THE BOOKS OF ART

To describe the Haliburton Highlands in geographical terms is easy enough: 452,000 hectares of rolling granitic hills at the southern-most limit of the Canadian Shield, covered in mixed hardwood and coniferous forest, an average of 430 metres above sea level, dotted with hundreds of lakes gouged out by the glaciers of the last ice age. On the north the Highlands are bordered by Algonquin Park, to the east by the hills and valleys of North Hastings County, to the west by Muskoka, and to the south by the Kawarthas.
The Highlands have the cleanest air of any location in Ontario, according to the Ministry of the Environment. Rainfall averages 90 cm. July is the warmest month, with an average temperature of 25.8C. February is the coldest, averaging -10C.  The year round population is about 15,000, but it swells to an estimated 50,000 on peak summer weekends.
Despite their proximity to Canada’s highest population density, the golden horseshoe, the Haliburton Highlands remain relatively undeveloped and unhurried. There are no heavy industries, only two villages, Haliburton and Minden, and a number of small hamlets scattered along a network of winding, two lane roads.
These and countless other facts describe the substance of the Highlands. But capturing the area’s essence - the sights, sounds, smells and emotions the landscape engenders - demands another approach. It takes an artist to transform the physical landscape into something deeper and more subjective.
All of the artists showcased in this book say the landscape of the Highlands inspires them. At the heart of that inspiration is the wonder and joy the landscape offers to those who observe it with a quiet mind and an open heart. The sense of uncrowded space and an unhurried pace give creativity the nurture it needs to flourish. And, too, the Highlands offer an ever-changing panorama where scenes of surpassing beauty are as constant as the forested hills and as ephemeral as the slow dance of clouds reflected on a windless expanse of water.
Though still points of loveliness and tranquility abound in this largely unspoiled landscape, it takes courage and dedication to be an artist in the Highlands, as it does everywhere. Artists create because the process fulfills their dreams and desires. They are compelled by their talent, skills and spirit, to make objects of surpassing beauty, whether their chosen medium is paint, clay, wood, fabric, precious metals, or a camera. But the joy of creating works of art is only part of what makes the effort worthwhile. The making of art is a solitary endeavour, yet artistic expression is also a communal activity. The creator and the viewer share a connection between the moments of inspiration and the work that reflects it.
That connection between the artist and the wider community has become a defining characteristic of the Haliburton Highlands. The area is home to one of Canada’s premier creative education facilities, the Haliburton School of The Arts. Many of the artists showcased in this book have honed their skills and refined their modes of expression through courses at the school. They are prominent members of a flourishing artistic community in the Haliburton Highlands that includes public and private art galleries, an outdoor summer art show, summer and autumn studio tours, and numerous artists’ studios where visitors are welcomed.
This book offers viewers a sampling of the tremendous breadth of creativity and depth of talent that local artists share with the community. It serves as a starting point for exploring the wide range of artistic expression the Haliburton Highlands nurture and inspire. The artists showcased here invite you to share their vision, visit their studios, and ultimately, to allow their works to enrich your life.

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Leonard Pizzey