Meet The Team

Board of Directors - Chair
Barb Bolin
Barb Bolin is the former Principal/Dean of the Haliburton Campus of Fleming College and the Haliburton School of Art + Design and is the founding chair of the Haliburton Sculpture Forest.
She has been involved in Community Development through her involvement with many, many organizations including leadership roles at The Arts Council ~ Haliburton Highlands, Abbey Gardens, Haliburton County Development Corporation and Rails End Gallery.

Board of Directors - Vice Chair
Annette Blady
Annette Blady was born in 1956 in Toronto, Canada. She graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design in 1980. During the 1980’s, as a partner in an architectural technology company, she rose to international prominence as an interior designer, creating works for major projects such as The Nieman Marcus Center in Chicago, Harbourfront in Toronto and The World Financial Centre in Battery Park, New York City. Annette retired from design work in 1989 to pursue a full-time career in fine art. Exhibiting internationally, her work can now be found in many prominent galleries and private collections in Canada, the United States, and in Europe. Her broad repertoire ranges from artworks of chromatic exuberance to soft and poignant elegance. Annette’s eclectic style uses textured exotic papers and fabrics, cut glass, and metallic acrylic, as mixed media collage painting, linking motifs from ancient symbolism with those of modern design and abstract expressionism.
Annette has been a Board member for over 10 years.

Board of Directors - Secretary
Jenny Rieger
Jenny Rieger has a Master's in Dance History from York University and a Master's of Museum Studies from the University of Toronto. A social historian, she worked with a number of Toronto historic house museums ending up as the Site Co-ordinator of The Grange and the Co-ordinator of the Information Guides at the Art Gallery of Ontario. She has her professional certification in Cultural Sector Leadership and Historic Site Preservation from the University of Victoria. She was the Chair of the National Historic Sites Alliance of Ontario, Chair of the Toronto Preservation Board and on the Executive of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario.
"I live close to the Sculpture Forest and am able to walk my dog through it most days. I have three favourite pieces: Curled Figures—Susan Low-Beer; Musical Inspiration—Simon Chidharara, and Sleep of the Huntress—Doug Stephens. It is the massiveness, shape and texture of the works that appeals to me."
Jenny has been on the Board since 2017.

Board of Directors - Treasurer
Scott Walling
Scott Michael Walling is a multi-disciplinary artist who moved to the Haliburton Highlands in 2015 to attend Haliburton School of Art + Design. Falling in love with the area, he wanted to become a part of the Highlands community and slowly joined several boards and committees. After purchasing a house in Haliburton, Scott is here to stay, pursuing his career as an artist while staying community focused. Scott has been a Board member since fall of 2019.

Board of Directors
Scott Childs
Bio coming soon.

Board of Directors
Rose Pearson
Bio coming soon.

Board of Directors
Lorry Brandon
Bio coming soon.

Staff - Curator
Jim Blake
Jim was involved in the original development of the Haliburton Sculpture Forest and has served as its Curator since it opened in 2001. He studied fine art at University of Guelph, York University and the New School of Art, and exhibited his work as a visual artist in the 1970’s and 80’s. Jim is also a writer and storyteller and has performed at festivals and venues across Canada.
In 2002, under the umbrella of the Haliburton County Development Corporation, Jim undertook the responsibility to work with artists and the arts, culture and heritage organizations in the region to form the Arts Council~Haliburton Highlands. He served as the Arts Council Co-ordinator until 2008.
In addition to his role as the Sculpture Forest Curator, Jim works as a facilitator, consultant, project manager and educator. Since 2002 he has worked with the Haliburton County Development Corporation as their Community Economic Development Consultant. In this role he works with the not-for-profit sector, businesses, business associations, municipalities and other levels of government to facilitate community economic development.
Jim serves as the president of the Haliburton County Community Co-operative which provides support for a wide range of community initiatives in the areas of the arts, heritage, active living and community-based research.

Staff - Summer 2023 Outreach and Program Coordinator
Kate Van Parys
Bio coming soon.