OUT and ABOUT with Seeker Chick Mai-Liis: attending “Words of Art” at the Cline House Gallery

Have you ever had one of those days when you just needed some mental health motivation? A day where you seem to be moving two steps forward and three steps back. In other words getting nowhere fast? So instead of staying in that rut, you feel like you have to step away from whatever you are doing and recharge those batteries, so that you can return to the task with a fresh outlook. Yes you all know that feeling I’m sure… Well that was the kind of day I was having yesterday (Saturday, February 24th) but luckily I knew exactly where I needed to go to get my “Art and Literary Fix” so to speak.

So where did I go? To the Cline House Gallery of course, to an event which I had really been looking forward to. The event I am talking about is the 2024 edition of “Words of Art”. The second annual event.

As I entered the Gallery, the main room was packed with over 50 local writers, artists and guests who were excited to hear the reading of written works inspired by artwork on display in the current exhibition, “The 2024 annual juried show”. In the photo above you can see Emily Fournier MacLeod (Manager of The Cline House Gallery) welcoming us all to the afternoon’s event.

I had attended the opening night of the Juried show so I had seen all the wonderful works of art that evening, but today was such an interesting experience because of course, everyone who looks at a piece of art interprets that piece in their own way and today I certainly realized how true this was.

When asked how this event works, I learned that in January a call went out to the public, requesting people who are interested in writing to put their names forward. Only a certain number of writers could be accepted due to the event being only two hours long and this list filled very quickly on a first come basis. The lucky individuals were then invited to the Gallery to choose a piece of art that inspires them. They then had a month to compose a written piece, which was read (or sung) to us as the artworks were placed beside them on the famous fireplace mantle, in, as Emily described, a dance of art that was performed by her and Tracy Lynn Chisholm – one would put up the piece to be spoken about and the other would take it down and an exchange was made with the next piece. Such a well coordinated and smooth performance as always by these two ladies!

The written works included poems stories, factual pieces, a song and a theatrical piece – all very inspiring and interesting. A few writers had chosen the same art piece but their interpretations were quite different, proving that “Art is indeed in the eye of the beholder”.

Each submission held a learning curve or a message and some messages proved quite emotional. Messages included (in no specific order): Time suspended, animals asking for help, every life is a journey, every life has a purpose, facts about happenings in the past, the present and what’s in our future, the perils of a non-coffee drinker taunted by the black juice produced by the Bunn coffee maker and an avid coffee drinker worshiping this liquid, the possible upcoming extinction of our wildlife, being true to yourself, reminiscing about the past, present and future, a conversation between a flock of birds, what lies ahead for young girls and women, facts on how the role of women has changed over time and so much more. What wonderful life lessons and messages were exchanged in these two hours from 1 to 3 pm. My eyes certainly saw these works in a different light thanks to these talented writers!

There is a saying that goes “Art feeds the soul” and just listening to everyone, viewing the art in the Gallery and chatting with some of my artist friends, my soul was certainly well fed and I left the Cline House Gallery full of motivation which I was certainly lacking on my arrival two hours earlier.

The “2024 Annual Juried Show” runs until Saturday, March 2nd so if you haven’t had a chance to see it, make sure you put a visit to the Cline House Gallery, in your agenda and once you have “filled your soul with art” and are ready to leave, be sure to enter your vote for the “People’s Choice Award”. This is a difficult job as all the pieces are worthy of this title and as you will see, it is very hard to choose just one. But after some difficult deliberation, I narrowed my choices down and entered my vote – fingers crossed, hoping my chosen artist wins!

Cline House Gallery is located at 204 Second Street East, Cornwall, Ontario

Gallery hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10 am to 4pm – Phone number 613-932-1823

Website is www.clinehousegallery.com