. Travel Notebook
Learning Adventures’ motto reflects the interconnected
objectives of the experience: Photography - capture
the essence of people and place; Writing - transform
experience into story; (and have fun too).
Among Kathryn’s publications are three books: The Farm
& City Cookbook, a collection of essays and recipes coauthored with Mary Lou Morgan, Calla & Édourd, a
novella, and A Breeze You Whisper, a poetry collection.
She is currently looking for a publisher for a sailing
visit
Sand 'n' Sea
Pack with ease and
discover fashions for your
life on the go! (sizes 2 to 24)
www.facebook.com/
sandnsea.napanee
Open Daily
for Cruise Season
3 Dundas St.
West of Centre
Napanee
613-354-3545
Your vacation wardrobe starts here!
w w w. s a n d n s e a b o u t i q u e . c a
New Jeep Crossing, photograph by James Archbold
true for photographers. Publishers just do not have the
resources during the upheaval to the industry that has
occurred, as web publishing finds its footing.”
The four workshop locations provide an opportunity
to experience a side of Cuba quite different from
resort holidays. Cienfuegos and Trinidad de Cuba
are both UNESCO-designated historic sites, where
the architecture reflects the cities’ colonial heritage.
Baracoa is even older and believed to be the place where
Columbus first landed in the Americas. This is where he
was welcomed by the Taíno, an indigenous, agricultural
people, and wrote in his logbook that this is “the most
beautiful place in the world.” Baracoa retains the feel of
a rural, seaside town, in part because it was isolated from
the rest of Cuba by mountain ranges until a road was cut
through in the 1960s.
The fourth workshop – Baracoa Safari: Into the Biosphere
– offers something very different. “While each of the
workshops includes excursions into the countryside,
where we’ll travel through plantations and into natural
areas to explore flora and fauna endemic to Cuba, adding
nature writing and photography to our practice, Baracoa
Safari will take us into the Alexander von Humboldt
National Park,” Kathryn explained. Humboldt is also a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
adventure, describing the 1225 nautical-mile trip across
the Caribbean Sea taken last summer. She blogs at http://
traveller-kate.blogspot.ca. Kathryn is also a certified adult
educator. She has facilitated numerous writing workshops,
and has taught writing and literature online through
Ontario’s college system since 1998.
“There’s bonus exposure for workshop participants.
We’re arranging with Cuba’s Ministry of Tourism to
create a juried photography show. It will be hosted in
cities across Cuba, including Havana. A booklet of story
excerpts will accompany the photo show. In addition,
we plan to bring the show to Canada. It’s very exciting,”
said James.
Kathryn and James invite you to visit their website at
http://travelnotebook.ca to learn more about these 10-day
learning adventures.
Listen to 91X feature programs
whenever YOU want with
Audio on Demand
Jazz, Classical, Folk, Blues,
Reggae, Big Bands, Nostalgia & more
Go to the Program Guide
on www.91x.fm,
Click the show you want
and the most recent program will play
Audio on Demand is available for most 91X
produced feature programs. Syndicated shows are not included
“Humboldt is the most important biosphere reserve in the
Caribbean basin and one of the world’s last untouched
rainforests,” said James. “It boasts a large number of
endangered plant, bird, and animal species. It is a paradise
for birders and other naturalists.” This workshop involves
some hiking and some overnight camping. “Our pace will
be leisurely, allowing time for making field notes, writing
and for photography,” James added. James Archbold’s
adventure training skills were honed during service in the
British Military, in places such as the Guyana Highlands,
the Belize rainforest, and Libya’s North Sahara desert
among others. “Workshop participants will be in good
hands with James,” Kathryn said.
In each of the four workshops, local guides will introduce
participants to their Cuba, providing insight and expertise.
“But it won’t be all work and no play,” said Kathryn.
“There’ll be music and dancing, galleries and museums
to explore, people to meet, waterfalls and swimming…
Three Boys and A Boat, Baracoa, photograph by Kathryn MacDonald
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015 11
Be all you can be: making your
portfolio work for you
By Rachel Comeau, OCT, BFA, BEd.
Your portfolio is the ultimate tool for selling yourself
as an artist. Your medium discipline does not matter.
You could be a visual artist (including photographers),
musician, actor, filmmaker, singer, dancer, actor, etc, and
your portfolio is your ultimate marketing tool. Truth be
told, it is even better than a business card!
accomplishments to change or further one’s career);
and self-discovery (to help you see where you have
been and where you could go). In the process, you
will learn about yourself, discover a journey you
never knew you were on, and gain more confidence in
yourself and your journey.
You may already have a portfolio in some stage of
completion. It probably includes your
curriculum vitae (CV), some samples of
your work, and an artist statement. This
is a good start. If you are like me, you
probably think there is some untapped
potential in your portfolio. It currently
feels like a picture book that you have to
guide people through. But your portfolio
can be so much more. It can be a tool
that others can look through without you.
It can sell you and your wares without
your presence.
When I showed my portfolio to Susan Holland, the
curator of the John M. Parrott Gallery,
she had this to say: “Wow, this portfolio
is really thorough. If everyone who
submitted an application for a show had
one of these, I would really get a sense
of who the artist was. It would make
the exhibition schedule much more
cohesive and interesting.”
What is a portfolio? Portfolio - from
Italian portafoglio; cognate with
the French portefeuille (‘folder,
wallet’), from the Latin verb portare
Rachel Comeau
(‘to carry’) and folium (‘sheet’). Wikipedia. A portfolio is a collection
of documentation (evidence) of what you have learned
through living your unique life. It is a celebration of
you, what you have done, can do, and who you are. Your
portfolio is the tool you use to demonstrate your learning
and experience.
The process of creating a portfolio is almost as
important as the portfolio itself. One usually
creates a portfolio for one or a combination of the
following reasons: educational (to gain credit for life
experience); career (to demonstrate experience and
As a result, Art for Everyone! and the
John M. Parrott Gallery have teamed
to offer a Portfolio for Artists class in
the New Year. Portfolio for Artists is an
eight-week class. Its holistic approach
will lead you through the process of
creating your unique portfolio, whether
it be for your career, self-discovery, or
to further your education. In this class,
you will learn about yourself, your
learning and experience, how to take all that information
and package it into a strong art portfolio, and how to
make this tool work for you!
Portfolios have long been the ultimate marketing tool
for artists, regardless of their discipline. In order to
be competitive in the art world, it is important to have
a portfolio that informs you and the art world about
what you being to the table; that celebrates your unique
skills and abilities. Your portfolio will help you be all
you can be!
WINTER
EXHIBITIONS
AT
FINE ART GALLERY
Upper Gallery
Masters Of Plein Air Painting
Donald Fraser AOCA & John Stuart Pryce OSA, IPAP
All Things Bright and Beautiful
By Monika Devine
Cool days and frosty nights herald the beginning
of the holiday season. Homes and streets sparkle
with adornments, and our thoughts soon turn to the
anticipation of finding just the right gifts for our loved
ones. If it is your wish to find something truly singular
this season, then consider
the gift of original art.
Each year, the members of
The Colborne Art Gallery
host a very special show
called All Things Bright and
Beautiful, an exhibit and
sale of unique art works in
a variety of mediums, sizes
and price ranges suitable for
gift-giving.
The Colborne Art Gallery
will be beautifully decked
out for the season. The
The Colborne Art Gallery
very popular and festive
opening reception, held on Saturday November 15, from
12 to 4 pm, offers you a chance to meet with the artists,
sample homemade treats, sip some holiday punch, and
purchase original art to take home with you. A tree will
be decorated with handmade ornaments for sale, all
proceeds benefiting The Colborne Art Gallery.
The artworks offered at All Things Bright and Beautiful
have been created with holiday gift-giving in mind.
These works give you the opportunity to communicate
a personal message to someone who is very special to
you. Perhaps a painting or photograph will bring to mind
a particular memory you share. A one-of-a-kind piece
of pottery could reflect a favourite food or drink. The
right piece of jewellery
will tell your loved one,
“You are beautiful.” Or,
a handcrafted card could
send warmth and love
across a great distance.
Whatever your desire for
gift-giving, The Colborne
Art Gallery offers a
unique opportunity to find
something you cannot
find elsewhere, as well
as a chance to meet the
artists in a warm, friendly
atmosphere. Enjoy the
opening reception on
Saturday, November 15, or visit the Gallery during
regular hours until Sunday, December 21.
The Colborne Art Gallery, located at 51 King Street East
in Colborne, is open March to December, Thursdays
through Sundays, from 12 to 5 pm.
For more information, please visit the website,
thecolborneartgallery.ca.
www.quinteartscouncil.org
12 Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
Together featuring over seventy
never before seen plein air paintings.
November 15th, 2014 - January 11th, 2015
Lower Gallery - New Artists, New Works
Featuring works by New Artists Tiffany Horrocks,
Mike Smith, Tammy Shane, Susan Wilde
and New Works by AJ VanDrie,
Laurie Near and Gordon Wright.
We wish all of you a Merry Christmas,
Happy Holiday and a Happy New Year
345 Victoria St., Tweed
613-478-0000 www.QuinnsOfTweed.ca
PHOTO: AUDRA KENT
PERFORMING ARTS
Venue changed for Quinte Symphony’s May concert
By Jack Evans
The venue for the Saturday, May 9, Quinte
Symphony concert is being moved back to Belleville.
Instead of being held Trenton High School, the
concert will be at Bridge Street United Church, for
a program to include favourite works of long-time
conductor Gordon Craig.
Mr. Craig has announced that he plans to retire at the
end of this concert season, so May 9 will be his last
performance as full time maestro for Quinte Symphony,
a position he has held for the past 25 years. The venue
move came at his own request, to enjoy surroundings
that are both familiar to him and offer a resonant
sound.
Meanwhile, local audiences will have enjoyed a
tingling Christmas concert (held November 30),
featuring many beloved Christmas tunes plus the
Quinte Chapter Barbershop Harmony Society, A
Cappella Quinte. The local group is now one of the
largest in Ontario, at close to 40 performing voices.
The orchestra created a special arrangement of the hit
yuletide song, Feliz Navidad, to accompany the allmale chorus.
A number of tickets have already been sold for the Last
Night of the Proms, an indication that this British singalong tradition remains popular for local concert-goers.
Feel free to dress up in flags or suitable costumes for this
patriotic British afternoon, at 2 pm on Sunday, March 22,
at Centennial Secondary School.
For further information: quintesymphony.com.
Scrooge is back at Pinnacle Playhouse!
Muppets Christmas Carol,
is ably mastered by Theatre
Guild veteran Steve Forrester.
Josh Terpstra plays the young
Scrooge and also his nephew
Fred. Marvin Tucker has a
double role as the benevolent
employer Fezziwig as well as
Scrooge’s downtrodden clerk
Bob Cratchit. Mo Leslie, new
to the Theatre Guild stage this
fall, plays Jacob Marley and
Old Joe.
Some of the young cast members at an early rehearsal.
Belleville Theatre Guild is putting a new twist on
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, running from
November 27 to December 13
at Pinnacle Playhouse, a night
of entertainment for the whole
family.
by Heather Muir. Moira Forrester is the music director
and Judy Bridle the stage manager. Other technical
and backstage support is provided by Alexandra Bell,
assistant stage manager, Linda Serres, costume designer,
Steve Forrester, set design, Donna Douglas and Liz Gray
props, and Kim Taylor, set painting.
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without revisiting the
haunting story of Scrooge’s redemption from a lonely
life of greed and selfishness into one of generosity
and love. For more information, or for tickets, visit
bellevilletheatreguild.ca, or call 613-967-1442.
Trish Thompson and Margaret
Murray juggle four separate
characters each, including
Mrs. Cratchit and Mrs.
Fezziwig respectively. Jocelyn
Manderville plays Scrooge’s
sister Fan and Fred’s bride
Martha. Brayah Pickard is Scrooge’s former fiancée
Belle, whom he gives up for money.
In her first speaking role,
Mackenzie McGuire is the
Ghost of Christmas Past. The
multi-talented Sean Scally,
who is better known behind
stage, building sets, and for
his photographic contributions
to the PR for And Then There
Were None and Enchanted
April, bursts onto the stage as
the jovial giant of Christmas
Present. Dallin Whitford plays
the silent but ominous role of
Christmas Future.
The stage play, written by
Christopher Schario, begins
with a young boy, played by
Tayve Mestra, reading the story
aloud as the characters come
alive in his imagination and
eventually invite him to join
them in playing out the tale
as Tiny Tim. The cast of six
adults and ten youths take on
a variety of roles, changing
Steve Forrester and Mo Leslie reading at rehearsal.
Other cast members, who move
character on stage with the
through
a
selection
of
minor
roles, including narrator,
simple addition of a hat, shawl or scarf or slipping into
and
chorus,
are
Alex
Pordham,
Jackie Pordham, Gian
the chorus for song and dance numbers.
Paulo Lattanzio, and Sarah Dettlinger.
The role of Scrooge, immortalized by Alistair Simms
The play is directed by Dave Henderson, and produced
in the original movie, and by Michael Caine with the
• Winter Escape
Lighten your spirit with an escape
to the intimate peacefulness of
this historic inn.
• Afternoon Tea
Thursday, Friday & Sunday
Seatings: 12.00 p.m. or 2.30 p.m.
• Small Business Meetings
• Gift Certificates available
Quinte Readers' Choice Favourite B&B 2005 - 2014
2006 Business Achievement Award
Business of the Year Tourism and Hospitality
For information and reservations
613-966-1028 www.montroseinn.ca
1725 Old Highway 2 West, Quinte West
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015 13
A holiday gift from the Quinte
Ballet School of Canada
As part of the experience included in admission,
the audience is invited to join the dancers in the
lobby at the Candy Cane Café after the show.
Light refreshments will be served and you will
have the opportunity to have your photo taken
on The Nutcracker throne, with the dancers and
even The Sugar Plum Fairy. “The Quinte Ballet
School of Canada students, faculty, staff and
volunteers have pulled out all the stops to put
on a great holiday show,” says Catherine Taylor,
Artistic Director.
Marilyn Lawrie, Executive Director explains,
“By having the two afternoon shows in
Centennial Secondary School’s theatre, we
have been able to maintain the lower admission price, and with two matinée shows we hope this
will make the performances more convenient for busy families and friends.” She goes on to say,
“Centennial’s theatre auditorium is an excellent venue and very accessible to the community.”
PHOTO: BOB HOUSE
The Sugar Plum Fairy has arrived in Belleville,
and she brings with her a host of familiar
characters sure to delight audience members of
all ages in this year’s presentation of Holiday
Dance Presents! Witness the magic of The
Nutcracker, whose highlights will be staged
in all their glory of colourful costumes and
pageantry to Tchaikovsky’s beloved musical
score. Quinte Ballet School of Canada’s
Professional Division, as well as several students
from the Recreation Division, will bring to you
this special gift of dance in two matinée shows
on Saturday, December 13, at 1 pm and 4:30
pm at Centennial Secondary School’s theatre
auditorium.
