Helson Gallery
EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS

Halton Hills, Ontario 

The Launch & Reception

The Kindred Spirits exhibition launched in Georgetown on August 10 – it was a gloriously beautiful, sunny and warm summer afternoon. Maud herself would have approved! The reception was held in the gorgeous Helson Gallery at the Halton Hills Cultural Centre. The Halton Hills Cultural Centre is a retrofitted historic 1877 limestone Neo-Gothic church building that houses the Helson Art Gallery, plus the public library, and a 260-seat theatre. The stained-glass windows in the Helson Gallery are from the original church, adding a certain level of grace and celebration to any event held therein. (It should be noted that Georgetown was selected as one of the venues for the Kindred Spirits exhibition due to its proximity to Norval, the small town where L.M. Montgomery lived from 1926 to 1935.)

With nary an empty seat, launch attendees were fortunate to hear words from a variety of guest speakers:

   Lois Fraser

A member of the Board of Directors for the LMM Museum and Literary Centre, spoke first. A long-time resident of the Georgetown area, she played a pivotal role in the acquisition of the Norval Presbyterian Manse, which is intended to serve as the Museum and Literary Centre. (The manse is where Maud and her husband, the Reverend Ewan Macdonald, resided while he was minister at the neighbouring church.) The Museum and Literary Centre is still in its growth stage, and Lois made a passionate plea for continued support and donations.

   Barb Helander

Coordinator of the Kindred Spirits Exhibition, spoke about the Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild (CBBAG) and how the members’ works in the exhibition reflect the various disciplines that are found in the craft of bookbinding: traditional bookbinding, book artistry, calligraphy, letter-press printing, paper decoration, and box making. Barbara also thanked the many people and organizations instrumental in bringing the Kindred Spirits exhibit to life.

   Kathy Wasylenky

Author and former president of the Lucy Maud Montgomery Society of Ontario, spoke next. Kathy is an expert on the life of Montgomery, and she presented some delightful tidbits about Maud based on her recently published book, The Life of L.M. Montgomery as Mrs. Ewan Macdonald.

   Janet Wilson

Author and illustrator, was the final guest speaker. Her presentation revolved around her new book, Maud of Green Gables, the story of L.M. Montgomery told through the backdrop of Janet’s artwork. Her presentation focused on the inspiration behind her artwork and the evolution of her paintings for this book project.

After the speeches, all were invited to view the exhibit and enjoy a piece of birthday cake to celebrate Maud’s 150th birthday!

The Make & Take Event
On the first day of Ontario Culture Days, Kindred Spirits and CBBAG hosted a Make & Take at the Helson Gallery. The event took place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 21. Members of the public were invited to drop in and learn the first steps of bookbinding, including how to make a 5-hole pamphlet. But it wasn’t just any pamphlet; they were creating an excellent souvenir that resembled one of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s scrapbooks! There was a steady stream of people eager to learn about bookbinding and keen to take home their pamphlet about Maud. Barb Helander and Stu Hill from George Hill & Co. were the CBBAG instructors on hand.

The Make & Take event was also the final day that the Kindred Spirits exhibition was at the Halton Hills Cultural Centre. We are very grateful to Kara Bruce and to folks from the Halton Hills Public Library for being such wonderful hosts!

 The Lucy Maud Montgomery Bookbinding Exhibit — Helson Gallery Video

You’re probably familiar with author Lucy Maud Montgomery. After all she’s the author of Anne of Green Gables, one of Canada’s most beloved novels, but did you know she lived in the Halton region for about a decade? This was one of the reasons why Halton Hills was chosen as a stop for a special exhibit showcasing the art of bookbinding, videographer Craig McNicoll has more.