April 18, 2023

Sackville Blog 5

How do I depict a group of settlers that lived here in the 17th and 18th century? Representing the Acadians proved to be quite challenging. I couldn’t find images that would tell the story of Acadians and depict their existence in the Tantramar area. There are some paintings by some artists, but not actual photographs.

There are many written accounts of how the Acadians built dykes and made aboiteaux to reclaimed land,but not many actual photos depicting the same. I found information about their lifestyle but hardly any images to correspond with the written accounts.

 

I used maps to show where the Acadians had settled in the Tantramar area. Here is one of the maps I used.By the way, transferring the image of a map was rather tricky. I wanted it to be crisp enough so the words would be legible. After a few attempts, it transferred reasonably well.

Beaubassin Map 1700s

The original map wasprovided by Mr. Bernard LeBlanc, the retired curator of Musée Acadien in Moncton.  

Beaubassin Map

There is another mapwhich acknowledges the presence of Acadians in the Tantramar area. It is nextto the present-day Carriage House Museum. I took a photo of it. Here is thatmap transferred on a ceramic tile along with the original.

Here is the original photo.

To show how the Acadian farmers built dykes and reclaimed land, I created my own painting of the dyked area as well as used an image of the dyke in Memramcook from the video produced by the students of Ecole Abby Landry.

Aboiteau

Here's the original image.

Image Source: École Abby Landry étudiants de4èmeannée, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rByhzYKwlA

Some of the images came from Village Historique Acadien. If you were to visit this place, you will see people dressed in period costumes engaged in the daily activities as they would have roughly 300 years ago. Here’s an image of Acadian farmers using horses to plough their fields.

Acadian Farmers

Here's the original image.

Acadian Farmers Original Photo

Image Source: Photo gallery (52 of 64) of Village historique acadien

https://www.villagehistoriqueacadien.com/histoire#photos

As you take the virtual tour, you will be able to click on the images and know where they came from.

 

March 17, 2025

Spring into Fun Art

Spring is a time for renewal. Let art be a part of that renewal. Art has therapeutic value. Creating art is good for the mind, body, and soul. It is a great way to relax and rejuvenate. Take advantage of free mini art lessons.

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February 23, 2025

Birds and their Symbolism

Are there lessons to learn from our feathered friends? Birds and their Symbolism exhibition at the Moncton City Hall comprises of ceramic sculptures and mixed-media paintings. The artworks explore the common beliefs, stories, and cultural constructs associated with five birds in eastern and western cultures. 

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