Art – Page 3 – Cynthia Reyes

A Good Home, Art, Artists, Canadiana, Cottage Life, Landscape Art, Ontario Cottages

The Cottage on Sugar Lake

March 7, 2014March 20, 2014 Cynthia Reyes

It puzzles new immigrants no end: what is this thing that Canadians speak about so lovingly – this thing they call, simply, “The Cottage”? And why do they seem almost maniacally happy when they mention it?

Canoeing on Sugar Lake - Photo by Hamlin Grange — Don Corbett Canoeing on Sugar Lake – Photo by Hamlin Grange

One new immigrant told me that when he first came to Ontario, he thought everyone – except him – was going to the same mysterious cottage somewhere. Another immigrant laughed as he recalled a visit to a friend’s rustic cottage.

“I couldn’t believe it!” he chortled. “That people actually CHOOSE to spend their summer weekends in such primitive conditions. Where I come from, only very poor people would live in a place like that!”

These days, many of the old family cottages on the lake are being replaced by ‘Muskoka Mansions’ – huge houses with fancy kitchens and bathrooms – the kind you see in decor magazines.

But whatever its size, “the cottage” occupies a sacred place in the hearts of many Canadians.

Artist Don Corbett does much of his painting in his studio at the family cottage on Sugar Lake, a nearly 3-hour drive north of Toronto. It’s where he finds much of the inspiration for his art. Don paints landscapes.

The family has owned the cottage since the 1970’s, and though improvements have been made, it’s still a modest building. Theirs is the quintessential Canadian cottage, made of wood. Up there, it’s the lake and the trees, the fresh air and family get-togethers that matter.

“I love the solitude, (but I also love) the opportunity to be with my family and friends,” says Don. “I just love the north country and the cottage gives me a good anchor. The cycling is awesome too, and so is the cross-country skiing. ”

Perhaps that’s part of the appeal of Canada’s lake-country cottages. They encourage the outdoor life, whether swimming or canoeing in warm weather, skiing or snow-shoeing in winter. And they remind many people of a bygone era, when conveniences at the cottage were few, but a family from the city could find pleasure, comfort – and a summer home – in the wilderness.

“Home is where the hearth is,” Don says. “The fireplace is warm there, the sensibilities are clearer…no urban noise to clutter thought or negatively alter one’s mood. And for 7 months of the year I can go jump in the lake, or take my red canoe for a meditative paddle along the shore. The seasons are more defined in the north….Vivaldi would approve!”

Don's Studio - Photo by D. Corbett — Don’s Studio – Photo by D. Corbett

I’m betting composer Vivaldi didn’t have our Canadian winters in mind when he wrote “The Four Seasons”. Just weeks ago, Don says, he removed about “31 tons of snow” off the roof of the main cottage. It goes with the territory, and doesn’t diminish his love for the place one bit.

If he had a choice, Don would live at the cottage full-time.

“But my wife Jan would leave me, paint brush in my hand,” he jokes. Jan likes to visit, not live there.

From Wednesday, March 12 to Sunday, March 16, a selection of Don’s paintings will be displayed at the McKay Art Centre on Main Street in the historic town of Unionville (on the edge of Toronto). The hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

The show is titled: My Heart Leaps Up — Landscapes by Donald Corbett and Friends.

I’m honoured to be among those friends. I’m no painter, mind you. But Don has invited me to read an excerpt from one of my stories in Canada’s Art and Architecture magazine, Arabella on Saturday, March 15, and to do a short reading from my new book, A Good Home.

Above paintings by Donald Corbett

For more information: doncorbett@rogers.com

A Good Home, African Traditions, Art, Authors, Book lovers, Book Reviews, Books, Celebrations, Children's Books

A Magical Story

February 26, 2014March 8, 2014 Cynthia Reyes

The new book lies on my desk, on my bedside table, on the kitchen counter – a jewel that I’ve been carrying around the house with me. I keep picking it up, drawn by the beautiful cover image, and opening it to flip through to the others inside. Occasionally, I re-read the whole story.

