Batawa craft fusion show and sale

I am going to be at a new show called  "Batawa craft fusion". This is next weekend and is organised by the Batawa council, I assume as an attempt to drive more traffic and attention to their small town . Since the Bata shoe factory is no longer there, I expect they need to revitalise the town in whatever way they can.
I don't expect a lot of traffic, but it might be fun to meet some new artists and artisans. The entry fee is a bit high for this type of event in this county
, but it is indoors at the community centre, so it will be fine if it rains-which it is expected to do! Early June is usually the monsoon season in this part of the world.

"Artists Below the line" Artists group

I just managed to catch the show by the newly formed Belleville artist group "Below the Line " before it was taken down. Luckily several of the artists were present and were able to explain their work to my friends and I.  The show was held at the CORE centre on Pinnacle Street, the home of the old public library and they had made good use of a large empty space as well as a number of stairwells and hallways.
I was very impressed with the quality of the art. I wasn't expecting much, as the artists were mainly unknown or "outsiders" to the regular art community.

Artists Below the Line is an informal collective of 14 local artists of limited means.
It was created last year by artists Peter Paylor, Lisa Morris and Kenny.
The group sat Kenny’s porch, venting their frustrations with being unable to get work shown and to afford membership in other arts groups.
They instead formed their own, founding Artists Below the Line in November.
The reason for the group formation Kenny explained to me, was the the high cost of showing art, or even belonging to a local art association. The Belleville Art Association now has an annual fee of $75 plus $5 a month every time you want to hang a picture in the gallery. Gallery 121 costs even more at $60 a month.
None of the artwork was of traditional still lifes, flowers or landscapes. Even the photography was all digitalised, gel transferred onto canvas, or altered in some other  creative way.
Wood carvings that were inspired by Emily Carr drawing were selling like hot cakes. The artists told me that 40 pieces of art had been sold from that show that only lasted for two weeks.

"North of seven" show at the Belleville Library Gallery

 

Sorry I haven't posted anything for a while. However, yesterday I went to the opening of a new show at the Belleville Library Gallery. It was put on by a group of artists from "north of seven" meaning north of highway seven in the Madoc area of Ontario. I assume it is a play on words from the famous Canadian "group of seven" painters who also loved to paint "en plein air".
The group consists of Lee Mitz, who started the group by inviting some local artists to paint with her, outside at her farm. They then branched out to include other scenic areas in Hastings County. Poul Thrane is a well-known local artist who paints mostly on location outside. He is in his eighties, but that does not seem to slow him down at all. Above is a recent painting he has done. I think it is Lee Mitz painting in the background.
Other members of the group showing their work at the John M Parrott gallery are Jan Coombs, Cynthia Solomon, Sandi Warren Marrow, and Kim Klaver. I hope I haven't missed anyone.


Susan Holland, the gallery curator, did an amazing job of hanging the works so that they blended very well and one work led you on to the next .