HCAC Arts Digest - Giving you more bang for your buck!

The Hants County Arts Council is pairing up with What's Going On! to help give our members and advertisers even more bang for their buck!

This year's edition of the HCAC's Arts Digest will now be delivered directly to 15 000 homes in Hants County with an additional 5000 being distributed locally at art centres, studios, galleries, boutiques, small businesses, bed and breakfasts, tourist bureaus and the Stanfield Airport. Each member and advertiser will also receive a sizable number of copies to distribute as they wish.

The Arts Digest is being upgraded to a 17"x22" folded newspaper style format allowing us extra room for more information including a labelled map of Artist, studio and gallery locations, more artwork, our HCAC News Letter, a Calendar of Events, our upcoming Pub Lecture Series listings, a list of Nova Scotian Galleries and of course - more room for additional artists and advertisers!

We have extended our deadline to December 9th and we are currently seeking additional artists, artisans, designers, musicians, galleries, studios and culture related business for inclusion.

Inclusion is free for HCAC members and $20 for non-members. This provides you with a short write-up, providing your contact information and a brief description of your artistic practice/small business. The Hants County Arts Council is open to all and is not exclusive to artists residing in Hants County. Membership forms are available on our website.


Each member may include a 1.75" x 1" full colour photograph of their work for an additional $25!


If you have an event planned for 2012 that you would like included in the Calendar of Events please send along all relevant information and we will include it at no extra cost.

This is a great opportunity to help spread the word about your event, performance or festival!


You may also choose to increase your visibility by purchasing an advertisement. Rates are as follows:

   


We are also putting a call out to artists for images to be included on the cover of the digest; if you are interested in your work potentially being seen by 20 000 people then please send 2-3 hi resolution photographs of your work to us for consideration.

For more information or to place an ad please contact us at hcacartsdigest@gmail.com

A Look Back to the 5th Annual Festival of Art!

In the days between September 30th and October 2nd 2011, members of the Hants County Arts Council transformed the the vacant second floor of the Vaughan Shand Centre in Windsor, Nova Scotia into a beautiful and inviting art gallery.  

This year's collection featured a wide variety of paintings, sculpture and fibre pieces by 20 local artists. 

Opening night drew in over 100 people for a lively evening of art appreciation. 

A motivational speech by fellow artist and entrepreneur Kelly Mitchelmore and the awarding of the first ever HCAC's Hall of Fame to artist and volunteer extraordinaire David Howells all added to the evening's excitement. 


We are proud to announce that sales greatly increased from past years,with HCAC newcomer folk artist Jim Tracey kicking things off with the evenings first sale, a wood carving called Big Bird!

Overall the event was a success! The rain may have been working against us Saturday and Sunday, but many folks still manged to brave the elements and take in the show at their leisure. 




Those who made it out for the weekend portion were able to enjoy the live artist demonstration's provided by Flying Cloud Boutique's Tacha Reed and Jaki Durocher.

Now that we have all recovered from this year's Festival of Art the Hants County Arts Council's Board of Directors would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who came out to join us in this annual celebration of our local artistic talent.

Thank you to all of our sponsors who helped make the weekend just a little bit more special! A huge thank you to Yum Bakery for all the tasty treats, especially the carrot cake.

Thanks to Just Us! coffee roasters for providing the hot beverages, Mason's for the tangy apple cider, Blossom Shop for the lovely flower arrangements, Flying Cloud Boutique for designing and donating all the posters and brochures and thanks to the Grapevine, The Hants Journal and What's Going On! for helping to spread the word.

A thank you should also go out to Kelly Mitchelmore for her moving speech on the importance of self promotion; I hope everyone was left with the inspiration to become their own biggest fan!

Last, but not least, a big thank you to our membership, volunteers and the local community for coming together to help make this annual event something special. We appreciate your ongoing support and look forward to seeing you all at our next event!


In the meanwhile, here is a trip down memory lane :)

Photographs courtesy of John Webb and Tacha Reed

Festival of Art: Our Creative Community

Pure chance brought the Hants County Arts Council to the Vaughn Shand Centre as a venue to host this year’s Festival of Art. This historically rich building, known better as the former Hawboldt’s, is being rejuvenated thanks to the inspiration and determination of one Matthias Jaepel.

