Chilly 2015 Schomberg Street Gallery

Photos by Barry Wallace

The scene above greeted me as I arrived at the intersection of Dr. Kay Drive and Main Street in Schomberg on Sunday afternoon, for the 7th Annual Schomberg Street Gallery.   For a moment I thought this was a brightly coloured art installation to greet street gallery visitors.   Of course I quickly realized this machinery had nothing to do with the fine art and craft show but was left in place to resume its street work after the weekend.   The weather was cold, cloudy, a little drizzly and added nothing to the festivities.   Despite the weather, the crowd of people that did show up was probably bigger than a lot of people were expecting and Main Street was fairly busy.   As always, meeting and greeting friends, neighbours, and acquaintances was a popular activity, despite the weather.

Painter Adubi Akinola was kept very busy chatting with art admirers, in  front of a marquee featuring many of his colourful, stylized, large paintings.   His representation of a large tiger (seen above, to his right) was featured on advertising and promotion pieces for this year's show.

Beautiful colours and impressionist renderings by artist Robert McAfee certainly caught my eye and almost chased the cold, damp weather from my thoughts.   Someone standing next to me asked if I was buying.   I replied that now that I am in my mid-seventies and our house is full of art, there is no more room for new works.   I said I was now just an admirer - not a buyer.   Ahhhh, that it were otherwise.

Above, a splendid work by Grazyna Tonkiel, of King City

This gentleman, whose name I failed to get, was to be admired for his efforts to entertain under such cold conditions.   From what I heard, not only was his pickin' very pleasant to listen to, but to my ears he played flawlessly in the cold conditions.   Well done, man.

As usual, there was an entertaining collection of pooches being strolled up and down the main street.   The grand-looking St. Bernard, at right, with the pretty young lady, is just nine months old and was trying very hard to behave.   She was quite successful I think, although at one point, she was so tired (or bored) that she just laid down, on her side, in the middle of street, with even her head laid out flat on the pavement and had a brief nap. I took another picture of her, as she lay motionless, with a circle of people standing around gazing down at her, but decided not to show it here because she looked like road-kill.   What a sweetie!

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace