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George Pratt is a professional stone sculptor who was initially introduced to the stone-carving arts by E.B. Cox in 1970. His works are carved in granite, marble, jade and other exotic ornamental stones of Canada. Having produced 25 annual shows beginning in 1972, his work is widely collected in North America by private individuals and corporations. Large works commissioned for public display include the Terry Fox Memorial, Coquitlam, B.C.; the Sedna Sculpture, Toronto. Ontario; The Builders, Calgary, Alberta; the Alaskan Veteran's Memorial; 'The Sundial', Sechelt, B.C. ‘Salmon River’ and ‘Rejuvenation’ sculptures in granite in Burnaby, British Columbia; and ‘The Emperor’s Sunrise’ a sculpture in jade shown at the British Columbia Canada Pavilion, 2008 Beijing Olympics. George has sculpted many presentation works for foreign dignitaries, notably HRH Prince Philip; the Honourable Mary Robinson, President, Republic of Ireland; the Honourable Kim Young Sam, President of the Republic of Korea; the Honourable Corazon Aquino, President of the Philippines; President Boris Yeltsin, Russia and President William Clinton of the United States. He also has extensive teaching experience. George grew up in Haliburton and graduated from the Haliburton Highlands Secondary School. < All Artists George Pratt ABOUT SCULPTOR Artist Bio George Pratt is a professional stone sculptor who was initially introduced to the stone-carving arts by E.B. Cox in 1970. His works are carved in granite, marble, jade and other exotic ornamental stones of Canada. Having produced 25 annual shows beginning in 1972, his work is widely collected in North America by private individuals and corporations. Large works commissioned for public display include the Terry Fox Memorial, Coquitlam, B.C.; the Sedna Sculpture, Toronto. Ontario; The Builders, Calgary, Alberta; the Alaskan Veteran's Memorial; 'The Sundial', Sechelt, B.C. ‘Salmon River’ and ‘Rejuvenation’ sculptures in granite in Burnaby, British Columbia; and ‘The Emperor’s Sunrise’ a sculpture in jade shown at the British Columbia Canada Pavilion, 2008 Beijing Olympics. George has sculpted many presentation works for foreign dignitaries, notably HRH Prince Philip; the Honourable Mary Robinson, President, Republic of Ireland; the Honourable Kim Young Sam, President of the Republic of Korea; the Honourable Corazon Aquino, President of the Philippines; President Boris Yeltsin, Russia and President William Clinton of the United States. He also has extensive teaching experience. George grew up in Haliburton and graduated from the Haliburton Highlands Secondary School. Artist Website Installed Sculptures Together We Explore the Wild Pan Previous Sculpture Next Sculpture

Aaron Galbraith All Sculptures Spirit of the Wild Number on Map C Artist Aaron Galbraith Material Locally Quarried Granite Installation Date August 1, 2012 Learn About the Artist Carole Finn, local artist and community booster, donated the dry stone bench in memory of her late husband Don. Measuring 7 feet by 3 feet, the granite top of the bench weighs 1,400 pounds, with the many smaller rocks weighing in at 4,500 pounds. In the centre of the bench there is a mossy stone collected from the Finn's farm. 'Spirit of the Wild' took artist, Aaron Galbraith, 7 days to make. More Photos Previous Next

Sculpture Forest comes alive with performances, movement and music. < All Events Sculpture Forest Re-imagined 2018 Sculpture Forest comes alive with performances, movement and music. Monday, August 6, 2018 Tuesday, August 7, 2018 Address: Haliburton Sculpture Forest, College Drive, Haliburton, ON, Canada More About DH3 Sculpture Forest Re-imagined was a unique, walk-about experience featuring acclaimed contemporary dance company Throwdown Collective ; cellist Bethany Houghton; coronet player Hugh Taylor; storytelling, psychedelic, blues/rock trio Dark is our Danger; Heritage Ballet dancers; and more. Presented by DH3 (Dance Happens Here Haliburton) in collaboration with the Haliburton Sculpture Forest. DH3 is a part of the Haliburton County Community Co-operative “It’s a different way of experiencing the Sculpture Forest.” said Sculpture Forest curator and DH3 committee member, Jim Blake. “It is fun, thought provoking and eye-opening to see how these incredible performing artists respond to, interpret, animate and amplify the Sculpture Forest. Throwdown Collective are well known to Haliburton through their performances in Dusk Dances Haliburton over the years. This year they have returned to the community as artists in residence in the Sculpture Forest. We posed the question: “What would happen if the Sculpture Forest came alive with movement and music?” Throwdown Collective are working with local artists to explore that question and to co-create The Sculpture Forest Re-imagined. Photo Gallery: < Previous Next >