PHOTO: BOB HOUSE
Tickets are now on sale for Holiday Dance Presents: adults $20, seniors and students $16 and
children 12 years and under are $12. With reserved seating, book your tickets now to ensure your
preferred seats, by calling 613-962-9274 or email us at info@quinteballetschool.com. Group tickets
in blocks of 10 or more seats are available at a 10% discount.
Photos from the 1 pm Holiday Dance Presents show, Professional Division.
Quinte Ballet School of Canada is a non-profit charitable organization and we are proud to
recognize the support of our Broadcast sponsor, Quinte Broadcasting’s CJBQ 800am and Mix 97
stations.
The Quinte Arts Council Office,
Gallery and Gift Shop will be closed
at noon on December 24 and
re-open at 9:30 am on January 6.
14 Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
Jeanette Arsenault going coastal
As the musical guest for the VIA Rail Artist on
Board program on ‘The Canadian’ train from Toronto
to Vancouver, then all the way back to Toronto, I
performed three shows a day for three days each way,
with a performance stop in the Jasper train station which
I dubbed the ‘I Am My Own Flash Mob Without the
Mob Part.’
It was an unforgettable experience—for so many
reasons. First, let me talk about the beauty of our
country. The take-your-breath-away kind of landscape
that is constantly changing and amazing you along the
westbound train route.
Start with the rugged breathtaking beauty of Ontario North
and you can’t beat the vibrant fall colours set against the
piercing blue waters of the lakes and rivers around almost
every bend, set against a saturated blue sky smattered with
white marshmallowy clouds. Ok. Yes. We were lucky to
see it all on crisp, bright, sunny autumn days.
Then we arrived in Manitoba and the landscape changed
into fields and fields of gold as far as the eye can see.
Bales of hay ready to be picked up, dusty roads kicking
up a storm as trucks zoomed by. I have NO idea why
anyone feels they have to ‘warn’ me about the seeming
endless prairies—I loved it—every minute of it, too. It
filled me with a sense of peace and calm. It certainly has
its own rich beauty.
What totally surprised me were the valleys in
Saskatchewan—they were breathtaking and the train
went by WAY too fast for me to soak it all in. Valleys and
winding rivers and ridges—and lush green. I was singing
at one point when we went by the most glorious scenery
so I couldn’t get my camera. My girlfriend caught a bit of
it through the window of our moving train.
When we got to Alberta, it started to look like Northern
Ontario again, with rugged terrain and boulders and
mountains. Now ‘mountains’ is a relative term, of
course, when comparing the two provinces!
Then there were the Rockies…. THE ROCKIES! Wow.
I saw coastal mountains, I saw foothills, but the Rockies
were nothing like anything I’d ever seen before. I was
enthralled with their majestic and rugged beauty—along
with a trainload of people who all had their cameras
permanently pressed up against the window snapping
photos.
As for the VIA Rail ‘The Canadian’ train experience—it
can’t get any better than this: gourmet meals, comfy bed,
and excellent, helpful, friendly, fun crew.
Now playing keyboards and singing while trying to
keep your balance on a moving/swaying train is a trick!
But still not as tricky as carting a five-foot/50-pound
keyboard on a dolly through over a dozen moving train
cars every day. Musician alert—if you want to apply for
this program, perhaps you might consider learning to the
play the flute… or a harmonica…. or… anything else
that is small and portable!
What a great way to meet people from around the world
and to learn a lot about places around the world - we
sang, we laughed, we whistled tunes—wait….let me rephrase that…. THEY whistled for me because that is one
talent I do not possess.
‘The Canadian’ train voyage should be considered
a national treasure in my opinion—it was an
unforgettable and incomparable way to see the amazing
variety of landscapes and breathtaking beauty of
Canada. The non-Canadian tourists on board were
riveted by the amazing landscape and the vastness of
our land. Wait. We were ALL riveted to the windows—
you see scenes by train that you could never experience
by car.
I couldn’t help but think of the people—mostly men—
who blazed the trail across the rugged land. What a feat!
One cannot help but feel gratitude for their sacrifice and
ingenuity when you see the mountain tunnels and you
ride alongside the many rivers and lakes with eyes wide
open and glued to the windows. Dome car seats were
hard to come by—even with four dome cars as part of
the 21 cars in total.
To read more, visit jeanettearsenault.com/blogs.
2015 Concert Series
Bridge Street United Church
Celebrating 200 Years in Our Community
Presents 4 Exciting Concerts:
Michael Unger---organist
Saturday April 11, 2015, 7 pm
(please note the change of date)
Metropolitan Silver Band
Saturday, May 30, 2015, 7 pm
Janette Fishell---organist
Saturday, October 3, 2015,7 pm
Mendelssohn’s “Elijah”
Saturday, November 7, 2015, 7 pm
Elizabeth McDonald---soprano
Jessica Lloyd---mezzo soprano
Andrew Haji---tenor
Geoffrey Sirett---baritone
William Maddox---organ
With massed choir
directed by Terry Head
All 4 Concerts for only $90
(or purchase individually)
www.bridgestreetchurch.com
For brochure and information:
613.962.9178 ex. 74
From the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to Canada’s Walk of
Fame: see them both at the Empire Theatre
Jann Arden
Jefferson Starship
The Empire Theatre, downtown Belleville, ushers
in 2015 with two extraordinary performances, with
Jefferson Starship on January 16 and Jann Arden on
February 21.
Haight Ashbury comes to Front Street. The Empire
Theatre welcomes the legendary Jefferson Starship,
featuring founding member and Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame inductee, Paul Kantner. From the Summer
of Love to Woodstock to platinum albums and sold
out concerts worldwide, Jefferson Starship celebrates
their 40th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of
Jefferson Airplane. They will lift off with classics
Somebody To Love, White Rabbit, Volunteers,
Miracles, Count On Me, Jane and many more. Joining
Paul Kantner are Starship alumni David Freiberg,
Cathy Richardson, Donny Baldwin, Chris Smith and
Jude Gold.
Calgary-born Jann Arden has released 11 highly
acclaimed albums with the 12th, Everything Almost, out
in April 2014. This singer-songwriter has had 17 Top
Ten singles, including the concert favourites I Would
Die for You, Could I Be Your Girl, and Insensitive. She
also happens to be the winner of eight Juno Awards,
including awards for Songwriter of the Year and Female
Artist of the Year. Jann Arden delivers songs full of
emotions and stories based on experiences surrounding
her life, with grace and honesty. She never fails to
delight, always hosting a lively, entertaining show,
filled with great music and a few comedic snippets.
Promoting her newest music for legions of devoted
fans, Arden has stated that “the music is FOR you. It
always has been. It always will be.”
For ticket information, visit theempiretheatre.com.
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015 15
Calendar
PERFORMING ARTS
Nov. 27 to Dec. 13 Belleville Theatre Guild presents A
Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. An adaptation of
the beloved Christmas classic, this is a production that
the whole family will enjoy. Pinnacle Playhouse. 613967-1442. bellevilletheatreguild.ca.
Dec. 4 The Regent Theatre, 224 Main St., Picton
presents The Jim Cuddy Band at 8 pm. Info: 613-4768416 ext. 28, theregenttheatre.org.
Dec. 5 BelleVegas Variety Show - Hip for the
Holidays, 7:30 pm at the Empire Theatre in Belleville.
Join Variety the Dance & Show Band featuring members
of the Power Connection, with special guest vocalists
- Wendy Shaer, Lenni Stewart, Tim Campbell, Susan
Walsh, Randy Coker, Debra Tosh, Kim Dafoe, Sam
Brady and Tim Hunt - in an evening of music and
entertainment that will have you up dancing in your seat!
Rick Zimmerman will MC. Tickets: $35 +surcharges,
613-969-0099, theempiretheatre.com, 321 Front St.,
Belleville.
Nov. 29 to Dec. 7 Yes, Virginia! Linda Kash brings
favourite letters of Christmas wonderfully to life in
Westben’s ever-popular seasonal choral celebration.
Joined by Westben’s Festival, Teen & Youth Choruses
under the direction of Donna Bennett, with Brian Finley
at the piano. Yes, Virginia! is a 75-minute narrated
concert, perfect for the whole family. Nov. 29, 1 pm at
The Barn; Nov. 30, 3 pm at The Barn; Dec. 6, 3 pm at
Norwood United Church; Dec.7, 3 pm at St Andrew’s
United Church, Peterborough. westben.ca.
Dec. 7, 9 Gloria in Excelsis, an evening of choral
music and carol singing with the Hastings and Prince
Edward Regional Chorus under the direction of
Rudolf Heijdens and Jennifer Curtis with Claudia Scott
as accompanist. Also the organ artistry of Francine
Nguyen-Savaria and Matthieu Latreille. 7 pm at St.
Thomas Church, Belleville. Tickets: $20, $5 for 12
and under, at Quinte Arts Council, the church office and
parents.
Dec. 7 Command Performance Choir presents
The Peacemakers by Karl Jenkins, 2:30 pm at St.
Mary Magdalene Church, Picton. In honour of global
peacemakers and marking the anniversary of WWI.
Tickets: $20, commandperformancechoir.ca.
Dec. 10 An East Coast Christmas with the Barra
MacNeils at the Empire Theatre in Belleville, 7:30 pm.
613-969-0099.
Dec. 12 Port Hope Friends of Music presents Baroque
Christmas Around the World with Ensemble Caprice
featuring guest soprano Dawn Bailey at 7:30 pm at
Port Hope United Church. Will include works from
Italy (Manfredini, Corelli), Germany (Bach), South
America (de Murcia, Ortiz), Spain/Mexico (Zipoli, de
Salazar), and France (de Bailly). Info: 905-797-2295,
porthopefriendsofmusic.ca.
Dec. 12 Rick Penner performs his Musical Gifts
Series in the Parrott Gallery, Belleville Library, 10:30
to 11:30 am. Dec. 12, Irving Berlin and White
Christmas. Info: 613-968-6731 ext. 2240 or gallery@
bellevillelibrary.ca.
Dec. 13 Students of the Quinte Ballet School of
Canada will perform Holiday Dance Presents!
featuring highlights from The Nutcracker. Two matinee
shows at 1 and 4:30 pm at Centennial Secondary
School’s theatre auditorium in Belleville. Join the
dancers in the lobby at the Candy Cane Café after the
show. Light refreshments will be served and you will
have the opportunity to have your photo taken on The
Nutcracker throne with the dancers and even The Sugar
Plum Fairy. Tickets: adults $20, seniors & students $16
and children 12 years under $12, 613-962-9274, info@
16 Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
December
January
February
quinteballetschool.com. Group tickets in blocks of 10 or
more seats are available at a 10% discount.
Dec. 14 Stirling Festival Theatre presents Sharron’s
Christmas Party! Stand-up comedy, vocal concert,
talk show and controlled chaos. For 19+. 8 pm. Tickets:
stirlingfestivaltheatre.com, 613-395-2100.
Dec. 15 Lenni Stewart and Julian Gallo perform
Christmas at the Inn at Huff Estates Winery, featuring
a delicious mix of holiday themes with Broadway and
Hollywood favorites. Contact Huff Estates for details
and tickets. huffestates.com.
Dec. 16 to 21 Moonpath Productions presents the
Panto, Aladdin, the inGENIEously magical musical, at
the Empire Theatre, Belleville. Tickets: 613-969-0099,
theempiretheatre.com.
Dec. 16, 17 Candlelight Christmas at St. George’s
Cathedral in Kingston at 7:30 pm. Kingston Choral
Society, Evan Mitchell, conductor, Ian Juby, Chorus
Master. Ring in the season with a classical Christmas
concert! Hear music written to celebrate the season
and sing along with the Kingston Symphony and
Kingston Choral Society. Tickets at the Grand Theatre
Box Office, 218 Princess St., Kingston, 613-530-2050,
kingstonsymphony.on.ca.
Dec. 20 Night Kitchen Too, Belleville’s acoustic
variety show at the Pinnacle Playhouse. See and hear
14 invited performers who get one shot at the mic
and featured performers who gets three! $10 tickets at
Pinnacle Music, Arden Music, Sweet Escape Coffee
Shop and Harmony Music. 8 pm. Info: 613-849-1976 or
the Facebook page.
Dec. 21 Visions of the Nativity, Annual Christmas
Concert at Bridge Street United Church featuring
the Bridge Street United Church Choir, and Bridge
Street Ringers along with guest soprano, Elizabeth
McDonald. There will be a free-will offering collected,
and refreshments will follow in the Sills Auditorium.
Dec. 21 The Choirs of St. Thomas’ Anglican Church,
Belleville, will be presenting a Festival of Nine Lessons
and Carols at 4:30 pm.
Jan. 11 The Quinte Opera Guild meetings are held at
the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, 265 Cannifton
Rd, Belleville at 2 pm. There will be no meeting in
Dec. On Jan. 11 the presentation and discussion will be
Clothes Make the Character. New members welcome.
Info: Mary at 613-962-3190.
Jan. 16 The Empire Theatre, downtown Belleville,
presents Jefferson Starship. Tickets: theempiretheatre.
com, 613-969-0099.
Jan. 17 Kingston Symphony presents A Celtic
Journey, 7:30 pm at the Grand Theatre with Evan
Mitchell, Conductor. Features local fiddling sensation
Kelli Trottier in an electrifying, toe-tapping Celtic
celebration. As a triple-threat, she brings her crisp
fiddling, angelic voice, and fiery step dance to the
stage. Tickets: 218 Princess St., 613-530-2050,
kingstonsymphony.on.ca.
Jan. 18 Valérie Milot will give a harp recital at St.
Thomas’ Anglican Church, 201 Church St. in Belleville
at 4:30 pm. Valérie Milot has toured many times on
the international scene and has already signed 6 album
recordings for Analekta.
Feb. 1 Kingston Symphony presents Dvorak &
Brahms, Evan Mitchell, Conductor featuring Gisèle
Dalbec, violin, at the Isabel Bader Centre for the
Performing Arts. 2:30 pm. Tickets: 218 Princess St.,
613-530-2050, kingstonsymphony.on.ca.
Feb. 1 Port Hope Friends of Music presents acclaimed
pianist Andreas Klein at 3 pm at the Capitol Theatre.
Info: 905-797-2295, porthopefriendsofmusic.ca.
Feb. 5 to 21 Belleville Theatre Guild presents The
Woman In Black, a frightening ghost mystery by Susan
Hill and adapted by Stephen Mallatratt at Pinnacle
Playhouse. 613-967-1442. bellevilletheatreguild.ca.
Feb. 8 Kingston Symphony presents The Great
Outdoors, including a special performance of
Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, 2:30 pm at the Grand
Theatre. Tickets at the Box Office, 218 Princess St.,
Kingston, 613-530-2050, kingstonsymphony.on.ca.
