The second annual Amherstburg Art Crawl was held over the weekend with art lovers and those interested in finding out more about it out and about.
The two-day event was conducted last Saturday and Sunday with multiple tours of the downtown core with stops at art installations such as reproductions, murals and sites such as the Gibson Gallery and Amherstburg Freedom Museum. The latter featured work from The Artists of Colour.
Christ Anglican Church offered a look at their stained glass windows in addition to free use of their parking lot while Art Windsor-Essex (AWE) was a key partner as well with children's art lessons offered.
The Rivertown Dance Academy also featured performances twice on the weekend. It was capped by a Sunday afternoon concert from the Windsor Symphony Orchestra brass quintet, an event shifted from August to July this year in order to cap off the Amherstburg Art Crawl.
The Gibson Gallery and the Marsh Historical Collection also featured exhibits and invited people in their doors for art-themed events. The former launched its current exhibit while the latter featured the work of Benjamin Lapierre from the 1890s.
The work of local artist Dennis White was on display as not only were the works that were part of his garden show on display, people also got to look at the Beatles-themed mural he created behind Musicland.
Plein air artists and musicians were scattered throughout the event with the Amherstburg Fort Malden Horticultural Society (AFMHS) having “ghost figures” available where people could insert flowers and create their own artwork.
The art crawl was presented by the Amherstburg Art Society, headed by Richard Peddie. Peddie noted the first art crawl was put together quickly last September.
“It encouraged us to create the Amherstburg Art Society,” he said. “It went so well, we thought we'd present it in a bigger way.”
Peddie already said the event will return in 2025 and hopes to make it bigger and even more days. He believes they can add more components to the art crawl and draw more people.
“Art is on a roll in this town,” he stated, stating there have been 29 murals added over the last four years. “We know from research and experience that the arts make a town or a city better. People take pride in it and it increases creativity. It is an economic driver.”
Small towns across Ontario are supporting the arts, he said.
“All ideas happening in Amherstburg right now are happening in small towns,” he said. “There is so much more we can do.”
A children's art contest was also part of the Amherstburg Art Crawl this year, with the winning entries mounted near the patio to Downtown Espresso. Trudy Dempsey, an art society board member as well as a board member with the Gibson Gallery, said the contest was open to children and youth ages 6-18 with “My Hometown” being the theme.
“Each painting depicts their hometown,” said Dempsey. “It's very clear what they like about their hometown.”
Peddie pointed out the board with the Amherstburg Art Society are all volunteers.
The title sponsor was Everjonge Homes with Sawyer Everjonge stating they were happy to be part of the art crawl.
“It's good to get out and get behind something we can support,” said Everjonge.
Lauri Brouyette, whose family owns Hotel STRY, the building it is housed in and nearby Murray St. property, helped unveil a new mural on the side of the building at 70 Murray St. with artist Dylan White. White's mural depicts an anchor, something Brouyette said they want Murray St. to be for the town with art and activity everywhere.
“What we'd like to see is Murray St. closed off for pedestrian traffic,” she said.
Peddie added the goal is to have the area be “an anchor” for the town and noted other towns are closing streets. The property owners redeveloping buildings along the street have tagged the area the “Anchor District.”
“If we do this right, we should be able to close this block and make it a destination,” stated Peddie during a Sunday art walk.
Andrea Dyrkacz, vice president of the AFMHS, told the crowd Saturday afternoon the Navy Yard Park “pays homage to our past – the Indigenous peoples who lived at the river's edge, those fleeing enslavement who sought refuge here and those who fought fierce battles seeking to own and control this land.”
Dyrkacz added they were “people who lived and died, as will our flowers.” The three figures were named Ruby, Paulette and Annabelle and they were symbolic of the love of “all that grows, blooms brightly and then passes into memory.”
“We love flowers, not in spite of their mortality, but because of it,” she said.
Local artist Stephen Gibb met the public at Hotel STRY Sunday where his work was featured. He said he loves the idea of an art crawl and believes it can get bigger and better. He said they are learning as they go.
“I love the idea,” he said. “It's still in a fledgling state. We're moving in the right direction. It's supporting the arts and supporting the town. People seem to be enjoying it as well.”
Gibb acknowledged his work is “not everyone's cup of tea” but encouraged people to appreciate and be open to his and other forms of art. The feedback he received was “very positive” as “when you do something unusual, you don't know how people are going to take it.”
Art has been his whole life, Gibb added. He said he went to school for it and has been doing it ever since.
Peddie urged the community to keep getting behind their work.
“All I can say is support the arts,” added Peddie.
Amherstburg Art Crawl enjoyed by art lovers
By Ron Giofu
Comments