Posted on June 4, 2018 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

Len and Rev. Donald MacGillivray

 

Art begets art.

Antigonish is blessed with many, many gifted artists. This group includes people who have been showing us their incredible talents for decades as well as a significant number of individuals who are getting to show us their creative genius at places like the Antigonish Art fair and several local galleries.

One of our most distinguished and recognizable artists is Anna Syperek. A few years ago, she was commissioned to do a painting of James MacPherson, the beloved organist and choir director at St. Ninian’s Cathedral who passed away in November of 2017. Her depiction of James sitting at the organ is magnificent. The painting appeared on James’ memorial card and afterwards, several people inquired about the possibility of getting a copy of the work.

In consultation with Anna and the MacPherson family, it was decided that copies of the print would be made available to the public with the idea that any proceeds from the project would go towards the ongoing restoration work of the Leduc paintings of the saints at St. Ninian’s Cathedral. The stretched canvass rendering is available for purchase at the Antigonish 5 to $1.00 store in Antigonish. Two sizes are available: the 8×10 version is $75 which includes taxes and the 11×14 is $100 including taxes. To contact the 5 to $1.00 visit their website: https://www.antigonishfivetoadollar.ca/ or call the photo shop at 902-863-2571.

Through the generosity of Anna Syperek and the Antigonish 5 to $1.00, 100% of the proceeds of sales will go towards the restoration of the Saints at St. Ninian’s.

As mentioned in an earlier post, James MacPherson was a passionate supporter of the art restoration at the Cathedral. He spoke about it often and was especially thrilled when the patroness of music, St.Cecelia, was the first of the Saints to get a facelift. Her image appears on Anna’s painting, looking down at James. When this work began a few years back, he discussed the possibility of having a concert in the cathedral to raise awareness and funds for the work being done.

It seems only fitting then that the parish and the broader community now has an opportunity to not only celebrate James’ life and his nearly 50 years of dedication to St.Ninian’s but at the same time, carry out his wishes to raise money for art restoration at the cathedral. In case you missed it, Pastoral Airs: A Concert in Memory of James MacPherson will be held at St.Ninian’s Cathedral on Saturday, July 7^th at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are available at St.Ninian’s Parish office, Antigonish 5 to $1.00 and MacKinnon Pharmasave as well as on line by going to the Antigonish Highland Society website at https://www.antigonishhighlandsociety.ca/

Members of James’ family will be in attendance at the concert and there will be an unveiling of a copy of the Syperek painting which will become a permanent fixture in the cathedral.

Art begets art.

Have a great week.

 

 

Posted on May 31, 2018 under Thursday Tidbits with no comments yet

 

James MacPherson left us on November 8^th, 2017, but he will not be forgotten.

Besides being recognized by the Antigonish Highland Society at this year’s Highland Games, James will be honored as St. Ninian’s Parish will be hosting a concert at the Cathedral on Saturday, July 7^th at 8:00 p.m. “Pastoral Airs. A Concert in Memory of James MacPherson,” will feature an impressive lineup of musicians, many of whom performed with James over the years. These include Margaret MacGregor MacDonald, John Pellerin, Scott Williams, Phillip Cooper, Ranke DeVries, Thea Huard, Michael Aucoin, Emery VandeWiel, Audrey Cochrane and the St. Ninian’s Senior Choir. We are awaiting confirmation from a few other performers.

Tickets are $20 advance and $25 at the door. We expect the concert to be a sell out so you might want to get your tickets early. Tickets are available now at 5 to $1.00, MacKinnon Pharmasave and St.Ninian Parish office. For those of you reading this in far flung parts of the world, you can also order them online by going to the Antigonish Highland Society website beginning next week. https://www.antigonishhighlandsociety.ca/

James was the organist at St. Ninian’s for close to 50 years and a mainstay at the Highland Games for decades. He was passionate about St.Ninian’s Cathedral. He was particularly enamored with the restoration work being done on the Saints that adorn the walls of the cathedral. Please take a few minutes and look at this video which explains the historical significance of the paintings and the work being done to preserve them. http://www.saintninian.ca/history/artrestore.mp4

All of the proceeds of this concert will go to the continued restoration work.

The first Saint to be given a facelift was St. Cecelia and she is the patroness of musicians. She overlooks the choir loft and brought enormous joy to James when the restoration of her figure was completed.

Also, at the concert, we will be displaying copies of a stretched canvass print of the Anna Syperek painting of James at the organ which many of you would have seen on James’ memorial card. These will be available for purchase at Antigonish 5 to $1.00.

I will be the Emcee for the event and promise not to sing any solos! I can’t promise that there won’t be a few laughs as we celebrate the life of a gifted musician and great friend.

Hope to see you there. Get your tickets early.

Have a great weekend.

P.S. Please SHARE if you would.Tx.

 

 

 

Posted on May 28, 2018 under Monday Morning Musings with 2 comments

A walk on the wild side.

(Photo by Pete MacDonald)

Walking. It’s good for the heart and the soul.

I’ve done a lot of walking lately. Walking and thinking of many things including my good fortune. This time of year is very special as everything in nature comes alive. You can actually smell the earth below your feet as you walk along wooded trails. Ditto for flowers and trees. After lying dormant for the winter, the leaves on the trees are busting out all over and grass is ready for the cutting. There must be at least 50 shades of green. The birds are obviously pleased as they begin their lovely melodies in the wee hours of the morning. To hear them, you must be an early riser. That’s when they get the worm!

Is there anything more heavenly and serene than a solo walk on one of our area beaches? Late one evening last week, I strolled along Bayfield Beach. I could almost taste the salt in the air. It was chilly but my hoody provided warmth. I could hear the gentle lapping of the waves as a solitary gull soared in the fading light. Off in the distance, I could hear trucks at the wharf loading precious cargo of crustaceans destined for far way shores. The pungent smell of seaweed was ever present. I sat in an Adirondack chair, pondering the scene in front of me. It was a sensory buffet.

The walk the next morning provided a very different landscape. It was one of my frequent town jaunts. The campus of St.F.X. continues to be one of my favourite spots. It seems that the campus is always in a state of renewal with several infrastructure projects on the go. It is exciting to see the new grandstands at Oland Stadium and know that Canada’s top Special Olympians will descend on Antigonish later this summer. It’s not too late to volunteer.

I pass the various coffee establishments on James Street and notice small groups of retirees. No doubt they are talking about sports, politics, or their various aches and pains.

Along the way, I think about the El Camino trail in Spain. I know several people who have completed this pilgrimage and some more who plan to do it soon. This is definitely on my ‘to do’ list, maybe next year.

Lots of people are out with their dogs at this time of day. If your doctor recommends walking, get a dog. They’ll force you outdoors when nature comes calling.

At the end of an hour, I make the turn onto Pleasant Street. On one side is a nursing home and directly across the street is a funeral home, a reminder that fragility and mortality awaits us all. I think of the residents of the ‘RK’ especially those who are wheelchair bound. You know that they would all love to experience the simple joy of walking again, unencumbered. It is at times like this that I feel an incredible sense of gratitude. I never take my health for granted.

Before taking the last few steps on Court Street, I stop by the gas station on the corner to pick up the Saturday Chronicle Herald. I always try and complete the New York Times crossword puzzle, try being the operative word as I am rarely able to finish it.

All the while, I am thinking about the woman who was the hub of our family wheel.

Have a great week.