Arts and Entertainment

Orangeville artist turns logs and stones into heavy, high-value art

December 11, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

There is a painting on the wall that weighs 32 pounds. It is an interesting work of a tree and leaves, the ground and a beautiful background behind. Yet, the trees are actually trees, with leaves made of stone, and the ground is small stones; the background is painted, but sometimes Lecky uses glass for water and sky.

Reg Lecky spoke to the Citizen from his 150-year-old home, specifically his bedroom, where many logs and bags of stones are stored.

“It’s a labour of love,” he said. “I’ve been doing it for a little while but I’m sitting in my bedroom looking at a pile of logs.”

He has lived in Orangeville for 30 years and has owned this home for 10. It stands in a tight corner of the town where the busy road is noisy, and the house is now too small for the art he is doing.

“I’m looking for a country place,” he remarked, “more spacious.”

Art has always been Lecky’s passion: as a tattoo artist, making stained glass, rock painting, and many other forms, always creative.

A few personal details were interesting: he commented that his son is in the military and that his daughter has graduated from Guelph University as an environmental scientist, working at the Island Lake Conservation Area.

He and his girlfriend go out to collect rocks, logs, and wood, especially birch. He cuts and treats everything and varnishes the collection as needed.

“I treat the stone and shells,” he said. “they can be dirty, so I wash them. With wood especially I do my thing. It is a rare theme to create these pieces.”

What is not needed immediately is stored and organized. Meanwhile, Lecky makes his canvas and boards.

“It started in 2009, on a camping trip,” the history began. He had been working on a painting, and there were plenty of logs on their campsite. So, he started attaching pieces of logs to the painting.

He reckoned he had the skills to seal the wood but admitted it was a learning curve to make it right. “I had a picture in my head and materials in front and thought about how they would fit together.”

He started by painting the elements, while noting that some of them don’t need painting. Working on it, there were a lot of “tricky parts,” and when it was done, he had to make his own frame.

“The paintings are heavy,” Lecky agrees, “but they do sell.”

In his work life, Lecky is a millwright. He worked for Chrysler in Brampton for 30 years, but was quick to emphasize he was not tied to Brampton, saying, “Orangeville’s got everything, trails, nice restaurants; it’s a beautiful town.”

While Lecky was still working for Chrysler, it took a long time to do one piece, but he wanted to do this art and having retired from Chrysler, he was happy to say, “Now I can.”

“There are a lot of tricky parts, “ he confirmed.

In September, Reg Lecky joined Headwaters Arts, hoping to participate in the show Headwaters hosted in September. He was not, but could join the Artful Giving show and sale, currently open at the Headwaters Gallery in the Alton Mill Arts Centre. He signed up for the show in January, titled “Dreamscape.”

Originally, he felt some concern about whether the stones in his paintings would stick, but as it turns out, they have “stood the test of time.”

To add the flow and beauty of sky and water, Lecky uses shell and glass to wondrous effect.

Born in Ireland, Lecky loves to travel back to the green Isle, driving up the coast, visiting the small towns to enjoy the humour and hospitality of his original countrymen.

His unusual paintings have sold well despite their weight, and this pleases him for the validation it gives. They can be priced at $4,000 or more, as is the one at the Headwaters Arts Gallery.

For sure, he says, it is much better to see them in person, since a photograph cannot express how the texture of wood and stone, glass and shell bring power to the scenes they portray. However, he has several photos on his website.

They can also be seen at Dragonfly on Broadway. Owner, Joan Hope, has been a wonderful supporter of Lecky’s work.

“They are a lot of time and effort,” Lecky said. “If I don’t sell them, I keep them.”

Lecky’s website is www.earthart.ca

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