Local artists Maggie Dean and Brunhild Schierding are back to present a new exhibition titled Just Horsing Around – a collection of works comprising beautiful rural and landscape paintings, stained glass and much more. Schierding will also display her whimsical painted birdhouses and Dean’s beautiful lamps will complete the exhibit.

Born in Montreal, and now residing in Dalkeith, Maggie Dean attended Sir George Williams Art School in Montreal, John Abbott College in Ste. Anne de Bellevue and the Santa Raparta Graphics Studio in Florence, Italy. Colour, light and design are very important to her and the use of bold, unmixed colours are her trademark.

Growing up on a farm in Vankleek Hill, Brunhild’s fierce love of nature and animals led her to draw her favourite subjects as a young child. Now her paintings in oil, acrylic, and watercolour still reflect her first love. They can be found on the cover of cookbooks, wooden shoes and bird houses. Her porcelain plates and teapots for weddings and her birthdays turn into family heirlooms.

Just Horsing Around will run from May 5 to 29. A vernissage will be held on Saturday, May 7, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Main Hall of the gallery.

Music and conversations

Martin Gibson performs at Arbor Gallery on Thursday, May 19. Submitted Photo

On Thursday May 19, at 7:30 p.m., the Arbor Gallery’s Intimate Concert series welcomes duo ‘Martin Gibson’, with Bryan Bowser and Jean Montpetit (one plays a Martin, the other a Gibson).

Their song choices and arrangements lend themselves to a tapestry of two guitars trading leads and harmonies. They play songs from all eras, arranged for an acoustic duo and add their mellow groove. A guaranteed crowd-pleasing concert presented by Saken Music. Tickets at saken.ca/tickets – $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Limited seating.

Conversations with Interesting People

On Saturday May 28, at 4 p.m., Conversations with Interesting People series guest is Gaëtan Etoga, co-founder of YMMA, a company that makes readily accessible and affordable Black and mixed-race dolls. Ymma is meant to build children’s confidence and help them acknowledge their individual beauty. With a larger scope of promoting diversity and inclusion, and helping to fight racism.

“If this initiative can make five, 10, 20 children a little more open to diversity because they’ve been around various toys, I think that would be mission accomplished for us,” Etoga said.

Admission is free and reservations are recommended.

Arbor Gallery Cultural Centre is located at 36 Home Avenue, at the heart of Vankleek Hill, and can be reached at [email protected]. More information about programming and events on Arbor Gallery’s Facebook page, website, and on Twitter or by subscribing to the gallery’s newsletter at www.arborgallery.org