Artists and their work offer us an opportunity to glimpse into a possible future.
Creating physical pieces allows us to experience a tangible reality as if reaching through a window. How do they create these visions of the future? By looking to the past.
By looking backward at moments in our collective history and using that as a point of inspiration to start fresh and vital conversations is a byproduct of great art.
Bringing the past into the present and to inspire new conversations about the future is the Barrie Art Club and their latest exhibition entitled Garden Follies, on display at Barrie’s MacLaren Art Centre.
On the MacLaren’s event page, Garden Follies are described as “ornate garden structures devoid of a practical function. At the height of their popularity in the 1700s and 1800s, their main purpose was symbolic, built into the landscape to signify a landowner’s wealth, importance and control over the landscape.”
With that concept in mind, the Barrie Art Club called for submissions from artists to propose a fresh take on the Garden Follies and illustrate our relationship with the land.
One of the artists selected for this exhibition is Lorraine Maher and I had the opportunity to ask her a few questions about her work.
Richard: How do you approach your work as an artist and how did it affect your submission for Garden Follies?
Lorraine: I attempt to convey a story or a feeling with my work. I try to see things in a positive light. So often I hear that we are destroying nature and the beauty on our earth with our disregard for our environment. Too much fossil fuels, too much waste, too many emissions and the disregard for the sanctity of life. This is true.
When in Mexico I took note of how man had built edifice after edifice centuries ago. And even though it often did not survive as built out of the ruins, new life, new plants and flowers growing from rocks. I was in awe of that which will survive centuries of disrespect for the environment.
We build walls, sculptures or other structures in our gardens forcing in an attempt to create beauty. These will all eventually crumble.
Nature will reseed and grow again out of the ruins. I feel that the future is more positive than we sometimes think. Nature will go on. It may change but it will survive in its own way.
Richard: Could you describe what people can expect from your work and how it works as part of the larger exhibition?
Lorraine: People can expect to see hope for new life from the old.
Richard: What conversation are you hoping to spark with your creation and why is it important to start this discussion?
Lorraine: It is important that people applaud the power of creation. I see a dandelion grow in the middle of my asphalt driveway, something that I could not make happen myself. Nature will continue despite our efforts to disregard its piety. Open conversation about our environment can lead hopefully to a larger segment of the population that will regard our planet with a deeper respect. Consciously disposing of garbage in an appropriate manner and respecting air quality.
Richard: What does cultivating a relationship between nature and art mean to you? How would you like to see this relationship actualized on a grand scale?
Lorraine: I would like to see people create creative art installations that would encourage engagement of people with nature. I believe that on a grand scale this would lower stress levels. An example would be living walls filled with plants throughout malls, airports or commercial buildings. Indoor gardens that would provide restful places of education of plants, birds, insects and animals.
Richard: In what kind of setting do you work best and flourish? Who or what inspires you to do your best?
Lorraine: I work best in a quiet place of solitude. While I am influenced by those who are more proficient than myself, I believe it is my children and grandchildren that inspire me the most to do my best.
Richard: As an artist and the president of the Barrie Art Club, do you have any specific goals with your work on these fronts?
Lorraine: As an artist who is president of the Barrie Art Club my specific goals for the club are:
1. I would like to see the Barrie Art Club enhance its collaborative partnerships within the community, expanding its visibility and create a platform in which the members can share their talents.
2. I would like to encourage membership of the Club that would represent a cross section
3. I would like to encourage the students of Georgian College Arts and Designs program to become more active with in the Club
4. Personally, I would like to see my art work reflect the calm in nature of nature while telling stories of the places and people that I come in contact with.
Richard: What three words would you use to describe Garden Follies?
Lorraine: Challenging, thought-provoking and inspiring.
The Garden Follies exhibition will be on display at the MacLaren Art Centre, located downtown Barrie at 37 Mulcaster St., until Oct. 22, 2023. Admission to the MacLaren Art Centre is by a pay-what-you-can donation.
For more information about Garden Follies, click here. For more information about the Barrie Art Club, click here.
What else is happening?
JUNE 23: NOT THAT I CARE — Known for their high-energy live shows and chest-pounding sound, the four-piece female rock/grunge band Not That I Care headlines a night of live music, including One In The Chamber and Jimmy Stone Radio Show, at The Queens Hotel, located at 94 Dunlop St. E., in downtown Barrie. For more information, click here.
JUNE 24: ALEX CUBA — As part of Barrie’s Troubadour Festival, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Alex Cuba brings his inescapable rhythm and unique musical style to Meridian Place in downtown Barrie for a night of unforgettable, free music. For more than 20 years, Alex Cuba has been entertaining audiences around the globe with his genre-bending compositions. To reserve your spot, click here.
JUNE 30: QUEERCORE: A GAY-ASS PUNK SHOW — Featuring a lineup of queer artists, Queercore is a loud and powerful night of live musical acts including Sydney and the Bog Bodies, Earl Wyvern, and Feura. The event is being held at CW Coop’s, located at 3 Mulcaster St., in downtown Barrie. For more information, click here.
JULY 7: TWENTY YEARS BY THE BAY — To mark their 20th season, Barrie’s Theatre by the Bay will be screening the premiere of a documentary highlighting the company’s humble beginnings and becoming a staple of thought-provoking live entertainment in Simcoe County and beyond. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
JULY 10: TALK IS FREE THEATRE’S SUMMER THEATRE CAMP — Talk Is Free Theatre’s ever-popular summer theatre camp offers young artists the opportunity to learn more about the many elements of the performing arts. For six exciting weeks, they will get the chance to grow as budding theatre artists or try something new. Sessions include acting, theatre creation, puppetry, musical theatre, improvisation/comedy, and triple-threat performance. To register, click
here.
