Acadia

 

"Acadia"

14 x 11", acrylic on mounted aluminium panel, 2021

painting #283

The Deportation Cross is located in Horton Landing Nova Scotia. It was conceived by René-Arthur Fréchette. In 1924, the gothic style cross was originally erected near a railway about a mile from the memorial church at the national historic site of Grand-Pré. In 2005, it was relocated to its current spot after archeologists determined and believed to be the exact location where the Acadians waited and boarded ships during the deportation of 1755.

This site along the Gaspereau River also includes the New England Planters Monument, dedicated to the settlers who took over the vacated land of Annapolis Valley between 1759 and 1768. A silvery ancient elm tree, believed to be 175 years old once stood only a few paces from the cross. The humongous tree was brought down during a powerful storm in November 2010. Years earlier, it had died from Dutch Elm disease and was bare of its bark and leaves. It had been hit by lightning a few times, still it stood and was admired for its resilience until the storm.  Artists Alex Colville and Tom Forrestall both painted the tree while it was still alive. In the 1984 NFB documentary film, The Splendour of Order, Alex Colville mentions that it was believed that the tree had stood there since the deportation of the Acadians. Colville has also painted the deportation cross while it was at its original location. During the same documentary, the camera follows him while he makes his way to the cross, makes a preliminary drawing and takes measurements. 

ALEX COLVILLE

"French Cross", 56.5 x 80 cm 

acrylic on hardboard,

1988, private collection

My wife Suzanne, Sept. 2020

Cross at its current location, Horton Landing, NS.

This painting is infused with symbolism. The imagery that appears on the Barbours baking powder tin can is of the Evangeline Well and commemorative church at Grand-Pré. Making this a sister painting to my previous post. Barbours is a family owned business right here in New Brunswick. It's as old as Canada itself. It was founded in 1867 in Saint John, NB by George L. and William Barbour. It is renown for its spices, baking ingredients, tea blends and mostly for King Cole Orange Pekoe Tea which was introduced in 1910. The business relocated to Sussex, NB in 1966. Of course, baking powder is one of the ingredients used to make the dumplings in a hearty Acadian fricot.

The site of the cross now serves as a memorial. The small folding seat/table belonged to my late mother. She specifically bought it to attend an outdoor mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II in 1984 during his papal visit to Canada and stop in Moncton. The yellow dandelions represents the Acadians past and present that remained rooted on their homeland. The dandelion globes, much like when a gust of wind breaks and separated the sphere, then spreads the seeds everywhere, represent the Acadians that against their will were deported mostly back to France and along the seaboard of the13 American Colonies.  

This is actually the second time I paint the Deporation Cross. The first time was in 2008 with my painting, "Reflecting on Being Acadian" when I painted Clive Doucet brilliant biographical book, Notes from Exile, featuring Alex Colville's "French Cross" on the book's jacket cover. Click HERE to view. 

This painting will be part of a small solo show entitled "Art-ifacts", hosted by the Fog Forest Gallery in Sackville, NB from October 14 to November 5, 2021.

 Unfortunately, in order for the gallery to remain open during the pandemic while keeping everybody safe, the gallery director and I came to the decision that it was safer not to hold an opening reception. The public however will be able to visit the gallery at their leisure during the run of the exhibition. The gallery is open on Thursday and Friday from 10 am - 5 pm. or by appointment.

   

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

-SOLD

Evangeline Well, Grand-Pré

 

"Evangeline Well, Grand-Pré (Puits Évangéline, Grand-Pré),

14 x 11", acrylic on mounted aluminium panel, 2021

painting #281

Last summer I was invited to take part in an up-coming 2021 exhibition at the West Baton Rouge Museum in Louisiana that pays an homage to Evangeline, the legendary Acadian literary heroine from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem of the same name,  The timing was perfect as we were leaving the following week for a Nova Scotia getaway as the NB-NS border had reopened earlier during the summer for tourists of the Atlantic, Canada bubble during the pandemic. We made our way to Grand-Pré, located in the bucolic region of Annapolis Valley. The historic site and grounds were open to the public. However, the statue of Evangeline by sculptor Louis-Philippe Hébert had a barricade behind it during our visit and was going to be removed the following day for restauration. A small ceremony was held during the month of July 2020 to commemorate the statue's 100 anniversary. The commemorative church had scaffolding around its perimeter and was also undergoing restaurative work. The church which was built in 1922 will also be turning 100. It was reopened to the public by this summer. 