In the Spring, while researching sites to open her own business, current President of the HCAC Tacha Reed met with the Vaughn Shand Centre’s April Griffin and got a firsthand peek at the plans for their transformation of the space into a wellness centre. After exploring the building and learning of Dr Jaepel’s great passion for community, the arts, architecture, fitness and health, April and Tacha were both certain that this setting was perfectly suited for the HCAC’s next Festival of Art!

The Council’s increase in interest over the last year meant we were going to need much more room for this year’s event, and we’ve certainly found it with the open and welcoming space that is the Vaughn Shand Centre. We are delighted to be working along with April and Matthias who believe that by including all aspects of health, healing, community and culture we all will become happier, healthier individuals.

Being new to the community herself Tacha inquired about the naming of the soon to be opening community centre, which it seems has quite the history:

Dr Matthias Jaepel

In the midst of "trying on" names for the Centre we felt a strong desire to pay homage to the local Shand family, knowing that Mr. Andrew P. Shand was part owner of the original Windsor Furniture Factory (Vaughn Shand Centre, 69 Cedar St).  As we started to research a bit deeper we found more than one of the family members contributed to the community in ways that support our Vision. In honour of the feminine side of the family (Henri Vaughn Shand) we decided to join the two names to create "Vaughn Shand Centre”.

Andrew Shand was known as being an "idea man". His son Clifford Shand was a local businessman and an early bicycle enthusiast during the bicycle craze of the 1890's. It is said that Clifford practiced riding in the empty upper floor of the building. 

Henri Vaughn Shand, wife of Clifford studied Art at the Boston Conservatory and later at the Ladies Seminary in Wolfville (Acadia University).  She painted at a Studio at her former Vaughn home.   Pieces of her work can be viewed at the Shand House Museum, Windsor.

Gwendolyn Vaughn Shand, daughter of Clifford and Henri achieved degrees from Acadia University, McGill University and later on studied Anthropology at the London School of Economics in England.  She worked for various welfare and charitable organizations and was a pioneer in the establishment of the Maritime School of Social Work and Charity as well as a published author.  The ladies echo our concern and commitment to community and the arts. 

Commitment to community and paying homage to the past seems to be a running theme with this year’s event, something that is echoed again with the welcoming aboard of local winery Avondale Sky, who too has its own story of transformation and rejuvenation.

By adopting a farm on the Avon Peninsula , the owners of Avondale Sky have been able to follow their hearts and create their own dream job as producers of fabulous wine:

The vineyard is one of the oldest in the province but our winery is among the newest. The evolution from vineyard to winery has been a journey. Rather than construct a new winery, the decision was made to salvage an old barn which was looking forlorn on a dike along the St. Croix River ten kilometers from the vineyard. While it was being dismantled to be transported to its new home, offers to rescue other barns began to trickle in. Then churches. Then the trickle picked up momentum.

Of the buildings we had an opportunity to purchase, St. Matthews Church from Walton, was the one for us. The simple, elegant structure exuded a calm strength. We couldn’t stand to know that if we couldn’t give it a new home, it would be destroyed. Moving it wouldn’t be easy, but we were confident it would be worth the effort.

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE ENTRERPRENEUR!

The folks at Avondale Sky and Matthias won’t be our only ambitious entrepreneurs on hand for opening night, another soul always finding creative ways to follow her dreams is our guest speaker for the evening Kelly Mitchelmore.

Successful artists are the ultimate entrepreneurs, and Kelly certainly lives her life by example, making use of her many talents, combining them for a very unique and fulfilling lifestyle.  

Kelly’s mantra is “You paint because it feels good, so swing easy kid” a simple statement passed on by her grandmother and teacher Jean Mosher. From a life in the Canadian Navy to running a B&B Kelly has toured the world, celebrated diversity, painting all along the way:

Kelly Mitchelmore

I moved to Windsor in the Fall of 2007 and hit the ground running; renovating the house to open as the Phoenix Hollow B&B and then becoming an active part of the arts community. I made over 20 easels and canvassed supporters and sponsors to host the first annual Paint Windsor in 2009. This show created a venue for artists to show their works, paint around the community and also help out the Hants Community Hospital Auxiliary Society as part of the proceeds from the sales went to that organization. I am very interested in the arts and cultural vitality in Windsor and will continue to promote it in any way I can.

