A local club is painting a picture of the city's art history over the summer.
Every Sunday, the Porcupine Art Club opens the doors to its studio in Roy Nicholson Park at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Pine Street North from noon to 4 p.m. The public is invited to stop in and to see what they do, browse the art for sale, and see what members are working on.
“We are very prolific,” said club member Ellen Catherwood.
Many members stop by the studio to create things they can’t do at home, whether because of space constraints, chemicals, or a lack of supplies.
For those who want to get in on the creative process, Catherwood offers silk scarf dying for $20 per scarf on most Sundays.
“The summer is really our experimental time,” said Catherwood. “During the winter, it’s crowded in here for business meetings.”
The club meets on Thursdays from September to June.
The Porcupine Art Club was founded in 1947, and art from those original members is displayed on their wall of fame.
The club is also helping the Timmins Public Library celebrate its 100th anniversary with a co-operative mural.
Club members have been picking up a canvas, a colour guide, and paint from the studio, and when they’re all done, the canvases will be joined to create one big piece that will hang above the main doors in the library’s main branch.
Club member Karina Douglas-Takayesu designed the mural.
“They’re going to all fit together,” said club president Ted O’Conner. “So the colours on one will match the one beside it, and once we get them all put together, they’ll make one big mural.”
The club had a similar project for Queen Elizabeth’s 70th anniversary jubilee. That mural was 70 canvases.
That mural was donated to the Golden Manor.
There are currently 44 members in the club and the doors are open for more. Membership costs $50 a year and includes workshops on different art styles but isn’t limited to artists.
“It’s a good place to know what’s going on in art in Timmins,” said Catherwood.
The open studio events on Sundays throughout the summer are a great way to meet new people and be social, said O’Conner.
“The people here that are painting here in every different medium you can think of,” said Catherwood. “There is always somebody here who does it and can help out.”
The art on display, with the exception of the wall of fame, is all on sale for those looking to own a piece of local art.
More information is available on the club’s website.
