Youkie Stagg < Back Originally Published On: January 1, 2016 Originally Published By: Haliburton Echo Musical Inspiration Written By: Youkie Stagg “The musical instrument in this sculpture has a natural bond and connection to human life. Music entertains and educates us and speaks a universal language. The Dolomite lines represent the lyrics accompanying the music from the guitar. The lady is listening to the inspiring lyrics and music and it gives her happiness and peace. Music can do that.” – Simon Chidharara. Simon found the springstone used for “Musical Inspiration” in a mountain side quarry in Zimbabwe (where he lives) and was inspired to make this sculpture. He and his friends carried the rock down the mountain to his studio. The smooth sections of the piece were sanded with seven grades of sandpaper then the rock was heated to open up its pores and it was then polished with wax. The white lines were formed by cutting grooves into the stone and filling them with crushed dolomite. Chidharara is represented in Canada by ZimArt’s Rice Lake Gallery. The Sculpture Forest, located in Glebe Park, Haliburton, offers free guided tours each Tuesday from 10-11:30 am and a shorter “Curator Selection” tour on Wednesday from 12:10–12:50. Meet at the kiosk in the Fleming College parking lot. www.haliburtonsculptureforest.ca < Previous Article Next Article >

Peterborough born Don Frost had his future path laid out for him by winning first prize in a city wide art exposition at age six in grade one. The following year at age seven, Don had a group showing at the Peterborough Public Library. Public school had its usual trials and tribulations and it was not until grade 10 that Don discovered that he was colour blind to all but the primary colours. At this point Don’s life took a right turn and sculpture was all that he focused on. Don teamed up with a friend in grade 11 who became his art agent and they enjoyed considerable success in the Peterborough area. After high school Don took some time off to do his art and apprentice as a mechanic for a year. In 1973-74 he attended Sheridan Art College followed by a decision to become a professional sculptor having just received a major commission for a large 15' tall sculpture for a new mall being built in Peterborough, Ontario. This was followed by the creation of the largest sculpture in Canada in 1983 by winning a competition for an indoor work for the Michael Starr Building in Oshawa, Ontario. Always seeking new outlets for art Don acquired an art agent in Ottawa which led to an introduction to a patron who kept Don busy creating more than 40 sculptures in a period of twenty years. Don’s work internationally was recently a commission for four large works for a garden in Club Medjulis in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Previously to this in an expansive design project by the late King Hussein for a 1.6 km wall of huge relief panels commemorating the history of Jordan, Don’s work on six of these panels was accepted by King Abdullah. Experiencing greater notoriety for the global uniqueness of his art, Don was presented with awards from Peterborough County and commemorated in the Walk of Fame. Presently Don has art representatives across the United States and Canada. Email: don.frost@sympatico.ca < All Artists Don Frost ABOUT SCULPTOR Artist Bio Peterborough born Don Frost had his future path laid out for him by winning first prize in a city wide art exposition at age six in grade one. The following year at age seven, Don had a group showing at the Peterborough Public Library. Public school had its usual trials and tribulations and it was not until grade 10 that Don discovered that he was colour blind to all but the primary colours. At this point Don’s life took a right turn and sculpture was all that he focused on. Don teamed up with a friend in grade 11 who became his art agent and they enjoyed considerable success in the Peterborough area. After high school Don took some time off to do his art and apprentice as a mechanic for a year. In 1973-74 he attended Sheridan Art College followed by a decision to become a professional sculptor having just received a major commission for a large 15' tall sculpture for a new mall being built in Peterborough, Ontario. This was followed by the creation of the largest sculpture in Canada in 1983 by winning a competition for an indoor work for the Michael Starr Building in Oshawa, Ontario. Always seeking new outlets for art Don acquired an art agent in Ottawa which led to an introduction to a patron who kept Don busy creating more than 40 sculptures in a period of twenty years. Don’s work internationally was recently a commission for four large works for a garden in Club Medjulis in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Previously to this in an expansive design project by the late King Hussein for a 1.6 km wall of huge relief panels commemorating the history of Jordan, Don’s work on six of these panels was accepted by King Abdullah. Experiencing greater notoriety for the global uniqueness of his art, Don was presented with awards from Peterborough County and commemorated in the Walk of Fame. Presently Don has art representatives across the United States and Canada. Email: don.frost@sympatico.ca Artist Website Installed Sculptures Depth Previous Sculpture Next Sculpture

