Pop Up Art Renfrew County launched at Fifth Chute Coffee in Eganville on May 2. The travelling art exhibition features eleven Renfrew County artists whose creative practices are very different but whose works in this exhibition have a common theme: each work was inspired by an ordinary object and tells a story about life here. Curator Anya Gansterer said her vision for the ExtraOrdinary art exhibition was to create situations where people encounter art during their daily routines. Pop Up Art will appear in public spaces across the county until the end of summer. After Eganville, you’ll find it in Petawawa, Arnprior, Deep River, Barry’s Bay and Renfrew.
Left: inspiring places marked on Renfrew County map; singer-composer Marc Audet performs at the launch; Right: Pop Up Art curator Anya Gansterer (Sab Michael Photography)
Nearly 200 people crowded into the high-ceilinged coffee shop during the evening to enjoy the exhibition and meet many of the artists. In recognition of the fact the project was taking place on unceded, traditional Algonquin territory, Roberta Della Picca conducted a smudging. Visitors marked the Renfrew County places where they feel inspired on a wall-sized map. They chatted about inspiration, art and local life as they listened to singer/songwriter Marc Audet playing guitar. Fifth Chute Coffee staff served drinks and a variety of finger foods.
Pembroke artist Cameron Montgomery (left) explained how her video piece The Storyteller Sings was inspired by the grand piano in Festival Hall, “The coolest piano I ever played as a kid.” She said local boy Jordan Oattes, whose hands feature in the video, reminds her of a young Jimmy Mayhew who was “The most talented piano player I ever met.” Having won Pembroke’s Win This Space competition, Montgomery will soon open her own gallery called Studio Dreamshare. She plans to install The Storyteller Sings there after Pop Up Art Renfrew County ends on Labour Day weekend.
Patricia Thurston’s textile collage Driftwood Beach was inspired by Foy Beach. She said, “I found this lovely little piece of driftwood that looked to me like a dragon. I thought it was gorgeous. It really inspired me, so I just took it home.” Thurston has memories of her kids learning to swim at Foy Beach and of its trails. She wanted to create her impression of it and the image just wouldn’t go away although it took several attempts to create. “I’m glad I didn’t talk myself out of it.”
From left: Kathy Blomquist and Patricia Thurston (photo Kathryn Bossy); visitors gather at Fifth Chute Coffee (Sab Michael Photography)
Glass artist Tanya Lyons, also from Killaloe, said the inspiration for her piece Wilno Hills Bottle Glass Bling is a glass bottle from one of the many bottle dumps found in the stone fences. She said it is exciting to transform a throwaway material into jewellery that is fancy, sparkly and romantic. About the Pop Up Art launch, Lyons said the turnout was
Awesome. It shows how important art is in Renfrew County.
Left: Linda Sorensen and Tanya Lyons view Thurston’s Driftwood Beach (photo Cameron Montgomery); Lyons with Wilno Hills Bottle Glass Bling.
At each Pop Art Renfrew County venue this summer, artist-facilitator Bozena Hrycyna will run art workshops for members of the public. Hrycyna has worked with both children and adults, including at Kosa Kolektiv, an artists co-op in Toronto. The Eganville workshop is on May 16 at Fifth Chute Coffee from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. for adults and enthusiastic creators aged 12 and up, no experience necessary. It is free but advance registration is required because attendance is limited to ten participants. To register email: anya@ov-caos.org
Hrycyna said the workshop is based on the same concept as the ExtraOrdinary Art show and participants should bring an object of significance to them that might have a story to tell. She said this kind of “show and tell” is the starting point for them to share how something extraordinary can come from everyday life.
Pop Up Art Renfrew County is a collaboration between Ottawa Valley Creative Arts Open Studio and the Community Resource Centre, Killaloe, and is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Upcoming venues for Pop Up Art Renfrew County are listed below.
- May 23 – June 9 Dundonald Hall, Petawawa
- June 13 – 30 Arnprior Public Library
- July 4 – 21 Deep River and District Hospital
- July 25 – Aug. 11 Madawaska Coffee, Barry’s Bay
- Aug. 15 – Sept. 1 Renfrew Visitor Information Centre
Keeper of the Bees by Kathryn Bossy (detail)
