A Good Home, Artists, Arts, Canadian Art, Spirit of the Hills - Arts Group, Writers

Felicity Sidnell Reid — Arts Multi-tasker

I don’t go out much. But I recently got ‘volun-told’ to help my artists’ group.  You can blame Felicity Sidnell Reid.  I joke that she twisted my arm — most graciously.

Blog Photo - Felicity and granddaughter
Felicity and her grandaughter

An author and radio interviewer, Felicity is always involved in the arts.

She and her husband John moved from big-city Toronto to Northumberland County 20 years ago.

SOTH - Patricia Calder Farm Country

“I love the country,” she says. “And I love the atmosphere of a small village. I feel more relaxed here.”

Felicity lives in “a small house on a large lot with a stream that runs year-round.”

Blog Photo - Felicity garden

Blog photo - Felicity pet

Blog Photo - Felicity Creek

Blog Photo - Felicity Book Cover

Her book, Alone: A Winter in the Woods was published in 2015 by Hidden Brook Press. Skilfully written and illustrated, it’s a survival story about a teenager left alone to look after his family’s cabin and livestock in 1797 while his father fetches the other family members from abroad.

Felicity also chairs the 50-member writers’ group within Spirit of the Hills arts association (SOTH).  That’s how I met her.

Blog Photo - Felicity Sidnell Reid

Welcoming and kind, she took my sometimes-strange speech and always-strange walk in stride, and made me feel at home at my first meeting. 

The monthly breakfast-meeting is supportive, fun and opinionated. As chair, Felicity sets the tone.

“I love chairing the writers’ group,” Felicity says. “Although one might want to shut oneself up in an attic sometimes — to escape from all the email and phone calls – it’s a great bunch of people. And a lot of fun.”

Blog Photo - Felicity and authors-at-book-reading-spirit-of-the-hills

“Doesn’t it sometimes feel like you’re herding cats?” I ask. “How can you be so unflappable and gracious with us all the time?”

Felicity laughs.

“I taught high school for years,” she says. “You have to be unflappable. I’m not sure how gracious I am, but I’ve noticed that if you are, people tend to be gracious back.”

Blog Photo - Felicity and Gwynn

The writers’ group is productive. It initiated a literary radio show – hosted by Felicity and author Gwynn Scheltema – and a Festival of the Arts, being held November 3 and 4.  All of SOTH is involved.

SOTH’s membership includes writers, artisans, musicians, performers and a variety of painters and other visual artists. They come from as far away as Toronto to the west and Kingston to the east.

SOTH - Patricia Calder Red Barn

But most, like Felicity, live in Northumberland County, an area of outstanding natural beauty.

SOTH - Patricia Calder-View of Rice Lake

“Driving through the countryside is always exciting because the hills themselves are so lovely,” Felicity notes. “There’s invariably another incredible view, maybe of a small lake or of Lake Ontario, or the next pretty town, or more hills covered with forest or farms, fields and animals.”

SOTH - Patricia Calder Horse Photo - 2 paints

The Festival will be held in lakeside Cobourg, one of Canada’s most beautiful  towns.

SOTH - Marie-Lynne College St Photo
Credit: M-L Hammond
Blog Photo - SOTH Reva Nelson Marina shot
Credit: R. Nelson

“We wanted to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday but, more importantly, the creativity and diversity of the arts in this region.”

Felicity and SOTH president Susan Statham are co-chairing the Festival.  It includes arts competitions, a musical play, a concert and book launch, a book fair and art show, a panel discussion and exciting workshops.

Blog Photo - Felicity and Authors - photo credit Northumberland News
Credit: Northumberlandnews.com

“What do you hope it’ll do for Northumberland?” I ask her.

“Northumberland, like most places in Canada, is always changing,” Felicity replies. “It becomes more diverse and interesting because of change. We all profit from this. And the influx of artists in the last 30 years has led to increased vibrancy and innovation in the artistic community.

Blog Photo - SOTH Mandy Bing Painting1
Painting by Mandy Bing

“I hope our programme will engage people from our many communities. We want to appeal to young and old, those who have lived all their lives in this area as well as newcomers.”

SOTH - Rene Schmidt The Beacon drop in centre
Credit: Rene Schmidt

Although some Northumberland arts organizations recently folded, SOTH remains strong.

“An Ontario Arts Council study (June 2017) encouraged us. It reported that 90% of those surveyed agree that an active local arts scene helps make a community a better place to live and 97% agree that engaging children in the arts is important to their overall development.” 

As for my involvement? A year ago, Felicity invited me to join the Festival committee.  Committee members feel privileged to help, as does she.

“I love working with others and building a team, so conceiving and planning the festival have been exciting and very fulfilling.”

~~

Special thanks to Patricia Calder for photos 2, 10, 11 and 12.

A Good Home, Books, Children's Books, Christmas, Young Adult Books

Giftish Books/Bookish Gifts

I chose these books because there’s an attractive freshness to them. They’re also mainly Canadian.

Jim’s Star, by Paul Nicholas Mason. A collection of stories with a Christmas theme, this small book is an affordable Christmas gift or stocking stuffer. Set in places such as small-town Ontario, Canada and Zimbabwe, these stories are charmingly written. Great for reading alone or to an audience.

Awakening in the Northwest Territories, by Alastair Henry. A man with a restless spirit, a failed marriage, and a yearning for meaning, finds himself working with the Dene people of Canada’s north. A refreshingly frank and personal book about Alastair’s awakening to other ways of living.

Blog Photo Awakening

Alone: A Winter in the Woods by Felicity Sidnell-Reid and illustrator Jirina Marton.  I love this book. Adults and adolescents will find the story harrowing, gripping and a great read. A 13-year old boy finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness during a brutal winter and makes friends with an Indigenous boy his own age. A story of survival, set in 1797,  it’s a compelling and beautifully written book, by Sidnell-Reid with images by Marton who won the Governor General’s Award for Illustration in 2009.

Blog Photo Alone

Oldenglen, by Robin Mason and Michael Mason. Yes, Canada’s exceptionally creative Mason family has been prolific this year.  Robin, a lawyer and father of three, wrote this book with his father, 91-year old Michael. An adventure-filled story for young people, this absorbing novel is the first of a 3-part fantasy series. Oldenglen is set in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A.

Blog Photo Oldenglen

A Journey Just Begun, by the Sisterhood of St. John The Divine. If you’ve read my book A Good Home, or my feature story in Arabella Magazine, you’ll know that this unusual Anglican Sisterhood is a very special order: women of various backgrounds – interesting, creative, well-educated – who have dedicated their lives to God and the service of others.  A Journey Just Begun tells their story in text and photos – from building and running a prominent rehabilitation hospital, to offering many activities, including monastic hospitality to individuals and groups. Author Jane Christmas and Sister Constance Joanna Gefvert, the first nun from this order to become a priest, are the editors and lead writers.

Blog Photo A Journey Just Begun