Feb. 8 The Quinte Opera Guild meetings are held at
the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, 265 Cannifton
Rd, Belleville at 2 pm. On Feb. 8 the presentation will
be on Die Walkure which will be presented by the
Canadian Opera Company on Feb. 26. New members
welcome. Info: Mary at 613-962-3190.
Feb. 21 The Empire Theatre, downtown Belleville,
presents Jann Arden. Tickets: theempiretheatre.com.
VISUAL ARTS
To Dec. 31 The John M. Parrott Art Gallery, 3rd
floor Belleville Library, will show Arresting Images,
a travelling exhibition of 100 mug shots from the OPP
Museum, covering the time period 1886 to 1908.
To Dec. 22 The Colborne Art Gallery presents
All Things Bright and Beautiful! Holiday Show.
thecolborneartgallery.ca. 51 King St E Colborne, 905355-1798.
To Jan. 26 Arts on Main Gallery presents Turn, Turn,
Turn. 223 Main St., Picton. Open 7 days a week, 11 am
to 4 pm. artsonmaingallery.ca, 613-476-5665.
Dec. 3 to 10 Loyalist College Art & Design
Foundation students will host the 4th annual open
exhibition for members of the Quinte Arts Council.
Opening reception Dec. 3, 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Info:
rkranendonk@loyalistc.on.ca.
Dec. and Jan. Oeno Gallery in PE County will show
New Works on Paper, comprised of work by several
gallery artists. Info: oenogallery.com.
Dec. The annual Christmas Show at Gallery
One-Twenty-One, 48 Bridge St. E., Belleville.
Find wonderful gifts at reasonable prices. http://
gallery121artists.com.
Dec. 3 to 27 The Art Gallery of Bancroft will show
the photographs of Don Wilson in a show titled
Aesthetic Fabrications: Photographs of an Industrial
Geography. Opening reception on Dec. 5, 7:30 pm. 10
Flint Ave. Info: 613-332-1542 or agb@nexicom.net.
Dec. 4 to 31 The John M. Parrott Art Gallery, 3rd
floor Belleville Library, will show On the River: A
Sailor’s Perspective (favorite places in the Thousand
Islands), a selection of new works in oil by Peter Davis.
Peter has been sailing the Thousand Islands area for
many years and has painted some of the most beautiful
scenes he enjoyed during his travels. Meet Peter at the
opening reception on Dec. 4, 6 to 7:30 pm.
To Jan. 11 Quinn’s of Tweed, 345 Victoria St., is
showing Masters of Plein Air Painting, Donald Fraser
AOCA & John Stuart Pryce OSA, IPAP, in the Upper
Gallery. New Artists, New Works (Tiffany Horrocks,
Mike Smith, Tammy Shane, Susan Wilde and new works
by AJ VanDrie, Laurie Near and Gordon Wright), in the
Lower Gallery. Info: 613-478-0000, QuinnsOfTweed.
ca.
Jan. 6 to Feb. 14 Gallery One-Twenty-One will have
a Fibre Artists’ Show featuring work by gallery member
Ann Fales and members of the Quinte Fibre Arts
Group. Opening reception, Jan. 10, 2 to 4 pm.
Jan. 7 to 31 The Art Gallery of Bancroft will be
holding its 24th annual juried student exhibition titled
Michal Manson Memorial High School Exhibition.
Opening Reception and awards ceremony, Jan. 10 at
2 pm. 10 Flint Ave., Bancroft. Info: 613-332-1542 or
agb@nexicom.net.
Jan. 8 to Feb. 13 John M. Parrott Art Gallery at
Belleville Public Library will show In the Right Light,
a photographic exhibit by Audra Kent. Opening
reception Jan. 8, 6 to 7:30 pm. In Gallery One, master
watercolorist Donna Bonin will be exhibiting work
by both herself and some of her artist students in a
show titled Adventures Abroad. This show will feature
paintings in various media, done during Donna’s
European workshops over the last several years.
Opening reception for both shows Jan. 8, 6 to 7:30 pm.
classes, contact Christine at 613-779-7928 or christine@
funandfastpatterns.ca or visit funandfastpatterns.ca.
Jan. 15 to Feb. 27 Art in the Community: the QAC
will welcome new artists on the Gallery walls at 36
Bridge St. E. and other locations in Belleville. Opening
reception on Jan. 15, 4 to 7 pm. Join the artists and enjoy
refreshments. Browse the Gallery Gift Shop.
3rd Fridays Do you love doodling? Are you into
Zentangling® or Zendoodling? Rachel Comeau, Lori St.
Clair and the John M. Parrott Gallery invite you to join
The Doodle Group which will meet the 3rd Friday of
the month from 10 am to 12 noon at the Parrott Gallery,
starting in 2015. Bring your supplies and the projects
you have been working on, exchange ideas, learn new
doodles and get inspired by the creativity of others! All
experience levels welcome. There is no need to register
and there is no fee. Info: Rachel at 613 885-9840 or
rachel@artforeveryonetrenton.com.
Jan. 24 to Mar. 1 This year’s annual Group Exhibition
at the Colborne Art Gallery revolves around the
theme Intersection. Members explore this word to
express themselves as they connect, ponder, dream
and push forward through obstacles and cross over to
new territory. 51 King St. E., 905-355-1798, info@
thecolborneartgallery.ca. Gallery hours: Jan. to Mar.,
Sat. & Sun. noon to 4 pm.
Jan. 20 to Apr. 28 Rhythm, Rhyme & Melody Music
Education Program For Children (ages 5-8 and 9-12),
Tuesdays, 5-5:45 pm (5-8) and 6-6:45 pm (9-12). $75
for 14 lessons. No instrument needed. Learn to sing,
play instruments and the basics of music. Call 613-9629178 ext. 74, visit bridgestreetchurch.com for further
details and registration information. 60 Bridge St. E.,
Belleville
Feb. 4 to 28 The Art Gallery of Bancroft will feature
the paintings of Linda Lang in a show titled Glaciers
Gone Bye. Opening reception on Feb. 6 at 7:30 pm.
10 Flint Ave., Bancroft. Info: 613-332-1542 or agb@
nexicom.net.
1st & 3rd Tuesdays Drumantics! Community
Drumming Circle, 6:30 to 7:30 pm at St. Matthew’s
United Church, 25 Holloway St., Belleville. No drum
or musical experience necessary. Borrow or bring your
own drum. Pay what you can. Info: revcathystmatt@
gmail.com.
Feb. 17 to Mar. 28 Gallery One-Twenty-One will
show the work of 2 guest artists, Margaret Pearson and
Conrad Beaubien. Opening reception Feb. 21, 2 to 4
pm.
Feb. 19 to Mar. 25 The High Cost of Living (in colour)
features work by Artists Below The Line at the Parrott
Gallery, Belleville Library. Meet the artists at an
opening reception on Feb. 19, 6 to 7:30 pm. In Gallery
Two: through the generosity of Belleville artist Wim
Mijusson, the Parrott Gallery is the grateful recipient of
the donation of the remaining portion of his life’s work
created over a period spanning 50 years. View selections
from this new collection. Info: 613-968-6731 ext. 2240
or bellevillelibrary.ca.
WORKSHOPS/CLASSES
Register now Winter 2015 Travel Notebook Learning
Adventures. Integrated writing and photography
workshop in Cuba: Cienfuegos (Jan. 23-Feb. 1),
Trinidad de Cuba (Feb. 6-15), Baracoa Safari: Into the
Biosphere (Feb. 27-Mar. 8), and Baracoa (Mar. 20-29).
These 10-day educational workshops, led by writer and
photographer Kathryn MacDonald and photographer
and adventure leader James Archbold, will enhance your
skills, whether you are a novice or advanced writer,
use a point-and-shoot or a DSLR camera. The focus
is on skills exchange through participatory learning:
presentations; discussions; on-location note-taking; and
personalized feedback. Details: travelnotebook.ca.
Register now Paint the Bavarian Alps with Donna
Bonin, Sept. 11 to 25, 2015. Paint the spectacular alpine
countryside and villages from 4 very scenic towns:
Berchtesgaden, Chiemsee Lake, Oberammergau, and
Fussen. There will be plenty of guided sightseeing
including a full day tour of Munich. Register now
for lowest airfare. Min. of 10 with a max. 14 artists.
Spouses and friends welcome. 613-395-5959 or
donnabonin@sympatico.ca for details.
Dec. 13, 14 Watercolour, monoprinting workshop
at Janine Kinch’s Creative Arts Studio, Glenora, PEC.
10 am to 4 pm, $150. Info: janine.kinch@gmail.com
or 613-471-1392. A monotype is a one of a kind print
produced by pressing by hand or with a press, a damp
sheet of paper onto a painted acrylic plate. Pouring
paint, dry brushing, texturing, sponging, stamping and
using stencils, you’ll explore the endless possibilities
this flexible and forgiving medium offers.
Drum lessons with John Logue, 613-779-6209. All
ages.
Starts Jan. 13 Christine is offering Swedish Weaving
Classes. Days and evenings. Next classes are Jan. 13,
20 & 27; Jan. 16, 23 & 30; Feb. 3, 10 & 17; Feb. 6, 13
& 20. All classes 10 am to noon or 1 to 3 pm or 6 to 8
pm. Max 4 per class. For info, or private or small group
Starts Jan. 29 Portfolio for Artists – Art for
Everyone! and the John M. Parrott Gallery are pleased
to announce their first portfolio development class for
artists. This holistic 8-week course will lead you through
the process of creating a polished portfolio. You will
learn about yourself, your learning and experience, how
to take all that information and package it into a strong
art portfolio, and most importantly, how to make this
tool work for you! This class will require a commitment
of 8-weeks and includes homework. Classes run
Thursdays from 10 to 12 starting Jan. 29 at the Parrott
Gallery, Belleville Library. Introductory price: $200 plus
tax and includes instruction, a manual, and portfolio
assessment. Register: Rachel Comeau 613-885-9840 or
rachel@artforeveryonetrenton.com.
CALLS FOR ENTRY
Deadline Dec. 15 Oeno Gallery’s sculpture garden,
located in Prince Edward County with 4 acres of garden
and surrounding landscape available for work, the
possibilities for sculpture installation are limitless. They
are asking sculpture artists to submit proposals for a
wide range of locations such as concrete pads, stone
pathways, among flower and vegetable gardens, grassy
hills, vineyard, arbors and concrete walls beside the
gallery for 3D hanging work. They also have a koi pond
that could be utilized for a bold and secure water feature.
Accepted submissions are to be installed mid-May 2015.
oenogallery.com.
Studio space Lots of light, great for artist studios.
Large professional office building located at 257
Pinnacle St. (corner of Victoria) in downtown Belleville.
A wide variety of suites, great visibility, renovated,
ample free parking in two adjacent parking lots, many
incentives available. Info: 613-242-00031.
Deadline Dec. 30 Are you interested in joining the
highly successful PEC Studio Tour? Application
form: pecstudiotour.com. Artists must be full-time PEC
residents or apply as a guest artist. Info: Tracy Douglas
at 613-476-7901 ext. 214 or Sharon Cranston at 613393-3900.
Deadline Jan. 31 Applications for the Quinte Arts
Council’s two performing arts bursaries are online
at quinteartscouncil.org (click on the Programs/
Services menu, then Arts Education). The QAC Arts
and Education Bursary for the Performing Arts is
a support program designed to help schools in Quinte
bring professional artists into the classroom to work on
a project with the students that will take place sometime
between March 1 and June 15. The Eugene Lang
Memorial Fund was established by Mr. Lang’s family
to encourage and promote classical music education
projects in schools in Hastings and Prince Edward
Counties. Info: 613-962-1232 or the website.
Drop off Feb. 21 Artists are invited to submit pieces
for the 2015 International Women’s Day Show which
will open Mar. 3, 5 to 7 pm at The Core Gallery, 223
Pinnacle St., Belleville. Drop off from noon to 3 pm
Feb. 21. Info: morris.lisa6@gmail.com.
Next deadline Apr. 1 Call to Artists. QA² is a new
magazine to promote and showcase individuals and
businesses in Quinte related to the arts as well as fitness,
individual and family activities and facilities. Groups
are encouraged to submit ideas. Submit article ideas,
blogs, events, stories, how-to subjects, photos, cartoons,
illustrations, poems, workouts, cycling and hiking trails,
fitness tips, accomplishments and awards. There are no
deadlines for online promotion and print deadlines are
Apr. 1, and Aug. 1. Editor: Sean Scally, editorqa2@
gmail.com, qa2.ca.
Deadline Feb. 28 The Friends of Bon Echo Park
invite all nature artists to the 20th annual Bon Echo
Art Exhibition & Sale at Bon Echo Provincial Park,
Hwy. 41, Cloyne. The theme of this juried exhibition of
original art is Canadian Nature, Wildlife, or Countryside,
and will take place on July 24, 25, 26. This is a
juried art exhibition and 45 artists will be accepted.
For applications & information: Kathleen Ketchum,
Executive Director, Friends of Bon Echo Park, 16151
Hwy. 41, RR#1, Cloyne , ON, K0H 1K0, phone:
613-336-0830, email: logistics@BonEchoFriends.ca,
BonEchoFriends.ca.
Mondays The Bay of Quinte Chorus of Sweet
Adelines International is looking for women who love
to sing four-part harmony. Rehearsals are on Monday
evenings 7 to 9 pm at Quinte Gardens, 30 College St. W,
Belleville in the lower level auditorium. No need to read
music. Enjoy the fun and friendship as you learn how to
find your best voice. Info: Elizabeth 613-779-1009 or
http://bayofquintechorus.webs.com/.
Jan. 10, 11 Belleville Theatre Guild. Auditions for
The Drowsy Chaperone the musical by Lisa Lambert
and Greg Morrison, 2 pm both days (Sat. and Sun.) at
Pinnacle Playhouse. 613-967-1442 or contact Moira
Nikander-Forrester 613-968-5049.
Jan. 18, 19 Auditions for Jake’s Women by Neil
Simon. 2 pm Jan. 18 and 7 pm Jan. 19 at Pinnacle
Playhouse. 613-967-1442 or contact Phil Bowerman
613-970-1488.
Submissions being accepted Megaphono is an
Ottawa-based music organization, focused on spreading
the word about music from the Ottawa/Gatineau/Eastern
Ontario area and helping artists and music entrepreneurs
to export their music and create sustainable careers. It
is also a brand new music showcase festival, which
will take place in Ottawa February 3 to 5. If you’re an
eastern Ontario musician and interested in playing at
Megaphono, visit megaphono.tv.
FILM
Dec. 2 Fish and the Fishery Special Dinner Event
at the Drake Devonshire in Wellington, 6 pm. 3-course
dinner, speaker, and screening of the film Vanishing
Legacies: The History of the Lakefaring Families
of Prince Edward County (by Suzanne Pasternak).