  

My wife Suzanne with the Evangeline statue and commemorative church. 

-photo taken during a previous visit, September, 2018.

Self, September, 2020

I first read Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic poem Evangeline in 2017. Longfellow's tale written in 1874 would become a lasting legacy and a gift to the Acadian people. It would forever give them a sense of identity and help define the plight of the Acadians to the rest of the world.

While Evangeline is a fictitious character possibly based on a real person. She is perceived as an iconic and allegorical figure to the Acadians for her qualities of steadfastness, fortitude, strength, devotion and love.

During the deportation of Acadians in 1755, my 6th time grand-father, Michel Richard was deported from Fort Beauséjour to Charleston, SC where he died shortly thereafter. Avoiding the deportation, his wife and children had exiled themselves to Prince Edward Island as tension was mounting with the British. To pay homage to my ancestors and the author, I returned on the grounds of Fort Beauséjour, located in Aulac, NB and used it as the setting for the first two paintings done in 2017 & 2019. In the poem, Longfellow writes,

 Shaking his head, as in doubt; then, heaving a sigh, he continued:- "Louisbourg is not forgotten nor Beauséjour, nor Port Royal".

This painting is my third study using the same props. I wanted to create a full-circle moment by returning Evangeline to her homeland of Grand-Pré, Nova Scotia. The Evangeline Well was discovered by treasure hunters at the end of the 19th century.  It is located directly to the right of the commemorative church in Grand-Pré. My previous two paintings had ginger-ale inside the bottle. For this rendition, I decided to leave the bottle empty, as if returning to the well to fill it with water and as a means of symbolism and for what Grand-Pré and Évangéline represents to the Acadians which for many, also serves as a pilgrimage site. A bust of Longfellow is located about 50 meters from the well. The Grand-Pré historic site was established in 1908 and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. 

The exhibition "Evangeline, Evolution of an Icon", organized by the West Baton Rouge Museum, provides a glimpse into Evangeline’s evolving status from her inception through today as a legend and heroine, to a brand image and celebrity, and ultimately into a cultural icon. Inspiring writers, artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs, Evangeline has appeared in many guises. Along the way, her image morphed from that of a demure Victorian-era maiden into a confident modern woman. This exhibition includes artworks by Canadian and Louisiana artists, including François Gaudet, Rémi Belliveau, Mario Doucette, Alvin Richard, Melissa Bonin, and George Rodrigue among several others as well as artifacts and paraphernalia to demonstrate Evangeline’s transformation and her timeless appeal. The exhibit opens Saturday, May 15 and runs through October 31st. 

photos provided by Lauren Hawthorne, curator of collection

The West Baton Rouge Museum is located at 845 N Jefferson Ave, Port Allen, Louisiana,United States. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday- 10 am to 4:30pm and Sunday 2pm-5pm

https://westbatonrougemuseum.org/314/Current-Exhibits

Suggested reading with beautifully mounted video done by the CBC for the 100th anniversary of the Evangeline statue also featuring François Gaudet, one of the artists taking part in the exhibition which I had a good fortune of meeting during our visit in Grand-Pré- click on this LINK to view.

This photo is of my mother Emma dressed up in an

Évangéline costume, circa 1955.

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UPDATE - Sept. 30, 2021 

With the cooperation of the West Baton Rouge Museum, the original painting was removed from the exhibition on Sept. 15 and replaced with a reproduction canvas print with hand painted details for the remaining of the exhibition.  

The original painting will be part of an small solo show entitled "Art-ifacts", hosted by the Fog Forest Gallery in Sackville, NB from October 14 to November 5, 2021. 

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

-SOLD