The Highs and Lows of Mary Loos - theHumm December 2023

The Highs and Lows of Mary Loos - theHumm December 2023

By Sally Hansen

Art… and Soul

Let There Be Light

Loos gets high on light. It is her inspiration. Her canvases glow with sunlight and moonlight and starlight, illuminating landscapes, waterscapes, cloudscapes and most frequently, treescapes. Her email address is mary.paintstrees@gmail.com .

Her paintings are, literally, testaments to her love and need of light. She is a sky watcher, both day and night. Her art provides a reliable bright spot in her life, a way to re-energize her spirits and cope with past sorrows and present concerns. Mary describes it as a dependable constant — just like the sun and the moon and the stars. When the sun is shining, Loos can usually be found outdoors, soaking up rays of happiness and storing them as fuel for inspiration and protection against sad or worrisome thoughts.

Even when the sun is behind the clouds she knows it is there. And she knows that when she picks up her brush to create a new painting, she can “paint her way out” of melancholic thoughts. It is a source of constant contentment and incentive to her that once she enters her well-lit studio with a beautiful view of the Rideau River landscape, she will “be in the zone” that creative people and athletes value so much. That flow state is described by Wikipedia as “a mental state in which a person performing some activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity...”

Don’t be S.A.D.

Her paintings are a great antidote for Seasonal Affective Disorder. Those big splashes of light and colour beat back the gloom of our long, cold winters for her viewers as well as for herself. When I talked to her she was just coming off an incredible high. A recent two-day workshop in oil painting with Kingston’s Michelle Reid resulted in one of life’s “aha!” moments. Loos began painting thirty years ago when her medium of choice was watercolour, and long-time fans still ask for watercolour paintings. When she felt she needed something new to challenge herself, she switched to acrylics, enjoying the new possibilities that medium offered. Her artworks became more vivid and focused on her celebration of light and colour.

I Can See Clearly Now

As the result of Reid’s workshop, Loos is now obsessed with the thrill of her newly-discovered medium. Her early results are truly spectacular. Many artists will recognize the feeling of exhilaration that comes from finally identifying their passion — the medium and/or subject that feeds their soul and immerses them in that addictive experience of effortless attention and the complete absorption in what one is doing. For Mary, the new medium is proving to be a real high. She strongly recommends participation in a workshop to stimulate creativity and present new challenges.

Going With the Flow…

…has been a lifelong activity for Loos. She grew up spending her summers on a small family island in the Thousand Islands near Gananoque. Her great-grandfather “Poppy” Tom Glover had purchased the island in 1928 for $450, and the island became known locally as Cunningham Island after her grandmother’s married name. Mary vividly recalls boating and driving to their summer home. Her father had purchased one of the German-made Amphicars marketed from 1961 to 1968, and ferried his four daughters in the amphibious vehicle across the short distance that they also were able to swim.

If light is Mary’s mainstay, water is her muse. As a teenager she joined the Gananoque Canoe Club as her father had in his youth, competing against Ottawa and Carleton Place in K-1, K-2, K-4 and War Canoe races. Today she finds inspiration by walking out the door of her stunning modern home and jumping into her kayak on the Rideau River near Merrickville. Light reflecting on water, sun breaking through the clouds, and night skies will never cease to awe and inspire her.

Loos remembers experiencing her first arts high at an easel in kindergarten, wearing a smock, and thinking, “This is it!” She became a celebrity at the age of eight when a reporter for the local Gananoque newspaper interviewed school kids to find out what they wanted for Christmas. Her reply was, “I want an Etch-a-Sketch because my mom doesn’t want me using all her paper.” Imagine her mother’s chagrin when neighbours started showing up to donate paper for the budding young artist.

Following her degree in sociology/anthropology at Carleton University, she earned her credentials in Early Childhood Development and worked with kids for years in HeadStart programs in Ottawa and Kingston. She continued her inordinate consumption of paper, and when her friend Lynne Kiel saw Mary’s watercolour art, she insisted that Mary put it on display at Lynne’s shop in the Ottawa Byward Market. Kiel is a silk painter and fashion designer lynnekiel.com , and she talked Mary into joining her at the “One of a Kind” show in Toronto. The logistics of transporting her watercolour paintings to Toronto led to Mary’s switch to acrylics and her continued celebration of light and colour.

