Saint Andrews is an artists’ haven, swelling into a vibrant community every summer. This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to interview July’s selection of artists’ in residence at the world class Kingsbrae International Residency for the Arts. The enthusiasm for the friendliness of the town was a common theme throughout all of our conversations. Each artist qualified to participate in this month-long residency through a rigorous application process. There are fifteen such residencies awarded throughout the months of June, July, and August.
I spoke with a fabric artist from Stratford, Ontario. Who doesn’t love Stratford, right? And there was an immediate sense of belonging she felt here, which will allow her to focus on her textile project. Then I spoke with a woman from Oregon who works as an art instructor with prisoners and is an accomplished painter, this month working on a series of paintings on cardboard. I was delighted to meet a fellow writer from Fredericton who is working on a series of short stories. We share a common interest in children living in abject poverty. I look forward to reading his work. A Chinese artist from New York is working with watercolors, acrylics, and egg tempera, a very unusual medium. It turned out we had studied or known many of the same tempera artists from the same region where I lived for many years. And finally, the printmaker from England was in heaven. Her project is printing the leaves of the garden in a variety of designs. Although these artists are only temporarily in residence, hopefully they will return, as so many do, to this amazing arts community.
At Sunbury Shores Arts and Nature Centre, the summer program is in full sail as it continues to attract an impressive roster of instructors in many mediums. Hundreds of students of all ages and abilities spend various amounts of time immersed in the course of their choosing. With one Canada’s greatest print studios on site, the quality and quantity of a wide array of techniques of printmaking, each one lovingly produced by hand, one image at a time. Studios for making jewelry, stained glass, paintings, pottery and sculpture add to the depth of the artistic community. The centre has successfully become a true community arts and nature center – the oldest in Canada – and hosts art exhibitions and intimate musical shows throughout the year.
Many artist’s studios are dotted throughout the town, and in fact the entire Passamaquoddy Bay region. The Tides Institute in Eastport, Maine has been researching the many forms of cultural expression that have flourished over the past several hundred years and beyond into pre-recorded history. Often passed down from generation to generation through the art of storytelling, the rich fabric of the artistic culture of the area has managed to sustain itself. Because of the agreeable climate and wonderful fresh air, summer artist colonies have abounded for a hundred years or more.
The Saint Andrews Arts Council hosts numerous workshops and masterclasses in the performing arts. Their season always ends on a high note with their Gala Concert. People travel from all over the world to enrich their lives by the abundance of art programs offered by the Arts Council in this little community. And, the community is richer for it.
The arts provide a pathway for many people to express their feelings and to feel good about themselves. This ability to express one’s feelings is what will make or break a community. Fortunately, the various arts organizations champion one another in the broader supportive sense with a clear belief that there is more than enough for everyone, and sharing is a good thing. As you can see from the above smorgasbord, the arts are flourishing and there is no indication that they will slow down. In today’s world, where many of us struggle to survive mired in a culture of fear, a healthy distraction is a welcome reprieve. What better place to find it than deep within ourselves. Our abilities to express ourselves lies inside of each of us.
The friendships and deep bonds of trust, which are so essential for a healthy and safe community, can be kindled at cultural centers, especially those where the arts are taught, appreciated, studied, exhibited, and shared in myriad ways. Civilized communities thrive when everyone feels safe expressing how they feel. Artistic expression comes in infinite forms that stimulate one or more of the senses. This expression is a form of communication. We need to return to a time when civil discourse was preferred. Today, arguments turn violent and civility is tossed out the window. Perhaps the arts can retake their rightful place at the table and restore civility where it belongs – front and center.
