Sunday, April 21 | 3:30pm at the MAAC | 113 Broad Street
In the past, strong Boards and committed volunteers have enabled the Museum to take on projects like the following:
Host workshops and speakers; run an afternoon summer camp for children;
Research and publish projects like Atton’s Lake – a Summer Meeting Place, Cut Knife and Districts School Sites & Points of Interest, and Cut Knife Town Centre;
Fundraise – remember Ladies Night Out?
Celebrate Canada Day and Heritage Day with an event, or fireworks, or a dance…
We look forward to hearing new voices at the Board table. We look forward to fresh energy and brave new ideas. You are invited to join us!
The space is on track to be ready for an early May opening but it will be difficult to continue with a Request for Exhibitors without administrative help.
Do you have some free time and a soft spot for the visual arts? If so, help us establish this gallery space at 113 Broad Street for the artists and arts enthusiasts of Cut Knife and surrounding area. EmailRandyatcmmmcutknife@gmail.com.
The original Post Office was Ovenstown (32-42-20-W3) from 1905 – 1912, named after pioneer homesteader Dr. Robert Ovens. In 1912, the Post Office moved to SW5-43-20-W3. There are 3 stories circulating about how Rockhaven got its name: 2 involve a town in Ontario and the other centers on the Big Rock Buffalo Rubbing Stone. In any case, Faye Rowat’s retirement from Rockhaven’s Post Office may mark the end of an era.
Left: Cake celebrating 40 years as Postmistress; Right: Faye Rowat receiving retirement gift from Randy Strelioff
Faye was born and raised in the village of Rockhaven, probably within 500 feet of where she lives today. She, and her husband Don, raised two boys and when the boys were almost ready to leave the nest, Faye became the Postmistress of Rockhaven and area.
They added a porch onto the house and mailboxes were installed. There’s a partition with a wicket across the porch so the customers would have access to their boxes from one side and the workings of the post office in behind. Faye served the community for forty years. She was absolutely committed to her duties; in all the time I’ve known her, I don’t think she missed a day of work. She knows everyone, and their cousins, and all the family interrelationships, and knows pretty much everyone’s birthday by memory. She would phone or text you if you had a parcel which is a service you don’t expect nowadays.
She’ll be replaced by a superbox, no doubt, but it won’t be the same. About fifty people came to the Cut Knife Seniors Center on Saturday to recognize her service and wish her a happy retirement.
Yesterday, Randy began installation of the track lighting. The smaller size of the room means lighting infrastructure can be minimal but it also has to be flexible to accommodate the full range of visual arts practices. LED track lighting has adjustable track heads that can be customized for each exhibit, and it’s easy to clean and maintain. As a non-profit, the CMMM also appreciates its energy and cost efficiency.
Left: Randy installing the track. Right: The first track head installed.
Once the lighting is functional, the next steps will be installation of the hanging system and then security.
Library’s Book Sale books are on their way out. The work table is set up for the upgrade to track lighting.
If you’ve read a few of these gallery posts, you’ll know we’ve been looking for individuals to help us form a “working group.” Well, we’re still looking, and it’s time to describe the help we need, so you’ll know if you’d like to join us.
This working group will not form a Board of Trustees or Directors. The term the Museum used at its formation was “Advisory Committee.” We anticipate this will be an informal group that comes together when there is work to be done.
We hope to be ready to open with the first exhibit in early May, which means there’s much to be done very soon.
Randy may need some help with renovations. If so, watch this space for an announcement.
The real work is going to be in the requests for submissions, in the selection and scheduling of exhibits, coordination with artists and creators, and probably a dozen other things we’ll discover once the gallery is open.
We’ve talked about each exhibit running for a few months, and exhibits scheduled well in advance i.e. 6 months to a year.
Experience is not required. A soft spot for the visual arts will never be turned away.
The gallery (as yet unnamed) will showcase and celebrate the wide variety of artistic traditions practiced in this area. We hope the working group will reflect the rich diversity of people who live here. We invite interested individuals from all communities, including newcomers, First Nations and Métis, new residents, expats from other provinces, and longtime area residents of all ages and backgrounds, to join us.
Clayton McLain Memorial Museum 