free MARCH 2013 The Art of Dirk Mietzker p.3 p.20 & 21 March’s E vents p.5 Cedar Cove Resort p.7 Flavour of the Month p.15 Celebrating 20 Years This month we received the following poem from a loyal reader, Tim Gordon, who also happens to be the publisher at General Store Publishing House: I appreciate the time you put into your product, You do such wonderful work PO Box 1391 I always look forward to the first of the month Almonte ON K0A 1A0 To read that which leads us from murk Phone: (613) 256–5081 This lead to an exchange of emails during which we discovered a mutual appreciation of bad poetry. Which Editor: leads us, dear readers, to the announcement of the General Kris Riendeau Store Publishing House and theHumm’s [email protected] Layout and Design: Rob Riendeau Bad Poetry Contest [email protected] The Rules A maximum of eight lines, any form (haiku, etc). Advertising and GSPH’s poetry editor will judge them. Promotions: They must be sent to [email protected] (with “Poetry Kris Riendeau: (613) 256–5081 contest” in the Subject line) by May 5, 2013. [email protected] Winners will be announced in the June issue of theHumm. One That Got Away The Prizes Assistant Editor: Oops — we forgot to include this listing in last month’s “Get Involved, First place receives a $100 GSPH gift certificate Rona Fraser Get Connected” issue about volunteer opportunities throughout La- Second place receives a $50 GSPH gift certificate [email protected] nark and Renfrew Counties: and Third place receives a $25 GSPH gift certificate Heritage Mica Days <heritagemicadays.ca> is celebrating the history of Calendar Submissions: mica mining and our early settlers, from June to October. Volunteers are On a completely unrelated note (well, except for the whole poetry [email protected] needed for hospitality, selling tickets, social media, parking management, angle), we are also happy to announce the winner of the Pêches et care of musicians, culinary expertise on the BBQ or pancake griddle, and Poivre Valentine’s Ode to Chocolate Contest: Ashley Clouthier! theHumm is a monthly arts, en- support for our historical performers. There are also opportunities for Here is her prize-winning entry, with her photo below: tertainment and ideas newspaper volunteers to participate in the interpretation of one of the historical delivered free to businesses and characters. Volunteers receive a festival t-shirt and heritage costumes If I Could Marry Chocolate visitor attractions in Almonte, can be loaned. Contact 267–5340 or <[email protected]>. If I could marry chocolate, then these would be my vows: Perth, Carleton Place, Westport, To learn more about this year’s Mica Days plans, see page 25. (Forevermore I’d swear to honour milk-producing cows) Pakenham, Carp, Arnprior, La- Theday that I first met you, you swiftly stole my heart. nark, Smiths Falls, Burnstown, The moment that you touched my lips I swore we’d never part. White Lake, Balderson, and Ot- You’re the one I turn to, if I’m ever feeling blue, tawa. Our mandate is to connect You know just how to make me smile when you suggest “Fondue?” and promote people and events Your love is so apparent, the way you melt into my hand, in the small towns and rural com- It’s wonderful the way you seem to truly understand. munities of the Ottawa Valley — Variety’s the spice of life, or so the people say, where the arts flourish and enter- Fruity, nutty, super sweet; I love you any way. taining characters run amok! Sometimes you do play hot and cold, but either suits me gladly, I’ll never leave your side, my love; I’d miss you far too badly. Submissions From now until eternity, there’s one thing that I know, By email or on disk. We’ll live in life’s sweet heart-shaped box, wrapped tightly with a bow. And if you don’t love chocolate, how crazy this all seems, Deadline for ads & nd Who’s Reading theHumm Who’s Reading But I know I’d live in total bliss, making baby cocoa beans. content: the 22 of the month prior to publication Subscriptions cost $35 (includes HST) for one year (12 issues). Send a cheque with your name and address to: Back in early 2011, Jeff Broughton (known to many theHumm PO Box 1391 in the Mississippi Mills area as a stalwart volunteer Almonte ON K0A 1A0 with Puppets Up! and the Young Awards Gala) read theHumm in Cuba. During that trip, he also found time Opinions and information pub- to get married to Amanda (looking over his shoulder). lished in theHumm in letters, Thanks to you both for sharing this great shot from your press releases, or individual col- special trip with us! umns do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this newspaper. Meet All writing, artwork, and