J.D. Potié
PORTAGE DU FORT
June 1, 2, 2019
On June 1, around 50 Pontiac residents and community leaders gathered at the entrance of St. James the Greater Church in Portage du Fort to officially commemorate the town’s unique, historical architecture.
Billed as Artistes de la Rivière, the weekend-long event featured the unveiling of 13 historical plaques on Saturday, identifying some of the town’s ancient stone buildings, some pre-dating our nations confederation.
As the large crowd stood on the church’s steps, MP Will Amos gave a brief speech about his appreciation for local history and the initiative put in place by Artistes de la Rivière before finally unveiling the plaque.
Following the tour, the excursion included a barbeque lunch, a silent art auction in the church and a visit of the old town jail built in 1850, among other things.
Highlighting artists in the area, the event boasted a variety of local artisans on site.
Among them was an old-fashioned boat-maker building everything from scratch, painters showing off their prints in the town’s art gallery, and a local resident selling ancient artifacts like old axes.
With people coming in from as far as Renfrew and even parts of the United States to get a glimpse of the unique architecture, the event has caught the eye of many, including one who came as far as Maryland to witness the sites, according to Artistes de la Rivière member Frances Shea.
After putting up the 12 other plaques in the town around a week before, traffic in the town has been noticeably heavier than usual with outsiders stopping their cars as they drive through to find out what all the fuss is about, Shea said.
Having a rich history of ancient landmarks and stone buildings, the town’s gems are note-worthy avenues for tourism development much like the rustic structure occupying our nation’s capital, according to Amos
“Anyone who knows the Pontiac, who has grown up in this region appreciates just how much history there is,” he said. “And much of it is a built history. That built history has great value. In today’s tourist markets people seek an authenticity. They’re seeking roots. They’re seeking to understand where did Canada come from.”
The plaques were designed by local artist Veronica Clausen, Shea said.
For Shea, the event was about giving people an opportunity to learn about the town’s history and to develop a sense of appreciation for just how hard people worked to erect the town’s beautiful stone buildings we see today.
“I think today the society is very fast-paced,” she said. “I think the significance of this is to have people slow down to stop and read and appreciate the sense of labor. There were no cranes, no bulldozers, just manual. How people worked so hard to build the community.”
On June 1 and 2, over at the Stone School Gallery Pontiac High School’s (PHS) art students had their talents put on full display as a variety of their latest projects were featured inside the Stone School Gallery in Portage du Fort.
The exhibition featured a wide variety of creative conceptions hung on the walls in each corner of the room, where locals were invited to walk through and peek an eye on the student’s work.
The collection of paintings consisted of projects done by students throughout the school year with many of them not knowing that their work would be displayed in the exhibition.
Hosted by PHS art teacher Jadwiga Dunin-Borkowska, the opportunity came about when she was contacted by Artistes de la Rivière two years ago regarding the possibilities of displaying her student’s work publicly. Her response was an emphatic yes.
For Dunin-Borkowska, the opportunity to display the students’ artwork in a public gallery was a thrilling experience.
“To have their work displayed, it’s not necessarily that a whole bunch of people will come, but people will talk,” she said. “And talk about how great they’re doing and how amazing their work is.”
It’s also a great chance for students intending to enroll in art programs in post-secondary or pursue painting as a career, to bolster their portfolios, Dunin-Borkowska said.
“They can put this on their CV,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a small town in the Pontiac, it’s a big deal. If somebody sees their work and likes it, it could send them on a path to being a full-time artist.”
On June 2, ArtPontiac invited families in the community for a craft-making session at the Stone School Gallery in Portage du Fort.
With three different arts activities on hand conducted by local professional artist instructors Lauren Foster, Valerie Bridgeman and Tina Michaud, participants were free to dabble with whatever they wanted.
From assembling paper chain dolls for storytelling, to a handmade pamphlet with book binding or making a mixed-media floral collage using a variety of acrylic paints, rubber stamps and dry leaves among many other things.
Every activity lasted around an hour and participants were free to partake in all three if they so desired.
According to ArtPontiac member France Lamarche, the goal of the event was to engage local children and their parents in craft making as a hobby and also to include more people into the studio.
“We preach the younger kids to come,” she said.
For Lamarche, the organization’s events, especially those designed for beginners, are vital for the local arts community because they give residents a chance to express themselves
“It’s to promote art in the community,” she said. “It’s to allow the artists to do their art.”