I have often been asked about my style since it changes so much between works. Being self taught, I am still experimenting and I simply paint for the moment and what feels good.

Speaking of feeling good, Yum Bakery has ensured that we will be feeling good opening night thanks to a selection of tasty treats from their newly renovated bakery, housed just across the street from the Vaughn Shand Centre. 

Another inspirational local entrepreneurial story, the bakery which produces a variety of baked products including breads, bagels, muffins, cookies, squares, granolas and nut butters, has been successfully operating since 1975: 

For 36 years Yum Foods Limited has been making local food with local ingredients; supporting local producers is just something we do naturally. Over the years Yum Foods has shown growth. We started in a small space on Front Street in Wolfville and only hoped that all these years later we would still be growing, baking and providing employment for Valley families.

 



Bakery owner Dave Browning believes that being a local producer means being loyal to the agri producers in Nova Scotia. He continues to demonstrate that buying local is not only a viable business decision, but a way to say thank you to the community at large for their long standing support.

In keeping with Yum Bakery’s dedication to the support of agri based business in Nova Scotia, the Yum Foods’ retail store carries only Nova Scotia produced items which includes art by Members of the Hants County Arts Council.

Supporting the local community is one of the driving forces behind the Hants County Arts Council and we are happy to welcome along Flying Cloud Boutique as one of our Event sponsors. Showcasing the works of nearly 30 Nova Scotian artists and artisans in her renovated antique airstream camper turned shop on wheels, artist, business owner and President of the HCAC Tacha Reed will be revealing her mini “cloud” kiosk during the weekend portion of the festival.

Flying Cloud carries a variety of local handmade jewellery and accessories, house wares, clothing, toys, bath products, gardening and party decorations, art prints and more! Tacha along with fellow Flying Cloud Artist and HCAC member Jaki Durocher will be on hand Saturday and Sunday providing demonstrations on techniques such as needle felting and creating “cut-up” portraits:

I believe that as artists we should always be growing, exploring and sharing; whether that is trying out new techniques, materials or looking for alternate sources of inspiration; we are all creative beings and we should do our best to support each other. I find it hard to not promote all the wonderful talent that Hants County and Nova Scotia has to offer, if I could I’d announce it from the roof tops so that the whole world can know we are here!




With over 40 artists and artisans represented, this year’s Festival of art is shaping up to be an excellent display of our local arts and culture; we hope that you all can find a moment over the 3 day event to make your way over to the Vaughn Shand Centre and take in a little of what our local creative community has to offer!

Festival of Art: Our Artists

Featuring the works of

Nova Scotian Artists

Karen Harvie

Cheryl Rutledge

David Howells

Carlos DaRosa

Sharol Ogilvie

Tacha Reed

Liz Robinson

Carol Morrison

Kelly Mitchelmore

Audrey Goucher-Millet

Dora Warren Davis

Terrie Greencorn

Gerald Jank

Al Simm

Avery Vaughan

Jim Tracey

June Brown

Jaki Durocher

Pauline Sulivan

Kristie Sheehy

There are still a few remaining spots open for interested Artists, Artisans, Independent studios, galleries, businesses and not-for-profit organizations wanting to participate in this Culture Days event. For more information please contact us at hcacfestivalofart@gmail.com or visit www.hantscountyartscouncil.ca

5th Annual Festival of Art

The board of directors for the Hants County Arts Council is thrilled to announce that this year's Festival of Art will be held in the soon to be opening Vaughn Shand Centre.


Known locally as the former Hawboldt's Furniture store, this site is a blank canvas just screaming to be brought to life with local art and culture!


The high ceilings and natural light combined with the rustic wood and brick walls create a cozy atmosphere perfect for experiencing great art. The speckling of the various nooks and crannies throughout have our planners just itching in anticipation to get started on decorating this space with art!


