GORE BAY—The week of August 11 to 15 saw a group of 13 artists and writers from the Northern Ontario Art Association and the Manitoulin Writers Guild braving the elements—the wind, the rain and sometimes the sunshine—to paint in the out of doors some of our Island scenery. A co-operative venture through the Gore Bay Museum, this was the first of what, hopefully, will become an annual event. Convening the colony were Nicole Weppler on behalf of the Gore Bay Museum and Manitoulin artist and NOAA board member Christie Best-Pearson. The group met each morning at the Gore Bay Harbour Centre then ventured out to various sites and art galleries in Gore Bay, Kagawong, Spring Bay and Evansville. Margo Little also initiated participants in the art of Haiku—a type of poetry where artists could paint with words as well as their brushes, thus bringing artists and writers a little closer together and with a better understanding of each other’s art form.
The Northern Ontario Art Association is an umbrella organization representing 15 art clubs throughout Northern Ontario and over 500 artists. Artists attending this year were from Sudbury, Timmins and Manitoulin Island. A few writers from the Manitoulin Writers Guild also participated.