Sayde Demers < Art Huts Location Art Hut 3 Directions Art Hut 3 is located at the Eastern edge of the Sculpture Forest, close to the water. To find Art Hut 3: Walk to 27. Together We Explore the Wild, Art Hut 3 is located behind this sculpture Installation Start: March 1, 2023 Installation End: August 31, 2023 Sayde Demers The Mystery Shack, 2023 Mixed media installation made of found objects, sculptural elements and vitrines The Mystery Shack is a captivating exploration of the intersection between art, nature, and the surreal. Reminiscent of an historic Cabinet of Curiosities—a curated collection of objects that represent moments in time, as well as the exotic interests of its collector—this installation challenges our perceptions of what is natural and what is real. The works showcased are designed to create a sense of intrigue and wonder—drawing the audience into a world that is at once familiar and yet, strangely foreign. By featuring animals with bizarre and fantastical characteristics, this installation aims to explore the boundaries of our imagination and challenge our understanding of the natural world. Can we think beyond our industrialized and digitized present to a future where all creatures can co-exist without having to be placed in a museum or zoo, in order to appreciate the wonders of our earthly paradise? About the Artist Sayde Demers Sayde Demers brings memories from childhood to life with her awesome imagination and playful creativity.Growing up in a concrete suburban jungle (Oakville, ON), she found herself yearning for nature and finding inspiration and comfort within the natural world. Through the use of different materials, a unique palette and out-of-the-box thinking, Demers is able to splatter her imagination onto anything she touches. Unable to conform to one medium, Sayde has developed her skills in painting, fibre art, ceramics, sculpture and assemblage, in order to present her mixed media works. Spontaneous and fun, with some darkness thrown in for good measure, her artworks deliver a creative vibe that’s reminiscent of the carefree attitudes most of us have experienced as children. Instagram: @sayde.fuse Sayde Demers is an Integrated Design Diploma student at Fleming College's Haliburton School of Art and Design. Previous Next

Noelle Dupret Smith < Back Originally Published On: August 7, 2018 Originally Published By: Haliburton Sculpture Forest Sculptures Redefined Written By: Noelle Dupret Smith Have you walked past the large, compelling sculpture in downtown Haliburton in front of Wind in the Willows Spa? That is “This Side Up #9 “Shall We Dance” by Michael Truelove. At first glance, this sculpture looks like a many-faceted hexagon. This piece piques my curiosity—demanding a closer look. In reality the sculpture is a deconstructed cube, however the artist has manipulated the flat pieces of steel so that the sculpture looks as if it is jumping towards main street. A black, steel sculpture in the Sculpture Forest, also requiring a deeper look, is “Terminus” by Marianne Reim. It stands mysteriously on a large boulder; set back from the path. Look closely and you can see hands covering a face; while a winged shape covers the head. I get a lot of interesting reactions to this sculpture from people on tours. For my group last week, it brought to mind “The Flying Nun” from the 1970’s sitcom. For me, a more sombre interpretation resonates. This sculpture was acquired in 2002, the beginning of the war in Afghanistan. Pictures of women in burkas were in the news. For some people, the sculpture evoked this image. Look closer still and you see a barbed-wire ring on a finger—does this allude to an unwanted marriage or losing a partner at war? The longer you think about it, the more poignant the story. That is the great part about sculptures, everyone sees them differently. Sometimes you just need to look a little deeper to find your own story. Please wander down main street of Haliburton and see the Downtown Sculpture exhibition and visit Haliburton Sculpture Forest. The Sculpture Forest offers free tours, Tuesdays 10:00–11:30am and Wednesdays 12:10–12:50pm. You can see the Sculpture Forest in motion tonight (August 7) as the contemporary dance company, Throwdown Collective, performs with local artists (5:00pm picnic, 6:00-7:30pm show). www.haliburtonsculptureforest/re-imagined < Previous Article Next Article >