This year's Festival of Art committee is working hard to create an all inclusive event, inviting artists in various mediums including painters, sculptors, print makers, photographers, carvers, musicians and performers - all coming together to help us celebrate the magnificent arts and culture of Nova Scotia, and in particular Hants County.




Applications are available on the website www.hantscountyartscouncil.ca and the deadline for entry is September 1^st 2011. 

The entry fee is $45.00, payable to the Hants County Arts Council. Since the space is much larger than our previous venue we are upping the total amount of entries per person to 8 and if you would like to display more pieces (or less) you can do so at $10 per piece.

Exhibiting artists must be members of the HCAC; memberships may be purchased at the time of entry at a cost of $15.00.

Since this is a fundraising event for the Hants County Arts Council a commission of 25% will be deducted from the retail sale price of the works for sale - please keep this in mind when pricing your work.

If you have any questions our would like to volunteer your time please contact us at hcacfestivalofart@gmail.com

We look forward to having your support as we celebrate our local creative talents!

HCAC Summer Newsletter

Greetings fellow artist and art enthusiasts! Hopefully you are all enjoying these lovely days of summer.

Guest speaker Evan Maxwell and Vice President Andrew Harvie

There has been much going on lately with the HCAC these last few months. This past spring we began a series of speaker's nights, held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month in the Flying Officer's Mess of the Spitfire Pub.  

So far, Evan Maxwell has shared valuable tips on how to market your art, Laurie Dalton has told us about the work and holdings of the Acadia University Art Gallery, and Twila Robar DeCoste (juried and elected to the Society of Canadian Artists) shared many of her secrets for composition and design.

The series will continue this Fall.  We're still lining up speakers so stay tuned for announcements.  Besides being informative, the pub nights are a wonderful chance to share conversation and a cheerful glass in the company of interesting folk who share your passion for art.

In other news, this past June we applied for a grant from Heritage and Culture to fund the printing of an updated version of our Arts Digest. Over the next month we will be asking for your help with this publication.

If each of you could please reference the website www.hantscountyartscouncil.ca and make sure that your individual information is up to date and accurate. Please send any revisions or additions to  hcacartsdigest@gmail.com  by August 3oth.

Inclusion is free for members who renew for 2012, $20 for non-members. This provides you with a 1/8th page write-up, providing your contact information and a brief description of your art.

If you have an event planned for 2012 that you would like included in the “Calendar of Events” please send along all relevant information and we will include it at no extra cost.

You may also choose to increase your visibility by purchasing an advertisement. Rates are as follows:

• $45 1/8 pg. ad (1.75" H x 1.75 W)
• $75 1/4 pg. ad (1.75" H x 3.5" W)
• $150 1/2 pg. ad (3.75" H x 3.5" W)
• $300 Full pg. ad (8" H x 3.5" W)

We will be following up with courtesy phone calls in August for those of you who may not be as active with emails.

Another big project we are getting ready to start planning is the 5^th annual Festival of Art, which will be held September 30 – October 2^nd. This event will coincide with our participation in Culture Days, a national event www.culturedays.ca

Guests enjoying the 4th Annual Festival of Art

We are still negotiating the location and are considering moving the festivities from the canoe club to the former Hawboldt’s building. We will keep you updated on the venue as we progress.

Applications are available on the website www.hantscountyartscouncil.ca and the deadline for entry is September 1^st 2011. Late entries will not be accepted. 

The entry fee is $45.00, payable to the Hants County Arts Council. Exhibiting artists must be members of the HCAC; memberships may be purchased at the time of entry at a cost of $15.00. Payment is to accompany the entry form. Please email entry forms to hcacfestivalofart@gmail.com 

Artists are permitted up to 5 pieces each, space permitting. Artists’ work may be displayed for sale or not for sale. A commission of 25% will be deducted from the retail sale price of works for sale. The commission is payable to the HCAC.

Works accepted for the show can be in the following categories:

Painting, Illustration, Photography, Pottery, Sculpture, Textile, Glass, Stone

If you have something else in mind, please contact us. All art work must be originals, no reproductions. All work must be mounted and ready to hang.

Please supply a biography with your application; these will be on display during the show.

Art work is to be dropped off at the venue Thursday September 29^th between 10 am and 8pm.

