Settlement & Return Perth Autumn Studio Tour - theHumm July 2016
Settlement & Return Perth Autumn Studio Tour - theHumm July 2016
The Tay Valley has a history of European settlement reaching back over two hundred years, which is being celebrated this year. Settlers came for many reasons, but mainly to escape hardship and start a new life with more possibilities. The area has seen cycles of settlement repeated many times over, with some settlers staying and raising families who remain in the area, some moving on to find work and other opportunities elsewhere, and others leaving and then returning to the area where they or their family were raised.
The artisans of the twenty-third Perth Autumn Studio Tour represent a microcosm of these settlement patterns. Some artisans have family ties going back five or six generations, some moved to the area in more recent waves of settlement, and others were born here, moved away, and then returned to live and work in the Valley.
In the late sixties and seventies, the Ottawa Valley saw people leaving the cities and looking for a slower pace of life in an area where property was affordable. Although paid work was scarce, it was possible to live comfortably by developing a variety of skills. The next generation tended to return to urban life for education and training, but many have gravitated back and are working with new and relearned skills.
As a fifth generation Tay Valley resident, Brent Kirkham epitomizes the first element in this settlement pattern. He moved away for several years and is now back living on the family property, and has developed his love for the water and canoes into a thriving business making and decorating cedar strip canoes and kayaks.
Another traditional worker in wood is Scott Dobson, who has honed the old skill of building cedar rail fences to an art form. Scott is one of a dwindling number of fence builders in Lanark County using the century-old styles of cedar rail fencing and local stone. Turning the traditional necessity of using local materials and practical styles into art, Scott also makes sculptural garden elements that blend history and local culture with free-spirited form, natural beauty and an eye for the unusual.
Dunn Sohn, a more recent settler in the Valley, also uses local wood and traditional styles in his unique custom-fit rocking chairs and turned bowls. Dunn even extends his love of old styles to the machinery he uses, having carefully restored lathes, saws and planes that were used for decades in other Valley workshops.
Also moving to the Valley and using traditional equipment and methods, Franc van Oort, originally from Holland, brought the skills he had learned in Europe to his views of the Canadian landscape, producing limited edition etchings and watercolours of the life and landscapes of the area. A newer resident of the Valley, also originally from Europe, Nat Capitanio, is increasingly using the local landscape in his art, bringing his new perspective on traditional subject matter.
The Valley seems to draw people from all over the world and all walks of life, and while many of those born and raised in the Valley may leave, some feel the need to return to a familiar landscape and way of life. Choleena DiTullio returned to her family farm, where her father had moved to in the seventies, to develop her unique art form and restore the farm to its previous functions. Choleena has developed a style of mosaic using various papers (many handmade using natural plant fibres, dyes and leaves) and acrylic gloss to create the illusion of a typical ceramic tile mosaic that is deceptively light in weight.
Similarly, Anaïs Fritzlan grew up in the Brooke Valley learning how to sew from her mother, one of the many people who moved to the area in the seventies. Anaïs moved away but the draw of the lifestyle here brought her back to raise her family and develop her business. She designs and creates bags of all sorts, ranging from the extreme toughness of professional bike courier bags, to the sensual appeal of fine leather and silk purses, to the simple functionality of reusable grocery bags and mobile phone cases.
Perth Autumn Studio Tour artisans epitomize the history of the Tay Valley in many ways. People move to the area to find a more viable way of life, whether it is escaping hardship in the Europe of the nineteenth century or the cities of the twentieth and twenty-first. This year, to celebrate the history and people of the Valley, the two books — At Home in Tay Valley edited by Kay Rogers, and Barns by Claudia Smith — will be for sale at Studio 1, where Claudia may also be around for signing. The landscape and people encourage a spirit of entrepreneurship and creativity, whether artistic or practical. The 23rd Perth Autumn Studio Tour on Thanksgiving weekend — October 8 to 10, from 10am to 5pm each day — showcases the work of people living and working in the area, coming from many places but finding satisfaction in the relative simplicity of Valley life.