Her marriage to Greg Loos, a member of Canada’s Air Force, led to many moves, which explains why art by Mary Loos is still available at a gallery in Yellowknife. There she grew to love the fantastic light displays of the night skies. She describes herself as a “big kid,” and thinks of the sky as a huge upgrade to her Etch-a-Sketch, where she can visualize an endless parade of imaginary creatures and scenes. Loos puts that childlike openness to good use in occasional workshops she conducts for kids at the Merrickville Library.

One of my all-time favourite mantras comes from American poet, author and civil rights activist Maya Angelou: “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” Mary Loos does a good job at living up to that marvelous code of behaviour with her uplifting celebrations of nature’s beauty. Some of her smaller works will be on display December 9 and 10 during the annual Merrickville Arts Guild Christmas Show & Sale at the Merrickville Community Centre, located at 106 Read Street mag-artists.ca . The back of her Artist Trading Card at the top of this page lists several local venues where her works can be found, and her coordinates if you would like to request a visit to her studio to see how her new medium is lighting up her rainbows.

Artist Trading Card

WHO Mary Loos

WHAT Painter in Acrylics and Oils

WHERE maryloos.ca ; instagram.com/maryloos-originals ; mary.paintstrees@gmail.com ; 285–4748; Boathouse Café (Kemptville); Pickle & Myrrh, Fiona Macintyre Design, The Flower, The Yellow Canoe Café (Merrickville)

WHEN Dec. 9 & 10, 10am to 5pm, Merrickville Arts Guild Christmas Show & Sale at the Merrickville Community Centre, 106 Read St., mag-artists.ca

WHY “Painting is my way of bringing my inner world to my outer world.”

 

The Highs and Lows of Mary Loos - theHumm December 2023

By Sally Hansen

Art… and Soul

Let There Be Light

Loos gets high on light. It is her inspiration. Her canvases glow with sunlight and moonlight and starlight, illuminating landscapes, waterscapes, cloudscapes and most frequently, treescapes. Her email address is mary.paintstrees@gmail.com .

Her paintings are, literally, testaments to her love and need of light. She is a sky watcher, both day and night. Her art provi......

...more

Celebrate the Written Word — Readers and Writers Connect! - theHumm December 2023

By Heather Phaneuf

There is power in the written word. It can move you, move your community, move your world.

Jenn Snider Cruise and Jessie Carson know this to be true and are building a dynamic mix of activities to enliven the space that words occupy — an ongoing festival of words — through their non-profit organization Almonte Readers & Writers (ARW).

And they know of what they speak, er, write. Both are creatives, which means they move in many directions at once as multi-tas......

...more

Ava-lunch, a Snowfall Fable
Family Puppet Show at the Almonte Library
- theHumm December 2023

It’s the most wonderful time of year in the sleepy mountain town of Saddle Creek… that’s right, it’s the Winter Pretzel Festival! But with only days to go before the grand opening, an avalanche comes crashing down on the town. A young girl named Quinn decides to do something about it and discover what strange noises from the top of the mountain are causing wave after wave of snow to come down.

Can Quinn save the town? Will Mayor Lederhosen come up with a brilliant plan to save the festival?......

...more

Winter Market at Brooke Valley School - theHumm December 2023

By Emily Kszan

On Saturday, December 16 from 10am to 4pm, join us for the much-anticipated annual Winter Celebration and Market at Brooke Valley School, located at 190 Seaborn Lane in Perth. We’re thrilled to invite everyone to a day filled with joy and community spirit, promising something special for everyone.

This festive event will feature an array of indoor and outdoor vendors offering collections of unique items. From locally crafted art, handmade garments and leather purses to locally sourced her......

...more

Union Hall Crafts atAFM Christmas Market - theHumm December 2023

Union Hall’s Community Builders’ Craft Fair, held at the hall on November 4, was a big success. We and our partners were pleased with the enthusiastic crowds who came to get a head start on their Christmas shopping and learn about organizations working hard to make life better for people in our community. Over $1,600 was raised for local charities and non-profit organizations.

Union Hall’s crafters are now hard at work getting ready for the Almonte Farmers’ Market Christmas Market taking place on December 9. John has been in his workshop creating more hardwood cutting boards, and Lind......

...more

“No Gift Is Too Small” - theHumm December 2023

By Cathie McOrmond

Lanark County Interval House and Community Support (LCIHCS) shelter’s statistics reveal that we have been at 100% capacity for 165 days and exceeding capacity for 95 days of the year —highlighting the pressing need for assistance to support women and children fleeing violence and abuse.

