Discipline: Visual Arts

Kingston Pen Tours is excited to announce the return of Pumpkinferno, the family-friendly fall event, for its second season. Taking place at Kingston Penitentiary on select evenings from September 27 to October 30, 2024, this beloved fall tradition is back and better than ever. This must-see Kingston event will feature five brand-new exhibits of hand-carved artificial pumpkins, along with many fan favorites from previous years.

As the sun sets, Kingston Pen Tours transforms the historic site into an enchanting wonderland, with 13 brilliant pumpkin sculpture exhibits and more than 100 glowing displays against the limestone walls. Both children and adults will marvel at how Kingston Penitentiary is transformed into a place of magic and light under the night sky.

This year’s display of over 7,000 pumpkins will feature five brand-new exhibits, including Timber Trail, showcasing a variety of trees; vibrantly colored happy clowns in Clown Town; Mercury in Retrograde, an homage to the legendary band Queen and lead singer Freddie Mercury; Jack’s Lair, with jack-o’-lanterns lining the entrance of the penitentiary’s shop dome; and Mega Munchies, a drool-worthy ode to snacks.

About Pumpkinferno

Originating at Upper Canada Village more than 10 years ago, “Pumpkinferno” is an award-winning experience. The carved pumpkins you will see at Pumpkinferno are realistic, artificial pumpkins, whose forms have been shaped from molds of real pumpkins.

The pumpkins have been designed and carved by a talented group of young artists from the Eastern Ontario region. These designers and carvers were selected based on their penchant for design, whether in their field of study or as a personal hobby. They embark on this monumental project every spring, designing, carving, and constructing the amazing array of pumpkin-carved installations you will discover on your tour. Each spring through summer, a group of new and returning designer/carvers create all that you will see that is new and vibrant, added to our collection of amazing exhibits at Pumpkinferno!

Kingston Pen Tours Pumpkinferno Event Details

Pumpkinferno will operate select evenings from September 27 to October 30, with tickets sold in 30-minute entrance time slots.

September 27 to October 10: 7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

October 11 and October 12: 7 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.

October 13 and October 14: 7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

October 17 to October 30: 6:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. with Fridays and Saturdays to 9:15 p.m.

Pumpkinferno closes at 11 p.m.

General admission: $16 to $21 HST

Fort Fright returns to Fort Henry, transforming Kingston’s 18th-century garrison and National Historic Site into a spine-chilling haunted house. The Fort Fright scare attraction presents a nightmarish realm of creatures and monsters using more than 50 movie-style, quality animatronics, dynamic special effects, intense sound and lighting and many costumed scare actors.

Fort Fright Dates/Times:
Last entry between 9:15 p.m. – 9:45 p.m.
September 27-29, October 4-6, 11-13: 7:15 p.m. to 11 p.m.
October 18-20, 25-30: 6:45 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tickets starting at $25 HST.

For those looking for even more of a fright, Dark Nights are back with two additional nights. Experience Fort Fright in complete darkness, with only a single eerie flashlight to light the way, providing an ultimate thrill for the bravest of souls.

Dark Nights Dates/Times:
Last entry between 9:15 p.m. – 9:45 p.m.
October 10, 17: 7:15 p.m. to 11 p.m.
October 24, 31: 6:45 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tickets: $30 HST.

Skeleton Park Arts Festival is thrilled to announce the most recent exhibition “Every Chip Stand” by Chantal Bennett and Joel Kimmel at The Elm Cafe.

Chip Stands are a ubiquitous part of Ontario’s landscape. Most chip stands began as a vehicle of some sort that morphed into a semi-permanent, retrofitted, DIYed shack. They are not pretty, nor do they pretend to be. They are not pristine eateries; you will be eating your food on the side of the road. Chip stands are a highlight of a road trip, a welcome rest stop, a lunch break, and a place to go with your friends and family.

In Ontario, we can find chip stands in all kinds of vehicles from school buses to outmoded Canada Post trucks, from double-decker buses to antiquated train cabooses. These are the chip stands we love to draw, the vehicles that never go anywhere, and never will because they can’t, unless they’re towed away.

It is the whimsy and the idiosyncrasies of the chip stand that have drawn us to illustrate more than 100 of them in the last 8 years, and we’ve barely scratched the surface of Ontario’s chip stands.

Chip stands are a part of Canadian culinary history and its landscape, and many of the older, classic vehicles are disappearing and being replaced by shiny, efficient food trucks. Our goal in this Every Chip Stand project is to document these places that so many people love before they are lost.

