Tag Archives: Art

Bay Artist Connect

Connecting

Thank you to Saint John artist Christine Johnson for gifting me just the word I needed. “CONNECT” it is.

As Christine put it so nicely, “connecting artists in the region to advocate local artists”
pretty much describes what I had in mind over six years ago.

It was 2014 when I first Began my project, trying to encouage the artists along Chaleur Bay to do some sort of art during May and calling this the Chaleur Bay Spring Garden of Artists. It was not to be a big splash event involving government money and corporate sponsorship. No applications for any grant ever went out.

Past experience had taught me that government grants seldom go to new, untried ideas. This was was definitely new and untried, so new and untried that almost everywhere I went for help and encouragement the answer was, “Go and see … So and So … at the local art society” which was exactly what my idea was not about. It was about freeing artists from the structures that box them in. It was not about having someone else decide how much wall space they would be allowed. It wasn’t about paying fees or memberships or voting for executive officers. It definitely wasn’t about competition. There were to be no prizes or awards or medals. This was to be purely for the love of art.

What I had in mind was that artists would be connected simply by doing art, each one in their own way in their own homes and studios and and communities.

I thought that if I could somehow plant that one seed of an idea of art along the bay perhaps others would also plant seeds and surely with enough seeds eventually something would grow out of it. I imagined also that what we developed here on the New Brunswick side of Chaleur Bay would eventually grow to meet with the already flourishing arts along the Quebec side.

I received letters of support from artists in Sackville and art groups as far away as Vancouver. My only local help at the beginning came from members of my family. I want to thank them for believing in me. I also appreciate that (our family business) Musk Enterprises Ltd. kindly agreed to let me use their mail box and street address for correspondence and provided me with studio space above Music City store on St. Andrew St.in Bathurst. I had hoped that artists would grow good strong roots in their communities without the need for paying dues to committees and that artists would be free to do their own art in their own way. My goal was to make contact with the artists and eventually produce a map of Chaleur Bay artists. This never happened. I started working on the map but no artist ever contacted me.

As time went on the PO box became too expensive to maintain, the business closed and we were no longer able to access the Canada Post system. So, my original contact information became obsolete. Perhaps this was the reason for lack of contact. Perhaps there was no interest. I still don’t know.

Anyone interested in helping me continue this art project may contact me at maggiequinn@rogers.com or call 506-783-7944

I can no longer afford to keep open the seasonal public artspace I created at 212 St. Andrew St. in Bathurst. The building is up for sale.

Thank you again to those who still believe in me.
Margaret Sharon Olscamp

Hey a New Year 2017

2017 is here.
A New Year
Time for change.
Time to push
All that old stuff
Into the recycling bin
The compost pile
Occasionally check it
Make sure it’s working
Turn it into whatever
Might be useful.
This the year.
Exciting events
Will happen in Chaleur.

In April 2017 https://www.facebook.com/lareinedesneigeslemusical/photos/a.1708419436098394.1073741828.1708388029434868/1793375397602797/?type=3&theater

………………….compost level……………………….
What happened?

I paid for this. I paid.

This is what happens when the rules are not clear. You end up paying for something you don’t get. I am talking about taxes. Ever think about where your taxes go? Do you consider arts funding a waste of your tax dollars? Sometimes I wonder too.

Supposedly artists are being supported by unlimited government grants. Not so. Some of us are really struggling. Sometimes I wonder why we even bother. Maybe there is something to that impression of an artist as a crazy person. Who else but a crazy person would work for the pure joy of art?

How much of the arts money goes to support artists and how much is actually used to further someone’s political career? I have no idea.

Still, we artists struggle on, even here in the Chaleur Region. As an artist I am desperate for a bit of culture. ” How often the past several years have I heard the words
“There is nothing here, no culture, nothing except snowmobiles”?
I’ve thought those thoughts’ perhaps voiced that opinion and have been trying to do something it, especially for those of us who are artists.

For three years I have worked hard at trying to get artists to join me in creating an “artsy Chaleur”. I asked for help from several Gov agencies, not money but moral support and the opportunity to network through their (tax supported) channels. I did my best to have my promotional material translated into both official languages. I guess my best was not good enough. Not only was I was refused their non-monetary help, I was completely ignored.

“What is wrong?” is what I kept asking myself.

