PORT MEDWAY – “We're working to save our local lighthouses,” says Catherine Pincombe, a lifetime member of the Medway Head Lighthouse Society.
The society is now preparing for its eighth annual show, which has been renamed the Medway Head Lighthouse Art and Craft show.
The show will open Aug. 17 and run until Aug. 26. The Art Show, says Pincombe, has grown significantly over the past seven years, and will include works by 76 local and provincial artists. Each year, works of art are also chosen from the show to be included in a calendar. This year, artwork by 20 of these artists has been selected.
To celebrate the sixth annual launch of the calendar, an event is being held on June 17 at 2 p.m. at White Point Beach Resort. Visitors are invited to join the Medway Head Lighthouse Society for the first glimpse of the 2019 calendar. Many of the artists will be in attendance and there will be an art exhibit featuring pieces from the calendar as well as works by other artist who are participants in the art shows, says Pincombe. Refreshments will be offered as visitors have a chance to hear about the work of the society and chat with the artists whose work so generously help supports the Medway Head Lighthouse. Everyone is welcome to attend this free event.
Donna Hatt, marketing manager at White Point Beach Resort, says the business is happy to partner with Medway Head Lighthouse Society to host the annual launch.
“Being along the Lighthouse Route and champions of Lighthouses, we are proud of the work community organizations undertake to help present our rich heritage and culture,” says Hatt.
Immediately following the calendar launch, White Point Beach Resort will offer guests the opportunity to participate in a guided tour of Sea'spired, an outdoor sculpture show featuring more than 35 works of art by 19 Nova Scotian artists. The exhibition is part of a 90th anniversary event that encourages guests to see a different side of White Point and the natural surroundings, enhanced by sculptures, says Pincombe, who is also manager of the White Point gift shop.
Mission remains the same
The original goal of lighthouse awareness still remains a priority for the Medway Head Lighthouse Society, and holding the calendar launch helps focus attention specifically on the Medway Head Lighthouse, says Pincombe.
When the federal government announced the Medway Head Lighthouse had been declared surplus, this community group stepped up in an effort to retain this beacon of history, explains Hatt.
“While lighthouses like Peggy’s Cove and nearby Fort Point Lighthouse in Liverpool are important, so too are those which offer a unique perspective on the edge of the Atlantic,” she says. “Their efforts also help to attract visitors to our communities, especially Port Medway.”
Accumulated revenues from the art shows and calendar sales over the past seven years have enable the Medway Head Lighthouse Society to carry out extensive renovations on the lighthouse, including the elimination of a major leak at the top and the complete replacement of the north and east sides, including all windows as well as windows on the south side, says Pincombe.
Next up? The group plans to work on landscaping improvements and adding a picnic table to provide visitors the opportunity to experience the lighthouse and the beautiful vista.
The calendar will be available for purchase at the launch and then at the White Point gift shop, the Port Grocer in Port Medway, the Riverbank General Store in Mill Village and Oscar Café, Flowers, Gifts and Such in Liverpool. The cost is $20 and all the proceed go directly to support of the Medway Head Lighthouse.