Chantal and Joel will do an artist appearance on November 17 at the café from 2-4pm. Don’t miss it!

To know more please visit: https://skeletonparkartsfest.ca/elm-cafe-gallery/
https://www.everychipstand.com/

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything”’ is a quote from Vincent Van Gogh that underpins Gail Williams’ exploration into all types of media, but most especially acrylic paint. ‘Tell Me A Story’ is an exhibition about the narrative between the viewer and the painting. Embracing colour and fantasy, each piece featured in this body of work raises questions. Who are these people? Can you hear the whispers? Do you want to join the party? The works often feature an absurd juxtaposition of animals and figures in surprising surroundings and invite you to take a closer look behind their bright colours and inviting compositions.

Gail Williams grew up in northern Ontario where she developed a deep respect and love for the rugged landscape and the power of mighty Lake Superior. Her paintings are guided by her intuition and are colourful and striking. Mostly using acrylic and collage, they have been described as magical, irreverent, fantastical and challenging at times. Her work is collected internationally and she is active in outdoor art fairs, local galleries and online. She returns to Northern Ontario several times every year to rejuvenate her creativity.

ARTS Classes for Blind low-vision! Cavelle a local artist teacher created this unique arts foundation for deaf participants. The visual arts component offers drawing painting tools to explore portraits, still life, landscapes. Mauricio a guest musician teacher offers hands-on skills with instruments and sing-along. Cavelle is thrilled to be working with Mauricio again, and will assist with music-making.

Learning takes place as skills develop and participants further explore at home. The first class is private one-to-one in the artist’s studio downtown. The 4 remaining classes take place at Monte’s 200 Ontario Street, Tir Na Nog.

This Arts Series includes: 5 Sundays 12pm – 2pm. October 26 until Saturday November 23th. The cost is $250 and all materials included. Register asap since the 1st classes takes place before October 26th at Monte’s. Inquiries welcome and please help us share this worthwhile social gathering. Text or call 343 333 2011 and register.

ART Making is what happens when different experiences and backgrounds come together for a common purpose. Participants are not blank-slates we arrive with wisdom. Creative tasks like painting, playing an instrument, singalongs foster social connections.

Julia Rose Sutherland and Kiona Callihoo Ligtvoet come together in Union Gallery’s Main Space to present the lands refusal, an exhibition which borrows its name from the words of L.H. Stallings: “The land’s refusal to be separated from flesh.” Julia Rose, an artist of Mi’kmaq (Metepenagiag Nation) and settler descent, shares works of handmade paper and beaded hide, holding grief and kinship on and with the land. Kiona, an artist of Cree and Métis (descending from Michel Band) as well as Dutch and mixed European ancestry, shares paintings and a photo-based installation, honouring her moshom’s land and the stories it holds.

This exhibition is supported by the George Taylor Richardson Memorial Fund.

Image Description: A headshot of Erin in the woods. Erin is a white, double below knee amputee and neurodivergent agender human.

In this workshop, we’ll explore various ways of increasing accessibility in your work and proposals. The workshop will be a combination of discussions, lectures, practical examples, and a question and answer period.

ACCESS NOTES

This session will be in English on Zoom with auto-generated captions enabled. All visual material will be described. We will strive to create a relaxed space. You will not be put on the spot. Everything is optional. You are welcome to have your camera on or off, move, stim, and communicate in ways that work for you. Unfortunately there is no ASL interpretation for this session.

MEET ERIN

Erin Ball (ze/zir), a white neurodivergent double below knee amputee and agender (demifemme) human, is an international circus artist, accessibility consultant, and workshop facilitator. Ze is a passionate advocate for Disability-led art, accessibility, and strives to create relaxed spaces, empower Disabled artists, challenge industry norms, and continue to pave the way for a more welcoming and diverse landscape. Erin has 15+ years of expertise in Circus Arts and 9+ years of expertise in Accessibility & Disability. Ze is one of the creators of an international course on Accessibility/Disability in Movement Practices.

Skeleton Park Arts Festival is thrilled to announce the most recent exhibition “Every Chip Stand” by Chantal Bennett and Joel Kimmel at The Elm Cafe.

Chip Stands are a ubiquitous part of Ontario’s landscape. Most chip stands began as a vehicle of some sort that morphed into a semi-permanent, retrofitted, DIYed shack. They are not pretty, nor do they pretend to be. They are not pristine eateries; you will be eating your food on the side of the road. Chip stands are a highlight of a road trip, a welcome rest stop, a lunch break, and a place to go with your friends and family.

