They’re quirky, they’re colourful and they make you smile. They are the whimsical birdhouse creations of Dr. Graeme Chalmers.
For Larger view, Click on Image
The exhibit of the birdhouses opened at the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre on Saturday, December 14th, lining the walls with colour, and where it will remain until April 30th.
Dr. Chalmers, born in New Zealand, has a long and distinguished career as an art educator and, upon receiving a Fullbright award, traveled to the U.S. to study are education. In 1972, he came to Canada to Sir George Williams University (now Concordia), to be followed by 33 years at the University of British Columbia where he is Professor Emeritus of Art Education.
He has written journal articles, reports, and conference presentations in addition to authoring many books, with one of the best known, Celebrating Pluralism: Art, Education, and Cultural Diversity.
Chalmers is also the recipient of many awards including from the Canadian Society for Education through Art, the National Art Education Association, the International Society for Education through Art, the British Columbia Art Teachers’ Association, Heritage Canada and more.
Today, now in his eighties and in retirement, Graeme Chalmers has returned to painting and the simple enjoyment of making things, such as his whimsical birdhouses. He is a member of the Wellington County Historical Society, the Elora Centre for the Arts, the Elora Fergus Arts Council and the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario.
He and his wife Mlllie Cumming, a retired physician and quilter extraordinaire, live in Elora, where Dr. Chalmers is often found in his studio workshop making his ‘fantastical’ creations that speak to his unbounded imagination.
At the exhibit opening, Bruce County Warden and Mayor of Saugeen Shores, Luke Charbonneau, said that “It’s wonderful to come inside on a cold December day and see these wonderful signs of spring … it is really an admirable thing to encounter an artist who can take something ordinary and make it truly extraordinary. Art and culture are very important to Bruce County and individuals who call this region home and, without the Museum and staff and volunteers, we would not be able to put on exhibits like this that we see today.”
“These beautiful creations draw you in to explore every little detail,” added Cathy McGirr, Museum Executive Director, “and they bring joy to the space here. In the winter, what better time to enjoy this bright and colourful exhibition. It really is a pleasure to host an exhibition that will bring a lot of joy to people and we hope that everybody will take the opportunity to come through.”
Dr. Chalmers, who will be presenting an artist talk on March 1st, alluded to a number of influences through his life when it came to art … his aunt Lucy, not becoming an architect, visiting the Painted Ladies of San Francisco, visiting Europe, renovating an old house and discovering thrift stores with Millie.
His birdhouses are actually used by birds as shown in several photos that he brought to the opening. With attention to detail, inside each house, he has created a tiny ladder to enable young fledglings to climb out of their home when it’s time to leave the next. “While birds may prefer to see them unpainted and weathered, I prefer to see them as joyful examples of folk-art.” Each birdhouse is also accompanied by a title that indicates Dr. Chalmers’ somewhat ‘dry’ sense of wit and humour.
Although the birdhouses are available for purchase through the Museum, they cannot leave the exhibit until it ends on April 30th … just in time for Spring.
However, there is also the chance to create your own birdhouse with the Winter break crafting: make your own birdhouse.