Fundraiser for Ostrander Point. $75. Info and to reserve:
saveostranderpoint.org.
Dec. Jan. Feb. The Quinte Film Alternative Great
Movie Wednesdays present first-run, festival quality,
must-see cinema every second Wednesday, 2 and
7:30 pm at the Empire Theatre in Belleville. Calvary
on Dec. 3, Love Is Strange on Jan. 7, Elsa & Fred
on Jan. 21, Pride on Feb. 4, Whiplash on Feb. 18.
Info at 613-480-6407, info@quintefilmalternative.ca,
quintefilmalternative.ca.
Feb. 27 to Mar. 1 Belleville Downtown Docfest, a
three-day event featuring over 40 films, including a new
batch of local documentaries, shown on 5 screens in the
city’s centre: two at the Core Centre, one at Pinnacle
Playhouse and two in the Belleville Public Library
John M. Parrott Art Gallery. Info: downtowndocfest.
ca, 613-849-1976. New this year, additional screenings
at The Empire Theatre will enable all festival-goers
to see the Saturday night featured film as well as the
continued on page 18...
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015 17
...continued from page 17
DocFest Finale on Sunday afternoon. ‘Early Bird’
Festival Passes, which include the Opening Gala,
will be available in time for Christmas giving and can
be purchased for $35 until Jan. 31 at the Quinte Arts
Council office or Sweet Escape Coffee Emporium in
downtown Belleville. Starting in Feb., $45 Festival
Passes will be available at additional outlets in and
around the Quinte area including The Empire Theatre
box office (handling charges will apply), online at
theempiretheatre.com or by phone at 613-969-0099.
HERITAGE
Dec. 3, 10, 17 Enjoy Glanmore by Gaslight, an
evening tour of Glanmore National Historic Site, 257
Bridge St. E., Belleville, 6:30 to 8 pm. The historic
house will be beautifully decorated for the holidays.
Traditional refreshments will be served. Advance ticket
purchase required: $12 for adults; $6 for children 5-12.
Not recommended for children under the age of 5. Call
613-962-2329 for reservations.
Dec. 7 Victorian Santa Workshop at Glanmore
National Historic Site, Belleville. 1:30 to 4 pm. Santa
is based on craft instructions from Harper’s Bazaar
published in 1867 and is constructed from natural
materials and features a sculpted acrylic head. $45,
advance registration required. Info: glanmore.ca.
Jan. 18 The Architectural Conservancy Quinte
Branch AGM will be held in the Sills Auditorium,
Bridge St. Church in Belleville at 2 pm. Guest speaker,
Alvy Newman on Second Empire Architecture. Info:
613-968-7605.
Jan. 20 An Evening with Sir John A. and The
Missus. The Directors of Hastings County Historical
Society invite you celebrate the bicentennial of Sir John
A’s birth in January 2015. Re-enactors Brian & Renee
Porter from Brockville present an in-costume portrayal
of our most famous politician and his wife. 7:30 pm
at Maranatha, 100 College St. W., Belleville. Info:
hastingshistory.ca.
Book now In Search of Sir John A., the annual
Hastings County Historical Society day-long bus tour
includes 3 guided tours of significant locations in his
life, and lunch for $70. May 23. Book early, as these
tours are usually sold out. Info: hastingshistory.ca or to
order tickets, M. L. Morgan at 613-961-7091.
Feb. 13 to Apr. 12 Egypt, Gift of the Nile Travelling
Exhibition. Learn about the history of Ancient Egypt
with this special exhibit from the Royal Ontario
Museum visiting Glanmore National Historic Site,
257 Bridge St. E. Belleville. The exhibit explores
the architecture, family life, personal grooming and
adornment, education, religious and funerary beliefs of
this fascinating ancient culture.
Feb. 17 to 20 During Heritage Week, visit Glanmore
National Historic Site to see the Egypt exhibit and
partake in special themed guided tours of the historic
house daily at 2 pm. Regular admission applies. Info:
glanmore.ca.
Feb. 17 Hastings County Historical Society presents
Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte researcher, Amie Cowie
speaking on the History and Heritage of the Mohawks
of the Bay of Quinte. This free public presentation
takes place at 7:30 pm at Maranatha, 100 College St. W.,
Belleville. Bring a friend. Info: hastingshistory.ca.
LITERARY
Gifts Christmas County Trilogy. The history of the
Quinte area is a wrap! Showcased in silvery paper and
tied up with a big red bow. Three different books from
Wallbridge House Publishing of Belleville are available
as a Christmas package for $125. Individually, these
full-colour, top quality books were originally priced
at $160. The books are: Heritage Atlas of Hastings
County, Lennox & Addington, Wind, Water, Barley
& Wine (Prince Edward County), creations by Orland
French and Wallbridge House Publishing. The threebook package makes a great Christmas present. Purchase
at Quinte Arts Council, 36 Bridge St. E., Belleville and
at wallbridgehouse.com.
science fiction and more! Books that tell the stories of
Quinte.
ODDS AND ENDS
Have your say The Baxter Arts Centre at 3 Stanley
St. in Bloomfield has been offering lectures, workshops,
and programs such as swing dance evenings, coffee
houses and silent film nights. Watch for their new
Spring programs, starting in March. baxterartscentre.
org. They are open for suggestions so if you
have ideas for arts-related programs, email info@
bloomfieldcentreforcreativity.org.
Dec. 24 to Jan. 6 The QAC office and gallery will be
closed on noon Dec. 24 and will re-open at 9:30 am on
Jan. 6. Have a Happy Holiday!
Jan. 11 Shelter Valley Folk Festival Annual General
Meeting at Grafton Town Hall 3 pm. All welcome!
Please note: Although we make every attempt to ensure
the accuracy of the details in Calendar, the QAC
recommends that you contact the event presenters or
check their websites to make sure all information is
correct and up-to-date before making your plans.
To have your event(s) listed in the ARTS
CALENDAR please keep the listing down to 70 words
or less. Include just the basic info: name of event,
date, time, location, brief description, how to purchase
tickets, contact information. Send in TEXT OR WORD
FORMAT ONLY. You can attach an image or poster
but, without the text, it will not be entered into the
Weekly Arts Update or Umbrella Calendars. Thank you!
Books by local authors On sale at the QAC’s Gallery
and Gift Shop, 36 Bridge St. E, Belleville. This is the
place to find histories, mysteries, autobiographies…
Deadline for the
Mar / Apr / May issue is
Monday, January 26, 2015.
Calendar submissions must be
no more than 70 words, per event.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS AND DONORS
The QAC’s Bid for Kids Charity Auction, held in November, was a success thanks to...
Avondale Flowers
Back in Motion Chiropractic
Barbara Chappelle
Bathworks
Bel-Con Design-Builders
Belleville Bulls & Team
Belleville Theatre Guild
Boretski Gallery
Boston Pizza
Bourbon Street Pizza Co.
Brigitte Rittinger
Capers Restaurant
Cathy Vanner
Chez Piggy
Culligan
Daniel Vaughan
Delta Faucets
18 Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
Dinkel's Restaurant & Courtyard
Donini Chocoloate
Dr. Bob Burns Veterinarian
Earl & Angelo's Steak & Seafood
Gilmour's Meats
Glen Echo Fine Foods
Hawkins Cheezies
Helen Kelly
Inner Peace Spa
Jack and Jill's Food Emporium
Jeanette Arsenault
Kirby Books
Lake on The Mountain Resort
L'Auberge de France
L'Elle Couture
Lynda Pauk
Living Energy
Mary-Lynne Morgan
Mindful Movements Pilates
Yoga Studio
O’Connor’s Jewel Box
Paulo's Italian Trattoria
Pan Chancho
Peggy deWitt Photography
PlugnPlayland.com
Quinte Ballet School of Canada
Quinte Broadcasting
Quinte Film Alternative
Robert Kranendonk
Salon You and Day Spa
Sikma Interiors
Starboard Communications
Stirling Festival Theatre
Susan Moshynski
The Belleville Club
The Belleville Intelligencer
The Boathouse Restaurant
The Drake Devonshire
The Frontenac Club Inn
The Gift Boutique
The Kingston Symphony
The Rattan Barn
The Waring House Inn
Tim Horton's Hanley Corporation
Travelodge Hotel
And a
BIG THANK YOU
to our hard-working
volunteer, Pam Murray
HERITAGE
Historical Society
bus tour: In
Search of Sir
John A.
Hastings County
Historical
Society loves to
party!
By Mary-Lynne Morgan
By Mary-Lynne Morgan
Which rascal statesman was born two hundred years
ago this January? None other than our own Sir John
A. Macdonald, the man who created Canada! Born in
Scotland, Macdonald grew up and became prominent in
nearby Kingston and the County.
How would you celebrate a 200th birthday? Invite
lots of friends? Have some cake? Plan some special
entertainment? Hold the party at a special place?
That’s exactly what the Hastings County Historical
Society is planning to do on Tuesday, January 20 when it
celebrates the 200th anniversary of the birth of Sir John
A. Macdonald, our first Prime Minister!
The Historical Society will use his life in this area as
the theme for our annual historic bus tour in 2015.
Spend the day on a luxurious Franklin touring coach on
Saturday, May 23 (not the long weekend), visiting the
places that were significant in Sir John A’s life: where he
was raised, where his family lived, where he worked and
where he is buried.
Long-time historical sleuth, Bill Hunt, along with
several other colourful commentators, will give you an
insight into Sir John A’s life and times. Find out why the
Macdonald family moved so often. See the sites of two
of Macdonald’s family businesses, visit the pioneer Old
Hay Bay Church. Find out why the Picton Court House
and Napanee were significant in both his early and later
life. Enjoy the scenery along historic Loyalist Parkway
and Adolphus Reach.
Your ticket, at $70, includes a delicious lunch
overlooking Collins Bay and three guided tours. In the
afternoon visit Sir John A’s home (Bellevue House) and
where he worked (the magnificent Kingston City Hall).
Find out how he won so many re-elections! See where
he is buried and who is right beside him! This will be a
great day, packed with interesting sites to see, and juicy
tidbits about our first Prime Minister as only historian,
Bill Hunt, can discover.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public in
February. These tours usually sell out quite quickly, so
book early!
For more information, go to the Historical Society’s new
website, hastingshistory.ca, or to book your reservation,
contact Mary-Lynne Morgan at 613-961-7091.
An Evening with
Sir John A. & The Missus
We invite everyone to share this special occasion as
we enjoy an evening with Sir John A and the Missus
(alias actors Brian and Renée Porter from Brockville).
The Porters, who have been convincingly recreating the
Macdonalds for years, will bring Sir John A and Lady
Agnes to life in a lively multi-dimensional presentation
that is sure to please everyone. You are most cordially
invited to attend this free birthday party, and we hope
you will bring your friends. It’s not often that you are
invited to a 200th birthday party—so mark it on your
2015 calendar with a big star!
Brian and Renee Porter as Sir John A. and the Missus
Attention
Umbrella Contributors!
If you wrote the article
you’re submitting, and you want
a by-line, please indicate that in
the body of the copy. Otherwise, we will assume
it is a news release with
no specific writer.
Aside from celebrating Sir John A’s birthday, the Society
is also celebrating its move to Maranatha as the new
home for its monthly public presentations. A victim of
our own success over the last year, we have outgrown
the facilities at Quinte Living Centre, and are pleased
to invite everyone to our spacious new meeting facility.
Ample parking at the rear of the building, a direct, level
access to our new meeting room, state-of-the-art sound
and multi-media equipment and comfortable seating will
all contribute to making our public presentations that
much more enjoyable, and enable us to bring history
alive to even more people of the Quinte region.
Won’t you join us at 7:30 pm on January 20 at Maranatha
as we celebrate our move and share an evening with Sir
John A and the Missus?
For more information on this and many other topics
of an historical nature, see our new HCHS website:
hastingshistory.ca.
Made
in
Quinte
Celebrate the bicentennial of
Sir John A’s birth in January 2015
when re-enactors Brian & Renee
Porter from Brockville present an
in-costume portrayal of our most
famous politician and his wife.
It never costs as much as you might think.
By purchasing goods and services produced by
local artists, you will strengthen your community,
help the industry grow, and contribute to the
local economy. It’s all good.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 7:30 PM
at Maranatha facility
100 College Street West, Belleville
Ample free parking and level access from the
north lot at the rear of the building
• Books, Art, Craft, CDs, DVDs and more.
• Tickets or gift certificates for concerts, theatre,
dance, film, workshops, classes, merchandise.
• The services of professional photographers,
videographers, artists, musicians, dancers...
THIS IS ONE OF THE SOCIETY’S
REGULAR MONTHLY
FREE PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
Looking for artists? Go to the QAC’s Member
Directory at www.quinteartscouncil.org
or give us a call: 613-962-1232.
For more information go to
www.hastingshistory.ca
Shop Locally Created!
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015 19
Little did we know! Ancient Egypt comes to Belleville!
By Mary-Lynne Morgan
The Directors of Hastings County Historical Society
had no idea how appropriate the theme for this year’s
banquet would be when they asked the Hastings &
Prince Edward Regiment Military Museum to cosponsor the evening!
As over 140 people, some in military mess kit, gathered
at the Travelodge on Saturday, October 25, they were
met with a profusion of poppies, military bagpipes and
a bugler to celebrate the centennial of the beginning
of World War I. Unfortunately these military symbols
elicited a more immediate remembrance for the two
military men, Patrice Vincent and Anthony Cirillo, who
were killed recently by home-grown terrorist attacks.
That is not to say the event was a sombre evening – far
from it! Lively chatter and lots of laughter filled the
room for much of the evening, and guests remained
after the official program to socialize and view the
informative historical displays provided by the Archives
volunteers. MC for the evening, Mary Thomas, who
has written about WWI in her book, David’s War,
did a fine job of keeping events on track. A welcome
provided by Richard Hughes, President of the Society,
indicated the exciting times the Society is enjoying
at present, and he spoke of the recent publishing of
Director Bill Kennedy’s new book, At the Call of
King and Country: People from Hastings County in
the Great War, 1914-1918. Lt. Col. John Inrig brought
greetings on behalf of the Hasty Pee’s Museum, using
the occasion to encourage donations of military artifacts
to the Regimental Museum. Guests also enjoyed a
rollicking sing-song of WWI hits, led by yours truly,
ably accompanied by pianist/singer, Rick Penner.
Guest speaker, Dr. Jack Granatstein, Canada’s foremost
authority on WWI, was introduced by Orland French,
who cited a long list of Granatstein’s accomplishments
with words such as “a slew of honorary doctorates” and
“at least sixty books to his credit” as well as describing
him as “often taking the contrarian approach” in his
assessment of historical events.
