SAINT JOHN- If you’re looking to get creative with your bubble of close friends and family, a Saint John entrepreneur is ready to help you do that once again.
Art Party, operated by Saint John artist Ashley Misner, offers art classes designed to promote positivity, confidence, and creativity.
The inspiration for Art Party grew from the Canvas & Cocktails, a Saint John business where Ashley Misener previously worked, and Paint Nite events uptown. The popular concept brings a group of people together and to learn how to paint a picture while enjoying a drink with friends.
“I had never been able to get up in front of people before and I hadn’t really painted in front of anyone publicly,” she said. “This was really outside the box for me so I applied and I wound up getting the job and I loved it. I never expected it to be as exciting as it was.”
Misener started Art Party in 2017, focusing on doing events in the West Side and Grand Bay-Westfield area as well as hosting private art parties and even children’s birthday parties.
Art Party painting supplies (Image: submitted)
“I walked into the Buccaneer’s Pub one day and was looking for a place to host them and Pat, the owner of the Buccaneer’s Pub who just passed away recently, was in there,” she said.
“I asked him about it and he got really excited,” she recalled. “He was as excited about it as I was.”
Prior to COVID-19, Art Party was held at the Oh My Soul and Journey Wellness Centre and the Grassroots Grill, in addition to Buccaneer’s Pub & Eatery. Misener shared she will host parties at Buccaneer’s Hampton location in the future.
During the lockdown, she shifted to doing live-streamed parties to fend off stir-craziness and continue to socialize with people.
“We had some pretty big numbers on those, so that was kind of cool; I didn’t expect that to happen,” Misener said. “You’re having conversations with like fifty different people at a time, so it was nice to stay connected everybody during all that.”
Paintings done by children during a lockdown livestream party (Image: submitted)
Misener says it’s interesting to see how different people interpret the same instructions when painting. “Their pictures are completely unique when it’s done, but all the same at the same time. I think that part is kind of the fun part of it all,” said Misener.
She plans to keep up with and follow all the essential COVID-19 rules when booking private art parties next month, including symptom questions, contact tracing and safety inspections.
“I’m assuming it’s probably going to mostly be family bubbles that would want to partake in it,” said Misener. “All my stuff will have to be sterilized and I’ll have the face shield and I have a microphone so you’ll still be able to hear me.”
“I won’t be able to come in and help people and get close up and show them things like I used to be able to, but I’m sure there’s going to be certain ways that we can work out certain things,” she said.
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.
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.
