KAGAWONG—If it was great authors and storytellers, as well as great arts that you were looking for, the Jabbawong Storytelling Festival and the new Manitoulin Plein Air festival, which combined made up the ArtiNFuSION weekend July 8-9 had something for everyone.
“This is the first time I have been to this event,” stated Terry Fallis, a Canadian writer and public relations consultant. “I am very excited to be invited to an event like this. I do a lot of festivals and this one is outstanding.”
“Promoting books and authors is something that needs to be part of every author’s profession,” said Mr. Fallis. “This is a wonderful event, and we have a very good crowd here today.” He explained, “I think every community needs arts/culture and writing, as one of the foundations and makeup of the community. It is very much in need in all of our communities. And we see today many very talented authors and artists on hand.”
A two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, Mr. Fallis is the award-winning author of eight national bestsellers, including his most recent, ‘Operation Angus’ (2021). His ninth novel, ‘A New Season,’ will be released in August.
Mr. Fallis was only one of many excellent writers/authors who presented their works and readings from books they have released. The list included Kagawong author Ian Anderson who provided an informative history on the importance of the fur trade in Canadian history and Ontario as it relates to Manitoulin and the province of Ontario as well as enforcement management over the years.
Kim Fahner, who lives, writes and teaches in Sudbury, provided a series of poems from her book ‘Emptying the Ocean,’ Rod Carley, the award-winning author of three works of literary fiction, read hilarious passages from his book ‘Grin Reaping’ (a top 10 finalist for the 2023 Leacock Medal for Humour).
Karen Pheasant, an Anishinaabe scholar, writer, and jingle dress dancer, read from her book, ‘Powwow, A Celebration Through Song and Dance.’ Ms. Pheasant’s path to social action and scholarly work started as a youth during the height of the civil rights era of the ‘70s.
Evelyn Cardiff is a member of the Sudbury Writers Guild. She lives in Gore Bay and writes a mix of fiction and non-fiction. She published her first collection of short stories in 2018 titled ‘From the Banks of Bickell’s Creek,’ stories about growing up on the Island. She read one of the passages from her book.
Mark Seabrook is a visual artist, musician, playwright, poet and teacher from Sagamok First Nation. He wrote, ‘20th Century Indian Boy,’ a one act-play about the ‘60s Scoop experience, which was produced by Debajehmujig Theatre Group. He told stories of his life, and read from his first novel, ‘Sun, Infinity, Moon’ and provided a peak at his soon to be released second novel ‘Fighting in Hell.”
If that wasn’t enough, Kagawong author Steve Paikin was outside the Park Centre in Kagawong signing copies of his new book, ‘John Turner, An Intimate Biography of Canada’s 17th Prime Minister.’
Art in the Park, featuring a group of local and regional artists took place both days. The list of talented artists included Sharon Alkenbrack, Craig Jackson, Morgan Kitching, Susan Lampinen, Kimily Mayer, Dani Lynn Redgrift-Berthelot, Karen Rodgers, Mark Seabrook, Helen Siksek, Don Tenniswood and Wayne Malleau.
There was also a vendor market held under the skating rink roof on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Old Mill Heritage Museum Board members hosted a lunchtime barbecue.
Billings Councillor Vince Grogan bade official greetings on behalf of the township, along with greetings from Carol Hughes, MP for Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing.
Sharon Alkenbrack, one of the main organizers for the event welcomed, “everyone to ARTiNFuSION, which merges both the Jabbawong Storytelling Festival for the second year and new this year the Plein Air Art festival.”
“The Manitoulin Plein Air Festival is a first,” said organizer Helen Siksek. “I organized it because outdoor painters in the region have been talking about putting on a festival for years.” Plein air is a term used for outdoors painting, where the artist paint from nature without the aid of a photograph.
“We had 22 artists sign up and participate in the plein air festival,” said Ms. Siksek. In the experienced artist category, the first place winner was Cliff Jewell, followed by Debra Lynn Ireland in second and Susan Lampinen in third. Paulette Stewart and Sheryl Boivin both received honourable mentions. In the new to plein air category, finishing first to third were Daniel Chapman, Sally Assinewai and Ruth Heiser. And in the youth category Jack Laporte Alexander took both first and second place, (there were no submissions for a third-place youth award.
The People’s Choice award was won by Jennifer Johnston, while the Lampinen Award for excellence in plein air was presented to Dan Chapman.
On Sunday two workshops were held, one put on by artist Gail Burstyn leading in acrylic paint and Morris Thompson led a workshop on how to make a comfort bird wood carving.
