Arts and Entertainment

Headwaters Fall Festival Show and Sale opens next week

September 12, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

The 28th Annual Headwaters Arts Fall Festival Juried Art Show & Sale is staging its flagship fundraising event, the “Opening Soirée” on Thursday, Sept. 19 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

This important annual tribute to the arts is held at the fabulous Alton Mill Arts Centre in the village of Alton.

“The juried show was open to artists across Ontario,” said Sue Powell, Headwaters Arts’ media person.

This wide invitation to the juried visual arts show and sale brought good results this year, with 70 artists submitting their work, whereas in the past that has numbered 45.

Entries came from St. Thomas, Wasaga Beach, and Hamilton with about 30 artists sending submissions from Hamilton.

Entries have also come from Georgetown, Rockwood, Fergus and Guelph. Likewise, the GTA has seen contributions from all over Mississauga to Vaughan and Newmarket to Milton. 

A wide array of mediums have made up the submissions, paintings in oils, watercolours, acrylic and pencil crayon, textile and multi-media as well as photography have been hung on the generous wall space currently available within the galleries of the Alton Mill. There are sculpture works in both metal and wood. 

“What’s nice too,” Ms. Powell commented, “looking at the names, about 35 per cent are new to this show.”

The Opening Soirée on Sept. 19 a ticketed affair at $35, promises to be an elegant time. The Sidemen are the featured jazz musicians, on deck offering the live music and Gregory’s is catering the event, which is always a treat.

“We’re promoting the Soirée,” said Ms. Powell. “Tickets come with a free drink.”

The Jurors are attending the evening to present the prizes for the winners of this tremendous collection of art, with prizes also to students going into the arts post-secondary.

This year’s jurors are Dr. Shauna McCabe, director of the Art Gallery of Guelph and former executive director of the Textile Museum of Canada. In addition to her many director-and-curatorships, Dr. McCabe has also completed a PhD at the University of British Columbia, an MA from Simon Fraser University, and a BA from McGill University. 

Mark Fletcher is co-owner of Cloud Gallery in Orillia and a long-time supporter of the arts. He was the co-chair of the Orillia Museum of Art and History for four years and Chair of the Orillia Heritage Committee for eight years. “He led a push for growth and innovation, including a $2 million renovation of the Heritage Building.” Now a full-time faculty member at Georgian College in Barrie, he teaches courses on entrepreneurship and investing. He has organized artists’ retreats “bringing together a community of artists to his recreational property in Severn Township.” 

Ms. Powell added that 30 of the artists submitting their work have never shown their art before, one of whom is from Toronto while the other has come from the U.K. She noted that Headwaters Arts has really gone after new sponsors, many of whom wanted to contribute by adding to the prize money. Thirty-one people from all across the Headwaters area have come forward, she was pleased to tell us. As well, through Central Counties, Headwaters was able to receive some funding for advertising in the Globe and Mail, Ms. Powell said “we’re going to be pumping the Authors Afternoon.” 

The Thursday evening reception is followed by events at the Mill through to Oct. 6, plus the chance to see the entries and visit the Mill’s galleries on the main floor and the studios upstairs. Open to the public from Wednesdays to Sundays there are still days specific to the Festival. 

Sunday, Sept. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m. presents the Jurors’ walk, an opportunity to meet the Jurors, Dr. McCabe and Mr. Fletcher who will discuss their thoughts on the large number of pieces in the show and, to some extent, their take about choosing the winners. 

The following Sunday, Sept. 29 will present Arts in the Annex Artists Market. Another opportunity to meet and talk to a number of artists and artisans who will offer their work for sale under the beautiful canopy over the Annex in this “open house artisanal shopping.” While still an outdoor venue, the Annex is covered and mostly protected from inclement weather. There will be food trucks near this art market under the tent. 

Both the Jurors Walk and the Annex Artists Market are free. 

Finally, on Sunday, Oct. 6, winding up the Headwaters Arts Festival Art Show & Sale is the Authors’ Afternoon. With a theme of Detectives, Diasporas and Dialogue, cookbook author and Second City Alumnus, Marilyn Smith will moderate the panel discussion with these three authors: Kathy Friedman, with her short story collection, All the Shining People. Greg Rhyno is bringing his new mystery Who by Fire. Deepa Rajagopalan is joining the Panel with her short story collection she has penned, Peacocks of Instagram. 

We can look forward to, in addition to the panel discussion, “literary activities to inspire and entertain both readers and aspiring writers.

“An authors’ Marketplace has been added to the traditional Panel discussion for the first time ever, confirming yet again, “Headwaters Arts’ dedication to community art and nurturing emerging artists.” 

The Authors’ Afternoon is a ticketed event with ticket prices reduced for students. All this fun with authors, such a great afternoon begins at 1 p.m. and goes to 4 p.m. 

While this concludes the Fall Festival, the Alton Mill continues to invite visitors from Wednesdays to Sundays all year round. For more information and to buy tickets, go to www.headwatersarts.org/fall-festival-events/

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