In Ontario, we can find chip stands in all kinds of vehicles from school buses to outmoded Canada Post trucks, from double-decker buses to antiquated train cabooses. These are the chip stands we love to draw, the vehicles that never go anywhere, and never will because they can’t, unless they’re towed away.

It is the whimsy and the idiosyncrasies of the chip stand that have drawn us to illustrate more than 100 of them in the last 8 years, and we’ve barely scratched the surface of Ontario’s chip stands.

Chip stands are a part of Canadian culinary history and its landscape, and many of the older, classic vehicles are disappearing and being replaced by shiny, efficient food trucks. Our goal in this Every Chip Stand project is to document these places that so many people love before they are lost.

Chantal and Joel will do an artist appearance on November 17 at the café from 2-4pm. Don’t miss it!

To know more please visit: https://skeletonparkartsfest.ca/elm-cafe-gallery/
https://www.everychipstand.com/

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything”’ is a quote from Vincent Van Gogh that underpins Gail Williams’ exploration into all types of media, but most especially acrylic paint. ‘Tell Me A Story’ is an exhibition about the narrative between the viewer and the painting. Embracing colour and fantasy, each piece featured in this body of work raises questions. Who are these people? Can you hear the whispers? Do you want to join the party? The works often feature an absurd juxtaposition of animals and figures in surprising surroundings and invite you to take a closer look behind their bright colours and inviting compositions.

Gail Williams grew up in northern Ontario where she developed a deep respect and love for the rugged landscape and the power of mighty Lake Superior. Her paintings are guided by her intuition and are colourful and striking. Mostly using acrylic and collage, they have been described as magical, irreverent, fantastical and challenging at times. Her work is collected internationally and she is active in outdoor art fairs, local galleries and online. She returns to Northern Ontario several times every year to rejuvenate her creativity.

Julia Rose Sutherland and Kiona Callihoo Ligtvoet come together in Union Gallery’s Main Space to present the lands refusal, an exhibition which borrows its name from the words of L.H. Stallings: “The land’s refusal to be separated from flesh.” Julia Rose, an artist of Mi’kmaq (Metepenagiag Nation) and settler descent, shares works of handmade paper and beaded hide, holding grief and kinship on and with the land. Kiona, an artist of Cree and Métis (descending from Michel Band) as well as Dutch and mixed European ancestry, shares paintings and a photo-based installation, honouring her moshom’s land and the stories it holds.

This exhibition is supported by the George Taylor Richardson Memorial Fund.

Announcing our annual Market for Africa extravaganza ! Come join the Kingston Grandmother Connection on Saturday November 2 9AM to 2PM at Crossroads United Church. You’ll find magnificent African baskets and crafts, outstanding nature cards, Christmas crafts, hand-sewn and Sandglass creations and African angels. You’ll be sure to find hidden gems among our outstanding assortment of pre-loved women’s fashion and jewellry, Explore our art corner for original artworks, photography and prints. We’ll be serving coffee, tea and sweets on site as well as selling delicious jams, jellies, cookies, scones, and Christmas baking you can carry home with you. Tell everyone you know! Bring your friends and family to shop for bargains amidst our high-quality merchandise. All proceeds to Stephen Lewis Foundation and Help Lesotho.

“The Dutch in the Americas”
Dr Stephanie Porras

With footholds in North America, the Caribbean, South America, and along the west coast of Africa, the Dutch played a vital, yet understudied role in the early modern Americas. Via the West India Company’s transatlantic traffic in raw materials (beaver pelts, pearls, sugar, gold), refined artistic products, and people (both willing settlers and enslaved laborers), the Dutch not only extracted desirable goods and materials, but imported and contributed to varied visual and material cultures of mapping and navigation, enslavement, plantation economies, architecture and city planning across North and South America, from what is now New York to North East Brazil. The ‘Dutch’ in the Americas were not a uniform population but included French Huguenots, Swedes, Sephardic Jews, allied Indigenous groups and enslaved Africans. Outlining how the Dutch colonial project in the Americas both diverged and overlapped with their competitors, this talk considers the central role these ‘Dutch’ artists, artworks and material goods played in the Americas, presenting an alternate view of the colonial Americas.