For more information, call Riverguild at 267–5237 or visit perthstudiotour.com .
Pieter Doef —In the Service ofArt and Humanity - theHumm July 2016
Fifteen years ago, theHumm was pleased and privileged to feature artist and sculptor Pieter Doef as our profiled artist in April 2001. The headline read “Pieter Doef — A Life-long Art of Givin......
Fibrefest Marks 21 Years - theHumm July 2016
Mark the weekend of September 10 and 11 on your calendars because you won’t want to miss the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum’s 21st annual Fibrefest. At two locations — the Museum and the Al......
Walk These Ways with MMLT! - theHumm July 2016
This fall, the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT) offers two great opportunities to get out and enjoy nature walks in beautiful Lanark County.
Walk on the Wild Side w......
Humming, Orgling and Pronking… 10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Alpacas and Their Fibre - theHumm July 2016
By — Shannon Rouleau
Aside from being cute, these relatives of the camel are popping up on modern day farms across the country. Sometimes called the “green sheep”, they were domesticated about 6000 years ago, and conti......
Almonte in Concert Returns for New Season - theHumm July 2016
By — Maureen Nevins, Artistic Director
Almonte in Concert’s 2016-17 season features an outstanding roster of Canadian and international artists in performances that promise to be exciting and diverse. We are exceedingly fortunate to hav......
Choral Evensong in Perth - theHumm July 2016
You are invited to Choral Evensong at St. James the Apostle Anglican Church in Perth on Sunday, September 25 at 4pm. The service follows Evening Prayer in the Book of Common Prayer, which is n......
First Annual “tapastree” Fundraising Event - theHumm July 2016
Just in time for National Seniors Day and the International Day of Older Persons, Mills Community Support is delighted to invite everyone to attend tapastree — a wonderful weave of local food, drin......
Smiths Falls Hits Hole in One with Team Henderson - theHumm July 2016
On Friday, September 9, the Town of Smiths Falls is hosting a celebration to welcome their hometown golf pro — Brooke Henderson — back from the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero and to acknowled......
Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame 2016 Inductees Include Gord Barnes, The Countrymen, Clarence Bowes & Jim Hickey - theHumm July 2016
Mac Beattie was the very first musician inducted into the Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame, in 1981, and the organization is set to celebrate its 35th anniversary by welcoming four new memb......
OVMF PresentsClassicism Par Excellence - theHumm July 2016
The Ottawa Valley Music Festival’s final concert of the 2016 season takes place in Pembroke on Sunday, September 18, when they present a programme of Haydn and William Boyce.
Classicism Par ......
Kingston Writersfest 2016 - theHumm July 2016
By — John Pigeau
Every year since its inception in 2009, the Kingston WritersFest has brought a wealth of top-notch literary talent to Canada’s first capital. This year, they may have outdone themselves.
To say t......
Two Launches at the Book Nook - theHumm July 2016
The Book Nook in Perth is looking forward to two local launches in September!
On Saturday, September 10 from 1 to 3pm, author Amanda West Lewis will read from and sign copies of her book The......
A Salon of the Masters Richard Gill’s Annual Fall Show - theHumm July 2016
“Salon”, from the French word meaning a livingroom or parlour, denotes a conversational gathering. Traditionally this was a select group of intellectuals, artists or politicians who met under the r......
Granary’s Lil’ Sprouts Program Returns - theHumm July 2016
Last fall The Granary in Carleton Place launched its ?rst ever Lil’ Sprouts Grant Program. The idea was a simple one: to help a local organization connect kids with food. Interested community group......
Fibre, Food & Drink in Mississippi Mills - theHumm July 2016
Well, I certainly hope everyone soaked up all the sun there was to be had in August! Fortunately, as the days grow shorter, there is no shortage of terrific events to keep you entertained, educated......
Pfaff and Cormier in General - theHumm July 2016
An exhibition featuring the work of Leta Cormier and Mary Pfaff runs from August 16 to October 2 at General Fine Craft in Almonte.
