Making Art in Muskoka

From the Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery

The arts are alive and well in Muskoka and Fall is the ideal time to explore the diversity of artists in our region.

First, check out The Art Space by the Huntsville Art Society (across from River Mill Park in Huntsville, open Tues – Sun). From August 31 to September 30, The Art Space presents Canadian Spirit/Huntsville, “an interactive installation of music, painting,  and sculpture  as part of Huntsville’s celebration of  the 100th anniversary of Tom Thompson in conjunction with the Tom Thomson Gallery in Owen Sound”.

While you’re in town, don’t forget to search out the murals that make up the Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery (pictured in the image above). Celebrating the unique art of Tom Thomson and The Group of Seven, these large outdoor murals are scattered throughout Huntsville with satellite installations in Algonquin Park, Dorset, Dwight, and Baysville. Take a tour of the downtown Huntsville collection using this map.

If you drive to the other Group of Seven satellite installations, make sure you stop in at the Algonquin Art Centre to see their latest exhibit. “Our 2012 art exhibit celebrates the unique story of water in Algonquin, from its origins in the Park’s highlands to its oceanic destinations. The story is told through the perspective of Canada’s leading landscape and wildlife artists, whose works reveal the powerful and inspiring nature of water.” The Algonquin Art Centre is open until October 21.

One of the highlights of the Fall art season is the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour, which gives visitors a peek into the studios of area artists. “Conceived by one individual three decades ago, the idea of giving people a glimpse into the studios where raw materials are transformed into superb art pieces still holds its appeal.” This year’s tour is September  22-23 and 29-30.

Fall is one of the most beautiful time to visit Muskoka and combining your stay with a visit to local artisans makes it doubly so. If you’ve never been to Muskoka in the Fall, maybe this should be the year. You can view the availability of our waterfront cottages here.

We hope to see you soon!
The Howell Family

Making Music in Muskoka

Muskoka is a hot-bed of creativity. The beautiful, rugged landscape provides inspiration for artists of all types: painters and illustrators, sculptors and fibre artists, vocalists and musicians. We’ve highlighted visual artists on our blog before, but we also have a wide range of local musical talent.

If you’re a lover of music, check out some of these local artists:

Laganza

Tina Turley

Linda McLean Band

Big East

Muskoka Music Men  

Victoria Banks (formerly of Muskoka and now a Nashville recording artist)

And if you’re in Muskoka in August, Concerts in the Park at Huntsville’s Town Dock runs to the end of the month every Wednesday evening at 7:00pm. Bring your lawn chair and a toonie for some tunes.

•        August 8 – Cameron Of Lochiel Pipes & Drums
•        August 15 – Big East
•     August 22 Northern Lights Steel Orchestra

We had a fantastic August long weekend at Colonial Bay. Our guests enjoyed watersports, fishing, and basking in the sun on the beach or at their waterfront cottages. It was a beautiful weekend, despite a bit of much-needed rain on Sunday. And the summer is only half over! There’s still time to join us for more Muskoka fun. You can see our availability here.

We hope to see you soon!
The Howell Family

Image via Flickr user fmerenda