Join Creativity Studio Artist Bethany Garner for hands-on textile project sessions every third Monday from October to December. Bring your favorite cloth art project, stitching, or artwork, and enjoy learning as she demonstrates her own creative process. Feel free to bring your tools and any supplies you need, along with some treats if you’d like. Bethany will also have some of her own projects in progress to share with you.

Upcoming Dates:

Monday, October 21

Monday, November 18

Monday, December 16

Ages 18 | PWYC/By Donation | Tett Centre Creativity Studio Common Area (Room 214)

About the Artist: Bethany Garner is a textile and weaving focused arts professional, focused on sharing her 23 years of teaching experience as the newly retired Textile Arts Program Instructor at St. Lawrence College within our Community. She is keen to support those who have an interest in using Fibre and Stitch as their medium. Beth is a weaver and art quilt designer who has work traveling in Canada, and the US, as well as around the world with Studio Art Quilt Associates. Take a workshop today: https://www.bethanygarner.com/

In this in-person acrylic painting workshop you will learn how to mix colour, create a textured foreground and learn how to gain better brush control. You’ll learn how to create the look of distant trees and barnboard and the importance of where to add detail and where to leave it out. Everything is included. Paint, brushes, and canvas will be provided. All you need to bring is an apron and a positive attitude!!

At the end of class, you’ll leave with your very own finished 12″x12″ winter scape.

Enrollment has already begun and class sizes are small. I’m excited for this opportunity and I hope you’ll join me. Classes meant for ages 16

Skeleton Park Arts Festival is thrilled to announce the most recent exhibition “Every Chip Stand” by Chantal Bennett and Joel Kimmel at The Elm Cafe.

Chip Stands are a ubiquitous part of Ontario’s landscape. Most chip stands began as a vehicle of some sort that morphed into a semi-permanent, retrofitted, DIYed shack. They are not pretty, nor do they pretend to be. They are not pristine eateries; you will be eating your food on the side of the road. Chip stands are a highlight of a road trip, a welcome rest stop, a lunch break, and a place to go with your friends and family.

In Ontario, we can find chip stands in all kinds of vehicles from school buses to outmoded Canada Post trucks, from double-decker buses to antiquated train cabooses. These are the chip stands we love to draw, the vehicles that never go anywhere, and never will because they can’t, unless they’re towed away.

It is the whimsy and the idiosyncrasies of the chip stand that have drawn us to illustrate more than 100 of them in the last 8 years, and we’ve barely scratched the surface of Ontario’s chip stands.

Chip stands are a part of Canadian culinary history and its landscape, and many of the older, classic vehicles are disappearing and being replaced by shiny, efficient food trucks. Our goal in this Every Chip Stand project is to document these places that so many people love before they are lost.

Chantal and Joel will do an artist appearance on November 17 at the café from 2-4pm. Don’t miss it!

To know more please visit: https://skeletonparkartsfest.ca/elm-cafe-gallery/
https://www.everychipstand.com/

Julia Rose Sutherland and Kiona Callihoo Ligtvoet come together in Union Gallery’s Main Space to present the lands refusal, an exhibition which borrows its name from the words of L.H. Stallings: “The land’s refusal to be separated from flesh.” Julia Rose, an artist of Mi’kmaq (Metepenagiag Nation) and settler descent, shares works of handmade paper and beaded hide, holding grief and kinship on and with the land. Kiona, an artist of Cree and Métis (descending from Michel Band) as well as Dutch and mixed European ancestry, shares paintings and a photo-based installation, honouring her moshom’s land and the stories it holds.

This exhibition is supported by the George Taylor Richardson Memorial Fund.

Join Creativity Studio Artist Bethany Garner for hands-on textile project sessions every third Monday from October to December. Bring your favorite cloth art project, stitching, or artwork, and enjoy learning as she demonstrates her own creative process. Feel free to bring your tools and any supplies you need, along with some treats if you’d like. Bethany will also have some of her own projects in progress to share with you.

Upcoming Dates:

Monday, October 21

Monday, November 18

Monday, December 16

Ages 18 | PWYC/By Donation | Tett Centre Creativity Studio Common Area (Room 214)

About the Artist: Bethany Garner is a textile and weaving focused arts professional, focused on sharing her 23 years of teaching experience as the newly retired Textile Arts Program Instructor at St. Lawrence College within our Community. She is keen to support those who have an interest in using Fibre and Stitch as their medium. Beth is a weaver and art quilt designer who has work traveling in Canada, and the US, as well as around the world with Studio Art Quilt Associates. Take a workshop today: https://www.bethanygarner.com/