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THE ST. CATHARINES STANDARD Had him standing right behind the cannon. Probably would have left him there, too, had the kindly historian not pointed out the fact that it probably wasn't the safest place for any soldier, British or American, to be standing in the War of 1812. A typical cannon, upon firing, would recoil, violently, several feet. The soldier behind it wouldn't stand a chance. So St. Catharines artist Wayne Clarkson took out his paintbrush and relocated his wayward soldier in the final version of his acrylic-on-canvas painting, Engagement on the Forty. After all, when your painting will be part of a collection of art commemorating the war's bicentennial, historical accuracy trumps artistic licence. Clarkson is part of a group of artists whose paintings make up a touring exhibit called Pathways to Peace. The display comprises 60 poster-size prints depicting Upper Canada during the war and will come to the Ball's Falls Centre for Conservation in January. The artwork is as diverse as the stories themselves. From traditional watercolours to high-tech digital paintings, the art is meant to take the story of the war out of museums and history books, and put it into the public, says Linda Stanley, coordinator of the overall BiNational 1812 Art Collection. Since 2007, Stanley has operated Canadian Art Cards and through that she met many of the artists who are now part of the 1812 project. There are about 300 paintings in the overall project -- her vision is to have a painting that depicts every site of action during the war. "Many have never been fully explored in paintings," she says. Each painting comes with a short historical story. Indeed, every painting, every historical write-up about the painting, was vetted by groups of historians. Are the soldiers' epaulets correct? Their boots? Are the muskets the right size? Clarkson worked alongside the Grimsby Historical Society to create Engagement at the Forty, a smaller, little known battle between British navy and American soldiers at the mouth of Forty Mile Creek in Grimsby. The original was unveiled by Lt. Governor David Onley at the opening of the Peace Garden in Grimsby last year. For more than 20 years, Clarkson worked as a food production manager at a hospital in Oakville. The job was stressful and painting became a creative outlet. His work varies from jazz portraits to landscapes, wildlife to still life. His four other paintings in the Pathways to Peace series are of historic sites. St. Catharines artist Mary Robins contributed her watercolour, St. Johns Schoolhouse c 1804.
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One of its first teachers was a young Quaker, who, oddly enough, joined the militia. While he was at Lundy's Lane, someone stole the family's prized pig. The thief was caught and, desperate not to be taken to the authorities, offered to pay a hefty sum for the animal.
Artist Nicole Arnt of St. Catharines not only paints it, but lives it. For the past decade, she has been a reenactor with the 1st Lincoln Militia. Along with husband, Calvin, who portrays a British officer, and their two girls, they get together with other reenactors to recreate the battles of 1812. She's not entirely sure which came first. Art. Or recreating history. Her digital oil painting, Open Doors, tells the story of a Mennonite woman welcoming a British soldier into her home. Mennonites were passivists and welcomed all soldiers. "It's a story not so much told," she says. "You see the big battles. Lundy's Lane. Queenston Heights. "This is another side of the war." Arnt started by photographing reenactor friends. Then, using computer software, turned the photograph into a digital oil painting one stroke at a time. "What happened 200 years ago makes us who we are today," she says. "Art can reflect that. Art transcends the ages." But, just as Clarkson discovered, Arnt found out that art cannot transcend historical accuracy. She had completed her first digital painting, a soldier in front of the Fry House in Jordan, pointing the barrel of his musket towards the viewer. A beautiful piece of work that in the end, she couldn't use. The historians felt because many Mennonites lived in the Twenty Valley area, a soldier would likely not have been pointing his weapon at anyone. It just didn't jive with historical context. And it got rejected. Arnt can smile about it now. So can Stanley. "It was tough. People had to hang in," she says. "Artists aren't used to being told what to paint." Organizers hope that Pathways to Peace offers a pathway for the public to better understand the War of 1812. "It's a visual legacy, not a book to read," says Andrea Wilson, program assistant at Ball's Falls. "In a way, that transcends just people who are interested in war stories." To view all 300 1812 images, visit www.canadianartcards.com cclock@stcatharinesstandard.ca - - - WHO WHERE WHEN What Pathways to Peace, a collection of artwork depicting how the War of 1812 affected everyone from soldiers to the local community. Where Ball's Falls Centre for Conservation. When Jan. 7 to April 30. Ball's Falls is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost Includes admission to Ball's Falls Conservation Area. Adults, $5.75; children and seniors, $4.25; maximum car rate, $18. Call For more information call 905-562-5235 ext. 23 or visit www.BallsFalls.ca |
Pathways to Peace [1812 art exhibit at Ball's Falls]
