Valley residents missing visual arts exhibitions since the closure of the gallery at The Railway Station can now look forward to a travelling art exhibition that will come to six communities in Renfrew County between April and September 2019. Pop Up Art Renfrew County exhibition is a multi-artist and multimedia exhibit exploring how the extraordinary can be found in our everyday lives here. The exhibition will pop up in unexpected places such as municipal or community facilities, private businesses and other public places. In conjunction with the exhibition, the public will be invited to participate in community art workshops as the exhibit tours through the county. Pop Up Art will also have a website and social media presence so people can follow it around the county and participate online as well as in person.
When asked if Pop Up Art would be coming to the Township of Madawaska Valley, Project Coordinator and Curator, Anya Gansterer, said,
We are in conversation with the Township of Madawaska Valley about bringing Pop Up Art to the municipality during the summer of 2019. We have discussed possible venues in the community, including The Railway Station.
A county-wide callout gathered eleven artists to be featured in Pop Up Art Renfrew County this summer. Chances are good that Valley residents will recognize the name(s) of one or more nearby artists: Kathryn Bossy (Haley Station), Mike Desrochers (Quadeville), Eva Gallagher (Deep River), Bridget Howarth (Brudenell), Eva Kaczkowski (Kaszuby), Paula Lapierre (Pembroke), Tanya Lyons (Killaloe), Cameron Montgomery (Pembroke), Derrick Nearing (Pembroke), Patricia Thurston (Killaloe), Sylvia Tennisco (Pikwakanagan). Each artist has chosen an object as a source of inspiration for their developing art pieces. Eight different types of media are represented including found objects, film, ceramic, painting, mosaic, blacksmithing, glass and textiles.
A few of the Pop Up Renfrew County Artists (from left): Pat Thurston, Mike Desrochers, Tanya Lyons. (Desrochers photo by Maureen MacMillan. Other photos submitted)
Eva Kaczkowski, a resident of Kaszuby in the Madawaska Valley, was the featured artist in the final visual arts exhibition held at The Railway Station in Barry’s Bay before its art gallery was closed in 2017. She is excited to be among the eleven artists selected to participate. She told The Current,
This art project is very valuable. It’s a great idea to have it travelling – very original.
Regarding a mobile art exhibition, Edée Urbanik, a member of the Art Group that meets Friday afternoons at the Opeongo Seniors Centre, said,
This project is a kind of democratization of art. It makes art very accessible to the people.
If you are interested in hosting Pop Up Art Renfrew County at your venue or would like to know more about the project, please visit www.ov-caos.org or email anya@ov-caos.org.
Ottawa Valley Creative Arts Open Studio (OV-CAOS), in partnership with the Community Resource Centre (Killaloe), has received a one-year seed grant from the Ontario Trillium Fund to create Pop Up Art Renfrew County, a travelling art exhibition, and community art workshops for Renfrew County.
OV-CAOS Ottawa Valley Creative Arts Open Studio (2019, Jan.17) OV-CAOS announces Extra-Ordinary Renfrew County Artists [Press release].
Very good news – we were so hoping that Art would return – we have missed it so much! Thank you to everyone involved in this project.
Miriam Hedderson
So glad this is happening – it will be great to see some Art back in Barry’s Bay, wherever it is. Really missed some culture this winter. Bravo.