An extraordinary performing arts experience. < All Events Sculpture Forest Re-imagined 2019 An extraordinary performing arts experience. Tuesday, July 30, 2019 Wednesday, July 31, 2019 Address: Haliburton Sculpture Forest, College Drive, Haliburton, ON, Canada More About DH3 Join us for an extraordinary performing arts experience. Featuring: Acclaimed contemporary dance company: Throwdown Collective Cellist/Violinist: Bethany Houghton Blues/Rock Trio: Dark is our Danger And more. Be touched by magic at one of four shows when the sculptures come alive. Tuesday July 30th and Wednesday July 31st. 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Haliburton Sculpture Forest in Glebe Park, Haliburton. Arrive at College Drive or Museum Rd. Event starts in Glebe Park field. Wear comfortable shoes. This is a walk about, pay what you can event. A unique experience guaranteed. The Sculpture Forest is in motion! Space is limited. You must preregister online. Bring a copy of your registration to the show. No dogs allowed. Thank you to our sponsors: Photo Gallery: < Previous Next >

Youkie Stagg < Back Originally Published On: January 1, 2016 Originally Published By: Haliburton Echo Fire and Ice: A Really Big Shoe Written By: Youkie Stagg Local artist Charles O’Neil is well known for his wire sculptures of animal and human figures. It was not until shoe designer, Stuart Weitzman approached O’Neil at The Buyers Market of American Craft in Philadelphia and asked him to create a shoe sculpture for his corporate art collection that O’Neil branched into non-figurative forms. When Barb Bolin, principal of Fleming College’s Haliburton campus, retired after 35 years, her friends and co-workers created a fund to honour her with a sculpture of her choice. She asked O’Neil if he would create larger version of a shoe for the Sculpture Forest. Since O’Neil already had created a wire sculpture (Embracing Eos) for the Sculpture Forest, Bolin knew that he would be able to adapt his shoe design for the outdoors. The piece is made of stainless steel wire, steel rods, red glass beads from the Czech Republic, and clear, faceted glass beads from China. The Sculpture Forest, in Glebe Park, Haliburton, offers free guided tours each Tuesday from 10-11:30 am and a shorter “Curator Selection” tour on Wednesday from 12:10 – 12:50. Meet at kiosk in the Fleming College parking lot. www.haliburtonsculptureforest.ca < Previous Article Next Article >

To Do Canada Editorial Team < Back Originally Published On: September 17, 2022 Originally Published By: To Do Canada Hike Haliburton Highlands: 15 Hikes & Lookouts For Glorious Fall Colours Written By: To Do Canada Editorial Team Hike Haliburton Highlands to experience the stunning colours of the autumn season in Ontario. Popularly known as Haliburton Highlands , the county of Haliburton, comprised of Algonquin Highlands, Dysart et al, Highlands East and Minden Hills, is an extremely popular destination to enjoy the fall season with tree canopy ranging from deep green to soft hues of yellow and gold to bright reds depending on the time and place (type of trees present) of your visit. While hot warm summers will lead to fall colours appearing later in the season (well into October), cooler summers will see fall colours peaking much before Thanksgiving weekend. The fall colours that you see will also vary depending on the tree. Maple trees turn auburn because their leaves are rich in anthocyanins, a compound responsible for the glorious hues of red colour. Poplar, Birch and Tamarack (larch) trees have carotenoids and xanthophylls which results in hues of yellow, gold and orange leaf colours. Fall in Love With Maple: Taste & Hike Through Brilliant Colours of Fall at Ontario Maple Farms Around the fourth weekend of September, Haliburton tourism organizes a hiking festival (2022 – September 22 to 25). Hike Haliburton Festival is Canada’s largest hiking festival and includes guided hikes, and various Fall themed experiences. While you have to register for the guided hikes , you can always head to Haliburton anytime from mid-September to late October/early November to enjoy nature during the Fall season. Appreciate stunning masterpieces surrounded by brilliant colours of Fall at Haliburton Sculpture Forest. Read the Original Article Here: https://www.todocanada.ca/hike-haliburton-highlands-15-hikes-lookouts-for-glorious-fall-colours/ < Previous Article Next Article >

