Arbor Gallery is honouring the legacy of the late Freda Pemberton Smith by naming its main exhibition room after the prolific artist who for many years called Vankleek Hill her home.
The Pemberton Smith Room features a different exhibition each month, from solo shows by local or visiting artists, to collective shows centred around a common theme. Currently it features the Gallery members’ show “Now & Then”.
On Saturday, March 22, at 1pm, the public is invited to attend the Pemberton Smith Room Naming Event, which recognizes and celebrates the achievements of Pemberton Smith. Her niece, Harriet Pemberton Smith, will be present to speak about her aunt’s work and numerous artworks demonstrating the artist’s technical range and distinctive style will be on display.
A special feature of the event will be the screening of a short documentary film about the artist made shortly after her death, in which locals share their memories of a figure who was once such a ubiquitous presence in town life.
Pemberton Smith was a critically acclaimed artist known for her expressionistic style, her bold use of colour and her unique treatment of light and movement. She lived in Vankleek Hill from the mid 1960s until her death in 1991. Many locals still remember visiting her at her house on Farmers Avenue, where every surface was covered in paintings and drawings, and recall her singular technique of laying her paper on the ground and using a long-handled brush to paint while standing.
“Freda Pemberton Smith was the genesis for Vankleek Hill’s reputation as an artistic town,” said Gallery board chair Jessica Sarrazin. “She chose Vankleek Hill as her home relatively late in life, at a time when she was finally able to dedicate herself fully to her art. She painted every day. Her dedication and confidence in pursuing life as an artist was equal parts permission and inspiration for the next generation of artists in Vankleek Hill.”
Arbor Gallery is located at 103 High St. in Vankleek Hill. For more information about the Room Naming Event, visit www.arborgallery.org, or call (613) 678-6171.