Leta Cormier (North Gower) has passionately work......
Competition: Local & International - theHumm July 2016
Watching the Olympics last month, I got thinking about the positive and negative aspects of competition.
Some people have a competitive nature. I am not one of those people… well, except in grad......
Wander, Savour, Collect The 2016 Crown and Pumpkin Studio Tour - theHumm July 2016
By — Laurel Cook
The 20th Crown and Pumpkin Studio Tour will take place in the Almonte and Clayton areas on the Thanksgiving weekend (October 8–10) from 10am to 5pm each day, with more studios and participatin......
Take a Closer Look at Nature with the Field Naturalists - theHumm July 2016
By — Pauline Donaldson
On Thursday, September 15, the Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists (MVFN) begin a new season of natural history talks — this year’s theme is “Wild Creature Close-Ups”. Be prepared to meet dra......
Doors Open North GrenvilleEdge-of-Your-Seat Mystery Closes CTF - theHumm July 2016
A body has shown up, and everyone on stage is a suspect. It’s the starting point for An Inspector Calls, and what at first glance sounds like a familiar plot becomes, in the hands of legendary Brit......
The Grandmotherof All Comedies… - theHumm July 2016
By — Paul Joyce
Nick has just received a job offer in Seattle that he simply can’t refuse. Trouble is, accepting it means he’ll have to tell his grandparents he’s moving away from New Jersey. And if you’re Italian......
Celebrate — It’s a Duty! - theHumm July 2016
I am writing this column in an apartment precisely three blocks from the K-Rock Centre in Kingston where, in two days, The Tragically Hip will perform their last concert. The mood in the city is ce......
Lots to See in Galleries and on Tours! - theHumm July 2016
“Witness” in Almonte
From September 2 to October 9, Sivarulrasa Gallery is proud to present a solo exhibition of new and recent sculptures by Almonte-b......
Discover the Art of Véronique Stéfanica - theHumm July 2016
The 2016 North Gower/Kars Discovery Tour, which takes place on September 17 and 18, 10am to 5pm, showcases the work of more than thirty fantastic artists, at fourteen stops within an hour’s dr......
Settlement & Return Perth Autumn Studio Tour - theHumm July 2016
The Tay Valley has a history of European settlement reaching back over two hundred years, which is being celebrated this year. Settlers came for many reasons, but mainly to escape hardship and star......
David Ross MacDonald Returns to MERA - theHumm July 2016
Australian singer-songwriter and fingerstyle guitarist David Ross MacDonald has a special relationship with Canada. MacDonald, who performs on Sunday, September 25 at MERA Schoolhouse in McDon......
R.I.P. Pete Fountain - theHumm July 2016
By — Tony Stuart is the Music Director at Notre Dame Catholic High School in Carleton Place, and a freelance professional musician
There have been some very high profile musicians who have left us over the past year, including David Bowie and Prince. However, on August 6 of this year, the jazz world lost a true gem, as cl......
Storywork: Telling Tales Rooted in the Land - theHumm July 2016
By — Jennifer Cayley
How long has it been since someone told you — not read, but told you — not just a good story but a great story, filled with adventures, transformations, compelling journeys and valiant people facin......
Movies to Fall For… - theHumm July 2016
By Matt Roche
Our summer season is finally winding down. Those mega-blockbusters and frivolous flicks are ending their run, and fall Oscar season will kick into high gear soon enough. In the meantime, while we a......
W-RI (GH) T-E for Reading - theHumm July 2016
English is a funny language sometimes, and words can be used to enlighten, bemuse or even fool. I am not familiar enough with other languages, but this month I will introduce you to a group that is......
The EasiestPath to Knowledge - theHumm July 2016
On these pages you’ll find a great collection of classes, courses and lessons for all ages and skill levels, as well as several testimonials from area students.
Taught by talented local artists, ......