*Insurance: We do not carry insurance to cover the value of your work. If this is a concern please contact your insurance agent to make arrangements.

Work must be removed following the festival on Sunday October 2^nd after 3pm and no later than 5pm. Artists will be paid for their sales by cheque no later than October 31^st, 2011.

If you would like more information on the Arts Digest or the Festival of Art then we welcome you to join us at our next meeting Wednesday July 27^th at 7pm at the Inspire Art School on Stannus Street in Windsor.

In the meanwhile have a great summer and happy creating!

Mark your Calendar!

The countdown to the next AGM is on and we whole-heartedly invite you to join us in shaping the next year for the Hants County Arts Council. Scheduled for Thursday April 28th at 7pm at Inspire Art School on Stannus Street, Windsor, just a few doors down from Pharmasave; we hope you will come out and offer your input and support.

One item up for discussion during the evening will be the planning of this year’s Festival of Art occurring in the fall during Culture Days. We will be putting a call out for volunteers to head the organization and execution of the event. With a little time and effort this year's festival could really be something special!

We are currently working on a grant application to produce an updated Arts Digest for 2012 and we are looking to assemble a team to aid in its production over the next few months. We will be looking for volunteers with talents in design, layout and marketing to help put together a publication people are really going to want to pick up and share.

There are several positions opening up on the board of directors such as President, Vice President, Membership and Secretary. We are also looking for someone to take on the role of composing our newsletter, as well we are planning to collectively define a few new specific roles; we invite you to step forward and share your particular skills and help contribute to the growth of our local Arts community.

Perhaps you’re a communication junkie and just can’t get enough of the ever-advancing social network – well then we’d love for you to join on perhaps as our Public Relations representative. Or maybe you have a great knack for documentary photography and would like to wear the hat of the HCAC resident paparazzo? Always fancied yourself a fair and honest Art critic? Dare to put pen to paper… or rather, finger to the key? Well if so – congratulations, we have a job for you reviewing local cultural events! Maybe you’re an amazing chef and would like to share your scrumptious goodies at openings… really the list could go on and on! So bring what you know and love and we’ll find a job for you!

In order for the HCAC to grow we need your support, realizing that the majority of our membership resides in Windsor and it’s nearby surrounding communities we recently relocated our monthly meeting site. As of March the Inspire Art School became our new home; hopefully making the meetings more accessible to members will encourage future participation.

Also relocating over the spring is our member’s gallery. We are very grateful to Jeff Redden and Home Furniture for the opportunity to share the work of our many talented artists, however the limited response from membership made us wonder if perhaps we should find a more suitable venue that is more directly focused towards the arts? This is a question that we hope will entice you to come out on the 28th and play a role in mapping out the rest of 2011 and 2012 for the Hants County Arts Council.

Just in case you can’t wait until the 28th to share your ideas on how you can give back to the local Arts community, well then we invite you to join us this evening for the first in a series of public lectures at the Spitfire Pub in Windsor. Tonight’s topic will be marketing your art with guest speaker Evan Maxwell http://www.evanmaxwell.ca/

As I see it, my purpose as an artist is a simple one: to take any ability I have been given and use it, and then share what I've gained with others. Art can open our eyes & ears and hopefully our hearts to the world around us. It provokes, stimulates, inspires; it's the child that stands and says, "Look at me, see what I can do!"    Evan Maxwell

Program:

6:30 - 7:00 Arrive at the Spitfire and make your way upstairs. A server will be on hand, or you may want to buy a beverage on your way in.

7:00 - 8:00 (give or take 15 minutes) - Evan Maxwell

8:00 - ?:00 Questions and discussion.

Hope to see you there!

April 2011 at the FEG: Ken Spearing

Roller Skates

The son of a cabinetmaker, Ken Spearing was born in Cambridge, Nova Scotia in 1944. 

Ken’s interest in Art started at the early age of six, however he went on to complete his formal education as a graduate chemical engineer while studying in Ontario.

  

Ken eventually returned to Nova Scotia where he opened Riverwind Gallery. 





In his historic studio located in Summerville, Ken is able to nourish his artistic instincts while he works on commissions, teaches art and offers various workshops. 