Dr. Granatstein provided a compelling argument that the
last one hundred days of WWI were critical in winning
the war against the Germans, and directly attributable
to the work of the Canadians. With the devastating
losses the British had incurred, they were in desperate
need of major reinforcements; Canadian conscription
provided thousands of fresh, young soldiers. Unlike the
beginning of the war, when most Canadian recruits were
naive Brits who had emigrated to Canada, these young
Canadian-born soldiers were well trained, reasonably
equipped and under no illusions as they left for battle.
Dr. Granatstein also provided interesting assessments of
two major Canadian military leaders, Sir Sam Hughes
and Col. Arthur Currie, indicating that, in his opinion,
Hughes was crazy, and Currie has never received the
recognition he deserved for being a brilliant tactician
and on-site commander.
In closing, President Richard Hughes noted that the
Hastings County Historical Society is enjoying great
success at the moment. In addition to the launch of Bill
Kennedy’s new book, he cited the successful partnership
of the City of Belleville, County of Hastings and the
Society in developing the new Community Archives
which it is hoped will open in 2015 in the building
that currently houses the Belleville Public Library.
He also invited all to attend the free monthly public
presentations on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30
pm. For more information on these meetings, see the
Calendar section or the History Comes Alive article on
this page.
For more information on the activities of the Hastings
County Historical Society, go to our recently revitalized
website, hastingshistory.ca.
Egypt, Gift of the Nile is a travelling
exhibition on display at Glanmore
National Historic Site, 257 Bridge
Street East, Belleville from February
13 to April 12, 2015. Museum
visitors will explore an ancient
civilization that flourished for
thousands of years with this exciting
exhibition visiting Belleville from
the Royal Ontario Museum. The Nile River Valley of 5000
years ago was the birthplace of a
remarkable civilization. Protected
from foreign invasion by vast
deserts and sustained by fertile
soil along the river, the ancient
Egyptians developed from a
simple agricultural community
into a sophisticated society. Under
a system of divine kingship,
this Egyptian civilization lasted
thousands of years and contributed
strongly to the later cultures of the
Mediterranean and Europe. The exhibit explores the architecture,
family life, personal grooming and
adornment, education, religious and
funerary beliefs of this fascinating
culture. The exhibit includes a lifesize sarcophagus as well as dozens
of artifacts, some dating back
to 2000 B.C. Hands-on stations
will encourage visitors to snap an
Egyptian selfie, write their name in
hieroglyphics, and more. Throughout the duration of the
exhibition, school programs exploring
the importance of this civilization will
be offered, with programs designed
specifically for grades K to 2 and 4 to 6.
Special Egyptian themed activities will
be offered during March Break.
Visit glanmore.ca for more information
or call 613-962-2329.
Making history come alive in the
Quinte region
By Mary-Lynne Morgan
There’s never a dull moment in the Hastings County
Historical Society!
We move from one great project to another! Many of
the items in progress in my last Umbrella article have
now been completed. Susanna Moodie’s statue has
found a beautiful spot by the walking path in Freestone
Park on the waterfront, thanks to the combined efforts
of the City of Belleville, Campbell Monuments and
the HCHS. The Society has provided interesting
visual displays for both the Culture Days and Doors
Open projects and in late October, we enjoyed a soldout Annual Banquet and Celebration of History to
commemorate the beginning of WWI (see separate
article). In addition, during the fall, the Board worked
in concert with the Belleville Public Library Board and
the Community Archives Committee to commission
and receive a detailed report on ways the Society, the
Community Archives and the Belleville Public Library
can benefit from shared facilities, and co-operative
ventures once the Archives and the Society move into
the building that currently houses the Library.
The public has recently been presented with architectural
drawings for the Community Archives of Belleville and
Hastings County Community Archives which, along
with the renovation plans and budget, will be presented
to both the County and City Councils for final approval.
It is anticipated that the project will go to tender before
the end of the year, and work begin early in the new year
– an ideal time for contractors looking for indoor work!
Archivist, Sharon White, and the Archives Volunteers
are eagerly awaiting the move into the new facilities
later in 2015. It has been a long process, but the delays
have resulted in a better design, a more efficient use of
space for the new Community Archives, and savings for
all three partners in this project - the City of Belleville,
the County of Hastings and the HCHS.
Another major project this Fall has been the
development of a new website, http://hastingshistory.
ca. Orland French, working with OSM Networks, has
produced an interesting, easily accessible and easily
navigable site, still accessed by hastingshistory.ca.
Although in its infancy, the site will only get better, as
there is a lot more detail to add. However, the bones
point to a great new community resource for those
interested in historical pursuits, and a very creative way
for the Society to make its work known to the region.
Sometimes you end up a victim of our own success!
Many times over the past several months, we
have had overflow attendance at our free monthly
presentations. Quite simply, in order to accommodate
the larger audiences, book displays, refreshments and
audio-visual needs for presenters, we have outgrown
the space at Quinte Living Centre. The Board has
decided to move these popular presentations on the
third Tuesday of each month, (January to May and
September to November) to the Maranatha facility, at
100 College Street West. With a larger modern space,
parking right at the door, level access, comfortable
chairs, state-of-the-art sound and visual equipment,
this facility will certainly enhance the interesting
monthly presentations and make each event a much
more pleasant experience for those who attend, as
well as those who present. We will be making the
move to our new meeting space with our January
presentation.
On Tuesday, January 20, to commemorate the
bicentennial of Sir John A. Macdonald’s birth in January
1815, we have engaged re-enactors Brian and Renee
Porter from Brockville, known widely for their very
convincing portrayals of the Macdonalds, to provide
a costumed, in-character visit with Sir John A and
Lady Agnes Macdonald. This should be a very lively
evening, especially as we begin the new year in our new
meeting facilities. On Tuesday, February 17, we present
Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte Researcher, Amie Cowie
speaking on the History and Heritage of the Mohawks of
the Bay of Quinte, also a very interesting evening.
Hastings County Historical Society continues to enjoy
an exciting time in its own history and to be a vibrant
volunteer organization within our community. If you
enjoy learning about our local heritage and working
with interesting and fun people, why not join us? For
more information on the Society and its activities visit
hastingshistory.ca.
The Quinte Arts Council’s Umbrella Newspaper, Visual Arts Programs,
and Arts Education Programs are generously supported by
The John M. & Bernice Parrott Foundation
20 Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
Multicultural artist brings diversity
to the local arts scene
210 Pinnacle Street
Belleville’s Finest
Reception Facility
Call 613-962-1239 for information
Eucalypta Apurimac is not a name you hear everyday
in Canada, or perhaps anywhere in the world. That is
because Eucalypta, both in name and spirit, is part of a
new Canadian generation that pulls its roots from vastly
different parts of the earth. She is an amalgam that
reflects the multiracial and multicultural ties growing in
cities like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.
But ask her what her race is and you will hear her laugh.
“Race doesn’t really mean anything, not anything ‘solid’
anyways, to someone who is mixed race. You can’t
be one or both things so you eventually figure out that
neither is a real definition of you. And then you just
throw out the whole dictionary.
“Being mixed race allowed me to play around with
identity in a way I might not have if I had grown up in
a securely set box. I think it is a common experience for
mixed race people, whether they are Chinese-African or
Hispanic-European or whatever, that we tend to bounce
back and forth between identities. Some days we are
feeling more ‘native,’ the next day we are feeling more
‘European’...and then somewhere in a history lesson,
you feel one part of you want to kick the other! But that
doesn’t make sense does it? I can’t be either or both! It’s
a contradiction in terms.”
The tension between identities and conflicting
perspectives is reflected in Eucalypta’s unique paintings.
In none is the tension more poignant than in her
painting, Fish and Chips.
A Room With A View
Which would clearly be a loss of young talent. So how
did she start painting?
“I had mixed feelings when I made this painting. When
you look at it, you, the viewer, are the one looking
down at this mermaid with a knife and fork in your
hands ready to eat her. But at the same time, you
identify with the mermaid because you recognize her
humanity. You know she is ‘human’ though she looks
“My father’s family was artistic. They didn’t teach
me but my father always encouraged me to draw as
a child by giving me paper and pencils. Yet he gave
up his own creative ambitions because of fatherhood
and the practical demands of making a living. As an
adult, I also forgot about art until one day I just knew
I had to start painting. There was almost a fatalistic
The Poker Player
Fish and Chips
different. I think the most important, though forgotten,
lesson is: never dehumanize others, especially not
based on definitions.”
determinism to it. Because there is nothing practical
about art. You do it because something is demanding to
be brought into existence.”
It is evident when Eucalypta speaks that she does
indeed have turbid feelings about the subject. Her
voice overflows with both passion and emotional strain
when she talks about Fish and Chips. Almost as if
her own creation wounds her at the same time that it
aesthetically pleases her. “There is a lot of pain in my
works. I might not have much to say if I hadn’t. But
can I really regret the path of my life? Again, it’s a
contradiction. Of course, I would be happier if I had a
different life but that wouldn’t be me anymore. I would
cease to exist. And I would probably not be painting or
not in the same way.”
The urgency Eucalypta brings to painting seems to
remain in the finished product. This is not someone
playing around and being polite about it. Her paintings
flicker with an energy that says they were born to
confront. Some of her paintings, such as Steampunk
(---/and the Poker Player---), even appear to taunt the
viewer.
Office Space for Rent
Three months free rent
on three year lease.
Free use of moving truck.
Wheel chair accessible
on both floors!
Located in downtown Belleville.
Lots of natural light for Art Studio.
Two free parking lots.
Renovated.
Many suites with kitchenettes.
Office hours: 9 - 4
Please call Grace Scutella for
more info or to set up a viewing.
613-242-0031
Clearly, there is much going on underneath the surface
though the artist herself may be even more complicated
than any of her paintings.
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015 21
IN MEMORIAM
By Luke Hendry
By Jerome Lessard
Town Crier Bruce Bedell at East Hill Park in Belleville, is seen here at the kick-off of the 2010
Porchfest
Reprinted with permission from the Belleville Intelligencer - Oct. 7, 2014
There was never any doubt when Bruce Bedell was in the room. As Belleville’s town
crier, Mr. Bedell could fill any space, indoor or outdoor, with his bellowing cries.
Mr. Bedell died of cancer Oct. 1 while surrounded by family at Belleville General
Hospital. He was 78. Hastings County Historical Society president Richard Hughes
praised Mr. Bedell as a “wonderful, valuable person. His colour, his flair, his humour, his
knowledge—he brought all this to all of our events,” said Hughes. “He was always the
first person to open all of our events and for each one he would craft a special cry.”
Mr. Bedell loved to research those cries and would often work a wry joke or play
on words into them. “He always said Belleville was the ‘best city around by a dam
site,’” Hughes recalled with a laugh. “He got everybody’s attention and got everyone
entertained and settled down while informing them at the same time.”
Mr. Bedell was a married father of four and grandfather who was retired from a teaching
career. He was a graduate of Belleville Collegiate Institute and Vocational School and
served a year in the Royal Canadian Air Force before becoming a teacher. His first
classroom was in Wilberforce, between Haliburton and Bancroft.
In 1962, Mr. Bedell married fellow teacher Catherine Patterson. They had four children:
Alexis, Bruce, Francis and Denise, who became a town crier in California. The family
lived in Dryden and Sault Ste. Marie, where he was also town crier on both sides of the
border from 1988 to 1997. He and Catherine then moved to London before resettling in
Belleville in 2004.
Mr. Bedell was soon at city hall, asking—quietly at first—to be named crier. He
succeeded. “He was a good ambassador,” said Mayor Neil Ellis.
Ellis recalled inviting Mr. Bedell to many city events, including each of his eight new
year’s levees, where Bedell not only welcomed guests with a cry but had a habit of being
photographed. “Every time I invite you to the levee you make the front page,” Ellis
joked with him recently.
Mr. Bedell was “passionate about the city” and “you could see that in his cries.” “If you listened
to what he wrote, he took time and was always prepared and had something different.”
Mr. Bedell came from a line of United Empire Loyalists and claimed Belleville founder
Capt. John Meyers as an ancestor. He also had the period costume befitting his crier role.
“He had a long, long history personally of historical research. He was extremely
knowledgeable and had a very keen interest in promoting the city… and he had a
booming voice to promote it very forcefully,” Hughes said.
He competed internationally in crying contests and in the 1990s wrote a handbook called
the Book of Cries. Mr. Bedell won the provincial town crier’s title in 1989, 1990 and
1991 and was ranked as high as eighth in the world in 1993.
He’s survived by his wife, children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
22 Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
PHOTO: JEROME LESSARD / THE INTELLIGENCER
Garrick Tyas, the Fiddleguy
PHOTO: JEROME LESSARD / THE INTELLIGENCER
Bruce Bedell, Town Crier
Long-time busker Garrick Tyas tries to make people’s day a little happier by playing his fiddle at
the Metro grocery store in Belleville on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011
Reprinted with permission from the Belleville Intelligencer - Sept. 12, 2014
I was fortunate enough to have been part of the last seven years of Garrick Tyas’ life.
The colourful busker known in the Quinte area as the “Fiddleguy” lost his battle
against cancer peacefully with his partner Pamela Kaltenrieder at his side in their
Rednersville Road home, early last Sunday morning. He was 67.
Living on through are Kaltenrieder; his four children Cynthia, Steven, Spring and
Melody; his grandchildren Jack, Patrick, Austin, and Ethan; his cockatiel Johnathan;
his family of friends and his music. “I am the Fiddle, and I am the Guy. Me and my
music, high up in the sky,” as Tyas’ signature verse echoed.
Many people who shopped at Metro in Belleville over the last decade may recall Tyas
offering them fiddle anthems as they walked in or out of the North Front Street store.
Others may remember him for playing the fiddle and mandolin in Trenton—he used
to have his studio on Front Street—or during annual fundraisers like Empty Bowls at
Loyalist College and community events hosted by Gleaners Food Bank in Belleville.
Contrary to what some people might have thought of him, Tyas was no panhandler.
“I am not a panhandler. I don’t beg and don’t ask for anything,” he told me back in
October 2011. “I never asked anybody for a penny. I never have and never will. I am
busking professionally, as if it’s a job.”
The Fiddleguy was more than a busker. He was a multi-disciplinary artist who
could play a wide range of instruments, could write and direct plays, who embraced
“the magic” of photography and most recently, taught himself how to create digital
animation.
Tyas was born in England in 1947 and moved to Canada a year later after a Toronto
couple adopted him. He started busking at St. Lawrence Market in Toronto and kept
doing it professionally for more than 25 years, all the way from Hamilton, Ont. to
Halifax.
Kaltenrieder is Tyas’ “lady”. She clearly remembers meeting him for the first time
at a party in Cherry Valley 20 years ago. “That’s how I got to meet him and we’ve
lived together for 18 years,” she said with emotion. “He used to say that ‘I kept him
grounded’. He will be sorely missed.” To Kaltenrieder, Tyas was unique. “He was
one of a kind,” she added. “He was so talented. He made a point to inspire everybody
around him. One of his friends was petrified of playing the piano, but he kept
encouraging her and she played a beautiful piece yesterday (Thursday).”