Noelle Dupret Smith < Back Originally Published On: August 28, 2018 Originally Published By: Haliburton Sculpture Forest Everlasting Bonds Take Sculpted Form Written By: Noelle Dupret Smith One of the most endearing parts of my life is the 15 years I have spent being a sister. Your siblings are the people who even when you can’t see it, they’ve got your back no matter what. The person who lies for you when you try the new treadmill on the highest speed and slice your knee (sorry, Dad). My relationship with my brother makes these sculptures far more compelling for me. As you walk towards The Photo Shop you will notice sleek bronze sculpture, “Sun Sisters” by Tim Dolman. In an interview, with The Independent and Free Press of Georgetown, Tim recalled when he was 20 receiving a book on sculptures from his sister. He claims that this book was the reason why he started to see sculptures in a new light. A light that did not focus on the realism of the piece, but rather the emotions and personalities being depicted. In “Sun Sisters,” I feel a strong feeling of connection between the women. Their bodies are somewhat different, yet their heads are analogous; portraying a similar mindset and emotions. Also filled with emotions, is George Pratt’s salt and pepper granite sculpture: “Together We Explore the Wild...” found within the Sculpture Forest. This compelling piece was commissioned to honour the late Shawn Hagerman. Shawn was described as the ultimate family man and avid explorer of the wild. Having the two children on the back of the bear symbolized for me the relationship Shawn had with his children and the outdoors. I see Shawn in his afterlife continuing to be the loving and protective papa bear to his children while exploring what he loves with whom he loves. < Previous Article Next Article >

Work Decommissioned in 2017 Phillip Vander Weg is a professor of Art at Western Michigan University. He has held that post since 1989 and has been chair of the Department of Art for most of that time Vander Weg is also director of the WMU Sculpture Tour Program, which he founded in 1991. He received his MFA in Sculpture from The University of Michigan’s Horace Rackham School of Graduate Studies in 1968. He also has a BS in Design from The University of Michigan. As an artist, Vander Weg has been exhibited regularly since 1969. Venues include Frederick Meijer Sculpture Park and Gardens in Grand Rapids, Cleveland State College, The University of Tennessee, Clemson University, and The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, N.C. Awards and honors include a Purchase Award at The 1996 Allegro Festival Exhibition, winner of The Vanderbilt University Sculpture Competition for Heard Library Interior in 1986, and a Purchase Award in the Art Of The Eighties competition at The Tennessee State Museum (Nashville) in 1982. Since 1972, he has had in excess of 25 private commissions (completed) of major sculptures for clients in the Midwest and Southeast, and his works are in the public and corporate collections of, among many others, The Butler Museum of Art, Tennessee State Museum, New York State University at Potsdam, and Gulf & Western Industries in New York City. He is an active member of The National Association of Schools of Art and Design, The College Art Association, FATE: Foundations in Art: Theory and Education, and The International Sculpture Conference. < All Artists Phillip Vander Weg ABOUT SCULPTOR Artist Bio Work Decommissioned in 2017 Phillip Vander Weg is a professor of Art at Western Michigan University. He has held that post since 1989 and has been chair of the Department of Art for most of that time Vander Weg is also director of the WMU Sculpture Tour Program, which he founded in 1991. He received his MFA in Sculpture from The University of Michigan’s Horace Rackham School of Graduate Studies in 1968. He also has a BS in Design from The University of Michigan. As an artist, Vander Weg has been exhibited regularly since 1969. Venues include Frederick Meijer Sculpture Park and Gardens in Grand Rapids, Cleveland State College, The University of Tennessee, Clemson University, and The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, N.C. Awards and honors include a Purchase Award at The 1996 Allegro Festival Exhibition, winner of The Vanderbilt University Sculpture Competition for Heard Library Interior in 1986, and a Purchase Award in the Art Of The Eighties competition at The Tennessee State Museum (Nashville) in 1982. Since 1972, he has had in excess of 25 private commissions (completed) of major sculptures for clients in the Midwest and Southeast, and his works are in the public and corporate collections of, among many others, The Butler Museum of Art, Tennessee State Museum, New York State University at Potsdam, and Gulf & Western Industries in New York City. He is an active member of The National Association of Schools of Art and Design, The College Art Association, FATE: Foundations in Art: Theory and Education, and The International Sculpture Conference. Installed Sculptures Previous Sculpture Next Sculpture

Mike Baker < Back Originally Published On: January 27, 2021 Originally Published By: Haliburton Echo Dysart provides dollars, inkind support to Haliburton Sculpture Forest Written By: Mike Baker When Barb Bolin joined the volunteer committee of the Haliburton Sculpture Forest more than two decades ago, she would never have imagined the site would eventually become one of Ontario’s top tourist destinations. Beginning in earnest as a small community initiative in 2000, the vision for the Haliburton Sculpture Forest was clear – to bring more attention to the arts and create an easily accessible and inviting way for people to experience nature in our community. Starting out with three sculptures, installed within the forest inside Glebe Park, the site now boasts 37 hand-crafted sculptures and six “one-of-a-kind” benches created by professional artists from across the world. “Our goal was to bring together art, nature and recreation,” Bolin told Dysart et al council back in December. The inspiration for the site lies across the Atlantic – Grizedale Forest, a large national park tucked deep within England’s Lake District. The site is home to more than 100 sculptures and attracts over 150,000 visitors per year. Over the past 20 years, the committee charged with the operation of the Haliburton Sculpture Forest has raised and invested north of $350,000 in an attempt to establish a similar phenomenon on this side of the pond. Those years of hard work appeared to pay off last year, as more people than ever before travelled up to Haliburton to check the forest out. “This past summer and fall, people were motivated to find unique outdoor and cultural activities they could experience safely. That resulted in an explosion of social media attention, with people posting their experiences from the Haliburton Sculpture Forest,” Bolin said. “This resulted in, over a four month period, double the number of visitors, from 9,000 in 2019 to 18,000 this past summer.” She added, “We estimate, for the whole year, we have had around 30,000 visitors.” While the site garnered the attention of people on social media, it was also highlighted on several websites and blogs. The forest ranked fourth out of 20 sculpture gardens profiled by ToDoCanada.ca, and was the only site in Haliburton County included in the recently published book Unforgettable Ontario: 100 Destinations , written by Canadian author Noel Hudson. The forest was also ranked, by TripAdviser, as the second best attraction in Haliburton, behind only the Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve. Ontario’s Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries Lisa MacLeod noted the forest was “a perfect mix of nature and heritage” and that it “has an abundance of beauty and meaning” while visiting Haliburton this past summer. “One of the unique attractions of the sculpture forest is that it captures the interest of kids and adults alike, and has something for people from all walks of life and cultures,” Bolin said. “If you go for a walk in the summer, you can hear the forest being enjoyed in multiple languages. Because access is free, and pathways are fairly smooth and wide, it’s accessible both financially and physically.” The increased popularity, however, is starting to take a toll. Some areas of the forest are requiring regular maintenance, due to the number of people walking the trails, and it’s becoming difficult for the volunteer group to keep up. “ We have kept operational costs as low as possible, but we have realized this year the Haliburton Sculpture Forest has reached a tipping point. The dramatic increase in the number of visitors is causing wear and tear on pathways, and is impacting soil around the sculptures,” Bolin said. “The amount of litter has increased, and the number of guide maps needed has doubled.” She continued, “Moving forward, we need to make greater investment to maintain the site to ensure a good visitor experience.” Bolin said a new group, entitled Friends of the Haliburton Sculpture Forest, was being set up to promote the need for more community engagement and assistance in maintaining the park. Long-time committee members are also working alongside several other Glebe Park partners to establish what Bolin described as an endowment fund, which could over time turn into an annual source of funds to help offset the cost of running the forest. Those costs will increase to $32,000 in 2021, Bolin expects. She asked Dysart et al council if they would consider making an annual contribution of $12,500 to the sculpture forest operation. “Approximately 90 per cent of our funding is spent locally, and these funds go directly back into the local community,” Bolin said. “Over the past few years, Dysart has made significant investments into the downtown skate park, the arena, Head Lake Park, boat launches… We’re asking for a small annual investment from the municipality to maintain the forest as a cultural and tourism attraction.” Ward 4 Coun. John Smith wondered if the township could provide some form of in-kind work on an ongoing basis to lower the dollar amount requested. He suggested municipal staff could help with landscaping and general maintenance, something Jim Blake, another member of the sculpture forest committee, indicated would be helpful. Smith went on to suggest that the local sculpture forest committee should consider charging visitors both an entry fee and a parking fee, bringing up statistics from Grizedale Forest in England to drive home his point. “At Grizedale, they charge 8 pounds per day for people to park – that works out to around $15. They also sell annual memberships for around $75. There are some creative approaches that others use to draw more pocket change,” Smith stated. Bolin said the Haliburton Sculpture Forest has always been free to those interested in walking its trails, and that she would hate to ever see that change. At a budget meeting earlier this month, council decided to approve $5,000 in in-kind work for the sculpture forest, to be carried out by township staff, while also writing a cheque for $7,500 to cover other costs. There was a consensus that this would be a one-time funding for now, and that council would converse with the forest committee ahead of next year’s budget to see how they’re doing financially. Read the Original Article Here: https://haliburtonecho.ca/dysart-provides-dollars-inkind-support-to-haliburton-sculpture-forest/ < Previous Article Next Article >

