KAGAWONG—This year’s 4elements Elemental Festival in Kagawong is developing on the theme of ‘walking’ and is bringing a host of events and artistic offerings that cover a huge range of artistic styles.
“It’s been pretty exciting,” said 4elements Executive Director Sophie Edwards as the first weekend of the festival got underway. “We have had a lot of people coming out to the events so far. It has been an action packed weekend.”
The festival schedule runs from Saturday, September 24 to Sunday, October 2 and features a jam packed series of events.
“The artists have started arriving,” said Ms. Edwards, who noted that the writing workshops and musical offerings that have been presented so far have all been well attended. “There’s lots to come.”
Wednesday, September 29 from 6 pm to 9 pm visiting writer/artist Chris Turnbull will be presenting a workshop, admission $10. The promo notes “do you think, in an evening, a piece of writing we started from scratch might round a corner and go another way? Or a new piece might start from an old, or from scratch? A poem, a short play, a piece of fiction? Collaborative, or not. Bring your current notebook, an old one, a finished piece, a started piece, or no writing at all. Bring paper and a pen/pencil/eraser/sharpener. Bring one phrase or half sentence that you really like, even if invented on the spot or a couple of hours earlier or a short quote. Bring a flashlight for work outdoors.”
“This will be an exploratory writing workshop,” noted Ms. Edwards. “Participants will be fiddling a bit with notes, old writing, observations and the ‘how’ of our individual observations. We’ll be considering time. We’ll be looking at forms and “the page.” I will also be bringing some paper and other materials. We’ll be talking a bit, informally and working toward something solid, gently.”
A free medicinal plant walk with Joe Pitawankwat for all ages will take place on Friday, September 30 from 9 am to noon, and from 1 pm to 4 pm there will landscape painting with plant pigments (fee $20).
Also on Friday, artist Lisa Hamalainen and guests will be presenting a free performance of the work ‘There Is No Word For Wilderness’ for all ages starting at 5:45 pm to 7:15 pm.
Friday, September 30 is the Elemental Festival’s official opening, with a ‘Night Owl Walk’ that will feature Madhur Anand, a 2015 CBC writer to watch as well as the opening of the Fieldbook Project Exhibition (free) with Katie Fenerty from 7:30 to 10 pm.
Saturday, October 1 will begin with ‘Poetry From Science’ (adult) with Ms. Anaud ($10), Collective Community Art Project for all ages from 11 am to 2 pm; Marlene Creates Artist Talk (free) for all ages from 1 to 2 pm and a free panel community discussion on ‘Walking in Creative Practice’ for all ages 2:15 pm to 4:30 pm. Sunday’s offerings culminates in a soundshow immersive musical experimental performance free for all ages 5:45 to 7:15 pm and Jamie Ward and Friends will present a live music show from 7:30 to 9:30 pm (by donation).
Sunday will feature a memory mapping workshop with Marlene Creates (adult, $10); ‘Walking With Mandala’ with Heather Thoma (adult, 5 pm free) and Elisha Sidlar will be returning to performance art with ‘Mumma Wumma’ for all ages at 5 pm (free).
On both Saturday (4:45 pm) and Sunday (1 pm) there will be artist led tours of the Kagawong River project and the Fieldbook Project Exhibition will be on throughout the festival. The project is the culmination of a year-long walking project with community members.
“The Parks Centre in Kagawong is Elemental Festival headquarters,” said Ms. Edwards, “that’s where most of the events start out.”
The festival was made possible through funding from the Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, the World Wildlife Fund, Celebrate Ontario, the Canadian Building Community Arts and Heritage Fund and a host of local benefactors.
