Year two for artistin-residence program in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
Year two for artist-in-residence program in Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Amélie Jérôme liked her artist-in-residency at the Cape Breton Highlands National Park so much last year that she ended up moving here full-time.
Jérôme, 31, was invited to do a six-week artist in residency at the park late last year, sponsored by the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design and Parks Canada. The Quebec-born artist had been living in Montreal at the time and was no stranger to the process — she had also been an artist-in-residence in the South Shore six years ago and at Brigus, N.L., last summer.
But this time, something resonated further with the abstract oil painter.
“Since living in the South Shore I always contemplated moving back to the Maritimes,” said Jérôme in an email interview. “I also partly grew up in Newfoundland and in Northern Quebec so I felt a strong kinship with places that are more wilderness than city.
“As someone who really enjoys the outdoors and especially the kind of landscapes found here, it was getting harder to justify being in the city and my residency here really strengthened those convictions. I thought to myself – why can’t I live and work in a place like this all the time?”
For the past month she’s been doing just that, living on Cheticamp Island in a secluded area close to the town. So far she has no regrets about moving here and has already found a summer job so she’ll be able to focus on painting in the winter.
“I am working in a charming restaurant right on the edge of the water as a server for the season but my goal is to focus on painting full-time in the winter. It’s been great because I get to meet the community this way, and everyone is very friendly.”
Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design and Parks Canada will be offering the program again this year that introduced Jérôme to the island. They are calling now for applications to the artist in residence program at the Cape Breton Highlands National Park which will be offered to professional artists practising in visual or craftbased arts from Sept. 28 to Nov.
9. The deadline to apply is June
1. For more information and the full application, visit: capebretoncraft.com/airingonish
While the program’s first year was put together at the last minute, this year’s residency is designed so that the winning artist can work in the Highlands during the peak of the fall colours, says park superintendent Eric Le Bel.
“One thing we learned last year is that we need to start earlier,” said Le Bel. “Last year was really last minute so this year we’re better prepared. We have started already preparing for the program which will take place in the fall at the peak of the colour season so it’s going to be ideal and it should inspire
any artist because as you know the Highlands are really beautiful.”
The program also includes a public access component that allows the public to see the artist at work, which Le Bel says is important.
“For us, what we’re interested in is the possibility for our visitors to witness the art creation so for us the aspect of the open house and seeing the artist and understanding the process that each artist may have is certainly a great part of this.”
Lori Burke, executive director of the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design, stressed the importance of nurturing the creative and professional growth of Cape Breton’s artistic community.
“This residency also provides an opportunity to extend our outreach programming in schools and our rural communities,” said Burke. “We’re excited for year two of this program as we work to further develop our strong partnership with Parks Canada.”
While the search for Jérôme’s successor continues, Jérôme believes it is the right move for her at this time.
“I think it largely depends on what you want and value in terms of career and lifestyle,” she says. “Today you don’t necessarily need to live and work where your gallery or market is, but where you live can have different kinds of impact on your work — commercial, professional or creative — and I choose to prioritize the creative side right now.”
“For us, what we’re interested in is the possibility for our visitors to witness the art creation so for us the aspect of the open house and seeing the artist and understanding the process that each artist may have is certainly a great part of this.”
Park superintendent Eric Le Bel