The story is about a young girl whose little brother is very ill. Doctors aren’t able to cure him, so the family calls on a healer. Surprisingly, the healer tells the family to hold a joyful ceremony filled with guests.

In some ways, it’s like a fairy tale. But the story is in no way typical, and certainly not ‘traditional’ in the Western sense.

“From the Lands of the Night” is written by award-winning author Tololwa M. Mollel and illustrated by artist Darrell McCalla. The artwork is astonishingly beautiful and the story is a delightful surprise.

There are angels in this book – angels who dance – and the spirits of ancestors, dressed in shimmering, colourful clothes.

God – called “Mola” – shows up but he’s in a grumpy mood. The humans are making such a racket he can’t hear himself think. “All I want is some peace, some quiet,” he complains. But before you know it, the girl takes Mola by the hand and invites him to join the ceremony for her baby brother.

All of these elements infuse the book with an air of magic, spirituality and celebration. And yet, it is also a book about a little girl, a baby boy and their family. A book about ‘home’ in a wondrous sense of the word.

Launched this month by Red Deer Press, “From the Lands of the Night” is no doubt meant to benefit from interest in Black History Month. But I’d recommend this book for any time of year, and I’d recommend it for both children and adults. It’s lovely.

From the Lands of the Night is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Chapters Indigo and other online booksellers. The ISBN number is: 978-0-88995-498-4.

A Good Home, Afternoon Tea, Art, Birdfeeders, Birds, Childhood Memories, Coping with Chronic Illness, Country Living, Courage, Daughters, elderly Parents, Family, Family Matriarch, Family Stories, Homes, Inspiration, Laughter, Life Challenges, Mothers, Nature, Storms, Winter

Every Day, A Gift

February 1, 2014February 2, 2014 Cynthia Reyes

A couple hours north of Toronto, the winter has been harsh. For days on end, my friend Deb and her family were snowed in.

“This week it was minus 36 degrees celsius,” she wrote, “not counting the wind chill! It was so cold that the trees sounded like they were exploding; like shotguns firing nonstop.”

But something sacred is taking place inside this home.

Deb’s mother Gladys, who lives with her, is declining in health. Week by week, something else fails. Two weeks ago, her feet swelled to the point where her shoes couldn’t go on. Gladys is getting weaker.

“Every day is a gift”, Deb wrote recently.

I know what this means. When time is limited, when every day is a gift, one uses time differently.

Every day, mother and daughter try to create – or simply appreciate – moments that bring joy.

Joy comes in many forms.

It comes from listening to music that Gladys enjoys. “We try to fill the house with her favorite songs from opera to Frank Sinatra.” She particularly enjoys Maria Callas and Andrea Bocelli.

Doing things together brings a special kind of joy. Gladys, an accomplished artist, still loves to paint. “Sometimes,” Deb says, ” Mom has enough energy to sketch with me or show me how to paint a picture. Sometimes it means just sitting quietly together in front of the fire and reading.”

Joy comes from simple things like deciding what to cook. “I pore over the recipes and ask her opinion. Then I try to tempt her to have a little, though her appetite has waned.

“I still offer her a glass of wine or a hot chocolate spiced with something special. And Mom still enjoys her peanut brittle, though she has to suck on the pieces rather than bite them (90 year old teeth)!!!!”

They take joy in nature. Gladys often sits in a comfortable chair beside a large window. On the other side of that window is a bird-feeder and beyond that, acres of woods and a snow-covered lake.

“We watch for the many different birds that come to the feeder right by her chair,” says Deb. “We watch the snow swirl around the house and whistle through the trees. We are amazed at the snow sculptures — also known as snow drifts!”

There’s also joy in laughter. The two women watch funny movies together. Like “The Heat”, with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. They laughed so hard, they cried.

