Programs - Artists in Residence Program

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Algonquin Park was home to the Group of Seven. The stark landscape of the far north has been beautifully portrayed by native and non native artists for decades. The vast white rocks of Killarney have been a favourite setting for many wilderness artists.

Few artists however have chosen Quetico for their backdrop, although two years ago it was discovered that a famous landscape by Paul Kane was indeed of the French River in Quetico Park. Encouraging artistic rendition of the pristine wilderness beauty of Quetico Provincial Park is one more way of furthering broader awareness of the wilderness values of the Park.

An old pump house on the shore of French Lake in the Park presented itself as an ideal temporary studio for visiting artists and George Fells, a former Chair of the Foundation led a highly successful campaign to cover the requisite renovation costs. And this past summer for the third year, a number of visiting artists from across the country participated in the Artists in Residence Program. The artists each spent a few weeks in the Park, capturing the exquisite beauty of the Park in the medium of choice, while offering educational, outreach and open house sessions to campers in the Park. In exchange for the experience artists donate a piece of their ‘Quetico’ art to the Park, and in exchange for an expense honorarium, are offered the opportunity to also donate a piece to the Foundation for auctioning at our Annual Dinner.

2009 Artists in Resident’s June Hills, Carol James, Anne Siciliano, Jane Selbie and Shirley Quinton all contributed pieces to our silent auction in 2009. Peter Humeniuk, one of last year’s Artists in Resident also donated a piece as did Noah Cole, Toronto photographer, and Kristy Cameron, winner of the Atikokan Pictograph Gallery’s Quetico Centennial Juried Art competition. We are extremely appreciative of these generous donations and spectacular works of art!

In addition to the support of the Quetico Park staff and local volunteer labour, we would like to recognize the 11 individual supporters of the Artist’s Cabin, who shared the vision and believed in the value of this initiative and offered their generous financial support to the renovation of the pump house on French Lake :

• GEORGE FELLS
• JOHN HODGSON
• STEPHEN COLE
• ERNEST HOWARD
• COLIN COOLICAN
• CLIFF LAX
• PETER DALGLISH
• IAN MCLEOD
• MATTHEW GAASENBEEK
• TANNY WELLS
• EDDIE GOODMAN (in memoriam)

Interested in participating? More detailed in formation regarding the Program can be found in the Artists in Residence Program Brochure. If you are interested in participating in the Program please complete the Artist in Residence Program application form. If you are interested in the Foundation’s expense honorarium and in donating a piece of your work to the Foundation’s silent auction, please email us confirming your acceptance in to the Program.