The Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HfA) is seeking submissions for the fourth annual Canoe Mural Project.
From June 12-17, 2023, six artists will join muralist Gerry Lantaigne to create original murals inspired by and celebrating the work of Tom Thomson. The murals will be painted outdoors in Downtown Huntsville’s River Mill Park. Each one will be painted on the underside of a canoe and will incorporate and take inspiration from a painting by Tom Thomson. The canoes will then be exhibited for free in the park until the fall of 2023. After their exhibition, they will be included in future editions of the Algonquin Outfitters Paddle Art Auction which raises thousands of dollars for Ontario arts & culture organizations. Through these activities, the murals will be seen by tens of thousands, and will raise funds for Ontario’s art & cultural community.
The deadline for submissions is May 17, 2023. Through the application process, artists will be asked to identify which Tom Thomson painting they would like to feature in their mural. Selected artists will then work with Artist Gerry Lantaigne to choose a painting by their preferred artist to work with. Each artist will be provided with a canoe, paint (we use oil based marine paint) and a $1000 honorarium, and support as needed on working with the paint and canoe medium.
Artists can submit their applications HERE.
The Group of Seven Canoe Mural Project began in 2020 as a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Group of Seven’s first show. Huntsville artist Gerry Lantaigne, known for his work on the Group of 7 Outdoor Gallery, was commissioned to create 7 murals, each one celebrating one of the members of the Group of Seven Artists. Since then, each year, six local artists have joined Gerry Lantaigne to create 7 new canoe murals featuring the work of famed artist Tom Thomson and the members of the Group of Seven. A truly Canadian project, the murals celebrate the role of the Group of Seven & Tom Thomson and the canoe in shaping Canada’s national identity. Over the past three years, the canoes included in the Algonquin Outfitters Paddle Art Auction have helped to raise over $25,000 for a number of local Arts & Cultural Organizations.
This project is sponsored by Algonquin Outfitters and made possible through the generous support of the Huntsville Municipal Accommodation Tax Association, the Downtown Huntsville BIA and community partner the Town of Huntsville.
HfA is also accepting donations of gently used canoes to be used in the project. Donors will receive a charitable tax receipt along with the satisfaction of knowing their contribution will help to strengthen arts and culture in the community. Anyone interested in donating a canoe can contact info@huntsvillefestival.ca or call 705-788-2787.
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