Artists
Lead Artist: Ruth Howard
HFA Artistic Director: Dan Watson
Huntsville Visual Artists:
Dawn Huddlestone
Carolyn Wagland
Pam Carnochan
Project Assistants
Thomas Flynn
Xee Busse
Curatorial Consultant
Helah Cooper
Participating Groups
HFA Community Dance Participants
Muskoka Highlands Academy
Muskoka Landing Retirement Lodge
YMCA Newcomer ESL Program
Muskoka Maple Festival VIsitors
Community Members at Summit Centre
Iskcon Muskoka Festival Guests
Muskoka Seniors Friendship Lunch
Riverside Public School
& Others
We acknowledge the support of the Work in Culture Catalyst and Transformation (CAT) Fund. The Work in Culture Catalyst and Transformation (CAT) Fund provides funding to Ontario arts organizations to investigate, plan, and implement substantive change in their operations.
My Art-full Life My Art-full Life is a community project by the Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HfA), inviting Huntsville people to express their memories, experiences and hopes for creativity and the arts: in their lives and the place they live. In the spring of 2025, HfA Executive Director Dan Watson enlisted Toronto-based artist Ruth Howard to design an activity responding to these goals. Ruth spent a week in Huntsville collaborating with local artists, community groups, and individuals. The result is a collection of over 50 accordion books created by participants of all backgrounds – from newcomers to long-time residents – and all ages – from toddlers to elders – mixing watercolour, pastels, pen, and collage, plus a gallery of mini-paintings and annotated paper leaves. As well as discovering interesting specifics about how art weaves through people’s lives, we learned how widely “creativity” can be defined, including, not only painting, music, theatre,dance, literature, but also encompassing gardening, sports, toys, animals, food, relationships and more. We learned that people in Huntsville love art-making together, and that barriers of location, cost, language, ability, health, confidence are not so hard to overcome. All of this will help to inspire and inform HfA’s strategic planning process: envisioning and planning ideas and directions for the future. And we’re proud to share the art of My Art-full Life through this exhibition, welcoming everyone who contributed and all members of our community. Enjoy looking at and reading the books (feel free to take them down from the shelves if you wish). And it’s not too late to add in your own book, painting or leaf. Thanks for your time and creativity!
Venue: HfA Studio
