BY TASHA LUNNY
Georgian Bay Islands National Park is looking across Ontario to find up to six participants for their 2014 “Artist in the Park” program.
With inspirational views of their 30,000 islands and rugged landscapes, which display the best of the Canadian Shield, Georgian Bay Islands National Park is a perfect place for a summer artist-in-residence program.
Park superintendent, Gary McMillan, said it would not be the first time that the park is portrayed in the arts.
“National parks across the country have been an inspiration for artists for over 100 years. Georgian Bay in general … was both the inspiration and actual location for several works by some really famous Canadian artists,” McMillan said.
Some of those artists are the Group of Seven, Ed Bartram and Margarethe Vanderpas.
In the past two years the Art in the Park program has hosted 12 artists and McMillan believes this summer will be another chance for those with a passion for the arts to find inspiration.
“This is an opportunity for young artists to follow in the footsteps of some of Canada’s most famous artists, and find the inspiration to create works that will inspire future generations of Canadians,” McMillan said.
The selected artists will get to spend four nights in one of the rustic waterfront cabins located on Beausoleil Island.
They will also have boat transportation to the island, use of a bicycle and opportunities to meet and share artwork with park visitors.
McMillian said applicants do not need to be established artists, nor specific to any one form of art. In the past they have seen everything from sculptors, metal workers, muralists, traditional painters and even a glass blower.
“We are just looking for highly creative individuals with a sense of adventure who want to share their passion by speaking with general park visitors and help promote the connection of the park to art and artists in Canada,” McMillan said.
Application packages are available on the park’s website – parkscanada.ca/gbi.
Just look for the Artist in the Park heading in the right-hand column, or look under “What’s New.”
All applications must be received by April 17.
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