2025 < All Sculptures 2025 Downtown Haliburton Sculpture Exhibition Contact Artist for Pricing Botanical Canoe Garrett Gilbert Botanical Canoe Originally created as part of a performance art piece in which the artist portaged a carved canoe along forgotten portage trails. This canoes has been installed as lighting features and re-imagined as an opulent hanging chandeliers, like a Moroccan pierce-work light with a Canadian twist. Garrett Gilbart Garrett is a professional sculptor from Douro, east of Peterborough Ontario Initially studying welding and fabrication at Sir Sandford Fleming College, before receiving their BFA from NSCAD University in Halifax, and briefly studied abroad at the Gerrit Rietveld Acadamie in Amsterdam. Garrett describes themself as “a carver of unnatural materials, instead of wood and stone, I carve discarded tools, car parts and other salvaged steel objects collected from the forests and scrapyards of rural Ontario”. Each piece is hand carved with a handheld plasma cutter, a welding torch used for melting and cutting steel. Often mounted on a computer controlled track system, Garrett’s skillful manipulation allows them to carve a variety of materials that are beyond the capabilities of even the most advanced robotics or lasers. Through the imaginative use of a precision fabrication tool the artist unlocks a dimension of creativity that cannot be achieved through the technical expertise of the engineer.Focusing on tools, their work explores the faded aura of utility and labour these tactile objects exude. Broken or discarded tools retain their symbolic dimension, as receptacles of personal narratives and cultural values, even after their initial purpose is spent.Additionally offering to create commissioned work using heirloom tools for individual clients to explore their shared history and relation to labour, craft and the tool object. Tools are often handed down well beyond their utilitarian function.The main body of work consists of salvaged metal hand tools, car parts and other steel objects intricately hand cut with historical textile patterns and motifs gleaned from the Arts and Craft movement. This practice is similarly grounded in a commitment to skilled craftsmanship, history and the accessibility of arts that the founders of the Arts and Craft movement were dedicated to. The most recent body of work is influenced by the silhouetted shapes of dead wildflowers over the long rural winter, these botanical forms are carefully re created, cut into the salvaged steel of object he finds in the forests, fields and local barns. The native floral elements spring from the steel of the found objects, merging the contexts of their existence within themselves. These objects range in size from a single screwdriver, to a full plow overgrown with a variety of local native wildflowers.This diverse body of work explores a range of relatable experiences with a dense web of access points for the viewer to engage with, both conceptually and emotionally.

