Studio House PEC and The Al and Eurithe Purdy A-frame - new neighbours

The Al Purdy A-frame Association has a high school English teacher to thank for a lovely bit of synergy that occurred this week. Stewart Jones, a phenomenal painter now based at Studio House PEC in Prince Edward County, came to know and love the work of Al Purdy years ago during one very special high school English course. Over the years Stew has gone to the Al's poetry for titles, for imagery, for inspiration...and just because he loves it.

In March 2014, Stew Jones and his partner Rebecca Hunt (facilitator and gallery director) are celebrating the one-year anniversary of their arrival in Prince Edward County from sunny Toronto. Now that's exciting news, but the best is yet to come.

Stew has generously offered the A-frame Association the proceeds of the sale of one of his paintings - a painting which will feature the A-frame. A look at some of Stew's incredible work on the Studio House PEC website will give you a hint of what Stew might do with the iconic roof slope of Ameliasburgh's favourite poet's house. Check out 'Wellington Compostition #3' and you'll see what I mean. We expect this painting may find its way to a wall in Toronto, Vancouver, Picton...who's to know?

Stew's A-frame painting will be displayed at the Studio House PEC gallery, at #168 on Wellington's leafy Main Street, during spring and summer 2014, and widely online through all of our networks.  No doubt there will be a gathering of the A-frame clan at some point during the summer at Studio House PEC, which is destined to become a popular pop-up event space in this most cultural of counties.

As of this post, we are still waiting for the A-frame to emerge from the winter's ice, snow, and downed tree branches. Some day soon, Stew will make his visit, and find his idea. Stay tuned for the reveal of Stew Jones's Al Purdy A-frame painting, sometime this spring.

The A-frame A-list: On offer - Canada's sexiest baseboard heater

new electrical service - check

In a recent post I mentioned Lesley Kenny's fine Descant blog. Although I did not meet Lesley at the Purdy Picnic last summer, I distinctly remember seeing her - in the famous outhouse, intently scanning the once-autographed walls with a flashlight. "There's a true investigative journalist," I thought. And I was right.

wet basement sorted out - check

new chimney - check

In the January 22 Descant post Lesley shared her interview with WIR Katherine Leyton* and spoke about a fund-raising idea that had sprung out of something the A-frame restoration architect Duncan Patterson had said at the Monarch Tavern event on January 20, and expanded upon in a CBC interview with Carol Off the following day (Part 2, two-thirds of the way through the segment).

new power pole, new driveway - check

The challenge. In exchange for a donation hefty enough to fund one of the needed upgrades for the A-frame (think spray-foam insulation, think septic tank) the lucky donor would receive recognition: his/her name inscribed on the bankrolled item. The idea of the Michael Enright septic pump was floated. And took off.

Descant introduced the idea, and commenter R.W. hit on a poetic crowd-sourcing inspiration - posting a list of needed items and their costs. A flurry of emails between Jean and Duncan, dips into Al's poems for the proper literary authority, vetting by the academics and the "A-frame A-list" was born. On the list: a writing cabin ceiling, a firewood shelter, a well pump, or a tree....

barnboard and windows replaced - check

Response has been encouraging. To date Purdy fans have purchased two ceiling fans an exhaust fan, a bench and a sump pump.

Interested? For the full list, go to Lesley Kenny's January 24 post on the Descant blog.

Much more fun than clicking that green donation button at purdy.ca.


But either way, do consider a donation.

As Duncan says "every dollar helps."

Now we need a deck for our red lounges

* Another engaging interview with Katherine can be found on the CWILA website,

Poets at Home - the Al Purdy A-frame Writer in Residence program

the A-frame will soon be home to writers

As my father would have said "I wouldn't have given much for its chances". For years we thought we were about to lose Al and Eurithe Purdy's A-frame, that poetic landmark on Roblin Lake, to demolition or developers. Now, thanks to heroic effort by Jean Baird and friends, the A-frame has been purchased, is being renovated, and in July 2014, will welcome its first writer in residence Katherine Leyton. 

The 2014/15 writers in residence were announced at an event organized by our own Duncan Patterson and  held on January 20 at the Monarch Tavern in Toronto. An  interview with Katherine was posted by Lesley Kenny on her Descant blog. That was the post that led to the now-famous response by RW...but that's another story.

the deck will be rebuilt and filled with life

the sun will soon shine again on the writing room

This post is about the have-to-pinch-myself-to-be-sure-it's-real feeling when I stop to think that there will be writers once again living at the A-frame. Writing. Interacting with the community. Holding readings on the deck.

 Katherine will be the host of the Second Annual Purdy Picnic which will be held in Ameliasburgh on Saturday July 26. Jean Baird introduces Katherine in this interview posted on the APAFA website.



And those writers in residence? Here's the complete line-up of writers who will be living and working at the A-frame in 2014/15: Katherine Leyton, Sue Sinclair, Nick Thran, Kath MacLean, Laurie Graham, Rob Taylor and Helen Guri. 




*There was another great interview with Katherine by Lesley Kenny in 'Canadian Women in the Literary Arts' online.

