Release For Publication - January 05, 2023

On display from January 12 until March 12, the exhibit features the work of two renowned Elora residents: watercolourist and oil painter Barry McCarthy, and the late photographer John Robert Connon (1862-1931).

“Connon lived at a time when the art of photography was rapidly evolving,” comments Hailey Johnston, Curator. “Advances in technology allowed him to explore the Gorge with his equipment in tow, capturing incredible images of soaring cliffs, icicle-hung caves, and the powerful Grand River. He even set up a portable dark room at the bottom of the Gorge to offer portraits to tourists.”

Exploring the same landscape a century later, McCarthy has created a volume of luminous watercolours and oils that stand in stark contrast to Connon’s black and white photographs. Born and raised in northern Ontario, McCarthy grew up experiencing the vast shores of Lake Superior and the dense woods of the north. He is renowned for his southern Ontario landscapes and Maritime seascapes but finds himself repeatedly drawn back to the Gorge. “The Elora Gorge is a tour de force, with one side always bathed in light and the other in shadow, yin and yang, a perfect combination,” says McCarthy.

Visitors to the show will enjoy seeing rare photographs and artifacts from the Museum and Archives collection, and paintings on loan from private collections in Wellington County and the surrounding area. “I have always been grateful for the support of my home community,” says McCarthy. “Having my work owned locally and then loaned back for the public to enjoy for a short time is truly remarkable.”

All are invited to the exhibit’s opening reception on Thursday, January 12, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, at the Museum. 

There will be light refreshments and a cash bar. 

Admission is by donation. 

Wellington County Museum and Archives is located on Wellington Road 18 between Fergus and Elora.

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