July 2, 2010 New Book on North Bay

Nipissing University History Professor Francoise Noel has a unique new book out called Through a Viewfinder, North Bay, Ontario. The title sets up the book which contains some history but is primarily a detailed photo album on many aspects of North Bay life. Noel has been an excellent photographer for years and has exhibited at the Kennedy Gallery and elsewhere. The book has some old photos of North Bay from her files including some post cards. There are also many of her personal photos. Most of the photos are in colour. The book is presented as a keepsake book on North Bay and as an introduction for guests and visitors to North Bay as well as a fine coffee table book for local residents.

Cover of new book on North Bay by Nipissing University History Professor Francoise Noel.

Noel recently published the scholarly book Family & Community Life in Northeastern Ontario: The Interwar Years. The book received the Ontario Historical Society’s Fred Landon Award for

Best Regional History Book published in the last three years. She also recently published a reproduction of the North Bay section of Anson Gard’s original local history Gateway to Silverland. All form a major contribution to local history.

The Viewfinder book, beside the 140 photos of most aspects of North Bay life also has some interesting maps and a good bibliography. The book is available at Gullivers Books and Toys, the Quints Museum, and directly from the author. Francoise will be at the Books by the Bay event in Callander on July 9, 2010. (www.booksbythebay.ca)

Artist Doris McCarthy Centenary

I wrote recently about iconic painter Doris McCarthy’s 100^th birthday coming up on July 7, 2010. She was well represented in shows in North Bay in 1997 and 2008 at the W.K.P. Kennedy Art Gallery and in exhibitions and workshops in Burk’s Falls. I mentioned Liz Trolove in Burk’s Falls who has followed Doris’s career and among other things was at the McCarthy property in Scarborough when Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander unveiled a McCarthy plaque from the Ontario Heritage Foundation on her property which will eventually be donated to the art community. Liz has lectured on Doris.

Cover of Doris McCarthy catalogue of exhibition at the W.K.P. Kennedy Art Gallery in North Bay. “The Drawing Class” 1946.Oil on Canvas.

Liz contacted me to mention that there is considerable centennial activity around Doris’ birthday that I didn’t know about and therefore didn’t mention in my original note. The Doris McCarthy Art Gallery ( named for Doris in 2004) on the Scarborough Campus of the U. of T has a show of many of her hard edged abstract paintings from the 60s and 70s plus some archival material.

McCarthy also has a concurrent show at the University of Toronto Art Centre from June 19^th to July 24^th . The Scarborough show is called Roughing it in the Bush a play on the name of the familiar Susanah Moodie classic book of the same name that McCarthy cherishes due to some life parallels. The McLaren Art Gallery in Barrie has some of McCarthy’s work and has hung it as a part of the current recognition. Any of these shows would be worth a visit.

For further information see the 3 biographical works McCarthy has written and material on Wikepedia. Also check her website www.dorismccarthy.com or simply Google Doris McCarthy.