David Fife had a lot of time on his hands after the shutdown began in March, so he picked up a paint brush.
Art
Art lovers hit the streets for crafty show in Blenheim – Chatham Daily News
David Fife of Chatham, Ont., shows his painting Beached Buddies at Discover Art Blenheim in Blenheim, Ont., on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020. Mark Malone/Chatham Daily News/Postmedia Network
BLENHEIM – David Fife had a lot of time on his hands after the shutdown began in March, so he picked up a paint brush.
The retired Siemens worker from Chatham displayed his work Saturday during the first Discover Art Blenheim show and sale.
“I’ve enjoyed it,” said Fife, 68. “I’ve enjoyed painting for quite a long time now, but now I’m going to get more serious about it and see how it goes. There’s an awful lot of people that still like original art.”
If not for the COVID-19 pandemic, he probably wouldn’t have been at the show. He created approximately 75 per cent of the paintings at his booth since March.
The Blenheim Rotary Club and its Talbot Trail Place park also found a silver lining in the pandemic that’s led to the cancellation of most summer events.
When their annual Art in the Park show had to be called off, club officials adapted by setting up 41 artists and craftspeople at 22 locations around town.
Some artists were on their own front lawns, while volunteers offered their homes to out-of-towners.
“The public’s been unbelievable,” said Fife, whose company is DFife Art. “… It’s been non-stop, all day long. It’s been great. I couldn’t believe how many (people). “
Organizer Debbie Brush estimated 800 to 1,000 people turned out.
They began the tour by picking up a map at Talbot Trail Place and also received a passport that could be stamped by each artist. Everyone with 20 stamps was eligible for a $100 prize draw.
“It’s been a wonderful day,” said Bonnie Kyle of Bonnie’s Handmade Creations. “The people have been fantastic. I think everybody’s been waiting to be able to visit and gather. It’s nice to be able to have a craft show again.”
Kyle’s crafts included many Christmas decorations. Her favourites were some outdoor snowman signs.
“I enjoyed doing the snowman because it made you feel cooler when you were painting,” she said, laughing.
Kyle’s daughter, Christina Bertrand, was selling items from her CB Creative Concepts store in Glencoe. Decorative face masks were the hot items.
“I didn’t want to do them for the first several months,” said Bertrand, a Blenheim native. “I refused. ‘Not doing them. I don’t sell very well. Not happening. This is going to be over soon.’ But it didn’t.
“Now I’ve sold over 800 pieces. I’ve sold almost a hundred today alone.”
Like Fife, Bertrand has made the best of a bad situation during the pandemic. She said more people are shopping at local retailers than before.
“When we reopened after the government said non-essential business can start re-establishing again, I thought I’d have long days with no business, and I’ve been busy non-stop,” she said. “This has given our communities an opportunity to shop local and learn what’s local in their own areas.
“I’ve been two years open and I’ve had so many people go through the doors going, ‘When did you get here?’ It’s been a great opportunity.”
Beth Green of Chatham doesn’t have a shop, but she does have a Facebook page for Beth Green’s Treats & Treasures to promote everything she crochets, knits and sews.
“A lot of it is my own design and creation,” she said. “I try very hard to stay original and true to myself. That way if you buy something from me, you know where to find me and come back and get whatever you’d like again.”
She had good sales at the show, quickly selling out of flamingo drink cozies.
“I’m quite pleased with the turnout,” Green said. “It’s a different adventure from what I’m used to. We usually have the event down in the park. This was like a treasure hunt on its own.”
She was on Nichols Drive, a few doors down from Bernadette Lobbestael of My Pottery Creations.
“I thought I wouldn’t get many people being down at the end of a road, but it’s very busy. Extremely busy,” Lobbestael said.
“And I’ve checked with the patrons and they don’t seem to mind it. They don’t mind walking the street,” she said with a laugh.
Lobbestael had eight shows lined up this summer. All but one were cancelled because of the pandemic.
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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.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Art
Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork
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.
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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com
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