By Gillian Brunette
Four works will go to Muskoka Heritage Place; the rest will adorn the exterior walls at HHSThe Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery in Huntsville has just gotten much bigger thanks to the Grade 9 to 11 visual arts students at Huntsville High School.
Twenty murals depicting Tom Thomson and other Group of Seven artists’ works were painted over the course of last week, under the watchful eye of muralist Gerry Lantaigne.
“The murals are based on the sketches of the artists, which were tiny canvases painted right on site and then taken back to the studio to do the larger versions,” explained Susanne Allen-Spiers, HHS visual and media arts department head.
The project is supported by the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, Northern Art Supplies, the Huntsville Business Improvement Area (BIA) and Hilltop Signs.
TEAMWORK: Huntsville High School Grade 11 visual arts students Madeline Jones (left) and Vanessa Leebody discuss paint combinations with muralist Gerry Langaigne. Their work is taken from Tom Thomson's View Over a Lake.
The one-week project involved 40 students. The canvases were set out along the gallery of the HHS gymnasium, with the students painting to a backdrop of various sporting activities taking place below.
Five school days is not long in which to complete a project of this size, so a paint and pizza party was held at the school on Thursday evening for the artists.
“I was worried that we wouldn’t get a final product in five days, but we are wrapping up today (Friday), with maybe just a couple of the murals needing a few touches,” said Allen-Spiers.
The completed canvases have to sit for about seven days to allow the paint to dry, then Lantaigne will clear-coat them.
As well as protecting the works, this process makes the colours glisten and become more vibrant, Lantaigne said.
“The product has a UV protection coat as well and comes with a 10-year guarantee, but they (paintings) should last for 30 years. If they are hung on a north wall they will last longer.”
Four of the works have been promised to Muskoka Heritage Place (MHP) and will adorn the exterior walls of the Rotary Train Station and the museum.
“One called Forbe’s Hill is the view behind the pond (Cann Lake) at the village. That one was painted by Gerry and will definitely be going to MHP, along with three others,” said Allen-Spiers. The remaining 16 murals will be attached to the exterior walls of the high school.
Installation of the works at MHP has fallen to HHS teacher Gunner Christenson and his woodworking class, said Allen-Spiers.
“Hopefully they’ll be going up sooner rather than later. After that we will be working with the principal to get the others up, hopefully in time for this summer.”
Lantaigne said he was impressed with the students’ work. “They are all amateurs, yet the paintings are outstanding. This has been a great project. A lot of students overlook the Group of Seven and this has given them an appreciation of this group of painters from the past.”
These latest additions bring to 42 the number of murals in the outdoor gallery. More are planned for the summer.
“I’m going to do another community mural in front of town hall and Dorset wants one on their museum. Lake of Bays township is also going to do a couple, so we are expanding the gallery to other areas. This will give us a real tour, and already we have people coming in with Hammond (bus tours) specifically to see the gallery,” said Lantaigne.
In addition to the already existing self-guided walking tour of the outdoor gallery — brochures and maps for which are available in stores around town — guided tours are available through the Huntsville, Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce by appointment.