Angus Sullivan < Back Originally Published On: August 1, 2017 Originally Published By: Haliburton Echo Homesteaders Written By: Angus Sullivan Work created by Jake Mol in 2004. As a local resident, it is easy to forget about the number of interesting places there are to explore in Haliburton County. When you enter Glebe Park, from the parking lot of the Haliburton School of Art + Design, you quickly realize that this is one of those places. On any day of the summer you will see people bustling in and out of the College with tools, art supplies and work in progress; there will be families gathered at the information kiosk looking at the maps of the park and Sculpture Forest. As you walk into the park you will see dog-walkers, joggers, and multi-generational groups exploring the Haliburton Highlands Museum’s 1870’s era farmstead and heading on the path toward the entrance of the Haliburton Sculpture Forest. The first sculpture you will see is “The Homesteaders.” A whimsical portrayal of a family (mother, father, son, and dog) created out of old telephone poles and an eclectic mix of tools, hardware and farm equipment. The mother and father are “holding” paintings of the farmstead. You have to wonder what this family is doing there. For that, you have to look into the mind of the sculptor, Jake Mol. Jake Mol, a long-time member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, has his art in many collections around the world such as his charcoal portrait of Chief Joseph at the Crazy Horse Museum of South Dakota. For many years, Jake Mol was an instructor at the College and took his en plein air (outdoor painting) students to paint the historic farmstead. As the Sculpture Forest began to grow, Jake wanted to do something to connect it to the farmstead. This led to the creation of “The Homesteaders”. The family, representing the people who might have lived in the farmstead, are made out of materials they would have used to make a life for themselves in the tough Haliburton landscape. They proudly hold up portraits (painted by Jake) of their home. It makes one pause to think about what objects would be used to portray today’s residents of Haliburton. 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 >

Angus Sullivan < Back Originally Published On: August 22, 2017 Originally Published By: Haliburton Echo Pan Written By: Angus Sullivan Pan was created by George Pratt in 2003. “Pan” is a startling sculpture to find in the sculpture forest. It is difficult to make out what the thing leaning against a tree and playing the flute actually is. The fellow has horns, hoofs, and the face of a goat, but it sits against the tree and plays an instrument like a human. This puzzling figure is the Greek god Pan. Pan was the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks. He also had the pleasure of being half goat and half human. Pratt’s interpretation of the fellow is more goat than human. Pan would often chase after the beautiful wood nymphs that strayed into the forests where he lived. He was especially fond of one nymph named Syrinx. Syrinx, put off by Pan’s startling appearance, would often run away from his advances. One day, while pursued by Pan, she ran to the river and begged the river nymphs to hide her. Just as Pan was about to catch her, they turned her into a water reed and hid her among the reeds in the river. The story goes that after hearing the wind blow through the reeds, the frustrated Pan plucked some reeds and fashioned them into a musical instrument. He named the instrument the Syrinx, but it later became known as the Pan flute. Pratt’s sculpture shows Pan playing his distinctive flute hoping Syrinx will hear the music and come to him. The sculpture was carved out of a 19 000 pound block of salt and pepper granite. In the process of carving the sculpture, Pratt removed more than 7000 pounds of stone. This is even more impressive when you take into account that he accomplished this feat carving outside in Haliburton in the middle of black fly season. 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 >