You play a crucial role in allowing LCIHCS to continue providing a lifeline to these vulnerable individuals. This holiday season, the shelter requests that you consider making a monetary donation to sustain the programs that support the women and children seeking refuge in the shelter. By participatin......

...more

A Musical Celebration of Christmas - theHumm December 2023

The music team at St. Paul’s United Church in Perth is presenting “A Musical Celebration of Christmas” on Sunday, December 17 at 2pm. The first half of the one-hour concert will feature the St. Paul’s Senior Choir singing Bethlehem’s Child with narrations by Brian and Jennifer Perkin. This work has been described by its writers as “a musical tapestry which blends the old with the new. Familiar carols are combined with original compositions, presenting the timeless message of Christmas”. The second half of the program will feature a variety of vocalists and instrumentalists.

Don McLean......

...more

A Delicious Holiday Open House - theHumm December 2023

On Saturday, December 9 from 10am to 4pm, Back Forty Artisan Cheese will host their annual Holiday Open House at their farm and dairy in Mississippi Station. This festive day will provide customers with a great opportunity to stock up on delicious raw sheep’s milk cheese for the holiday season, and the Back Forty gift basket is sure to please the cheese or food lover on your list.

As a part of their customer appreciation day they will be offering 15% off select cheeses as well as free s......

...more

Holiday Wishes from Climate Network Lanark - theHumm December 2023

By Chandler Swain

It’s been a heck of a year for the planet and its citizens. Just when everything is looking really bleak, the planet’s most admired activists and thinkers are speaking out about inspiring actions that are taking place on every continent. It’s so inspiring and hopeful! Locally the same is true.

Climate Network Lanark (CNL) is your local not-for-profit organization committed to helping the Lanark County community take concrete action on climate change through mitigation and adaptation measures.......

...more

Folkus — Give the Gift of Music! - theHumm December 2023

By Sandy Irvin

The Folkus Concert Series is looking forward to another great season. We’re pulling out all the stops to put on a great series for our audiences, and we’re happy to announce some very talented local artists who will be opening for our headliners. Music can be a priceless gift, whether for a loved one or for yourself, and catching such great talent close to home means shorter drives, no parking fees, and getting home to bed before midnight!

......

...more

Top 5 Holiday Rom-Com Tropes in It Had To Be You - theHumm December 2023

’Tis the time of year for small town holiday romantic comedies, and Almonte is the most beautiful setting for one such rom-com. Valley Players Almonte is bringing It Had To Be You to the Almonte Old Town Hall from December 7 to 10, just in time for a romantic date between the town’s 200th Anniversary parade and the holidays! The play is a lighthearted two-person rom-com, written by real-life married couple Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna, which has that warm and fuzzy feeling people are looki......

...more

Small Town Inking! - theHumm December 2023

By Leanne Baker

Tattooing is a popular form of expression through appearance, emphasizing creativity, design, customization or symbolization on one’s skin permanently. Society’s view of tattoos has shifted a lot over the decades. Outdated judgement once saw tattooing as taboo and deviant, but now more than ever it is respected, valued, and seen as a beautiful form of art and expression. Almonte is a town that thrives in the art and creative expression scene, and Waxwing Tattoo Company fits right in.

I first met ......

...more

The Snow Queen Arrives in Smiths Falls on Dec. 1 - theHumm December 2023

By Submitted the Smiths Falls Community Theatre

We are getting to the time of year when we bundle up in our heavy coats, mittens and hats. The reason is that the world is beginning to change to its cold, white days. But is it caused by winter, or the magic of the Snow Queen?

The Smiths Falls Community Theatre invites you to our winter production of The Snow Queen by Stuart Peterson, with music by Savourna Stevenson and by permission of the Dramatic Publishing Company.

This is the perfect family show, and we really would l......

...more

Almonte Potters Guild Christmas Sale - theHumm December 2023

On December 9 from 10am to 3pm, come and find beautiful handmade functional and decorative pottery at the Christmas Sale taking place at the Almonte Potters Guild, located at 95 Bridge Street.

One of participating artists is Larisa Wheeler, who was born and raised in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. She is an avid outdoors person who developed an interest in wildlife ecology early in life. She worked as a Conservation Technician for many years, studying the effects of pesticides on ponds and birds. Al......

...more

A Christmas Fantasy - theHumm December 2023

The Kanata Choral Society will open their season with a Christmas concert on December 9 featuring Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Fantasie on Christmas Carols.

