Local artist Nicole Forget passed away in November of last year and in her obituary were the words, “Nicole’s warmth, kindness, and generosity left a lasting impact on everyone she met.”
This legacy was on full display at a vernissage Sunday afternoon whereby Nicole’s artwork adorned the walls of Shawville’s Café 349 and her memory furnished the air.
Brainchild of her dear friends Muriel Davies and Betty Chamberlain, the idea for the exhibit took flight at the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) vernissage hosted in the same venue on Apr. 5. From there, coordination with Nicole’s widower, Luc Forget, and the rest of her family led to an art exhibit made up of 13 pieces representative of her extensive body of work, providing a colourful and almost joyously emotional backdrop to the gathering.
No matter where one stood within the cozy atmosphere of the café, love, appreciation, admiration and joy were palpable as attendees reminisced, reconnected and united with one another as if adding empirical to memoriam, or, perhaps, it was the other way around.
“This is so much – I didn’t know it would be like this,” said a clearly emotional Luc Forget, as he looked around the crowded room full of people sharing amazing and wonderful stories about his wife.
“Nicole was quiet and left an impact,” said event logistics coordinator Linda Fairhead. “Everyone loved her.”
Nicole’s story started in Sturgeon Falls where she was born and raised. It then took her, as it did many others from her childhood, to Ottawa where she married Luc Forget of Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
Nicole worked as a secretary in the city at various locations before she and her family moved to Calumet Island in the 1970s.
From there, Nicole worked as secretary with the then County Corporation, which was to become the MRC, before landing in her final job as a secretary at Dr. S.E. McDowell Elementary School in Shawville where she stayed until her retirement in 2007.
“We all went to Ottawa,” shared Gaétane Guindon, “and we knew each other from the time we were in diapers!”
Guindon, also from Sturgeon Falls, was in attendance with Nicole’s brother, Jacques Gagné, his partner Louise Labelle, and friend Joann Cazabon, and together they shared stories of a lifelong fellowship with Nicole.
In effect, this vernissage was a wake, devoid of the usual solemnity, and presented a moment around which family, friends and community could gather, share stories, and honour the life of a dear wife, mother, sister, friend, colleague and artist.
“We were best buds,” enthused Claudette Stanton. “We worked together at McDowell,” shared a smiling Wendy Ryan. “She was the secretary and I was the phys-ed teacher. Her office was right next to mine.”
“We worked together,” shared Janey MacDougall, “I was in the tax office and she was out front.”
The air was alive with memories of Nicole.
For their part, Davies, also an artist, knew Nicole as a colleague at McDowell and Chamberlain taught her painting classes for 18 years, spanning her entire retirement up to her passing.
“She came to my class all those years to stay inspired to paint, and she got very good and didn’t need much guidance,” Chamberlain said with a smile. “She developed her own style, which was different than mine, and was left-handed which made it look backwards to me.”
As the event went on, red dots indicating the art had found a new home started to appear on several of the name placards and, before long, more than half of Nicole’s pieces had been claimed.
MRC Pontiac warden Jane Toller, while claiming her own piece of Nicole’s art, echoed the sentiment of many in attendance.
“We are so lucky to have a place like the café which has decorated the walls with local art for so many years,” Toller said. “What a wonderful tradition and relationship with the community.”
The vernissage was Nicole’s herald and, stated clearly, her legacy, an inspiration.
Look for new pieces of Nicole’s work at the café, as purchased pieces are replaced with new ones as soon as possible. The exhibit is on display until the end of June.
