The Spectacle Island Light committee and the Medway Area Community Association are both in the process of taking over the Spectacle Island Lighthouse and the Medway Head Lighthouse respectively, after the federal government decided to sell off all surplus lights in 2010.
Though the process has been long, the light is shining bright for the groups to take over the lighthouses soon. Once that happens, they will be responsible for maintenance, insurance and upkeep of the land around the site. To help raise funds for these projects, the groups organized two art shows in their community.
The show in Port Medway will take place at The Warehouse in the Port Medway Lighthouse Park from Aug. 17-19. The opening reception is on Friday starting at 7 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday the shows will run from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
In Port Mouton the show will take place at Coastal Queens Place, on Highway 103 from Aug. 24-26. The opening reception takes place Friday at 7 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
A wide variety of local and Nova Scotian talent will be on the walls of both galleries. Among those who will have pieces are Claude Gendron, Harold McGee, Marilyn Kellough, and Sue Rogers. Maria Valverde, a painter out of Mahone Bay, is bringing her work down, as well as work from students in her classes.
The White Point Quilt will also be making a stop at the Port Medway show on Aug. 18, with creator Bev Crouse inviting people to put in their own stitch. Crouse is creating a new quilt to hang in the lodge, after the original one was lost to the fire in November 2011. The quilt will be there from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
Lyndia Baird-Wellwood, a painter of many lighthouses in the province, will be down taking pictures of both lighthouses from the water in preparation to paint. Next year, her results will be on display during the shows.
Albert Laing has also donated two paintings to be raffled off during the weekend shows
The speaker for the Port Medway show will be Barry MacDonald from the Lighthouse Preservation Society, talking about the work being done around the province on lighthouse preservation. While the speaker for the Port Mouton show was not set as of press time, the topic will be along similar lines
Sandy Brown, one of organizers of event, says though the art may be similar at both events, each will have its own unique feel because of the different venues. The Port Medway show is being held in a former garage that was converted for recreational purposes several years ago. The Port Mouton show is in a former school, which is now used as a hostel, gallery, gift shop and other recreational purposes.
