A sunny Saturday afternoon with Art in the Park

Taking our art outdoors is one of the principle pleasures of summer, after escaping the confinement of winter. Musical Mondays at Fairbairn House, in its natural amphitheatre, is a weekly village picnic. And the Art in the Park series on Saturday afternoon in July and August, from noon until four in Turntable Park, is a chance for dozens of local artists to shine in weekly rotation in the
sun.

Aug. 9, the regular necklace of half a dozen white-topped stalls was again lined up alongside the riverside path in Turntable Park. Three of the tents were occupied by local artists Jamie Munro, Oscar Mosquera and Josee Corbeil. There were two tents: one for the scheduled workshop and another for the musician’s performance. Also, in another tent, stood an old-fashioned-looking camera and a black tent, the size of an, well, outdoor privy.

The camera and small tent were props for the workshop of Liliana Del Vedova. Del Vedova, according to her brochure, provides “a photography experience that weaves together the visual and healing arts.” To sample that experience, 15 people had gathered around a large table and each had a very artistic card, similar to a Tarot card, in front of them. Del Vedova herself had produced the ‘Otherworldly Oracle’ decks, each one named for a spiritual persona. The individual cards, as she says, “reflect the personal transformation that each individual is experiencing.” The workshop then transitioned into the photography portion, and the camera and the black tent came into play. The black tent turned out to be a portable dark room, and the photos Del Vedova took on paper negatives were brought to life within the tent, much to everyone’s delight.

As the workshop wound down and the camera and tent were packed away, this week’s musician Woods of Light set up. Woods of Light is the stage and recording name of Brian Gunther. Gunther, a clinical psychologist, moved into Valdes-Monts seven years ago with his wife, and they have added to the local population with two boys, now aged three and a year and a half.

As well as filling the park with narrative songs of nature and his experiences in it, flowing from his gentle finger-picking and voice, Gunther was there to release his new four-song EP ‘Compass Points North’ on which, apart from some Celtic Harp, he plays over a dozen instruments. (The EP is available on Gunther’s Bandcamp page online.)

There are three remaining Art in the Park events for you to catch. The workshops are from noon till two, and the musical concerts from two until four. On Aug. 16 Andie Haltrich will guide you through creating miniature, wearable paintings and the duo Clear, Christian Patterson and Suzie Johnson, will entertain with original jazzy tunes and excellent covers. On Aug. 23, Douglas Dean Nicholson will help you learn the basic classical painting techniques and the perception versus experience of art through Canadian Magic Realism and Surrealism; then Woodshed will perform, a trio that blends soulful voice, meticulous rhythm, and rich bass saxophone. The last event on Aug. 30th features Stella Pagani in a magical fairy and fairy door workshop using imaginative crafting with beading, colouring, and more; and the Americana/Country guitar playing, unique voice, and powerful songwriting of Jacob River Milnes.