Tag Archives: Grand Manan

Modest proposals

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Whale Cove Seawall Enhancement Proposal Mixed Media 12" x 12"

Whale Cove Seawall Enhancement Proposal
Mixed Media 12″ x 12″

Dark HarbourSeawall Enhancement Proposal Mixed Media 12" x 12"

Dark Harbour Seawall Enhancement Proposal
Mixed Media 12″ x 12″

My two mixed media drawings, Dark Harbour Seawall Enhancement Proposal, and Whale Cove Seawall Enhancement Proposal are part of this year’s Annual Square Foot Show in New Brunwsick’s Grand Manan Art Gallery. I’ve been playing with ideas about what else could be built with the materials used to build piers and fishing weirs on the island, inspired by the driftwood sculpture constructions by Lars Vilks that are found on the shores of the proud, free micronation of Ladonia. I’m a citizen of Ladonia of course, and would certainly apply for citizenship of Grand Manan, were it possible to do so. In the meantime, I can only offer my collection of modest proposals. The Square Foot Show continues until July 14, 2016.

Proposal for Thoroughfare Crossing and Fishfluke Light Reconstruction

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Supposing the wreckage of the Fishfluke Light, that used to mark the entrance to Grand Harbour in Grand Manan NB, were to be gathered up and reconstructed? And, what if the abandoned and disintegrating wooden lobster pounds was recycled to build a swing bridge crossing to Ross Island at the end of Thoroughfare Road? To move, the bridge would need some sort of mechanism besides the tide of course.

Proposal for Thoroughfare Crossing and Fishfluke Light Reconstruction, 18" x 24" Mixed Media on Panel, by Aleda O'Connor

Proposal for Thoroughfare Crossing and Fishfluke Light Reconstruction, Mixed Media 18″ x 24″

There may be others, but the only wooden winch that I’ve ever seen  is kept  in a smoke shed at Seal Cove, where the late Michael Zimmer preserved many historic artifacts of the Atlantic smoked-herring fishery in his Sardine Museum and Herring Hall of Fame. My drawing of it, Winch Herring Shed, is in the permanent collection at the Grand Manan Art Gallery and Proposal for Thoroughfare Crossing and Fishfluke Light Reconstruction is in the Island Art Show there from August 8 to 27 2015.

Winch, Herring Shed, Pen and Ink on Toned Paper, 10" x 12" by Aleda O'Connor

Winch, Herring Shed, Pen and Ink on Toned Paper, 10″ x 12″

 

Grand Manan’s Dark Harbour and the Nimis of Ladonia

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Dark Harbour Span Concept Looking South, Mixed Media 12" x 12" by Aleda O'Connor

Dark Harbour Span Concept Looking South, Mixed Media 12″ x 12″ SOLD

Dark Harbour Span Concept looking North, Mixed Media 12"x12", by Aleda O'Connor

Dark Harbour Span Concept looking North, Mixed Media 12″x12″ SOLD

 

My two small mixed media drawings “Dark Harbour Span Concept Looking North”, and “Dark Harbour Span Concept Looking South” are part of this year’s Square Foot Show at the Grand Manan Art Gallery in New Brunswick. My drawings were inspired by the amazing and mysterious tower at the mouth of the outlet to Grand Manan‘s Dark Harbour, the abundant driftwood on its shores and the wonderful driftwood sculptures (Nimis) built by Lars Vilks in the nature reserve Kullaberg, in the northwest corner of county Skåne, in Sweden, in the (similar-to-Grand Manan) micronation of Ladonia. The show continues until July 16, 2015. @Queen_Ladonia, @LadoniaHerald @Ladonia_Info @SeeNewBrunswick

Summer on the road

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Stone Table and Benches, Gould Farm Carbon Pencil on Paper 18" x 24"

Stone Table and Benches, Gould Farm Carbon Pencil on Paper 18″ x 24″

We travelled a lot this spring and summer, in North America and later in Britain. Here are some of the highlights of our trip as recorded in my sketchbooks. In June, I visited Gould Farm, in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts where my friend Rose is a volunteer. She wrote and edited a wonderful cookbook to celebrate the farm’s 100th anniversary as a healing and rehabilitation centre – and to raise money for this marvelous organization.

Barry planned three workshops for the summer: Toronto was first, in July.

12" x 16" Watercolour

Doctor’s House Pioneer Village 12″ x 16″ Watercolour

8.5 " x 11" Pen and Ink

Gate, University College U of T 8.5 ” x 11″ Pen and Ink

Next, we travelled to Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick, in the Bay of Fundy.

Light keepers House Swallowtail Light, Grand Manan 8.5" x 11" Pen and Ink

Light keepers House Swallowtail Light, Grand Manan 8.5″ x 11″ Pen and Ink

Seal Cove Sheds and Spools 18" x 24 "Charcoal with Watercolour

Seal Cove Sheds and Spools 18″ x 24 “Charcoal with Watercolour

Early in August, we moved on to the Cotswold District in England.

Broadway Village, Cotswolds England 9" x 12" Pen, Ink and White Charcoal on Toned Paper

Broadway Village, Cotswolds England 9″ x 12″ Pen, Ink and White Charcoal on Toned Paper

Stanway House, Cotswold District England 9" x 12" Pen, Ink and White Charcoal on Toned Paper

Stanway House, Cotswolds England 9″ x 12″ Pen, Ink and White Charcoal on Toned Paper

When the workshops were over, we visited Cornwall for 10 days.

Porthgwarra Village View 8.5" x 11" Pen and Ink

Porthgwarra Village View 8.5″ x 11″ Pen and Ink

Mevagissey Harbour, Cornwall 8.5" x 11" Pen and Ink

Mevagissey Harbour, Cornwall 8.5″ x 11″ Pen and Ink

Low Tide, Mevagissey Cornwall 8.5" x 11" Pen and Ink

Low Tide, Mevagissey Cornwall 8.5″ x 11″ Pen and Ink

Canadian and Korean Artists’ Exhibition

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I’ve been invited to show my drawing Dark Harbour Dories in an exhibition for the Korean Consulate and Dosan Gallery in Toronto.  It runs September 19 to 23.

Dark Harbour Camps: two versions

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As a subject, I’ve always been drawn to the landscape and boats at gritty Dark Harbour, on the west side of Grand Manan island, where the dulse pickers keep their dories. Many also keep camps on the shore and rocky sea wall. While we were there for a two-week vacation following the workshop at the beginning of August, I worked in pen and ink as usual, and in watercolour too, after overcoming my inhibitions in Barry’s class last year.

Dark Harbour Dulse Camp

Dory and Camp

Maritime Sketches

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We spent most of July and August along the St. Lawrence River and on Grand Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy. I worked in my sketchbooks with pen and ink, also on toned paper with pen, ink and white charcoal. Here are a few samples:

St. Joseph de la Rive, Charlevoix

Hillside Farm Buildings, Charlevoix

Marathon Hotel, Grand Manan.

Harbour, Seal Cove, Grand Manan

Seal Cove Low Tide

Smoke Sheds, Seal Cove