Duane Hicks
Tying into the local Community Arts & Heritage Education Project (CAHEP), the Fort Frances Museum will be exhibiting a local arts show and sale in the main gallery during the month of February.
As such, area artists are welcome to bring in some of their own works to be included in the exhibit.
The exhibit so far includes photographs, jewellery, paintings, pen-and-ink drawings, painted rocks, and pottery, with possible future additions to range from painted eggs to rug-hooking works.
“The idea of arts and heritage education is we’re celebrating the creative things that people do, so we’re kind of open to anything,” said museum curator Pam Cain.
“Part of the project is we’re looking for things people do out there,” Cain added. “They might want to do a ‘show and tell’ kind of idea and show off what they’re doing.
“If there’s something unique out there that people [do], it’s of interest for showing,” she noted, adding that if the artist wants, they can put a price tag on their work.
The museum is working to promote the local CAHEP—a project which gives residents an opportunity to self-identify areas of interest in arts and heritage education programming and spur interest in it.
“[To] get the art out of the closet, so to speak,” Cain quipped.
The next CAHEP community meeting with CAHEP co-ordinator Lila Cano will be held Thursday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. at the museum. Cain said everyone is invited to attend.
“What we really want to do is we want to find an arts project . . . that people would like to do,” Cain explained, adding there is provincial funding available through CAHEP to fund a community arts project.
One of the ideas that has come up so far includes a series of paintings to hang on the fence at the old high school to beautify the corner at Portage Avenue and Second Street East.
Another has been enhancing the Fort Frances Folk Festival, which debuted last July.
“We are looking for some community input on that, for people to come out with their ideas on what the community might want to spend that money on,” said Cain.
“So it’s sort of important we get some different input and different ideas there,” she stressed.
The CAHEP meeting will be followed by a professional development day with artists and teachers on Friday, Jan. 29 from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
This will be an opportunity for artists to network, as well as to bring in their projects/portfolios to work with others and get feedback.
If those interested can’t make it for the workshop, then they can drop by for a lunchtime meet-and-greet.
Then on Saturday, Jan. 30, there will be two workshops for youths aged 10-15. Cano will lead an improv acting workshop from 9-11 a.m. at the museum while Cain will host a “Create a Masterpiece” workshop from 1-4 p.m.
Pre-register by calling 274-7891 (there is a cost for materials).
In related news, the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, with special guest Rodney Brown, will present “The Big Lonely” on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Townshend Theatre here.
Sponsored by local MP John Rafferty and the Voyageur Lions Club, proceeds will go to the CAHEP program.
For more information, contact the Fort Frances Museum at 274-7891 or Cain at pcain@fort-frances.com