Tyas was scheduled to play a fundraising gig in support of Gleaners Food Bank on
Aug. 24, but his condition at the time did not allow him to. Like many people in
Quinte, Susan Quinlan, Director of Operations at Gleaners, met Tyas for the first time
at Metro in Belleville. “I always enjoyed his tunes,” she said.
“One day he stopped me and said “Are you not the food bank lady?’ I laughed and he
said ‘I want to do something for you.’ He loved playing for us down at Market Square
and loved our garden.”
Tyas also carried his own NHL-size dream when he appeared on CBC Television in
2008, auditioning for Hockey Night in Canada’s Hockey Anthem Challenge. “I have
never been a real hockey fan, but I thought I could give it a try, just for fun,” he then said.
Lee Jourard, broadcaster
By Luke Hendry and Jack Evans
By Luke Hendry
PHOTO: NICK WHITE
PHOTO: LUKE HENDRY / THE INTELLIGENCER
Jim Alexander, actor
Jim Alexander
Lee Jourard (Community Archives of Belleville & Hastings County)
Reprinted with permission from the Belleville Intelligencer - Oct., 8, 2014
Reprinted with permission from the Belleville Intelligencer - Sept. 4, 2014
In Quinte’s theatre world, Jim Alexander was master of the house.
From the airwaves to the stage, Lee Jourard was a strong voice for the Quinte region.
James Ervin Alexander, 89, died Monday (October 6) in Belleville of a stroke.
Mr. Jourard, 85, died peacefully Monday, September 1 at Belleville General Hospital
following a brief illness. A funeral was held Thursday at the Sons of Jacob Synagogue
Memorial Park near Bayside.
“He was a giant of our theatre,” said friend and frequent Belleville Theatre Guild
collaborator Diane Burley. He had also been a member of the Probus Club of
Belleville for some years, where he was known for his wit and sociability.
Mr. Alexander grew up on a farm north of Gananoque and first performed onstage in
high school. He was a paratrooper with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion in the
Second World War. After the war, Mr. Alexander became a hair stylist in Trenton, and
it was in a salon that he was first invited into the theatre.
Mr. Alexander joined a Trenton theatre group and in 1951 joined the Belleville
Theatre Guild during its third meeting. This was his 65th year in local theatre.
He married Wilma Judge in 1953. The Quinte West residents lived in and loved the
arts, becoming well-known for their support of arts causes and their own creativity.
Wilma worked as an elementary school teacher and librarian and later became known
for her six children’s books. When she died 2008, Mr. Alexander published her final
book and donated most copies to area schools and libraries.
He was so busy at the Pinnacle Playhouse that even 25 years ago he said he couldn’t
recall how many shows in which he’d been involved. “He was a mentor to everybody
he could find,” said Liz Marshall, who in the mid-1970s met Mr. Alexander through
the guild. “That was his life’s work.”
Mr. Alexander was named best actor for a guild production entered in an Eastern
Ontario Drama League festival. He also won awards for lighting and set design.
Friend and guild member Diane Burley said it was rare to find so many “different
creative talents in one person.” She noted his feedback was never negative.
“Somehow he just found a way to get the best out of his people with a lot of
compassion – good humour, gentle, very warm, very approachable,” she said.
“He had a real artist’s eye for lighting. He lit things beautifully,” Marshall added. He
also designed the set for one of her past plays, Doubt. “It was one of those sets you
wanted to take a picture of and hang it on your wall.”
Mr. Alexander, who moved to Belleville after Wilma’s death, had just completed his
maquette for the set for Burley’s upcoming February play, The Woman in Black.
“We’ll do it the way he wanted it,” she said.
Marshall said those he taught will pass on his wisdom. “That will be his legacy.”
Mr. Alexander is survived by two of his four siblings—brother Lawrence and sister
Loretta—and sons Christopher, Nicholas, Timothy and their families.
Arthur Leon Jourard came to Belleville in 1950 as a broadcaster but soon became a busy
volunteer, active in everything from the Belleville Theatre Guild to the Bay of Quinte
Yacht Club. A radio job at Quinte Broadcasting’s CJBQ station drew him here. The next
year, he married Eleanor, with whom he’d been a camp counsellor at Lake Temagami
north of North Bay.
“I thought the world of Lee Jourard,” said former radio host Peter Thompson. He described
his former boss as a precise administrator full of integrity and who demanded quality. “He
did an amazing job for the community,” Thompson said. “He made me draw a diagram of
the control room, with every knob and every switch, before he let me go in there.”
Mr. Jourard spent 23 years with the radio station before jumping to what was then its
sister television station, Cablevue 4, which, like CJBQ, was owned by Belleville’s
Morton family. Mr. Jourard was Cablevue’s first program director and remained there
until his retirement in 1995.
“He had his finger on the pulse of the community,” said friend Jack Evans. “He kept his
eyes on sports events, churches, everything.” Evans, an Intelligencer freelance reporter
and retired staffer, said Mr. Jourard gave him his first job in radio in about 1957. “He was
very easy to get along with, very intelligent,” Evans said. He recalled his friend taking
courses regularly, including in Europe, to learn about languages, history and other topics.
“He was a lifetime scholar, basically,” said Evans.
Mr. Jourard was a father of four who donated his time with groups representing his many
interests. He was among the first members of both the theatre guild and the Hastings
County Historical Society while also volunteering with the Quinte Opera Guild and the
Sons of Jacob Synagogue. He sailed and also had licences to fly single-engine planes and
gliders.
Mr. Jourard’s volunteer service included time with the boards of Loyalist College’s
CJLX radio station, the yacht club, Bay of Quinte Power Squadron, and the former
Moira River Conservation Authority. He was a 1998 recipient of the Quinte Arts
Council’s Arts Recognition Award and city council’s 2007 senior citizen of the year.
“He did a lot for the arts community. We need more like him,” said Quinte Arts Council
executive director Carol Feeney. She said he was “very caring, astute and articulate” and
quick to voice his views. “He had strong opinions on things but he was very fair,” she said.
Diane Burley grew up listening to Mr. Jourard on the radio, then taught three of the
Jourards’ children and later worked with him in the theatre guild. He was the winner
of several theatre awards. “He was always larger than life and a joy to direct because
he was such a gifted actor, such a natural,” Burley said. Their last collaboration was in
2006’s Trying, with Mr. Jourard in the lead role. “The wit, the humour, the strength, the
gentleness—he could project all those things,” she said.
Mr. Jourard was predeceased on Sept. 5, 2013 by his son, Lewis. He’s survived by his
wife, Eleanor, sons Mike and Andrew, daughter Tigger and their families. A celebration
of his life will be held at a late date with details to be posted online at benjamins.ca.
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015 23
LITERARY
PurdyFests moving on from Marmora
After eight rollicking years of poetry and discussion,
annual Purdy Country Literary Festivals (PurdyFests)
have had a great run. This longevity is almost unique
among Canadian literary and poetry events, and is
certainly unique to have had these three-day festivals
in small town Ontario. Time, various circumstances
and especially aging have closed the curtain on the
Marmora festivals. Fortunately, some of the keener
annual campers at ZenRiver Gardens plan to return next
August long weekend, so visitors can continue to enjoy
contemplative times on the edge of The Shield - and I’m
sure some poems will be read, songs sung and memories
refreshed. But the formal organization of the extensive
series of events which was Marmora PurdyFest has had
its curtain call.
The good news is that PurdyFests and their spirit will
continue to manifest in a number of other locations and
in a variety of formats. Tai Grove, publisher of Hidden
Brook Press and the President of the Canada-Cuba
Literary Alliance, has plans to coordinate a PurdyFest
somewhere along the shores of Lake Ontario next fall.
Two longtime PurdyFesters, Jim Larwill and Katharine
Beeman, have organized spin-off People’s Poetry
festivals in their locales. Jim has organized two Wolf
Fests so far in the bush north of Ottawa, and Katharine
has organized two ‘Festalitos’ in Montreal. Kathy
Figueroa has also organized two summer poetry festivals
in Maynooth, and now that the Al Purdy A-frame is
functioning as an area writer-in-residence location,
annual summer picnics have been held there for the past
two years as well.
The first PurdyFest was held in Marmora over the
August long weekend in 2007. Poet James Deahl
and author/philosopher Terry Barker were my fellow
coordinators. James and Terry had been organizing a
series of ‘poetry controversies’ around southern Ontario
on the subject of Canadian ‘People’s Poetry,’ and
they thought it would be fun to organize one of these
discussions on Al Purdy’s turf, as memorialized in his
poem The Country North of Belleville.
I agreed it would be fun to hold a poetry event on
the edge of the Canadian Shield, and suggested that
we should include poetry readings and other events
along with the more academic ‘controversies.’ The
‘controversies’ became our signature symposiums,
focusing on the legacy of leading People’s Poets such
as Purdy and his close friend, fellow Governor General
Award winning poet Milton Acorn.
Over the eight years, PurdyFests symposiums honoured
an historical catalogue of poets, from then still-living Ray
Souster, to those recently passed, such as Ted Plantos,
and then we explored back through Canadian history
with discussions on Dorothy Livesay and concluded this
summer with Pauline Johnson.
When I toured Terry and James around Marmora on their
first visit, they fell in love with the beauty of the Marmora
area, and we decided to hold open air poetry readings on
the islet in the middle of the Marmora Dam. Thus was
born another PurdyFest tradition, ‘Another Dam Poetry
Reading.’ A Who’s Who of Canadian poets participated
The Best of Boyce: a book 50 years
in the writing
To say that Gerry Boyce is ‘Mr. History’ of Hastings
County does not fully recognize the work he has done
to preserve the heritage of the county for over half a
century, particularly through his writing. In December,
a new book, The Best of Boyce, will take its readers on
a five-decade journey through Gerry’s journalism and
non-fiction, as he reveals to us the people, places and
events which have shaped this county.
“He is the ‘go-to’ man for the media when historical
perspective is needed on current issues,” says publisher
Paul Kirby. “His classic Historic Hastings is the book
which is still referenced in footnotes in nearly every new
publication telling of the county history, 50 years after
its initial release.”
“Our wealth of history is like gold nuggets: they rest
beneath the surface, and require devoted labour to
unearth them,” says Richard Hughes, president of the
Hastings County Historical Society. “That is what Gerry
has done for all of us; he has dug up the gems and held
them up for all of us to see and enjoy.”
Boyce has written biographies (Hutton of Hastings),
studied buildings (Belleville City Hall), bridges (The
Covered Bridge at Trenton), municipalities (Belleville:
A Popular History), theology (The St. Andrew’s
Chronicles: The History of Presbyterianism in the
Belleville-Quinte Area), and gold rushes (Eldorado).
He is frequently requested to contribute to reference
dictionaries and newsletters, and is in demand as
a public speaker for community organizations and
schools.
PHOTO: SHARON HENDERSON
By Chris Faiers
PurdyFest #8 at ZenRiver Gardens.
in the symposiums and in the Dam Readings, including
Jim Larwill, Honey Novick, James Deahl, David Day,
Katharine Beeman, Pearl and Brian Pirie, Anna Yin, Jim
Christy, Martin Durkin, Julie McNeill, Carol Malyon,
Omaha RisinG, Allan Briesmaster, Anna Plesums, R.
D. Roy, Kent Bowman, Mick Burrs, Gail Taylor, John
Hamley, Shane Neilson and many, many more. Marmora
singer Morley Ellis opened all the Dam Readings
with professional performances which set the relaxed
atmosphere for the readings.
Tai Grove organized round robin readings at my nearby
ZenRiver Gardens retreat on the Sunday afternoons of
the fests. Many poets enjoyed camping at ZenRiver,
and the Friday and Saturday night campfires and
spontaneous events, such as Jim Larwill’s amazing
playlet, featuring his nemesis, Wilber Walnut, will be
fondly remembered by all. Participants Simon and
Melanie always added a lot of colour to events, with
their campfire presentations of Hamilton street theatre.
As we toasted on the final day of last summer’s
PurdyFest, “PurdyFest is dead, long live PurdyFest!!!”
FIFTY YEARS
IN THE WRITING
“In The Best of Boyce, we have assembled a Gerry
Boyce ‘Greatest Hits,’ ” says Kirby, “a sampling of the
breadth of work this walking encyclopedia has produced
over the past five decades.” Kirby says an attempt has
been made in this book to cover the broad scope of
Gerry’s writings, no easy feat: he has written full, booklength narratives on the county’s history in traditional
prose style; a church history with Gerry writing in the
first-person, in the guise of a character from that period;
a township history in diary form; concise newspaper
pieces; and academic papers and presentations to august
societies and associations.
The book will be launched with a signing by Gerry at
the Belleville Public Library on Saturday, December
6, from 2 to 3 pm. Copies can be reserved prior to
the event (pre-payment not required) by contacting
kirbybookscanada@gmail.com. A donation of $6 will
be made to the Community Archives of Belleville and
Hastings County for each copy sold at the book signing.
Book signing December 6. 2-3pm
Belleville Public Library, Pinnacle Street.
kirbybooks.ca
kirbybookscanada@gmail.com
The Quinte Arts Council’s Education Programs
are generously supported by
The Marilyn & Maurice Rollins Foundation
24 Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
Lawyer pens his tenth legal novel
Donald Desaulniers, a retired Belleville lawyer, has just
published his tenth novel about lawyers.
“I’ve always enjoyed reading stories about lawyers
and now that I’m writing as my retirement hobby, I’ve
channeled that love of legal life into the main source of
inspiration for my own books,” Desaulniers explains.
His first published book
is entitled Frugal Lawyer,
Flashy Lawyer, and deals
with a lawyer who becomes
bored in retirement and
moves to another city in
the hopes of eradicating the
dreariness rampant in his
meaningless life. That novel
is available at the Belleville
Public Library.
Some subsequent legal
novels include Love Seduces
a Fool which describes the
life of a retired government
Donald Desaulniers
lawyer who gets taken to the
cleaners by the women in his
life, and Tempting the Good Lawyer, which is a chilling
story about a struggling lawyer targeted by an angry
Satan, who intends to corrupt the attorney’s soul with
irresistible temptations ranging from the financial to the
carnal.
Another book, The Twin Shadows, is a murder mystery in
which the main character, also a retired Belleville lawyer,
becomes the prime suspect in a string of murders.
The Wrong Lawyer relates the story of a retired lawyer
who winds up in the wrong place at the wrong time
and gets used by Homeland Security as a pawn in its
continuing efforts to intrude into the private lives of
normal folks under the guise of fighting terrorism.
The author’s latest novel is Fake Lawyer, which
describes the bizarre events which overtake the life
of a young Canadian factory worker, the combination
of which results in the fellow working as a lawyer in
a small town in northern Pennsylvania. What could
possibly go wrong when an ordinary bloke pretends to
be a lawyer?