Stewart Jones - 'Painter in Residence' at the Al and Eurithe Purdy A-frame

Recently the Aframers heard from Wellington-based artist and gallery owner Stewart Jones. Stewart has recently moved to the area and opened his gallery called Studio House PEC, Stew had been in touch with Michele L, the original local A-framer last year, and recently contacted Jean Baird with an offer.Stewart writes: "I would gladly offer to do an oil painting of the A-frame and have you auction it or sell it and take the $ to put into the renos. I have been a fan of Purdy since high school and would love to do what I can to help the community." Amazing offer. You can be sure Jean got in touch with us right away.

So, at this point the hope is that we can raffle (or offer at silent auction) Stew's painting during the PEC Authors' Festival this coming April. Stay tuned.

And if are in Toronto February 20 - 23, you can see Stew's work in person at the The Artist Project, Exhibition Place. Booth 402. If not, visit the gallery Facebook page, with its link to Stew's on-line store.  And if you're in Wellington Ontario, visit the gallery at 169 Main Street. There's a new show featuring the paintings of Peter Rotter opening March 22.

'The words in the wall' by A.Purdy

If you are one of the two or three people who have missed the buzz about this scrap of paper, I will connect you via the following links to the story, better told by the A-frame architect/ project manager Duncan Patterson, and Globe and Mail culture columnist Kate Taylor, this weekend.

Duncan's guest post on Inside the House, the blog of House of Anansi Press, tells the A-frame tale of the "terrible poet who become the great poet who become Canada's greatest poet", brilliantly. The article includes links which will bring anyone (should there be one) unfamiliar with Al Purdy and his poetry, up to scholar-speed in no time. Duncan includes a reminder about the Monarch Tavern event Monday night, which you can check out here.

Kate Taylor's account of the poem fragment (characteristic of thousands of similar jot-notes Al must have made over the decades, in search of the poem in everything) in the Saturday Globe and Mail tells the story of this scrap found in the east bedroom wall, during recent A-frame renovations. It's not a poem - it's an idea, an image. I speculate it was written on Al's knee, as Eurithe calmly negotiated miles of bumpy prairie highway, on one of their to-and-fro Canada trips.

Lots of people have been having lots of fun trying to decipher Al's familiar scrawl. Eurithe and I spent time over it when she had it emailed to me over the winter. Having spent years working with bright kids with severe learning disabilities, I long ago learned to tactfully decode peculiar spelling and handwriting. (Because the last thing a reluctant writer needs is a critic). And Eurithe...well, she'd be used to it, wouldn't she?

Let's stay in touch

Purdy Picnic July 2013

As this blog moves away from documenting local links with Al's poetry (he's not writing any more alas), I am using it to add my voice to all of those who are spreading the word about the A-frame Association and events.To that end, here are a few links and an invitation to be in touch.

Add this to your daytimer: The Second Annual Purdy Picnic has been set for July 26 at the A-frame, and locations around Ameliasburgh village in Prince Edward County. Our first Writer in Residence will be your host.

Kelly Bacon, Martin Durkin, Chris Faiers, Richard Turtle
at Active Arts Studio, Fall 2013

Discussions are underway with Jeff Keary of Active Arts Studio to host an event in late August, which will feature the music of Gerry Shatford whose Purdy-inspired jazz is truly fine. More to follow on this.

And just a reminder (you lucky Toronto folk) of the Monarch Tavern event this coming Monday (January 20). The names of the A-frame Writers in Residence for 2013/14 will be announced by poet Karen Solie, and music will be provided by Ketch Harbour Wolves. And some cool Al Purdy stuff on offer, I hear.

The event is listed on the Al Purdy A-frame Association website. Please share this link with those who love Al Purdy and his work; it's a good place to keep updated about the APAFA and its events - and to make a donation to ongoing renovations at the A-frame!

Kate Taylor from the Globe and Mail is writing an article to be published Saturday January 18th about an interesting poem fragment in Al's unmistakable scrawl that was found in a wall at the A-frame. The article will include a photo of the fragment.  Kate has been in contact with editor Sam Solecki to get his scholarly reading.  The Globe will also send out something on Saturday on social media with an image of the fragment, asking what people think it says. Go on, create a poem with the fragment - or find its echo in some of Al's crossing the country poems. An image of the poem fragment has been posted on the website this afternoon!

Don't forget to keep in touch with the A-frame Association and doings at the Roblin Lake via the Facebook page. And please drop by this blog on occasion, also.

'Purdy Drinks' - an A-frame fundraising event - Monarch Tavern, Toronto, January 20, 7 PM

 

This just in from Duncan Patterson, the A-frame's consulting architect. A fund-raiser in support of ongoing work at the A-frame:

 

 

"Please come raise a glass with us to the legacy of famous Canadian poet Al Purdy at the Monarch Tavern in Toronto on Monday, January 20th.

 

"Purdy Drinks" will be a casual night featuring readings by acclaimed poets Paul Vermeersch, Jim Smith, and Stuart Ross.  Additionally, Karen Solie (Griffin Prize winner, 2010!) will be announcing the names of the inaugural writers-in-residence at the A-Frame.  All of this will be followed by live music.

 

Tickets will be $10 at the door, or if you're worried about the evening selling out, tickets will also be available as of Monday January 13th at Soundscapes on College.

All proceeds from the evening will go towards the restoration, rehabilitation, upgrades, and general maintenance of the Al & Eurithe Purdy A-Frame in Ameliasburgh, Prince Edward County and the funding of the Writer-in-Residence program. "