The composer wrote this work for baritone soloist, choir and orchestra, and used an original style based on old English folk music. His love for Christmas is expressed in the carols he used in this work. One of these is the Sussex Carol, which was first published in the 17th century by Luke Wading, an Irish bishop. The bass-baritone solo will be performed by Philip Lukic, who is a third-year student studying Music Performance at Ottawa......

...more

Season’s Greetings from MMLT’s President - theHumm December 2023

By Stephen Kotze

I have experienced the healing powers of nature first-hand. When I am stressed, overwhelmed or feeling at odds with the world, a walk in a forest or a quiet moment by a flowing stream, river or lake helps calm and centre me. I imagine that you share a similar appreciation for nature’s healing impact.

This year, your invaluable support helped the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT) protect a new 106-acre gem of a property. Blue Heron Wetlands is a sanctuary for hundr......

...more

Mudmen Come to Perth! - theHumm December 2023

By Kris Riendeau

A captivating force in the Celtic rock scene, Mudmen are celebrating an illustrious 25-year career marked by their distinctive blend of high-octane performances and infectious stage presence. Originating as “The Campbell Brothers” before catching the ear of EMI Records in 1993, the band underwent a transformation into the dynamic entity known today as “Mudmen.” The band is now comprised of members Robby & Sandy Campbell, Colin Amey, Andy Gingerich, Alex Showdra and Emmett Glancie.

Their musical......

...more

“Norma, Time is Running Out” - theHumm December 2023

By David Hinks

The above email message from BMO was received shortly after my mother’s funeral in early November. Needless to say, it left us speechless. Mother died at age 96 after three years of exemplary care at Fairview Manor in Almonte, and was certainly not looking to avail herself of additional banking services!

The marketing message left me yearning for a time when our bank manager and staff knew us personally and knew that Norma Jean never went by Norma and was always known as Jean.......

...more

Buy Local, Read Local!  - theHumm December 2023

By John Pigeau

These days it is astonishingly, frustratingly difficult to make a living as a writer in Canada. Whether your book is published by a traditional publisher or you’ve decided to self-publish, it’s an extraordinarily tough go.

Even established writers in Canada are finding it a challenge to earn a living solely by writing books. Charlotte Gray wrote about this in an insightful article published this summer in The Globe and Mail titled “Canadian writers can’t afford to write non-fiction anymore — and ......

...more

Blues Travels with Steve Marriner - theHumm December 2023

By Seamus Cowan

It astounds me what Steve Marriner has accomplished and who he has performed with over the last decade! Since becoming a fixture of the Canadian blues scene with his JUNO and Maple Blues award-winning power trio MonkeyJunk, he set his sights on the stars and has reached them. A lively character with sharp wit and a hilarious personality, he sings from his feet, pulls out only the sweetest/dirtiest guitar licks, and blows harmonica like the best o......

...more

2023 Gift Giving Guide - theHumm December 2023

Gifts for $100 & Under

1-hour somatic massage, dOMe Retreat domeretreat.ca , $95

Cozy-Up tie neck pullover, Frangipani facebook.com/frangipaniboutiquealmonte , $99.99

Baby blue spruce tree, Home Hospice North Lanark hhnl.ca , $60

Gift certificate for a private indoor sauna & s......

...more

Farewell, Intrepid Leader - theHumm December 2023

By Glenda Jones

You know the “old soldiers never die” thing about fading away? Well, it’s not fair. Any retirement should be celebrated. Some people will work diligently and quietly for many years, and when their term is up, they simply close the door behind them and that’s the last anyone ever hears of them. This often happens around year-end when everyone is excited about the holidays, and then BAM! Come January, we look for familiar faces and the shop is shuttered, the people gone.

Two of my favourite shops ar......

...more

ADHS Art at the Almonte Library Corridor Gallery - theHumm December 2023

By — Kali Latham is a grade 12 student at ADHS

If there is one thing Almonte District High School is known for, it is their sports. Almonte is a school full of talented athletes who are no stranger to taking home trophies for their efforts. Unbeknownst to many, it is also a school full of people with a knack for something else — the arts. ADHS is home to many talented and creative individuals, and I am proud to call myself one of them.

This year, I was graced with the privilege of being in an art class with the wonderful Ms. Natasha Charpentie......