Ken has studied with many prominent artists throughout the years and attended several workshops.  Known locally for his detailed murals Ken has also participated in numerous group and solo shows during his artistic career, building an international reputation as a fine artist.

Ken at work on a mural for the Credit Union in Windsor, NS

“Find the true beauty, not in my work, but in nature’s creations that inspire me to portray them.”

This painter’s passion is the portrayal of rural scenes, of particular interest is the forgotten past of Nova Scotia agriculture and the detailed depiction of the rural textures.  

For more on Ken and his artistic practices please visit kenspearing.com

Coming Soon to the FEG: April 2011

March 2011 at the FEG: Carlos Da Rosa

Tree at Blomidon Cliffs

Carlos Da Rosa notes the scenic beauty of Nova Scotia, particularly the red cliffs of Blomidon and the tides of the Minas Basin, as sources of inspiration for his paintings.

 

Recent trips to Europe and Italy have also served as inspiration, evident in his various bold and colourful tributes to Tuscany.

 

“To my eye, the most important aspect of every creation is the sense of light, especially at different times of the day and seasons. The acrylic medium on larger canvasses allows me to express these subtleties in landscapes as well as exploring human form (nudes).”

 

Tuscan Hills

Carlos has had the good fortune to distribute his work through the former Utata Gallery in Windsor NS as well as the "Art Sales and Rental” Gallery located at the Art Gallery of NS. He regularly participates in the "Great Little Art Show" held each year at Newport Landing, Hants County Arts Council’s annual “Festival of Art” in Windsor and this is his second time showing at the Fort Edward Gallery.

 

Carlos and his wife now call Falmouth, Nova Scotia their home after relocating from Ontario in 2001.

Call to Artists - Fiber Arts Group Show

Coming Soon to the FEG: March 2011

A Belated Congratulations to our Raffle Winners and Volunteers

Adding a festive touch to  our last group show opening in December the FEG committee organized a raffle to raise funds to help support the gallery.  

Up for the draw were 5 separate  baskets containing an assortment of donations from members of the group show and a few additional members of the arts council. 

A large selection of notes cards and prints, jewelry, ornaments and other creative bits and bobs were all generously donated by  Artists Dora Davis, Terrie Greencorn, Tacha Reed, June Brown, David Howells, Andrew Harvie, Sue Robinson, Karen Harvie and Jaki Durocher

On December 18th we invited members of Home Furniture to draw 5 names at random, we now send our belated congratulations out to winners who all went home with a selection of creative and locally handmade items - just in time for Christmas! 


Lisa Church • Donna Slaunwhite • Dora Davis • Terrie Greencorn • Claire Surette 

Thanks again to everyone who contributed to the gift baskets and a special thank you to Kristie Sheehy, Tacha Reed and Dora Davis for volunteering their time, a lot of work went into this fundraiser and it certainly showed. 

June Brown Opening Postponed due to Snow Storm!

Due to the current snow storm we have decided to postpone the celebrations for June Brown's opening to next Thursday, February the 10th between 7 & 8 o'clock.

Her work will still be appearing in Home Furniture later this week, just as soon as the weather and roads have cleared up.

We thought it best to save the festivities until we can all make it in.

Hope to see you there, until then stay warm and safe.

Hants County Arts Council Newsletter: January 2011

The latest issue of the Hants County Arts Council Newsletter is in with a ton of updates on Fort Edward Gallery, The Festival of Art, the 2012 Arts Digest, the date for our next social - plus more!

You can check it out here:  http://hantscountyartscouncil.blogspot.com/

February 2011 at the FEG: June Brown

June Brown was born and raised in the north of England. She and her husband immigrated to Nova Scotia, Canada in 1975. 

Since that time they have lived from the west to the east coast of Canada, as well as 4 years in the mid west U.S. Nova Scotia is the place they call home and they returned in 2002 to live in the beautiful Annapolis Valley.

June has been painting watercolours for approximately twelve years.

 

Her subjects are landscape, seascape, botanicals and architecture. She loves the breadth of creativity watercolour painting offers: from the most subtle and delicate work to the most dramatic and vibrant of expression. 

Some of June's work can currently be seen at the Hants County Hospital in Windsor.