Community Choirs - theHumm July 2016
By — Glenda Jones
“No more teachers, no more books…” Oh, the luxury of learning for its own sake! The Almonte Lecture Series, that informative but relaxed way to spend an evening, returns on the last Friday of the n......
On Children’s Books - theHumm July 2016
By Pam Harris, Librarian
Stacy Horn wrote in Time magazine that: “When you sing, musical vibrations move through you, altering your physical and emotional landscape. Group singing, for those who have done it, is the most e......
A Shout-Out to Great Teachers - theHumm July 2016
Our Classes, Courses, Lessons section is always full of ads from many great teachers, artists and studios in the area, but this year we thought we would ask some students to weigh in too. We invite......
Cutting Down onBird-Window Collisions - theHumm July 2016
By Bob Volks
Cathy Blake
Almonte Potters Guild
Justine Kummer, a University of Alberta researcher, recently released a new study on how we can best avoid bird......
New at the Festival of Small Halls… - theHumm July 2016
At its core, the Ontario Festival of Small Halls is about celebrating community.
The Festival is set to start strumming this month, welcoming an inspiring combination of big names in music and l......
Art and Healing - theHumm July 2016
Since 2007, art has been part of the healing environment of the wonderful Almonte General Hospital (AGH), as well as Fairview Manor (FVM), the attached long-term care facility. Shortly after the ne......
Hypnosis for Creative Types - theHumm July 2016
By — Trevour Strudwick, CH, MNLP, can be found at The INSIGHT Studio, located at 163A Bridge Street in Carleton Place <InsightStudioCanada.com>
If you’re like most people, you probably have a misunderstanding about what hypnosis is and the many ways it can help you. Others may have heard about the benefits of using hypnosis to stop smoking......
Blues on the Rideau - theHumm July 2016
The Carleton Place Drug Strategy Committee is proud to announce that the 6th annual Brett Pearson Run for Your Life fundraiser will take place from 9am to 1pm on Saturday, September 24, to rai......
The 6th Brett Pearson Run for Your Life - theHumm July 2016
Blues On The Rideau — the dinner and show fundraiser series that has been running at The Cove Country Inn in Westport for the past eleven years and is now recognized as one of the premier blues ser......
Our Olympics - theHumm July 2016
Our big adventure of the summer is over, our trip to the national agility trials done, with two ribbons to our credit. It was truly a huge endeavour, not only for me and dear little Bonnie, but als......
The Best theFilm World Has to Offer - theHumm July 2016
By Glenda Jones
Now in its 14th year, Film Night International continues to seek out and bring the best of the best in award-winning and festival favourites from across North America and around the world to local ......
A Delicious Reason to Go to Dunrobin - theHumm July 2016
If you do not live in Dunrobin or drive through it en route, it is an unlikely destination — although frequently mentioned in travel directions (as in “go through Dunrobin and…”). But we are please......
Jul 8 Storytime with Heidi at the Maberly Hall
Jul 8 Storytime with Heidi at the Maberly Hall
Jul 13 Community "Yart" Sale
Jul 13 Community "Yart" Sale
Jul 18 Multicultural Potluck
Jul 18 Multicultural Potluck
Jul 18 Multicultural Potluck
Jul 18 - 27 Bloomfest Garden Art Show & Sale
Jul 18 - 27 Bloomfest Garden Art Show & Sale
Jul 26 Craft and Colour
- Jim Fisher — Popularizing Art
- Back by Popular Demand Almonte Craft Beer Fest Returns on July 25
- Have You Heard this Joke Before?
- Celebrating Elder Trees in Perth
- Stewart Park Festival Full Lineup and Super Schedule for 2025!
- 5th Merrickville Festival of the Arts A Marvelous Mix of the Arts from July 25–27
- HerbFest Returns A Celebration of Healthy Living, Music, and Local Flair
- BarnDoor Productions Bringing Summer Shakespeare Back to Perth
- A Community Yart Sale!
- Transform Your Garden with Art From Birdhouses to Bold Sculptures — Find them at Bloomfest!