...more

A Holiday Gift - theHumm December 2023

By Submitted Studio Theatre Perth

Studio Theatre Perth wants to give the town of Perth a Christmas present, as a heartfelt thank you for all the support everyone has given this little theatre on the shores of the Tay Basin. They have stood by Studio Theatre through thick and thin, helped us survive the shutdown back in 2020, and continued to attend our films, musical events and live theatre productions ever since.

On Saturday, December 16, everyone is invited to Studio Theatre Perth to hear a magical staged......

...more

The Grand Author Takeover! - theHumm December 2023

Four independent authors from across North America (Elisabeth Garner, Kimberly M. Ringer, Sarren Scribner and Tara Tappin) have created an event to connect writers and readers of all genres. Not only do these women have a love of storytelling, but also a desire to help underserved communities. Together, they are organizing The Grand Author Takeover. On February 23 and 24, 2024, this band of bards will take over The Grand Hotel in Carleton Place.

What started as a wild idea developed into a two-day international signing event featuring over a dozen authors, cover models and other booki......

...more

Merrickville Arts Guild Christmas Show & Sale - theHumm December 2023

By Nick Previsich

The Merrickville Arts Guild (MAG) is holding its Christmas show and sale in the Merrickville Community Centre from 10am to 5pm on December 9 and 10. Over 25 artists will be displaying their wonderful creations just in time to purchase that unique Christmas gift. We are delighted to have two of our newest artists participating — Rachel Houlton and Shelly Leach. This year, MAG is holding a very interesting sale of art books as a fundraiser, featuring many rare books from the personal library of Pieter Doef — one of the original founders of MAG. We will also have a canteen on-site to offer p......

...more

Carleton Place Gallery is Growing Again! - theHumm December 2023

The new Carleton Place Gallery is growing again, thanks to a collaboration with Patrick John Mills, artist and owner of Renfrew’s Art Factory. The gallery now offers a wide variety of affordable art supplies at the new Carleton Place satellite Art Factory store located at 210/208 Bridge Street.

“Art supplies are the building blocks of creativity, and these days the post-Covid economy has changed what ‘affordable’ looks like to many artists,” says Colleen Gray, artist/gallerist at the CP Gal......

...more

Lanark County Routes - theHumm December 2023

The Lanark County Genealogical Society will soon launch two new books titled Lanark County Routes Vol 3 East and Vol 4 West, offering a compelling collection of our county farm histories that are a must-read for local history enthusiasts.

To celebrate this achievement, the society is hosting a book launch party on December 9 at the Almonte Library. The event will be held from 1:30–4pm, and attendees will have the chance to purchase copies. At 2pm, Rose Mary Sarsfield, who headed t......

...more

Why Study Food? - theHumm December 2023

By Jane Ellens

Learning Again In Almonte invites you to look at your dinner in a whole new light with the upcoming course: Why Study Food? Changing the Environment and Society with the Food that We Eat.

Last year, Dr. Kelly Bronson from the University of Ottawa came to Learning Again in Almonte as a guest lecturer, and she brought the potentially dry subject of agricultural technology to life. Participants were so excited by this dynamic speaker that they asked, dare I say insisted, that we bring her back for a full course. We were delighted when she agreed to grace us with her enthusiasm and depth ......

...more

Human Trafficking Presentation - theHumm December 2023

As part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, Stir It Up Collective, in partnership with The Table, Lanark County Community Action Network and YAK Youth Services, will be hosting a presentation on Human Trafficking.

Wendy Gee, Executive Director of A New Day Youth and Adult Services and Chair of the Ottawa Coalition to End Human Trafficking, will be sharing information to help us understand how this insidious industry is able to flourish in Eastern Ontario: what it is, how it happens, and what individuals and communities can do to stay safe.

Join us for this ......

...more

Multicultural Meet & Greetat Sivarulrasa Gallery - theHumm December 2023

Sivarulrasa Gallery is delighted to partner with the Mississippi Mills Inclusion Project, a group of local residents, artists and business people working towards inclusion in our community! The Inclusion Project will host a “Multicultural Meet & Greet” event at the Gallery on Sunday, December 10 from 4–6pm.

Did you know that there are approximately 1000 people living in Mississippi Mills who are Indigenous or visible minorities? This was reflected in the 2021 Census data (So......

...more

A Note of Thanks
- theHumm December 2023

By — Kentucky

I am thankful for Pat Guilbeault, owner and operator of Ottawa Valley Coffee in Almonte. In September 2022 I had taken my son for hot chocolate before school. An Almonte night market wa......

...more