“All of my legal novels are
about Canadian lawyers,
some of whom are retired
while other characters are
still working. My best story
to date is Rich Lawyer, Poor
Priest, about the interactions
between a rich but shady
Belleville attorney and a
dedicated Catholic priest
from Texas, when they meet
in an airport on their way
to Las Vegas. It is a story of
illumination and redemption,
and I’m extremely proud of it.”
Desaulniers admitted that,
being disgustingly frugal
himself, his latest nine legal novels have been published
solely as E-Books on Amazon.
“It costs nothing to publish on Amazon and I prepare
my own covers and do all my own editing. Since I’m a
totally unknown novice writer, only about 100 readers
have actually purchased my novels on-line, but Amazon
permits authors to give away their books free for up to
five days every three months. To date more than 5,000
readers around the world have downloaded my books
when I’ve given them away. It’s incredibly exciting
to think that so many people are actually reading
my novels. Creating the stories and then publishing
what I’ve written have made the first five years of my
retirement pure joy.”
Poets Among Us
Snow
It must be a miracle.
The doctor told us
you wouldn’t make the snow season.
But this year, in our warm south
winter comes earlier.
We rush to get fur coats from closets.
We are both happy and worried —
no one can predict the weather
and the future any more.
In the news, somewhere where
there are never floods;
now it is under deep water.
When we were young,
we waited for snow eagerly.
Following you, I made snow
angels, mine always smaller.
Does it snow in heaven?
Nobody tells us.
Those who go before us, you say
go to check
Jim Christy: a thirst for poetry and
adventure
Belleville resident, writer and artist, Jim Christy
is celebrating the publication of his 32nd book, a
work of poetry, The Big Thirst and Other Doggone
Poems. Christy has published novels, travel books,
biographies, collections of stories and essays, as well
as four other poetry collections.
The Toronto Star called
him an “adventurer and
polymath of insatiable
curiosity.” The Globe and
Mail and the Enquirer
declared him to be a
“modern day Indiana
Jones.” His adventures
and explorations have
taken him from Greenland
to Cambodia, the Yukon
to the Amazon. In the
‘80s, he discovered the
supposedly mythical lost
city of Olancho de Viejo,
in the Central American
jungle. In the ‘90s, he
retraced the route of the
1839/40 British trek to the
Mayan ceremonial site of
Palenque, led by engineer
James Walker and Canadian
artist John Herbert Caddy. The journey was by foot and
boat from Belize City across Guatemala to Chiapas
State in Mexico.
Christy has been a war correspondent (Rhodesia,
Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa, El Salvador,
Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala) and has been in the
field with the elite Cambodian Mine Action Corps,
clearing landmines in Cambodia.
and save a place for us.
by Anna Yin
Elegy for her sister, Zhi Hong
He is also an artist, exhibited nationally and abroad. To
supplement the vagaries of life as a writer and artist,
Christy has appeared in 50 or so movies, television
episodes and television
commercials as a bit-part
actor. He has had two
CDs of his poetry, songs
and music produced, in
Vancouver and Melbourne.
His songs have been
recorded by others.
Christy considers himself
primarily a writer, and, as
a writer, primarily a poet.
Quill and Quire Magazine
praised the “carnivalesque
imagery of his poetry;”
Subterrain Magazine stated
that his poetry is “like a
cross between Catullus
and a country song;” the
Australian Broadcasting
Corporation called his voice
“pure sweet seduction.”
Yet Christy and his work remain relatively little known
in his own country. The Toronto Star claims this is
because he is too eclectic, too iconoclastic and too
unconventional. But they like him in other countries.
NEW! JANUARY 2015
Read excerpt at
kirbybooks.ca/memoirs.html
You can contact Jim by email at jarichristy@gmail.
com, or call 613-661-1622.
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015 25
FILM
Belleville Downtown DocFest primps
for year four: festival matures but
keeps its edge
The 4th annual Belleville Downtown DocFest is
scheduled for February 27 to March 1, 2015. Belleville’s
homegrown international documentary film festival has
established a reputation for showcasing films that speak
to environmental, social justice, legal, food security and
economic issues that celebrate life and human dignity
around the world and right here at home.
Again, the festival is a three-day event featuring over
40 films, including a new batch of local documentaries,
shown on five screens in the city’s centre: two at the
Core Centre, one at Pinnacle Playhouse and two in the
Belleville Public Library John M. Parrott Art Gallery.
“A number of locally produced documentaries continue
to be submitted. This is very gratifying and an indication
of the community’s support for DocFest,” said Joel
George, DocFest’s local film coordinator and website
manager.
The Empire Theatre, Belleville’s premier entertainment
venue, will host the much anticipated Opening Gala that
features a major music documentary followed by live
entertainment. Pretsell Davies Lawyers, the sponsors
for this evening of pomp and glamour, stated, “We have
been thrilled to be sponsors of this unique festival since
its inception. The combination of music and film that
has become the standard for the Opening Gala brings
original music to the downtown, while highlighting
the entertainment value of documentary films and
promoting Belleville’s downtown core.”
New this year, additional screenings at The Empire
Theatre will enable all festival-goers to see the Saturday
night featured film as well as the DocFest Finale on
Sunday afternoon. “We created Saturday Night at The
Empire to present another major documentary accessible
to everyone,” explained co-chair Gary Magwood.
Funding for DocFest is provided by The Elementary
Teachers’ Federation of Ontario and Quinte Film
Alternative. Over 30 local organizations and service
agencies sponsor or present documentaries that reflect
their specific mandates with opportunities for their
representatives to introduce the films.
‘Early Bird’ Festival Passes which include the Opening
Gala will be available in time for Christmas giving and
can be purchased for $35 until January 31 at the Quinte
Arts Council office or Sweet Escape Coffee Emporium
in downtown Belleville. Starting in February, $45
Festival Passes will be available at additional outlets
in and around the Quinte area including The Empire
Theatre box office (handling charges will apply),
online at theempiretheatre.com or by phone at
613-969-0099.
Volunteers are the backbone of any film festival. “If an
awesome t-shirt and a chance to mix and mingle with
festival-goers appeals, then go to downtowndocfest.ca
and click on ‘Get Involved’,” said Esthel Issa, DocFest’s
Volunteer Coordinator.
Film listings, the festival schedule and ticket outlets
will be posted at downtowndocfest.ca. Find us on
Facebook and follow the festival on Twitter. For further
information, please call 613-849-1976 or email info@
downtowndocfest.ca.
A SNEAK PREVIEW…
In 2015
Later Life Learning
will celebrate its
10th Anniversary with
a special spring lecture series
featuring former Bellevillians
Glenn Fortin
Former Canadian Novice Men’s Figure
Skating Champion & Belleville Athlete
of the Year. Now an International
Figure Skating Judge.
Stevie Cameron
An award-winning investigative
journalist and best selling author.
Let’s Celebrate Those Who Have Made A Difference!
The Quinte Arts Council’s
Arts
Recognition
Awards
The QAC wants to hear about individuals, groups or businesses that have shown consistent and outstanding support for the arts in Quinte. All it takes are 250 words on why the
nominee should be considered and at least two letters of support. Anyone may nominate
those that have produced, supported and/or promoted the arts within the Quinte community. Previous nominees who have not received the award may be resubmitted. Past
recipients have included visual artists, musicians, writers, actors, volunteers, musical and
artistic directors, business leaders and corporate sponsors. See the names of past recipients on the QAC website. The deadline for nominations for the 2015 Quinte Arts Council
Arts Recognition Awards is April 15, 2015. Nomination forms are available from the QAC
office at 36 Bridge St. E, Belleville, and on the website: www.quinteartscouncil.org.
26 Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
Trina McQueen
Former President and COO of CTV,
Founding President of the Discovery
Channel, former chief of News,
Current Affairs & Newsworld at CBC.
Siobhan Roberts
Award-winning journalist and author
focusing on mathematics and science.
Writer-in-Residence at
Humboldt University of Berlin.
Paul Haggis
Former CEO & President OMERS.
Former Chairman of the Board,
Canadian Pacific Railway Limited.
Wednesday mornings at 10:00
April 15 – May 13, 2015
St. Thomas’ Church Hall, Belleville
$50.00 for the series
A great Christmas gift!
For information contact:
carol.sayeau@gmail.com
Diana Koechlin – 613-962-9492
Quinte Film Alternative a mainstay of
arts and culture in Belleville
GIVE THE GIFT OF GREAT MOVIES!
Purchase a NEW QFA Membership
and get
2 Movies
FREE!
Visit quintefilmalternative.ca for details.
QUINTE FILM ALTERNATIVE
GREAT MOVIE
WEDNESDAYS
First Run. Festival Quality. Must See. Cinema.
December 3 “...masterful follow-up to The Guard.”
CALVARY
"Brendan Gleeson gives a
performance of monumental soul...”
January 7 “...one of the best films this year.”
LOVE IS STRANGE
John Lithgow
Alfred Molina
January 21 "…Woody Allen territory in the best way.”
ELSA & FRED
Christopher Plummer
Shirley MacLaine
Our GREAT 2nd Half begins February 4
February 4
PRIDE
February 18
“Brilliant” “Irresistable”
WHIPLASH
“Astounding” “Electrifying”
THE EMPIRE THEATRE − 2:00 & 7:30 PM
quintefilmalternative.ca
Shirley MacLaine and Christopher Plummer in Elsa & Fred
It was a cold and windy January night in 1996 when
a group of devoted local film buffs, with the support
of the Quinte Arts Council, rented the downtown
Bellestar 3 Cinema and screened Blue in the Face.
Made by Wayne Wang and Paul Auster, the film is
an improvisational mishmash of Brooklyn residents
expounding on off-the cuff living and sharing their
philosophy of smoking, relationships, baseball, New
York and Belgian Waffles.
The event was a sell-out: the offbeat humour
resonated and this new platform for people coming
together seemed to strike a chord and fill a void in
our community. Quinte Film Alternative (QFA) was
launched and it has never looked back.
Now in its 20th season and fourth home, with
a matinée and evening screening every other
Wednesday, its solid membership support and
biweekly single ticket sales allow for the not-forprofit collective to be financially and artistically
independent.
Films screened are accessed through the Film Circuit,
Toronto International Film Festival’s outreach initiative,
and programming strives for a balance between
Canadian and international fare, English movies vs.
subtitled foreign gems, large productions and small
indies, and serious subject matter offset by levity and
humour.
This calendar year will conclude on December 3 with
Calvary (Ireland/UK, 100 min), starring Brendan
Gleeson (The Guard, QFA 2011) as a good natured
priest battling dark forces closing in around him after he
is threatened during a confession.
QFA Great Movie Wednesdays are held at The Empire
Theatre at 2 pm and 7:30 pm. Gift memberships
available this month for holiday giving include 11 films
from January to May, plus an invitation to the ‘Members
Only Season Finale’ on June 10th.
For more information or to subscribe to the eBulletin
please visit quintefilmalternative.ca or call 613-4806407.
Coming in 2015
January 7 - Love is strange (USA, 98 min) - After Ben
(John Lithgow) and George (Alfred Molina) get married,
George is fired from his teaching post, forcing them to
stay with friends separately while they sell their place
and look for cheaper housing -- a situation that weighs
heavily on all involved.
Mention the Quinte Arts Council
at the register when you shop at
Connon Nurseries until Dec. 24, 2014
and Connon's
will donate
10%
of your
purchase
to the QAC
”Superb…..John Lithgow and Alfred Molina turn in careertopping work.” Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York
January 21 - Elsa & Fred (USA, 104 min) - Shirley
MacLaine and Christopher Plummer star in this English
language remake of Marcos Carnevale’s 2005 SpanishArgentine film, the story of two people who at the end
of the road, discover that it’s never too late to love and
make dreams come true.
“Elsa & Fred …will certainly be looking for support
among the Marigold Hotel crowd, but Michael
Radford’s sentimental but candid story about late-inning
love got a roaring response at the Miami Film Festival
on opening night.” John Anderson, Indiewire
956A Old Highway #2, Trenton
613-392-0402 www.connon.ca
February 4 - Pride (UK, 120 min) - Inspired by a true
story, a London-based group of gay activists help Welsh
miners during their lengthy strike of the National Union
of Mineworkers in the summer of 1984. In spite of
initial resistance from the union, as the strike drags on,
the two groups discover that standing together makes for
the strongest union of all.
“An effortless balance between both the frosted and
whole wheat sides of Warchus’s narrative, blending
belly laughs with appropriate levels of sobriety.” Andy
Crump, Paste Magazine
February 18 - Whiplash (USA, 105 min) - A
promising young drummer enrolls at a cutthroat
music conservatory, where his dreams of greatness are
mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to
realize a student’s potential.
”Quite simply, Whiplash is one of the year’s best films.”
Peter Howell, Toronto Star
Design-Build General Contracting
The QAC website would like to feature our members’ artwork on the top banners.
If you have digital images of your work that can be cropped to fit the banners,
please send them to carol@quinteartscouncil.org by the end of January. We’ll
need at least 6. Jeff Keary’s work is currently featured on the banners www.quinteartscouncil.org.
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015 27
Donna Bonin
meets a Picasso
The Baxter Art
Centre invites your
input
By Peta Hall
Spotlight
welcomes news about
awards and achievements
made by QAC members.
Send to
carol@quinteartscouncil.org
by deadline
(see page 31
for upcoming deadlines)
Donna Bonin with Marina Picasso (left) at ‘Artistes
du Monde’ in Cannes. Ms. Picasso keeps her
grandfather’s legacy alive with regular attendance at
international art shows. She made it a point to meet and
talk with every artist in the show.
The Baxter Arts Centre at 3 Stanley Street in
Bloomfield is a new and exciting arts centre. In the fall
of 2014, we held five thought-provoking lectures on
topics such as: re-thinking art history; did Picasso steal
from African art?; effective website design; making a
video for You Tube; how to photograph your art; barn
quilt painting; a teenagers guide to an awesome life;
and, for kids, a cartooning workshop. We run Swing
Dance evenings, Silent Movies and Music Coffee
houses. We are buzzing! Watch out for our interesting
new Spring programs, starting in March.
For more information, visit baxterartscentre.org or
email info@bloomfieldcentreforcreativity.org.
Do you have any program suggestions? Is there an
arts-related program that you would love to attend?
Have you often wanted to learn about a subject but
could not find a course on it? Do you want to join
with others and create a piece of art, or be inspired to
create? We are looking for suggestions for our 2015
Spring programs. Please e mail your suggestions to:
info@bloomfieldcentreforcreativity.org.
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For more information contact
AADF@LOYALISTC.ON.CA
LOYALIST COLLEGE
WALLBRIDGE-LOYALIST ROAD, BELLEVILLE
www.quinteartscouncil.org
28 Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
PERFORMING ARTS BURSARY
Deadline to apply is Jan 31, 2015
The Quinte Arts Council’s Performing Arts
Bursary is a support program designed to help
schools in Quinte bring professional artists into
the classroom to work on a project with the
students that will take place sometime
between March 1 and June 15.
