This is a feature in the Good News Saskatchewan series. You can see all the stories at cbc.ca/lovesk.
The loud buzz of a chainsaw and sound of a blowtorch echo on the streets of Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask. Instead of avoiding a work area, people walk and drive by, stopping to stare at the wood carvings being created at the Hansen-Ross House.
The new attractions are bringing in a physically-distanced crowd. The artist hopes he’s giving them a bit of hope.
“It’s more from my soul and it’s for the people,” Douglas Lingelbach said.
Douglas Lingelbach carves a feather while staying at the Hansen-Ross House in Fort Qu’Appelle. (Heidi Atter/CBC)
Lingelbach has been using a chainsaw since he was 19 years old. He started carving trees into shapes like chains, gnomes and more about 28 years ago while working for SaskPower as an arborist.
He’s since competed in both wood and ice carving with a chainsaw. He had shows, competitions and more lined up this summer, then the pandemic hit Saskatchewan.
“It was kind of devastating, to tell you the truth, because I wasn’t sure what to do,” Lingelbach said. “So I went straight into my studio and put my head down and continued to just do what I do and that’s create art.”
Lingelbach isolated at his friend’s farm near Asquith, Sask. He tried to work on various projects, taking any commissions and getting inspired by solitude.
Connie Chaplin and Douglas Lingelbach pose by the pelican statue Lingelbach carved in Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask. (Heidi Atter/CBC)
At the same time, Connie Chaplin was doing the same about 350 kilometres south. Chaplin is an artist and owner of the Hansen-Ross House in Fort Qu’Appelle. When the pandemic hit, she continued on in her studio, but also wanted to give artists work during the pandemic.
The house had two large elm trees out front that had to be cut down. Instead of simply leaving stumps outside, Chaplin asked Lingelbach to carve what was left.
“I had originally seen [Lingenbach’s] work in Moose Jaw at the Art Gallery and in Crescent Park,” she said. “I wanted to create curiosity.”
The Hansen-Ross House in Fort Qu’Appelle hosts artists-in-residence. (Heidi Atter/CBC)
Lingelbach said he was hesitant at first but sorted out a way to travel safety and stay physically distant while in town.
He said he used to come to Fort Qu’Appelle to stay with his grandparents in the 70s and 80s.
“It was more excitement because I’m coming back to where my childhood was,” he said.
“It’s very, very moving. I’m seeing a lot of my family now — people I haven’t seen in 30 years.”
Chaplin said she wanted to show off Saskatchewan artists whose shows are cancelled or postponed during the pandemic. She said people stop to look at the carvings, then step inside and have questions.
“It’s a showstopper,” Chaplin said. “He’s pulled that off exceptionally and it’s also something that the whole community can enjoy.”
Douglas Lingelbach said he doesn’t like to cut down live trees and instead prefers to recycle dead or diseased trees after taking the appropriate precautions. (Heidi Atter/CBC)
Lingelbach’s artist-in-residency was supposed to be 10 days long, but it was extended to allow him to have more time to work and create pieces.
“It’s putting smiles on people’s faces and that’s what’s important,” Lingelbach said.
Lingelbach said with commissions people give him a topic, but he still lets the wood decide.
“They were just going to be a bison and a pelican and it turned into a story and it’s very deep,” he said. “It’s like magic if you let your mind get into that.”
Recycling diseased or dying trees into artwork
Lingelbach prefers not to kill live trees. He has focused on trees in Fort Qu’Appelle that were hit by Dutch Elm Disease or were at the end of their natural life cycle.
After carving, Douglas Lingelbach uses fire to create dimension in his work. (Heidi Atter/CBC)
Lingelbach said there’s a process for managing diseased trees: he strips them of the bark then burns the outside of the tree, eliminating the fungi on the tree’s exterior vascular tissue.
“Then [I] repurpose it into beautiful art because elm is one of the best woods to carve in the world.”
Art to help lift community spirit during pandemic
Chaplin said she has a painter hoping to be the next artist-in-residence. She feels the program gives something to the community.
“When people come in, they’re just almost overwhelmed with just a feeling of goodness,” Chaplin said.
“So many people have tried new things, with either cooking or painting or drawing. I think it’s that time that you take just to have quietness and to develop something — to enjoy it.”
Douglas Lingelbach carves a feather behind a tree he has also carved. (Heidi Atter/CBC)
Lingelbach said he hopes his pieces are more than just something nice for people to look at. He hopes they inspire.
“It’s inner hope,” he said. “Everything’s going to be okay … It’s like calming rain and smiles, it’s supposed to make you smile.”
Chaplin hopes to eventually have a bench by Lingelbach’s carvings so people can relax and enjoy them.
“The big thing that I’ve noticed is the appreciation and the smiles and the hope,” he said. “Life does go on.”
Douglas Lingelbach said he lets the trees show him how they should be carved and the story to be told. (Heidi Atter/CBC)
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.
