By Joanne Oostveen - The Weekly News
A call is out for artists to submit paintings or drawings to honour the Shubenacadie Canal and Waterway.
The Shubenacadie Art Connection will be a unique event exhibiting artwork at five different community locations simultaneously along the length of the waterway from Maitland to Dartmouth from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4.
"This art connection is a brand new event featuring artwork created by the artists of Nova Scotia specifically to draw attention to the Shubenacadie Canal and Waterway and its past, present and future," said Anna Wade, chair of the planning committee. "This project is important because it is a way to celebrate a truly unique part of our province's history and natural landscape."
Wade is a well-known artist who lives in Cow Bay. She said she was first approached by Bernie Hart of the Shubenacadie Canal Commission about this project because she was a regional representative for Visual Arts Nova Scotia and was able to contact many of the province's artists.
"Bernie explained the project to me, which began as an idea by artist Tom Forrestall. Once he had explained the idea for the event as well as some history about the canal, I was hooked," she said.
The Shubenacadie Canal is one of Nova Scotia's most amazing engineering and natural wonders, Wade said, and it involves much more than just Dartmouth's Shubie Park.
The exhibit is open to all Nova Scotia visual artists working in painting or drawing mediums, professional or amateur.
"The waterway spans the province, linking Halifax Harbour to the Bay of Fundy, as well as all the communities along its path," said Wade. "The waterway route was first recognized by the Mi'kmaq people and later by merchants wishing to move goods safely across the province. The system is made up of a series of nine locks, two incline marine railways connecting seven lakes and the river."
Wade said Nova Scotia artists will create a body of artwork that records many different aspects of the waterway for generations to come, and the committee hopes this wonderful blend of art and nature will encourage people to explore the Shubenacadie Canal.
"We hope the Shubenacadie Art Connection becomes an annual event along the waterway, attracting both local residents and tourists to Nova Scotia," she said.
joanneoostveen@accesswave.ca
The entire submission process is outlined on the website http://shubie.chebucto.org under The Shubenacadie Art Connection. Deadline for all submissions is July 15.