In order to be eligible for QAC’s
Performing Arts Bursary, the project must:
• Involve a professional artist or group.
• Involve performing arts activities
(music, storytelling, drama, theatre,
puppetry, creative movement, etc.)
• Support the Ontario curriculum.
• Have defined starting and completion dates,
objectives, project budget, and follow-up plan
and report plan.
• Involve a school or classroom of students
within the Quinte region, grades K to 12.
• Applicant (artist, group or school) must be a
QAC member.
To apply, visit: www.quinteartscouncil.org
(click on Programs and Services, Art Education)
RECREATION DIVISION
Pointe BALLET
Modern
Tap
Broadway
Adult Adv. Ballet
Adult Beg. Ballet
Adult Yoga
Lyrical
Jazz
Hip Hop
Broadway
Early Dance
weeDance
RAD Program
*Adult ‘Pay As You Go’ Available
2015 Winter / Spring Term
Registration begins January 12
Classes commence January 31
www.quinteballetschool.com
recreation@quinteballetschool.com
613.962.9274
866.962.9274 ext. 23
QuinteArtsCouncil
EUGENE LANG BURSARY
Rhythm, Rhyme
& Melody
Deadline to apply is Jan 31, 2015
In memory of Eugene Lang (1920-2000) and to
honour his love and dedication to classical music in
the Quinte Region, the Eugene Lang Memorial Fund
was established by Mr. Lang’s family to encourage
and promote classical music education projects in
schools in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.
Projects such as live performances, lectures,
workshops, master classes, etc. will qualify.
Music Education
Program For Children
In order to be eligible for the
Eugene Lang Bursary, project must:
• Involve classical music, including performances, workshops or other projects
• Have defined starting and completion
dates, objectives, outlined project
budget, report plan and follow up
• Involve a school and/or classroom of students within Hastings and
Prince Edward counties
• Applicant (artist, group or school) must be a QAC member
To apply, visit: www.quinteartscouncil.org
(click on Programs and Services, Art Education)
QuinteArtsCouncil
(ages 5-8 and 9-12)
Tuesdays, Jan 20 - Apr 28
5-5:45 pm (5-8) / 6-6:45 pm (9-12)
$75 for 14 lessons
NO INSTRUMENT NEEDED
Learn to sing, play instruments
and the basics of music
Call 613-962-9178 ext. 74
www.bridgestreetchurch.com for
further details and
registration information
60 Bridge Street East, Belleville
Enjoy Glanmore by Gaslight
An evening tour of Glanmore National
Historic Site, 257 Bridge St. E., Belleville.
Dec. 3, 10 and 17, 6:30 to 8 pm.
The historic house is beautifully
decorated for the holidays. Traditional
refreshments will be served. Advance
ticket purchase required: $12 for adults;
$6 for children 5-12. Not recommended
for children under the age of 5.
Call 613-962-2329 for reservations.
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015 29
Member Groups
A Capella Quinte
Albert College
Al Purdy A-Frame Association
Art Gallery of Bancroft
Arts on Main
Artists Below The Line
Arts Quinte West
Bath Artisans
Baxter Arts Centre
Bay of Quinte Sweet Adelines
Belleville Art Association
Belleville Choral Society
Belleville Downtown DocFest
Belleville Public Library
Belleville Theatre Guild
Belleville Weavers and Spinners
Beta Sigma Phi
Bridge Street United Church
Brighton Arts Council
Brighton Barn Theatre
Canadian Federation of University Women
Centennial Secondary School
Christmas Sharing Program
CJLX-FM Loyalist College Radio
Colborne Art Gallery
Command Performance Choir
The Commodores’ Orchestra
Core Arts and Culture Centre
County Theatre Group Inc.
The Fade Kings
For The Love Of A Song
Gallery One-Twenty-One
Glanmore National Historic Site
Gleaners Food Bank (Quinte) Inc.
Habitat For Humanity
Hastings County Historical Society
Hastings and Prince Edward County School Board
Kingston Symphony Association
Later Life Learning - Belleville
Lions Club of Belleville
Marysburgh Mummers
Moira Mat Makers
Morning Music Club
Music at Port Milford
Naval Marine Archive:
The Canadian Collection
The Noteables
Old Church Theatre
Port Hope Friends of Music
Prince Edward Community Theatre
Prince Edward County Authors Festival
Purdy Country Litfests (PurdyFests)
Quinte Ballet School of Canada
Quinte Children’s Theatre
Quinte Film Alternative
Quinte Grannies for Africa
Quinte Irish Canadian Society
Quinte Opera Guild
Quinte Quilters Guild
Quinte Singers
Quinte Symphony
Quinte Woodturners’ Guild
Quinte YFC/Youth Unlimited
Rednersville Road Art Tour
Sid Wells, Swell Productions
Shaer Productions
Shelter Valley Folk Festival
Stirling Festival Theatre
Town of Deseronto
Tweed and Area Arts Council
Westben Arts Festival Theatre
QAC programs are funded in part
by these government agencies
Business Members
About Framing
Academy Gallery
Active Arts Studio
Advanced Electrolysis LASER
Art For Everyone
Bathworks
Beaufort Pub
Bel-Con Design Builders
Benton Fry Ford Sales
Boathouse Seafood Restaurant
Bonn Law Office
Campbell’s Orchards
Christine’s Swedish Weaving
Christopher the Twistopher
Cranston Gallery on Main
Dancing Moon Gallery
Deer Creek Pottery
Dominion Lending Centres Alliance,
Nick Reed
Earl and Angelo’s Restaurant
Encaustic Art Supplies
Foster Park Pet Hospital
Funk and Gruven A-Z
The Gift Boutique
Glamour Junkie Jewellery
G.O.A.L. Oriented Factor Analysis
Great Canadian Oil Change
The Great Deseronto Antique Emporium
History Lives Here
Ian Stock – BMO Nesbitt Burns
Inside Design
Jane Simpson Financial
Janet B Gallery and Studio
Knudsen, Brady, Vaughan Advisory Group
Liberty Tax Service
Live Fit! Live Life!
Loyalist College
Mackay Insurance
Mad Dog Gallery
Ken and Jennifer Madison
Malcolm Brothers Ltd.
McDougall Insurance Brokers Ltd.
Montrose Inn and Duchess of Montrose
Tea Room
O’Connor House
OENO Gallery
Pace Design
Peggy deWitt Photography
Peter Smith GM
Peytan’s Place
Pinnacle Music Studio
Prime Time Steak House
Quinte Business Accounting Services
Quinte Dental Hygiene Services
Quinte Fibre Artists
Quinte Living Centre Inc.
QuintEssential Credit Union
Quinn’s of Tweed Fine Art Gallery
RBC Dominion Securities Inc., Mike Moffat
Red Ball Radio
Regent Theatre
Re/Max Quinte Ltd.
Roluf’s Custom Framing
Sand’n Sea
Sans-Souci
Snap 360
Stephen Licence Ltd.
StoneHouse Marketing Solutions Inc.
Thomas Estevez Design
Tipper Financial Services Ltd.
Travel Specifics
Trisha’s Closet
Tuck’s Paralegal Services Law Firm
Welch LLP, CA
Wilkinson and Company LLP
W. T. Hawkins Ltd. (Hawkins Cheezies)
New Members
QAC brings New Web
Artists
Technology and E-commerce
Capability to its Membership
Eucalypta Apurimac
Linda Conway
Debby Smit
Laurie Stather
Dennis W. VanVolkenburg
Thanks to the Province of Ontario,
Quinte Arts Council will extend its
current web and social media
strategies to better serve members,
build community awareness
and engagement, and incorporate
e-commerce functionality.
Business
Hanley Corporation
More details coming soon.
Quinte Arts Council Membership and Donation Form
CONTACT INFORMATION
Mr.__ Ms.__ Mrs.__ Miss__ Dr.__
Name_______________________
Address_____________________
City_________________________
Postal Code__________________
Tel.#________________________
Email________________________
Website_____________________
MEMBERSHIP TYPE (ANNUAL)
Community Friend
$40
Artist
$50
Member Group
$50
Member Business
$60
Student
$15
______
______
______
______
______
ARTISTS, MEMBER GROUPS AND BUSINESSES MUST ALSO
FILL OUT AN INFORMATION FORM IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE
LISTED ON OUR WEB DIRECTORY. FORMS ARE AT THE QAC OFFICE AND ON-LINE WWW.QUINTEARTSCOUNCIL.ORG.
I would like to make a donation
Patron
$24-$124
Benefactor
$125-$299
Partner
$300-$999
Premier Supporter
$1000+
Premier Arts Benefactor $5000+
___
___
___
___
___
Total Membership ____
Total Donation ____
Payment can be made by cheque,
cash or credit card
Visa___ MasterCard ____
Card No. ________________
Expiry Date ______________
Signature ________________
Cheques are payable to the Quinte Arts Council, 36 Bridge St. E., Box 22113, Belleville, ON K8N 2Z5
Thank you for JOINING US! and for your generous support
30 Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015
We Salute Our Donors
Premier Arts Benefactors
The John M. and Bernice
Parrott Foundation
The Marilyn and Maurice
Rollins Foundation
Premier Supporters
Hanley Corporation
The Lehtinen Family
Lynda Wheeler
Partners
David & Theresa Boyd
Barbara Cameron
Bob & Barbara Jo Clute
Ann Cunningham
Ian Stock
Mike Malachowski,
Funk & Grüven A-Z
McDougall Insurance Brokers Ltd.
Ross McDougall
Hugh & Donna O’Neil
Audrey Williams
Benefactors
Advanced Electrolysis LASER, Susan
Nurse
Bonn Law
Gerry & Bev Boyce
Dorothy Brown
Hans & Lenneke Buré
Carol Feeney
Claire Grant
Kathleen M. Hallick
Marilyn Holden
K. Jane Hull
Ken & Jennifer Madison
Gary Magarrell & Barry Brown
Mary-Lynne Morgan
Mary O’Flynn
Mary Shipton
Elaine Small & Richard Haeberlin
Wilkinson & Company, Dan Dickinson
Patrons
About Framing, Judy Leeson
Mary-Lou Ashton
Dan & Cathy Atkinson
Mary Bould
Diane Burley
Donna Campbell
Jennifer Chanter
Jeannette Cornelissen
Dr. & Mrs. Bruce Cronk
Tim & Cynthia Fort
Leo & Mary Jo Fortin
Lois Foster
Julie Brown Hale
Grant Harrison
Great Canadian Oil Change
Lori Huff Johns & Earl Johns
Eleanor Jourard
Diana Koechlin
Charlotte Kuntze
Ann Lawrence
Florence Lennox
Liberty Tax Service
Suzanne Lowther
Bob & Cathy McCallum
Sharon McConnell
Elizabeth McDonald
Don McKay
Jessica Melchiorre
Mavis Milton
Elizabeth Mitchell
Vera Morton
Linda Mustard
Paul & Judith Niedermayr
Tina Osborne
Mackay Studio
William Payne
Quinte Opera Guild
Red Ball Radio
Lola Reid Allin
Jacqueline Staikos
Lyle & Sharon Vanclief
Sid Wells, Swell Productions
Snap 360
Christine Walker-Bird
Margaret Werkhoven
Douglas and Mary Wilson
Bill & Bev Yeotes
Honourary Members
Sandra Colden
Peter Davis
Manfred Koechlin
Mary-Lynne Morgan
Lynda Wheeler
Umbrella is published 4 times a year!
Umbrella Deadlines 2015
Please send your articles and Calendar events to carol@quinteartscouncil.org.
Umbrella going
FULL COLOUR?
This is the first Umbrella issue to
use full colour images throughout. If all goes well we will be
accepting COLOUR ADS. We’ll
confirm by mid-December, well
before the next deadline of
January 26, for the
March/April/May (Spring) issue.
Advertisers must book their ad space by the deadline but have another week to send in copy.
Spring: March April May 2015
Deadline: Monday, January 26
Summer: June July August 2015
Deadline: April 27
Fall: September October November 2015
Deadline: Monday, July 27
Winter: December 2015, January February 2016
Deadline: Monday, Oct. 26
Space limitations:
Articles Wordcount - no more than 700 words
Calendar Items Wordcount - no more than 70 words
Advertising in Umbrella
is a cost-effective way to
reach an important audience
AD PRICES
D
Duette®
uette® A
Architella®
rchitella® T
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oneycomb Shades
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nergy E
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fficiency iin
nE
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limate, E
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QAC Members - $4 per square inch
Non-members - $5 per square inch
If we design, add 50% of ad cost. No charge if
it’s a simple graphic & text design.
Buy an ad in 4 consecutive issues
(ads do NOT have to be the same in each issue)
QAC members - $3.50 psi
Non-members - $4.50 psi
Premium Place Charge:
Front Page Banner - $137.50 for members,
$167.50 for non-members
Page 3 - add 25% more
Back Page - double the price
Column widths - 3”, 6.5”, 10”
80%
CHECK DEADLINES
(listed on this very page, above)
Formats
If pre-made, send as TIFF or PDF.
Book your space by calling Carol at
613-962-1232 or emailing
carol@quinteartscouncil.org
45%
SU M M ER B EN EFIT
WINTER
WI NTER BENEFIT
B EN EFIT
D uet te ® Architella® shades c an re duce
unwante d solar heat through windows
by u p t o 8 0 % .
D uet te Architella
Architella shades
shades can
can
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heat loss
loss through
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reduce
windows by
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windows
Available at INSIDE DESIGN
www.insidedesignco.ca
Belleville
613 967 0021
© 2014 Hunter Douglas. All rights reser
reserved.
ved. All trademarks used herein are the property of Hunter Douglas.
Umbrella • Winter 2014 / 2015 31
Umbrella is a great vehicle
to help spread your message
Life happens.
Don’t worry, we cover that.
Are you McDougalled?
Advertising in Umbrella is an
easy and cost-effective way
to reach an important audience.
And... despite the rising costs of production and distribution, we’ve kept the rates affordable. The newspaper
is 20 to 32 pages. We print 5,000 copies and mail
more than 1,000 directly to people who request it. The
other 4,000 are distributed throughout Quinte and
across the province.
Join the Quinte Arts Council and receive a huge
discount (more than 25%) on the price of your ad as
well as other benefits of membership.
For more information, call us at 613-962-1232 or email
carol@quinteartscouncil.org.
199 Front St., Century Place, Suite 401, Belleville ON K8N 5A6 P: 613.966.7001
www.mcdougallinsurance.com
The deadline for ads, articles,
spotlights and Calendar items for
the Spring (Mar/Apr/May) Issue is
January 26, 2015.
We have you covered!
www.intelligencer.ca
www.communitypress.ca
www.countyweeklynews.ca
www.trentonian.ca