A Foreword by Doug Draper
If you are a lover of fine art and have never been to or heard of the RiverBrink Art Museum in the Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario village of Queenston, here is a chance to sample the more than 1,400 works of art in this museum’s collection and to get an opportunity to see a rare portrait of Canadian War of 1812 icon Sir Isaac Brock.
Portrait of Sir Isaac Brock. Image courtesy of RiverBrink Art Museum
This Saturday, October 20th and Sunday, October 21st the museum located along the Niagara Parkway in Queenston will be open for free to the public for one last glimpse of the Brock portrait, considered to be the only true likeness of him produced during his lifetime, before it is returned to Brock’s birthplace on the British island of Guernsey.
The portrait has been on exhibit at the RiverBrink Art Museum as part of the bicentennial commemorations for the War of 1812 and the Cultural Capitals of Canada program organized in Niagara this year by the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Region of Niagara.
You can find out more about the unique history of the RiverBrink Art Museum and how to find it by visiting the museum’s website at http://riverbrink.org/ .
Niagara At Large is posting the media release for this special exhibit immediately below.
Free Admission To RiverBrink Art Museum On October 20-21 In Celebration of Niagara Region As A Cultural Capital Of Canada
In celebration of the designation of Niagara Region as a Cultural Capital of Canada for 2012, RiverBrink Art Museum is offering free admission to its popular exhibition RiverBrink’s War of 1812 on Saturday October 20th and Sunday October 21st. This celebratory event provides an excellent opportunity to view the Portrait of Isaac Brock before it returns to Guernsey, UK in the first week of November. In addition, RiverBrink will host four artists in support of our Accessibility Campaign to fund the construction of a ramp and accessible washrooms. These artists will demonstrate in the mediums of origami, pen and ink, watercolours and oils. They will work on site between the hours of 1:30 and 3:30 on each of the days. All donations to this campaign will be gratefully received.
“The response to the exhibition has been very positive,” affirms Debra Antoncic, Associate Curator. “Our visitors have been thrilled by all of the art works on display, especially the portrait of Isaac Brock.”
The RiverBrink Art Museum in Queenston, Ontario
The portrait is a small pastel and is thought to be the only likeness of the adult Brock created during his lifetime. Although not signed, it is believed to have been the work of Dutch artist Gerrit Schipper, made around 1808‐9 while Brock was stationed in Canada. Following Brock’s death, the portrait was returned to the family in Guernsey along with other personal effects. It remained in the family until purchased by the Guernsey Museums and Galleries in 2009. It is back in Canada for the first time in 200 years. [Photo courtesy of The States of Guernsey (Guernsey Museums and Galleries)]
RiverBrink’s War of 1812, designed to commemorate the War of 1812, features art works, artefacts and archival material from the collection at RiverBrink along with loans from both public and private collections. Featured in this exhibition is RiverBrink’s own Battle of Queenston Heights (c.1820-30).
On Saturday, October 20, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm, artists Doreen Peever and Kathy Thomas will demonstrate their skills in origami and pen and ink drawing. Doreen Peever creates notecards which feature her fine origami (Japanese paper folding) and calligraphy skills. Doreen will produce small gifts for visitors. Kathy Thomas works in pen and ink to document historical places and features of interest in our nearby community. She will be working from our Ange de Lude garden sculpture (after Jean Barbet, active 1475-1514) and create a drawing of the museum building.
On Sunday, October 21 between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m, artists Lillian Asquith and J.R. Baldini will demonstrate their techniques in watercolour and oil media. Lillian Asquith’s watercolour technique is free and colourful and she also works in oil on silk. Her subjects include landscapes and still life. J.R. Baldini also works with oil and watercolour. Her paintings range from still life to bold plein air (outdoor) landscapes that attempt to “capture the fleeting light as it defines a shape, …a mood or connects to the familiar, and pass that ‘never to be again’ moment onto the viewer.”
RiverBrink Art Museum will be open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on October 20 and 21.
RiverBrink Art Museum is located at 116 Queenston Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake (on the Niagara Parkway halfway between Niagara Falls and “Old Town” Niagara-on-the-Lake). For more information, please contact RiverBrink Art Museum by phone at 905-262-4510 or by email at info@riverbrink.org.
RiverBrink Art Museum acknowledges the financial support for RiverBrink’s War of 1812 by the Government of Canada through Cultural Capitals of Canada, a program of the Department of Canadian Heritage and by Region of Niagara.
Niagara’s Cultural Capital of Canada program is providing new opportunities for residents and visitors to experience Niagara’s cultural attractions and assets; increased focus and awareness of Niagara’s history, identity and creativity; and a legacy that, in conjunction with Niagara’s Culture Plan, will support the region’s creative workers and cultural industries. The Cultural Capitals of Canada Program is funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Niagara Region.
Niagara At Large 