Well I guess my search is over. This paper pretty well explains it all. It is the who-is-who of the Gov approved Atlantic Arts. Read it all right here: http://www.aaapnb.ca/english/AGlobalStrategy.pdf
This seems to be a Grand Scheme to reinvent the Maritime provinces as a friendly place for artists.
I did find a few people purporting to represent us who are artists, some even from the Chaleur region . However, I do not recognize any people who are actually artists from the Chaleur region. I suppose some of them might be artists from somewhere. If they were ever Chaleur artists I guess they must have moved away long ago.

Basically what it is all about is reinventing Atlantic culture along the lines of your Exclusive”old boys network”. I would not mind so much if it were not so blatently political. “Not so!” Did I hear the distant protest? “Not so!” What is the inclusive about this statement I read on page 52:

“Some of New Brunswick’s Anglophone and First Nations art- ists were invited,”
Anglophone is, I guess, the box I would be expected to occupy. But I was not invited. Who was?

Hmmmmmm …. Bit of a problem here … For me at least … I am an independent artist … And prefer not to be restricted by the language I was born into. Who knows, given a choice I might have chosen another language entirely, French, Italian, Chinese, Greek, Arabic, Russian … the list of world languages is vey long.

Yes, my language is part of my culture. Still, it is only one part. Art is a whole other world for me. It goes beyond a restricted volume of particular words sanctioned by some official “Academie” gatekeepers.

Getting back to why I was not invited, I am still wondering why. I have been a Chaleur artist for well over fifty years. Is it an ageist thing, do you suppose?

August to September 2015

Pencil drawing
Behind the counter in music store was a pencil drawing, removed in August
MSO artpiece
The invisible woman installation evolves and this one is gone before September 2015
Installation art by MSO
Some are invisible, some not so
Artspace in Bathurst sign
Sign for Artspace in downtown Bathurst along Chaleur Bay.
Invisible lady selling birdfood
Part of invisible woman installation work Outside in August, now inside.
Safety net sculpture started for basic income days September 13 to 18, 2015
Safety net sculpture started for basic income days September 13 to 18, 2015
Part of Invisible woman installation
This was to have been part of an outdoor installation for September. Adapting to Unforeseen circumstances, the invisible woman installation will now remain inside.
Adapting to circumstances is sometimes all a woman can do. It is sometimes simply a matter of perspective.
Adapting to circumstances is sometimes all a woman can do. It is sometimes simply a matter of perspective.

212 St Andrew Bathurst, NB

There is something about Bathurst … Something we need to talk about … Art?

Let's talk Art. Let's talk bilingualism.
Let’s talk Art.
Let’s talk bilingualism.

image

Art? Talk about Art? In Bathurst?

Yes, definitely … But we also need to talk about bilingualism.

There are some people who are fortunate enough to be perfectly bilingual.

Bathurst has been been bilingual since … Well not quite since Adam and Eve perhaps … But those of us who were born and raised here have always accepted bilingualism as part of our culture.

These last so many years have been hard on those of us who are not fortunate enough to speak fluently in both official languages. And yes … It is true … There are still people living in and around Bathurst who speak only French or only English.

So what!

Language, like Art, is one of those things … Some can, some can’t.

I am sure we’ve all heard the expression …
“I can’t draw a straight line. ”

The thing about Art? It really has nothing whatsoever to do with drawing straight lines.

Not every person has the ability to draw or paint or make music. If we accept that, then why is it so difficult to accept that not everyone has the ability to learn your language.

Ahhh yes … I hear the reply … You have to try harder! If you really try you will be able to do it! … How often have I heard those same words?

Each person has some unique gift and talent. Let’s appreciate people for themselves Let’s think before we discriminate against someone who is not exactly like we are and whose tastes are different from our tastes and whose language is not our language.

Most of all let’s talk about this …

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Limportance-du-bilinguisme-au-N-B-Importance-of-bilingualism-in-NB/373946552793460

Why

Why

Eureka

Why

Why art? Why art?
Why art they say.
Why would we want art
Upon our bay?

Why artists either?
Why they say?
What good are artists
Around our bay?

Why art and artists
So they ask
In this economy?
Oh the task!
To feed these artists
To clothe them too
They might even feel
An education is due.

What oh what
Do you think
They might do
If given a chance?
A chance to prove
To you and me
They might actually improve
Our economy.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
HOW much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Maybe ask not why but why not?

In Canada during May
We already have two days of celebration

Mothers Day

Victoria Day
Monday May 18, 2015
Victoria Weekend

Good days for art and music

Qualitative research tells
What quantitative cannot