I still remember the first time I met Richard Salem almost seven years ago.
There he was, sitting on Pitt Street wearing his big hat, looking very serious while everyone was telling me, “Go hand your registration papers to Richard!” It was my very first Cornwall Art Walk, and I was attending as an artist.
Thanks to Carol Viau, who took me around and introduced me to so many talented artists, I quickly made new friends and began building beautiful connections within our creative community.
Over the years, I have watched Richard bring incredible projects to life. The Cornwall Art Walk, Apples and Art, and our beloved Cornwall Art Hive are just a few of the gifts he has helped build for our community. These spaces have brought artists together, inspired creativity, and created friendships that will last a lifetime.
At the end of one Art Walk, about five years ago, I was sitting on the sidewalk, exhausted but so happy after a wonderful day. Richard came over with his amazing voice and simply said, “Take my card. Call me.”
And I did.
Since then, Richard and I have built a beautiful and meaningful friendship. Together, we have watched the Cornwall Art Hive grow into something truly special, and through this journey, I have grown as a person and as an artist as well.
Thank you, Richard, for everything you do for our community, for believing in artists, and for creating spaces where creativity and kindness can flourish.
I would like you all to get to know Richard as well so here is a short interview I had with him.
Please share with us more about yourself ((introduction))
I was born and raised in Toronto, and Guelph too for a bit. Left Toronto for Kingston to attend St. Lawrence College’s Mechanical Engineering Technology program, graduating in 1986. The three-year course was mostly manual drafting, and I realized early-on I was not only bad at it, I hated it. There was a newfangled thingie in the basement no one knew how to use, a ‘PC’ with AutoCAD on it. Anything, in my mind, would be better than manual drafting, so I taught myself how to use it. When I graduated, the college hired me to create and teach their first AutoCAD course. I mastered that program and rode the AutoCAD wave for 35 years. I still hated drafting though, so I used the program in ways no one had ever thought of – to draw maps at first, then banknotes, then ID cards for clients all over the world.
When did you start practicing art?
In my mind, I’ve been a technical designer since the early 90’s, when I started consulting to British American Banknote on adapting AutoCAD to banknote design. Their lead designer took me under his wing and taught me the fundamentals of aesthetic design. But it was not until 2020 when I started voice acting that I started practicing ‘art’.
What is the role that the YAC is playing in your life?
I have always been collaborative in nature. Enabling people to achieve their goals has always been a big part of my life. It was teaching AutoCAD at first, then creating custom systems for home builders, map makers, and then document of value generators. All throughout, I was writing my own and helping other people write business plans, apply for grants or government contracts. And running my own business – I was always self- employed. YAC just played into those skills. I love helping people achieve their dreams, helping them realize there is nothing beyond their reach.
Why what you’re doing is important to you?
In terms of YAC, I get a great deal of satisfaction helping people actualize their dreams. There is a disproportionate number of incredibly talented artists in this region. YAC’s mandate is to help them succeed. It’s a role that was I was made for.
In terms of voice acting, it’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was very young. As a young teenager I became obsessed with powerlifting. I was ridiculously strong and my over-zealous “training” resulted in torn retinas. The surgeries to repair the tears (no laser day surgery in 1975) left me legally blind for the better part of a year. I went from deadlifting my teachers’ cars to show off at recess to not being allowed to sit up on my own lest I tear the delicate stitches holding my retinas in place. I wasn’t allowed to use my eyes for anything – no reading, no TV, nothing. Audiobooks saved my sanity. I listened to every audiobook the library had available that my parents would let me listen to, and I fell in love with them. Now that I have the time, I am revisiting my teen love affair in the hopes that I can be for someone else what audiobooks were for me – a lifeline.
What are your dreams for your future?
I’d like to see YAC continue in it’s role of working for the success of artists in the region. YAC is completely dependant on municipal grants to maintain the infrastructure on which the Cornwall Art Hive, Cornwall Art Walk, and the Apples & Art Studio Tour are built, and that organizations like the Focus Art Association build their seasonal exhibitions on. We have a new city council coming in in October, and the new reality of an Art Centre opening it’s doors. My hope is that YAC and it’s unique events and regional perspective isn’t left behind.
As for voice acting, I’d like to continue doing it. I’m 40 or so books in and really having fun with it. I get to invent voices for unique characters, learn accents, bring to life the amazing work of incredible authors, and hopefully bring some joy, or at least escapism, to the thousands of people who listen to my work.
About the Author