Forest walk and artist talk. < All Events Induction of “Passage” Forest walk and artist talk. Wednesday, July 6, 2022 Wednesday, July 6, 2022 Address: Haliburton Sculpture Forest, College Drive, Haliburton, ON, Canada Media Coverage of Event In 2005, Gord Peteran created the “Red Doors” of the Haliburton School of Art + Design—the incredible grand entryway that is also a complex sculpture called “Vortex”. In 2021, thanks to a generous donation from Barb Bolin , the Haliburton Sculpture Forest was able to commission Gord to create the sculpture “Passage”. Although it was installed in the summer of 2021, this is our first chance to have people gather. Gord’s work is in public and private collections throughout North America. Photo Gallery: < Previous Next >

2018 < All Sculptures 2018 Downtown Haliburton Sculpture Exhibition Sold - Part of Sculpture Forest Collection Mother Earth Scott McKay Artist Contact Information 519-630-5155 scott@strongarmforge.com

Angus Sullivan < Back Originally Published On: August 8, 2017 Originally Published By: Haliburton Echo Embracing Eos Written By: Angus Sullivan Embracing Eos was created by Charles O’Neil in 2004. One of the joys of life in the Highlands is waking up early on the occasional morning to enjoy the sunrise. Sitting on your porch, dock, or on your way to work in the morning, you cannot help but marvel at the beauty of the dawn as the red rays of the sun creep over the horizon. “Embracing Eos” by Charles O’Neil is a tribute to the beauty of the dawn. O’Neil’s sculpture of a 14 foot man faces east, with arms uplifted, reaching towards the horizon as if he is embracing the sunrise. Eos was the Greek goddess of the dawn. Sister to Helios, god of the sun, Eos was said to have pulled back the curtain of dawn each day so her brother could ride the chariot of the sun across the sky. The red colours you see in the sky during the sunrise are Eos’ rosy fingers and arms as she pulls back the curtain. Eos was cursed by Aphrodite, for having slept with Ares, to have an insatiable desire for mortal men. This curse caused Eos to abduct many handsome men such Orion, Tithonus and Cleitus. The story of the man in O’Neil’s sculpture is unclear. Is he about to fall victim to Eos’ advances, is he simply admiring Eos’ beauty or is he a past lover of Eos, left behind as her advances turned upon another. Being a sculpture of black steel and dark wire standing removed from the main path of the sculpture forest, ‘Embracing Eos’ can be difficult to see at dusk. Some visitors have even reported that the sculpture has disappeared. However, when we check the next morning the man is there, standing on his rock looking towards the eastern sky. Who knows, perhaps he does walk the forest at night only to return each morning to greet the beautiful dawn. The Haliburton Sculpture Forest is located in Glebe Park on 297 College Drive. This unique collection of 36 sculptures by Canadian and international artists is open to the public, dawn to dusk, for your own discovery. Free guided tours occur on Tuesdays (10:00-11:00) and Wednesdays (12:10-12:50) in July and August. You can use the sculpture forest app (download PocketSights and search for Haliburton) or visit the website to learn more about the sculptures. www.haliburtonsculptureforest.ca < Previous Article Next Article >

