Arts, Culture and Heritage
The Town of Grand Valley offers many opportunities to get involved in arts, heritage and cultural activities. Please visit our Community Calendar to see the details for our upcoming events, visit our Community Clubs and Organizations page, and click on the links below for lots of information!
The Dufferin Arts Council is a volunteer charitable organization dedicated to assisting artists and art students in all disciplines. They provide arts programs and arts-oriented social programs for their members and for the community. For more information, please visit the Dufferin Arts Council website.
The Dufferin Piecemakers Quilting Guild is a non-profit organization that is open to anyone with an interest in quilts, whether a beginner, intermediate or advanced quilter, or as an enthusiastic onlooker. For more information, please visit the Dufferin Piecemakers Quilting Guild website.
The Riverbend Artists of Grand Valley is an association of dance, theatrical, visual, performance and literature artists. For more information, please visit the Riverbend Artists of Grand Valley website or email riverbendartists@gmail.com.
Our Mission Statement
Riverbend Artists of Grand Valley is a volunteer-driven membership organization that brings together Artists and Art supporters for the purpose of promoting, encouraging and fostering interest, appreciation and enjoyment of the practices and knowledge of the Arts. This encompasses the areas of artistic, cultural, literary, musical, dance, dramatic & educational pursuits. We also seek to facilitate workshops and demonstrations for adults and children of these disciplines. Our intent is to assist in organizing, managing, presenting art exhibitions and other presentations as well as advance public education in the Arts and to provide artists with opportunities for greater exposure and networking.
Nathan Adler
Writer and artist who works in many different mediums, including audio & video, drawing & painting,
as well as glass. His novel Wrist is published by Kegedonce Press.
He is a member of Lac Des Mille, Lacs First Nation.
nathanadler@live.ca
nathanadlerblog.wordpress.com
www.riverbendartistof grandvalley.ca
Xaveria Forsythe is an accomplished handspinner, knitter, colourist and designer. She uses her own organic,
handspun, woollen yarns, as well as cottons and man-made fibres. All her works are handmade and singularly
unique. Vera lives in Amaranth, Ontario and expresses her talents in this distinctive medium of the Arts.
http://www.riverbendartistsofgrandvalley.ca/members_visual.html
Neeltje Montgomery-Hoogendoorn
Painting and photography are my Passion. Colour and Light draw my attention and give me joy.
I work in acrylics, coloured pencil and oil. My love of Flowers and Landscapes are reflected in my paintings.
nltjmntgmery@gmail.com
Anna-Maria Dickinson,
A child of the tropics, born in the Caribbean. I spend summer months in Grand Valley, and winter months in Oracle, AZ.
My paintings reflect a broad spectrum of memories, places & things.
https://annamaria-dickinson.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/amdartgallery
Manuela Marshall
Fabric Artist
Manuela works with French dyes, found objects, gourds, paints, textiles and other fabric embellishments. She uses textures, colour, hand and machine embroidery, painting and beading to create unique objects d'art that have been turned into national fabric shows.
artsii.marshall@gmail.com
http://artsii.blogspot.com
519.928.3415 by appointment
Margaret Oorebeek, Oil Painter I love to paint
surrounding landscapes & farms with the texture & movement of my oil paint. I enjoy the mural life and the nature in it. Will do commissions and I enjoy taking on that challenge.
So feel free to give me a call.
519.217.2688
Doug Fulford,
Chainmaille Jewelry Using authentic medieval and modern weaving techniques,
Doug creates beautiful chains, bracelets, necklaces and earrings from aluminum, silver or gold.
Custom orders are a specialty.
Tel: 519.787.3257
Malcolm McCulloch
Painter
Most of my work is the result of a spontaneous collusion of thought, paint and paper, often with unintended and mysterious results.
macpat@live.ca
Leah Mitchell, Quilter
Leah has been quilting since 1994. She is essentially self-taught and enjoys the challenge of designing, piecing and quilting small decorative and functional items for the home. Her designs are inspired by traditional patterns in the public domain.She does machine-piercing and hand-appliqué and does both hand and machine quilting depending on the functionof the piece. She is known for her colour choices, appealing designs and attention to detail in her finished work
519.928.3059
has been a local professional mixed multi media artist for the past 30 years
His diversity of works vary from illustration, chainsaw carvings, welding,
signage, videography, photography. He best know for his mural work and graphic design.
Donna Pascoe, Painter, Sculptor, Architectural Designer
Ancient Civilizations, Art & Mythology and living by Luther Marsh, are some of the inspiring Muses for
Donna’s creative expression. Each painting or piece of sculpture has a story to tell,
touching the soul & reflecting her passionate reverence
for all life.
millenniuminstitution.com
d.pascoe@sympatico.ca
519.928.5417
Joan Pope
Come experience for yourself basic fitness, gentle moves, stretches and rolls that will allow you to nourish your own bodies. Joan Pope is a Certified Instructor of Belly Dancing Exercise and a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. Joan shares a fitness program designed to help everyone individually work at their own pace for fitness and health.
