The Callander Bay Heritage Museum and Alex Dufresne Gallery are holding an Open House tomorrow (Saturday) from 1-4 p.m.
"The current art exhibit "Paintings You Could Step Into" features the first solo show of realist painter Paul Walker whose talent and attention to the smallest detail will have you convinced that you are not looking at paintings - but rather photographs," says Natasha Wiatr, Acting Curator.
From Paul Walker's biography:
“In about 2000, my wife Glenna suggested that she would like to take an art course and I said that I had often thought that I would like to do so as well. We signed up for an acrylic painting course at Mohawk College in Hamilton. We also took a couple of drawing courses. I, who only started at Glenna’s suggestion, continued on taking watercolour courses at Mohawk and the Dundas School of Art. Glenna moved on to photography. I focused on watercolours at this time and the first paintings that I was willing to sign my name were done in 2003.”
Since those days he has taken up pen and ink drawing, as well as acrylic painting – beginning with painting animals on rocks – on canvas. Walker takes many of the photographs his wife has captured on their world travels and converts them into paintings.
He has participated in the Country Roads Art Tour, the Almaguin Highlands Arts Council Art Tour and Show and Sale, as well he has exhibited at the Kennedy Art Gallery in North Bay.
The exhibit closes on October 22nd.
The museum also has information and artifacts that tell the story of the logging mills and the shipping industry on Lake Nipissing - both of which were instrumental in the development of the town.
On an international level, Callander found itself on the front page of newspapers across the world during the week of May 28th, 1934 when the world's first surviving quintuplets were born to the Dionne family just down the road. The museum is located in the house and practice of Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe, physician to the babies. There is also a turn-of-the-century old tyme barber shop.
There will be no admission for the afternoon, but donations are always welcome.
107 Lansdowne St. E. Callander