When friends drop in, they enjoy tea, cookies – and laughter.

And then there’s the kindness of others. “The nurses that come every second day have been so kind and are gentle in spirit.”

Gladys faces each day with a mixture of hope and acceptance. She points out that the doctors are experimenting with a new injection that seems to be helping to give her some strength back. And she also says: “My bags are packed and I am still waiting for a clearance on the runway of life…… That is what snow blindness can do to you. Illusions??? Think positively! Spring is coming!”

Indeed, there are signs of rebirth in the air. Just days ago, a new baby was born – Gladys’ third great-grandchild. It’s a joyful occasion, and Gladys looks forward to meeting the newborn soon.

There’s much sweetness in this time. And sadness. And wonder.

Deb notices that, whatever they’re doing, Bailey, the family’s pet retriever, “spends a lot of time at Mom’s feet as if he knows something.”

As her mother nears the end of her life, Deb finds herself reflecting. “I take Bailey out for a walk every day to breathe….to catch my breath, and pray. To find solace in nature….. to marvel at the snow. I spy two moose in the forest, a mink sliding across the driveway. I tell myself that all I can do is my best. The rest is up to God…the when – and the how – of how this will come to an end.”

She says Gladys is “calm and brave”, her sense of humour and memory still sharp. She surprised Deb recently by reciting a quote from a book she received on her tenth birthday, 80 years ago:

“Deem it not an idle thing

A pleasant word to speak

The words you use, the thoughts you bring

A heart can heal or break”.

It’s moments like this that bring tears to Deb’s eyes. Some days, all it takes is “a word, a song, a story Mom tells.”

But there’s a lovely sense of grace in this home, perhaps reinforced by the words from a prayer by St. Francis which Deb frequently recites: “Make me a channel of Your peace”.

Dedicated to Gladys and Deb, and to all those who’ve had a similar experience.

A Good Home, Art, Famous people, Furniture, Homes, Inspiration, Interior Design, Memorabilia, Nelson Mandela

Parting With Treasures

November 2, 2013November 5, 2013 Cynthia Reyes

For some of us, home is not a house or apartment, but our cherished belongings. Those personal belongings help create a feeling of home wherever we live.

Over the years, Sylvia Vollenhoven has collected beautiful pieces of art, furniture and memorabilia. She has an eye for beauty and history.

Ndebele Apron

But the well-known South African journalist and television producer has decided to sell her cherished possessions.

“Tough times call for tough measures,” says Sylvia. She says it without fuss or melodrama.

Dogon Mask

People make sacrifices for all kinds of reasons: for those we love; for ideals that we believe in. And – sometimes – for the sake of being able to look at ourselves in the mirror and not gag. But it’s not as if this woman hasn’t made a string of big sacrifices already, many of them during the apartheid years when speaking out against oppression or trying to do one’s duty as a journalist sometimes led to grave punishment.

After he was released from prison, Nelson Mandela told Sylvia that he’d admired her journalism and courage for a long time. Over the following years, he gave or signed for her a variety of memorabilia – precious items that she has cherished.

Today, Sylvia’s courage and her journalism have landed her in a costly legal fight. The journalist who survived the vice-grip of apartheid is now fighting the national broadcaster, the SABC, for the right to broadcast a story about apartheid-era corruption.

The fight comes in the middle of the biggest project of her career: a multi-media project (a book, play and movie) that Sylvia’s small production company plans to start releasing next year. To keep fighting, and to keep producing, Sylvia’s company needs money.

I suspect that the sacrifice that hurts her most is having to sell the Nelson Mandela memorabilia. But for Sylvia, being “at home with oneself” — and having the freedom to tell the stories of S. Africa that most need to be heard — are more precious to her than even the beautiful and historically significant belongings in her home.

With courage, strength and grace, Sylvia has announced the sale of her prized possessions. She says it will make her happy if each item finds a good home.

Masai Warriors Painting