Event Type : Arts and Culture

The Agnes Jamieson Gallery is pleased to welcome back artists Gary Blundell and Victoria Ward, with their exhibit Burner Herzog.

Near Gary and Victoria’s log home is an abandoned sawdust burner, the last one believed to be still standing in Ontario. This abandoned burner is a ‘vestigial’ implement that the logging industry used regularly to incinerate the sawdust made from processing cut trees.  Gary and Victoria work towards illuminating the idea that industry and landscape are intertwined. These type of abandoned structures have long been a major subject matter of their artwork.

Gary has exhibited across Canada and in England. He was artist-in-residence at the Art House in Yorkshire, England, the Straumur Arts Commune in Iceland, the Norfolk Arts Centre Simcoe, Ontario and at Pouch Cove in Newfoundland.

As someone who came from theatre and created dynamic stories, making paintings based on the landscape was a very natural, artistic evolution for Victoria.  Her work has been exhibited across Canada and England, and she has been the recipient of multiple awards.  Victoria also writes and contributes to catalogues, cultural journals and digital sites across Canada.

Burner Herzog will be on display August 22 to November 23. The opening reception with the artists takes place on August 24 from 1-3 pm.  All are welcome.

Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am – 4 pm. Admission is by donation.

Contact for full details and updates: culturalcentre@mindenhills.ca, 705-286-3763

Join local artist Gary Blundell and Victoria Ward, as well as Orillia-based filmmaker Jordan Vandenberg at the Agnes Jamieson Gallery on Saturday, October 19 at 2 pm for the screening of two documentaries: Burner Herzog and Cobalt Blooms. Burner Herzog is a short documentary about the work of local artists Gary Blundell and Victoria Ward (@hotspurstudio).

The burner in the title refers to a derelict sawdust burner near their log cabin. Over a fifteen-year period Blundell and Ward visited the burner in every season to capture its odd and somewhat monumental presence. During the pandemic they decided to turn the work they were doing about the burner into a bigger visual arts project.

Their exhibit Burner Herzog has been displayed in Orillia, Owen Sound (where it was installed alongside Tom Thomson paintings) and now Minden. The documentary, directed by Jordan Vanderberg, was inspired by the ongoing work of Werner Herzog and his love of unusual landscapes.  The film was produced by Goodscreen Media, with music by Elliesound.

We will also be screening Cobalt Blooms, a film by Jordan Vandenberg and Alec Jordan.  Mining built Cobalt over 100 years ago, but what will it take to keep the town afloat now?  The film lets the residents do the talking while also exploring the landscape, and culture of one of Canada’s historically biggest mining boom towns.  Silver mining made Cobalt internationally famous and many people millionaires.  Today it is a sleepier place however its future is unwritten and full of possibilities.

The films will be followed by a Q + A featuring Jordan, Victoria and Gary.  The Gallery will be open before and after to view the exhibit. Everyone is welcome.  Admission is by donation. No pre-registration is required but seating is limited.

The Agnes Jamieson Gallery is a public gallery with year-round visual exhibitions of local and regional art.  The Gallery is part of the Minden Hills Cultural Centre which also includes the Heritage Village & Nature Place Interpretive Centre.  The Gallery is fully accessible and is open Tuesday – Saturday from 10 am – 4 pm.  Admission is by donation.

The Agnes Jamieson Gallery is pleased to welcome back artists Gary Blundell and Victoria Ward, with their exhibit Burner Herzog.

Near Gary and Victoria’s log home is an abandoned sawdust burner, the last one believed to be still standing in Ontario. This abandoned burner is a ‘vestigial’ implement that the logging industry used regularly to incinerate the sawdust made from processing cut trees.  Gary and Victoria work towards illuminating the idea that industry and landscape are intertwined. These type of abandoned structures have long been a major subject matter of their artwork.

Gary has exhibited across Canada and in England. He was artist-in-residence at the Art House in Yorkshire, England, the Straumur Arts Commune in Iceland, the Norfolk Arts Centre Simcoe, Ontario and at Pouch Cove in Newfoundland.

As someone who came from theatre and created dynamic stories, making paintings based on the landscape was a very natural, artistic evolution for Victoria.  Her work has been exhibited across Canada and England, and she has been the recipient of multiple awards.  Victoria also writes and contributes to catalogues, cultural journals and digital sites across Canada.

Burner Herzog will be on display August 22 to November 23. The opening reception with the artists takes place on August 24 from 1-3 pm.  All are welcome.

Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am – 4 pm. Admission is by donation.

Contact for full details and updates: culturalcentre@mindenhills.ca, 705-286-3763

Join the Minden Hills Cultural Centre and Haliburton County Public Library for a public screening of “Forgotten Warriors: The Story of Canada’s Aboriginal War Veterans” (1997) on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 1:00 PM. The documentary, directed by Loretta Todd, highlights the thousands of Indigenous Canadians who voluntarily fought in World War II despite not being conscripted. Though they fought for others’ freedom, they returned home to inequality and land seizure. Loretta Todd’s film shares their experiences and their journey toward healing.

All ages are welcome. No pre-registration is required. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. All proceeds will be donated to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 636 – Minden. The documentary is provided courtesy of the National Film Board (NFB).