Pictou County art show features diverse work
For the next month, Pictou will display its significant artistic talent. The Pictou County Artists Association’s 27th Pictou Annual Art Show opened on Sept. 4 and will run until Oct. 12, at the Northumberland Fisheries Museum.
The show features a little bit of everything, from beautiful sunsets and shows of quintessentially maritime scenery, to paintings of scenes and images that are a little more surreal.
Gary Nowlan, chairman of the Northumberland Fisheries Museum, said the show features the work of association members – and all of it is local, created by Pictou County artists.
The artists whose work is in the show are of an assortment of ages, “from teenagers to seniors,” said Nowlan.
“We have artists who have been displaying art for years – all 27 the shows – and some artists are brand new. It’s the first time they’ve shown their art anywhere.”
One of the main differences Nowlan has noticed between the newer and the more experienced artists, is that the latter tend to paint more local provincial scenery – while the newer artists tend to be “more imaginative.” “The newer artists’ artwork is more impressionist and abstract, which is really neat,” said Nowlan.
“It gives us seniors an opportunity to appreciate the different styles of art from what they’re used to seeing in Pictou County.” Nowlan said the combination of fresh and classic talent in the show is ideal, because “that is one of the objectives of the Pictou County Artists Association; to bring artists out and encourage them to show their work.”
He hopes the artists featured at the show will see the exposure of their work as encouragement to enjoy art as a hobby – or even as a business.
This year, Nowlan is an observer and host of the show, rather than a participant. “I’ve been doing some renovation on a 210-year-old building and for the last little while I’ve had to put my art brushes down,” said Nowlan. “I’m not participating in the show, but I did hang the paintings up for the association.”
Nowlan said he has seen improvement in the artwork featured in the show over the years, adding that, “we’re seeing more artists developing than we did when we first started doing these shows 27 years ago.”
“Most of the art featured has been done in the last year or two. Artists tend to put out their newer work.”
The art show’s official commencement will be an opening and reception tonight, from 7-9 p.m., in the community room. The event will be free of charge, and guests will be treated to tea, coffee and a light meal.