Eva Antonel
Museums and art galleries , art studios and exhibits are the mainstay of art aficionados everywhere . They are a surefire way to tickle your art bone any time of the year . But when summer ' s in full swing , we artsy types are often torn between getting our share of art and savouring the great outdoors . I ' m going to go out on a limb and propose that by broadening our definition of " art ", the two don ' t have to be mutually exclusive .
According to Miriam Webster , art is " something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings .” Deciding to use this definition , we can easily say that street murals , gardens , street musicians and outdoor concerts fall within those parameters .
Need some ideas to experience art in Windsor Essex without stepping through any doorways ? Here are a few suggestions . Windsor Sculpture Park : According to the City of Windsor website , " located on Riverside Drive West from the Ambassador Bridge to Church Street , is home to the Windsor Sculpture Park . The park features large-scale contemporary sculptures for public viewing . The collection continues to develop every year through private donations , with 32 sculptures presently in the park ." Fujisawa Zen Garden , Essex : According to worldwideweb . com , it ' s an " authentic Japanese Zen garden and Derbyshire English cottage garden , side-by-side . Japanese Tea House , Fuji Mountain and pond . Tea ceremony can be arranged with reservation ." Queen Elizabeth II Gardens : According to
The Bell Box Murals Project is returning to Essex , adding up to eight new murals to the town ’ s outdoor mural gallery . Artists began painting on Bell Canada utility boxes — this time in Harrow Centre — in July .
Since 2009 , artists have painted 127 murals on Bell Canada utility boxes throughout Ontario and Quebec . Essex Centre currently has 13 large-scale murals in its outdoor mural gallery and eight Bell Box murals painted in 2013 .
Learn more about the Town of Essex mural gallery here .
The City of Windsor website , " Visitors to the Queen Elizabeth II Sunken Garden ' s can enjoy the flowers of the season : hundreds of tulips in May , followed by the abundance of summer perennials and lush annuals . The park features some of the most magnificent formal gardens and fountains in Windsor ." Coventry Gardens , Riverside Dr . E : According to The City of Windsor website , " Coventry Garden was designed for relaxation and recreation and as a place of civic pride . It features the Peace Fountain , the only international floating fountain in the world , which can propel water 70 feet in the air and displays a light show ." Outdoor Murals : Wyandotte St . East , Wyandotte St . West , Maiden Lane , Sandwich Town , Drouillard Rd . Ford City : According to Ford City BIA , " Thirty six outdoor murals have been erected on twenty sites along
Drouillard Road . These works serve to honour and preserve the area ’ s place in Windsor ’ s history , and that of the global auto industry . A self-guided Mural Tour booklet is available ." Click here for a link to the Windsor Mural Project , dedicated to showcasing murals in the area . WSO Free Summer Concert Series : Several outdoor concerts are planned throughout the city and county during the summer months . Greater Windsor Concert Band : According to their website , " these casual summer concerts are always a relaxing and enjoyable way to spend time with family and friends ." Arts & Crafts booths at local farmers markets : See the list of markets in this issue . Street Musicians can be stumbled upon anywhere . Be on particular look out downtown Windsor .
How do you support local artists ? Tweet us @ TheHubWE # artmatters
August 2016 - The HUB 9