By Joanne Rodgers, Bruce Peninsula Press
The 53rd Annual Bruce Peninsula Art Show will be held from 4 – 7 August 2023 at the Bruce Peninsula District School in Lion’s Head.
The Annual Art Show missed three years (2020, 2021 and 2022) due to pandemic restrictions and school construction/upgrades. Traditionally, each Civic Holiday weekend the Art Show has been held at the school.
This year there will be 62 Artists displaying their artworks, as well as two local students, who are past recipients of the Art Show Bursary.
The main gallery Gallery 1 located in the School’s Auditorium will showcase hanging art, photography, paintings, fabric artworks.
Gallery 2, located in a room across the Hall will display carvings, art cards, stained glass, blown glass and handcrafted bowls.
The event is completely run by volunteers from the Northern Bruce Peninsula community and also by artists participating in the show. The set-up of the display boards in the main gallery is generously done by the local fire and rescue team.
The Art show was the creation of Vince Elliott of Stokes Bay, who started the Art Show in 1967. This year his daughter Barb Tomkins will be taking part in the event, supporting her father’s legacy.
From that initial show, the event has grown to be the largest of its kind and type in the Grey/Bruce area. The Artists are all property owners in Grey Bruce County. The Art Show is a registered non-profit organization.
Bursaries awarded to 155 students
Starting in 1990, bursaries have been offered to graduating secondary students who are continuing in the Arts in their post-secondary studies. Students are selected on the recommendation of their Art teachers as demonstrating unusual talent in visual arts and commitment to expanding their expression through further post-secondary education. To date, bursaries have been awarded to 155 students of the Bluewater District School Board.
The bursary is offered in two-parts, the first award is given at the end of secondary school year, the following year the student is required to display their work at the Art Show to receive the final sum.
Since the Art Show has been in hiatus for three years, the past recipient from 2020 will display a sample of his work in the 2023 show.
This year’s bursary recipient is Mona Bailey from Bruce Peninsula District School. She will be going on to Algonquin College to study Interior Design.
The bursary awards are made possible through the proceeds from the sale of art works by Grey/Bruce artists and by donations collected at the annual Bruce Peninsula Art Show.
The Art Show also established an Endowment Fund at Georgian College to support students in the Fine Arts Program. Managed by Georgian College, four bursaries have been awarded to date.
Admission to the Art Show is free, but donations will be accepted which go towards the Bursary Fund.
Opening night is Friday, August 4, from 7 p.m to 9 p.m. On Saturday, Sunday and Monday (5, 6 and 7 August) the Show will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Annual Quilt Show
The Tea Time Quilters organize the Annual Quilt Show which is held in conjunction with the Art Show. This year there will be approximately 15 Quilters displaying their Quilts.
The last Show was held in 2019, and about 120 quilts were on display.
The Tea Time Quilters are currently comprised of 18 members, all of which are local from within the Northern Bruce Peninsula Community.
Starting about 2005, the group met at Helen Greig’s fabric store on Main Street. Helen hosted Toonie Tuesday and tea was always served. When one of the quilters felt the group should have a name, the group decided to call themselves the Tea Time Quilters. The group continued to meet at the fabric store until its closure, when they relocated to the Lion’s Head United Church hall. They meet in the Church hall every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m
For three weeks of every month they work on their own projects, and the fourth week they work on projects that give back to the community. They made a quilt for the doctor’s room at the Lion’s Head Hospital. They give quilts to those in need or who are ill. This past Spring they made lap quilts for the seniors of Golden Dawn to use on the bus when they go out on trips. The Quilters also made aprons for the seniors to use for their activity days at the Golden Dawn.
All proceeds from the sale of Quilts at the Show are donated to a local worthy cause.
Opening night is Friday, August 4, from 7 p.m to 9 p.m. On Saturday, Sunday, Monday (5, 6 and 7 August) the Quilt Show will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Bruce Peninsula District School is located at 5 Moore St, Lion’s Head. For more information visit https://brucepeninsulaart.ca/art-show/