photo- graphs published in theHumm Curious are copyright to the author, or to George theHumm in the case where no author is specified. Reprinting March 16 any content without permission 10:30–11, 12:30–1 violates copyright and is prohib- and 3:30–4 ited (and despicable!). March 17 /Peches.Poivre 2–2:30 Thanks this month to: MILL STREET BOOKS The good folks who fed us on our 52 Mill St., Almonte @pechespoivre distribution rounds last month: /millstreetbooks www.millstreetbooks.com 613–256–9090 Read’s Book Shop for their fine food, fun kitchen and artful dining ware great (and timely) coffee and The Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Café 89 Mill St. Almonte Renfrew Teaeoom for “the best at the Almonte Old Town Hall • July 12 & 13 • Tickets on sale now! 613-256-5764 butter tarts in the Valley.” 2 www.thehumm.com March 2013 Dirk Mietzker — THE HUMM Painting the Beauty Art… and Soul of Time In business school they instruct you to “plan sun hits a particular spot.” The names of some of his your work and work your plan.” Smith Falls works illustrate his fascination with the interplay of artist Dirk Mietzker is much more open nature and weather with human artifacts: “Clouds and flexible. When he stopped in to lend a Passing By”, “Snow Caressing Steel”, “Evening Blue”. hand to some neighbouring farmers a few summers ago, he became intrigued with the I Can See Clearly Now old barns they were working in during the To optimists, every cloud has its silver lining. Mi- haying season. What began as an exercise in etzker’s personal life-cycle story is even more in- ARTIST TRADING CARD friendliness and physical fitness segued into teresting than those of his artistic subjects — he an inspired series of paintings. possesses human resilience and ingenuity that so far we have not been able to replicate in our indus- a gallery in Merrickville and in- Mietzker tells me, “What they by Sally Hansen trial artifacts. Shortly after he and his wife, Diane vited him to exhibit his work at create is stimulating. Exactly Provost, moved from Montreal to Smiths Falls with their gallery in Vermont where how it relates to what I’m doing “In the Loft” is a gorgeous example of how Mi- their infant daughter to pursue Dirk’s career as an he was represented for ten years now isn’t so clear, other than be- etzker transforms a commonplace structure that industrial designer, his Kanata-based firm down- until their recent retirement. ing inspired by people who do most of us overlook, into a celebration of form, sized. After a fruitless search for work in his field, Dirk is represented locally at great work.” He adds, “For me, light, and colour. Through his juxtaposition of the the couple decided to give Dirk the opportunity to Gallery Perth and participates in painting is my way of trying to symmetry of the original skeleton against the ir- build an artistic career in between his responsi- Westport’s annual Rideau Valley understand the world — discov- regular play of light and shadow filtering Art Festival. He has had several ering who we are through art. through the cracks of the weathered struc- recent exhibitions in Almonte. All of the things I paint were ture, he exposes Time’s ineluctable hand Both Dirk and Diane have exhib- originally ideas created in the on the canvases of our human endeavours. ited works at the annual, juried human imagination.” Unlike the relentless consumer market- Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibit at The best way to enjoy Dirk ing campaigns that denigrate any evidence Nathan Phillips Square. Mietzker’s art is to drop in at of aging in our Western culture, Mietzker Last July one of his paintings Gallery Perth in Code’s Mill pays tribute to its beauty and dignity. received an honourable men- (264–8338). Images are also His background in industrial design in- tion at the Marianne van Silfhout available at <galleryperth.com>. forms his fascination with what we design Gallery at St. Lawrence College You can contact him by phone and build. Many of his paintings feature in Brockville. It was also chosen at 284–0702 or by email at familiar artifacts of our civilization, such as the poster for the exhibition <[email protected]>. as buildings, vehicles and bridges. But Mi- whose theme was Space. Titled etzker’s art focuses on the evidence of their “Suspended between Space and history. He zeroes in on the debris clinging Time,” Mietzker’s inspiration for to rafters, the designs that time has etched the work was the wing of the into once-glossy high-tech finishes, the plane that brought him back to curves and crevices eroded into concrete Canada from a visit to Venice.