Bayfield will be home to 6 new sculptures that were made by local artists and a blacksmith, to showcase the beauty and marina history of the Municipality.
Leslee Squirrell, President of the Bayfield Centre for the Arts, tells myFM the project was made possible due to a considerable grant.
There will be an unveiling of the boats and sails on May 13th at 12:30 pm in Clan Gregor Square in Bayfield. There will be remarks from Government officials and a meet the artists with all 6 of them.
Squirrell says the idea for the project came about from a project that was done in Orillia about 10-15 years ago.
The sails are made from lexan, the same material used for air plane windows. The Black Smith for the project is Jim Wallace of Sharpes Creek Forge in Goderich. He made two styles of boats that reflect the marina’s history in Bayfield.
The first boat is modeled after Helen MacLeod II, a famous boat that fished out of the Bayfield Harbour, The remains of her are in storage. The second boat is a Pleasure Craft modeled after a boat made by the Bayfield Boat Yards, now known as Gozzard Yachts in Goderich.
After the approvals and grants were received, a proposal to artists was sent out. 25 submissions were received and 6 were chosen to paint the sails.
Squirrell says the project has taken about a year to complete, and now after months of hard work, the 6 sails will be unveiled.
On Sunday, May 14th, the sails will still be in Clan Gregor Square for viewing. There will also be a free giveaway of Petunia’s and Geranium’s for mothers Day.
“Thank you to the Municipality of Bluewater for allowing us to enhance the experience here in Bayfield by allowing us to install something as permanent as a piece of public art on six different pieces of Municipal land here in Bayfield,” says Squirrell, “That’s pretty significant”
Squirrell would also like to thank the Canadian Government and the Federal Economic Development Agency for the grant.
Written By: K. Close
