Art

Bright's Grove Art in the Park not going ahead this year – Sarnia Observer

Published

4 years ago

June 11, 2020

Another 2020 community fundraiser in Sarnia has fallen victim to COVID-19.

Polly Singh creates a henna tattoo for Shelby Emery during the 2018 Art in the Park, held in Mike Weir Park in Sarnia’s Bright’s Grove.

File photo / The Observer

Another 2020 community fundraiser in Sarnia has fallen victim to COVID-19.

Art in the Park, an event held in recent years by the Rotary Club of Sarnia Bluewaterland, was set for Sept. 12 but the club has announced it’s taking a break this year because of the pandemic and its restrictions. The fundraiser is scheduled to return to Mike Weir Park on Sept, 11, 2021.

Art in the Park typically attracts more than 100 vendors who set up a one-day art and crafts mall in the Bright’s Grove park for thousands of customers. It typically raises close to $30,000 the service club uses to support community projects, including Gallery in the Grove – the group that launched Art in the Park four decades ago.

“We held off just to see if things would get better,” club member Henry Kulik said about the decision of whether to go ahead with this year’s event during the pandemic and restrictions aimed at reducing the spread of the virus.

“It’s just not likely that we’re going to be able to mount an event that attracts that many people to a confined space,” he said. “I think, from a safety perspective, it was incumbent on us to postpone it until next year.”

Gallery in the Grove, a volunteer-run art gallery in Bright’s Grove, began Art in the Park and built it into a popular fundraiser. After gallery volunteers decided approximately a decade ago that they could no longer host the event, the Rotary club took it on and move it to its current site in Mike Weir Park.

Kulik said planning for the event begins each fall, including booking exhibitors.

“By the middle of March, we were almost full,” he said. “We had a tremendous response.”

Kulik said that while exhibitors said they weren’t surprised the event was cancelled, “some were sad because they had hoped” it might still go ahead.

“There’s just too much uncertainty.” Kulik said. While the park may be open to the public by September, “we’d be limited in the number of people who could participate.”

Last year’s Art in the Park attracted more than 5,000 people, Kulik said. “We had an excellent day . . . and I think if it wasn’t for COVID-19, we would have had another excellent day” this year, he said.

“Now, we’re looking for this to pass and hopefully we’ll be able to mount the show for Sept. 11, 2021.”

The 30-member service club uses money it raises for community projects which include a city park playground and a peace garden, as well as a Flag Plaza on the riverfront. It also helps support local charities and school breakfast programs.

Kulik said the loss of the income from this year’s Art in the Park is “a bit hit for our club” and the programs it supports. “The money that we raise goes back into the community, so that means we’re not capable of delivering as much as we normally would.”

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Art

A misspelled memorial to the Brontë sisters gets its dots back at last

Published

4 weeks ago

September 26, 2024

Anne Joseph

LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.

More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.

The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.

They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.

“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”

It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.

Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”

Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.

“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.

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Art

Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

Published

1 month ago

September 13, 2024

Harry Miller

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.