For more information go to
www.grandvalleytimes.ca/humming.asp
519.928.3123
Dan Sinclair
Sculptor
Stylistic windswept trees forged on stone, and fantastical other
-worldly garden sculpture is where Dan’s inspirations begin.
The Iron Bonsai
519.925.9001
Julie VanAlstine
Painter, Draughtsperson
Julie works mostly in mixed mediums, but specializes in pen and ink, acrylic and ball point pen. An art experience not to be missed. Her art works can only be described as fearsome, fantastic and strangely fun. The mysterious world of the subconscious surface in her works introducing you to imagery that is familiar, unique, disturbing at times and yet compellingly beautiful.
juliesart@hotmail.com
519.928.3816
Peter Marshall
Pyrography/Acrylic painter. Peter burns images into wood panels, trays, boxes and furniture.
He then applies fluid acrylic paint between the lines. He also works with oil pastels.
519.928.3415 by appointment
Community Commitment
Riverbend Artists of Grand Valley have been in partnership with the Grand Valley community for the past 5 years. Please see our website for information regarding a number of community projects.
Riverbend Artists of Grand Valley always appreciate and welcome community partnerships in order to continue as an artistic, cultural, community-minded association.
Membership is $40
· Bio on website
· Bio and art picture in a brochure for distribution
· Show and sale for members
· Opportunities to work with community groups
· Art display opportunities
· Opportunities to lead and support RAGV activities
Other Members
Myrna Roberts (Vice Chair),
Debbie Woodruff (Treasurer, CFO)
Past Partners
SALLY FRANCO REAL ESTATE
THOMASFIELD HOMES
GRAND VALLEY WIND FARMS
The Grand Valley Historical Society is a group of people interested in the preservation and promotion of our local cultural and architectural history. The Society brings together those who wish to keep the past alive for future generations. For more information, please visit the Grand Valley Historical Society website or email mullisstaylor@rogers.com.
The Museum of Dufferin (formerly Dufferin County Museum and Archives), located in Mulmur Township at the intersection of Highway 89 and Airport Road, is a unique museum that shares the history of Dufferin and its communities. The museum's architecture reflects the agricultural heritage of Dufferin, and gives you a hint that this museum is open and friendly, and a centre for heritage and historical arts collaboration. For more information, please visit the Museum of Dufferin website.
While winding your way into the Town of Grand Valley, view the tapestry of fields, bending cedars, and wild flowers that slope the ever present Grand River. The flowing river goes through the Town on its way to a 275 km journey to beautiful Lake Erie. You can find fly fisherman snapping their lines, people paddle boarding or canoeing or families seeking a tranquil picnic. Follow the bends to the Downtown where you can see a street scape of history.
The backbone of the Town is the Grand River. Natives used it for transportation, settlers used it as source of power and to float thousands of trees destined for sawmills as an export. The springs that feed it provided for newly created farms. The Grand supports recreational opportunities and necessary flood control. The pure water and rich soil of the Valley produces fruitful vegetation and with careful management will continue to do so for future generations. "Grand" gives us a sense of pride and place.
Initial Settlement of the Grand Valley community
Grand Valley was initially settled in 1855 when the George Joyce Family built a log house, a barn and later a tavern. In 1860, the first Post Office was established with resident S. Stuckey as the first postmaster. That same year, the first school house was built, and the first Municipal Council was created. By 1869, the village had grown to 15 residents and nine buildings, and in 1870, the first store had opened. The business activities of the Village depended almost exclusively upon the surrounding farmers until around 1870 when railroad access meant goods could be acquired elsewhere.
The rural area of Grand Valley was known as East Luther in Dufferin County (formed in 1881), when Luther Township was divided and the Township of West Luther was formed in Wellington County. Some of the early settlers had to walk at least ten miles to receive or send mail until they established a Post Office at Keldon in 1884, and a little later in Colbeck, Monticello, Peepabun, Tarbert, Wesley and Leggatt. The first gravel road was constructed in 1878.
The rural area consists of an area of approximately 38,000 acres of woodland teeming with wildlife such as deer, bear, wildcat, wolves, rabbits and partridges, which served as food for the new settlers.
The business activities of the village depended almost exclusively upon the surrounding farmers until 1871 when railroad access meant goods could be acquired or sold elsewhere.
For more local history, visit our History page and contact the Grand Valley Historical Society.
A photograph taken during the Town's 150 anniversary celebrations.
An excerpt from a local flyer, describing churches and cemeteries at the time of publication.
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Contact Us
Town of Grand Valley
5 Main St. N., Grand Valley
Ontario L9W 5S6
Telephone: 1-519-928-5652
Fax: 1-519-928-2275
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m. Closed holidays.