Megan Johnson < Back Originally Published On: August 11, 2022 Originally Published By: Narcity Toronto This Easy Hiking Trail In Ontario Is An Immersive Art Gallery & It's Full Of Sculptures Written By: Megan Johnson You can walk through an enchanted park in Ontario , full of so many grand sculptures you'll think you're at an art gallery. Haliburton Sculpture Forest is an easy trail of loops that are full of giant works of art. From a conspiracy of ravens and a bright blue horse replica to a giant high-heel shoe and towering rainbow leaf, there are so many different pieces of art to discover along the 1.4 kilometres of trails. What began as a simple trail with three sculptures in Glebe Park is now a full outdoor museum boasting 34 unique sculptures and six artsy benches created by both Canadian and international artists. There is a self-guided tour app that can be downloaded to your phone if you're the type that loves to read information boards and learn about each work of art at a museum. You can search "Haliburton" on the Pocksights Tour Guide app to follow a recommended route of the forest, complete with sculpture descriptions. There are weekly guided tours in the summer that you can join for free. The tours begin at 10 a.m. each Tuesday during the months of July and August and last about two hours. The trail loops are open year-round. Entrance to the park is free but donations are welcome and you'll find donation boxes at the entrance and along the trails. Donations for the summer guided tour are also appreciated. Price: Entrance by donation Address: 297 College Dr., Haliburton, ON Why You Need To Go: You can wander through an outdoor art gallery, admiring giant sculptures as you bask in the sun. Read the Original Article Here: https://www.narcity.com/toronto/this-easy-hiking-trail-in-ontario-is-a-free-art-gallery-it-s-full-of-sculptures < Previous Article Next Article >

Angus Sullivan < Back Originally Published On: August 15, 2017 Originally Published By: Haliburton Echo Flying Debris Written By: Angus Sullivan Flying Debris was created by Leo Sepa and installed 2016. A sculpture that flew under the radar last summer was the whimsical piece “Flying Debris” by sculptor Leo Sepa. It was donated by Nancy Jackson and Terry Anderson late last summer and in one foul swoop was swiftly installed to become a part of our collection. Found objects are at the heart of this piece, suitably named “Flying Debris”. Retired tools, hardware, and rebar, taken from farms around the county, have been welded into the shape of one of our most distinctive local birds, the blue heron. The piece exudes wit in the title and whimsy in the execution. Starting its life as a weather vane on a farm, “Flying Debris” is the only sculpture in the sculpture forest that is fully kinetic. The heron has a bird’s eye view of the forest perched on the top of a short pole sticking out from a boulder beside the forest path. With a wingspan of two meters, the bird is an impressive sight. Found in the middle of a forest, it is rare for the wind to blow hard enough to move the old weather vane. Visitors to the forest can see it in motion by pushing the heron’s feet lying closer to the path. If you come to visit the sculpture forest, make sure to give “Flying Debris” a spin along your way. Leo Sepa established Iron Jive studio in Minden in 1997. Coming from a long line of blacksmiths, Leo uses a combination of traditional techniques and some new technologies in his work. He enjoys working with recycled materials. “Moose Scraps”, a moose made out of old farm equipment, is also by Leo Sepa. 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 >

Tucked into the forest lie three Art Huts with unique art installations within each. Meet the bees that inspire part Lurch's work. < All Events Art Hut Installation: Seeing the Forest For the Bees Tucked into the forest lie three Art Huts with unique art installations within each. Meet the bees that inspire part Lurch's work. Wednesday, March 1, 2023 Friday, August 25, 2023 Address: Haliburton Sculpture Forest, College Drive, Haliburton, ON, Canada More About the Installation About 75% of North American plant species require an insect—mostly bees—to move their pollen from one plant to another to effect pollination. We are familiar with non-native honeybees, but most pollination is done by wild bees. There are more than 400 kinds of wild bees in Ontario—a third of native bee species are reliant on forest habitat. Wild bees are hard to see unless they've landed on something or they're dead, I wanted for them to be seen and their vital role in our ecosystem recognized. The wire describes a shape, but you can see through it. I thought it would be a perfect way to capture that strength of the structure of the bee and get a sense of that invisibility as they move through space. These magnified wild bees as wire sculptures, allow the viewer to encounter a fly-by of bees—a reminder to us of our connection to the land, how plants are pollinated and food is produced. These bee sculptures invite the viewer to notice, look closer and wonder at the variety and the beauty of bees. Photo Gallery: < Previous Next >