Simon Chidharara was born in 1980 in Mutare in Nyanga, a beautiful mountainous region with a strong sculpting tradition located near the Mozambique border. He started sculpting at the age of 11, apprenticing with his older brother Kenneth, who is also represented by ZimArt. Simon completed his secondary education before deciding that he wanted to pursue his passion for carving full time. Learning is still important to him and he is voracious reader. “Any topic interests me,” he says. “Geography, history, science all influence human life and I like to find out more about what makes us do the things we do, and feel the way we feel.” Simon is one of the founding members of the Nyanga Arts Centre, a co-operative venture run by local artists in the Nyanga region. Having relocated to Chitungwiza following his residency with ZimArt in 2007, Simon is no longer a full time member but he remains connected to the Centre and still travels to Nyanga on a regular basis. He says the stone from the region is itself a vital source of inspiration to him and that he will always remain close to his rural roots. Indeed a strong influence in Simon's work is the natural world and man's connection to birds and animals. When he came to Canada in 2007 Simon was the first third-generation artist from the Nyanga region to travel overseas to represent himself and present his work directly to an international audience. He has long been popular with Canadian collectors who are drawn to the expressive range in his sculptures and the emotional depth. Simon's subjects are frequently women or “feminine spirits,” which are sometimes represented as mythical creatures. “Women are the centre of life,” he explains, “So I like to celebrate everything about them.” Simon has participated in several group exhibitions at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Mutare. His work has been bought by galleries and collectors from Holland, the UK, the US, South Africa, Canada and Germany. Simon Chidharara is represented in Canada exclusively by ZimArt. Phone: 705-939-6144 Email: zimart@sympatico.ca < All Artists Simon Chidharara ABOUT SCULPTOR Artist Bio Simon Chidharara was born in 1980 in Mutare in Nyanga, a beautiful mountainous region with a strong sculpting tradition located near the Mozambique border. He started sculpting at the age of 11, apprenticing with his older brother Kenneth, who is also represented by ZimArt. Simon completed his secondary education before deciding that he wanted to pursue his passion for carving full time. Learning is still important to him and he is voracious reader. “Any topic interests me,” he says. “Geography, history, science all influence human life and I like to find out more about what makes us do the things we do, and feel the way we feel.” Simon is one of the founding members of the Nyanga Arts Centre, a co-operative venture run by local artists in the Nyanga region. Having relocated to Chitungwiza following his residency with ZimArt in 2007, Simon is no longer a full time member but he remains connected to the Centre and still travels to Nyanga on a regular basis. He says the stone from the region is itself a vital source of inspiration to him and that he will always remain close to his rural roots. Indeed a strong influence in Simon's work is the natural world and man's connection to birds and animals. When he came to Canada in 2007 Simon was the first third-generation artist from the Nyanga region to travel overseas to represent himself and present his work directly to an international audience. He has long been popular with Canadian collectors who are drawn to the expressive range in his sculptures and the emotional depth. Simon's subjects are frequently women or “feminine spirits,” which are sometimes represented as mythical creatures. “Women are the centre of life,” he explains, “So I like to celebrate everything about them.” Simon has participated in several group exhibitions at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Mutare. His work has been bought by galleries and collectors from Holland, the UK, the US, South Africa, Canada and Germany. Simon Chidharara is represented in Canada exclusively by ZimArt. Phone: 705-939-6144 Email: zimart@sympatico.ca Article About Chidharara Installed Sculptures Musical Inspiration Previous Sculpture Next Sculpture

2025 < All Sculptures 2025 Downtown Haliburton Sculpture Exhibition $1800.00 Soul of A Boy Carole Chaloupka Burton Soul of a Boy This work is part of the "Fragile Masculinity" series, inspired by men and boys who struggle to find acceptance for the more vulnerable parts of their natures in a world that often doesn’t make space for the softer incarnations of masculinity. In particular, this work is an art-based response to the loss of the artist’s younger brother, and the manifestation of her compassion and concern for the men and boys who feel pressured to abandon the more tender sides of their natures in order to conform. Sculpted in water-based clay, a mold was then made to cast subsequent limited editions. Carole Chaloupka Burton Carole received her Master of Fine Arts at Toronto’s OCAD University and her BA (Hons) at Sunderland University in her native North East England. Carole specializes in evocative portraiture and figurative sculpture that captures fleeting moments of inner reflection that are both deeply private, and vastly universal. Her sensitive expressive work explores the embodied experience of having memories, thoughts, emotions and intuition contained within our bodies, and seeks to give form to these invisible and difficult-to-articulate feelings and sensations. Themes within Carole’s work include vulnerability, meaning-making and our achingly bittersweet knowledge of the impermanence of embodied mortal life.