Submitted by Janet Whittington
The Ferndale Schoolhouse was constructed in the late 19th century, when one-room schoolhouses were the heart of rural communities. In the 2010s, the Ferndale Schoolhouse found new life as the co-operative gallery for the Bruce Peninsula Society of Artists. At the start of the 2023 season, the gallery paid homage to the building’s roots and renamed itself the Red Schoolhouse Gallery.
Member artist Gayle Fairchild moved to the Bruce in 1977. To say it transformed her life is an understatement. Gayle and her partner established a pottery in Oxenden. Primarily, Gayle is a functional potter and likes to carve and paint most pieces, always looking for inspiration on how to decorate her ware. She goes for a walk and everything is right there… the colours, the textures, the shapes. All are powerful influences in her work.
Guest artist Adam Waugh is a longtime woodworker who has recently started exploring other more artistic branches of woodcraft. His sculptures and lamps are hand-carved with naturally sourced materials from his property on the Bruce.
During June, the gallery is open Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 5pm and in July and August, every Thursday to Monday from 11am to 5pm.
