Date: Sunday, September 19th, 2021
Time: 2:00pm-4:00pm AT
Where: Rock Barra Artist Retreat, Souris, PE (directions below)
this town is small is pleased to invite the public to join us on Sunday, September 19th from 2-4pm for an informal gathering at Rock Barra Artist Retreat, where Rock Barra Artists in Residence Will Baker and Kirstie McCallum will share more about their experiences during the weeklong residency presented by this town is small in partnership with Rock Barra Artist Retreat. Rock Barra is situated Northeast of Big Pond in Souris, PEI.
Directions: Take highway #16 east from St Peter’s. When you enter the district of Rock Barra watch for Big Pond road on the left. Go down Big Pond Road for a kilometer. The Road turns sharply to the left. Do not go left. Continue straight down on the thin road and take the second driveway on the left, #211. If you are traveling from Souris take the Souris Line Road to highway #16, turn right, travel two kilometers and watch for the Big Pond Road going down to the shore.
About the artists:
Will Baker will be working on a multidisciplinary project titled Arborealism, which will explore both the aesthetic and ecological value of trees. Throughout the residency, the artist will be making daily drawings, photographs, and videos which will document the sculptural shapes of the trees at Rock Barra; with a special focus on forms influenced by the elements, erosion, animal, and human impacts.
Kirstie McCallum will be gathering seaweed for use in a project that transforms brown fucus, a seaweed that is plentiful on Prince Edward Island, into a biodegradable material. After the end of the week-long residency, Kirstie will begin developing prototypes for sheets of translucent bioplastic made from the seaweed for use in future sculptural works. Kirstie has been developing this project in consultation with experts, including PEI scientist Dr. Irene Novaczek, Montreal bio-artist Whitefeather Hunter, and Nova Scotia designer Aaron Outhwaite.
About Rock Barra:
Rock Barra is a private artist’s retreat for the contemplation and practice of the creative and healing arts located on the northeast corner of Prince Edward Island. The property is a spectacular twenty-acre site with beautiful views, beach access, sand dunes, a fresh-water pond, and six acres of woods with a walking trail.
We thank the PEI Culture Action Plan through Innovation PEI for their continued support.
Accessibility notes: Rock Barra is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible. There is one bathroom, it is gender neutral. There are steps down into the main room of Rock Barra (8-9 steps), and steps up into the bathroom, (8-9 steps.)
All public health measures required by the Chief Public Health Office will be followed at this event and those exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to refrain from attending.
this town is small 