Beverley Cairns believes affordable rents are needed to help keep local artists in the community.
Centre Wellington council chambers are used to showcase rotating exhibits of local artwork every few months.
Cairns was at council on behalf of the Elora Arts Council offering an introduction to the artwork of Eva McCauley.
“Eva McCauley is one of the most accomplished artists living in this area.”
Cairns described McCauley, who was unable to attend the opening, as a painter, printmaker and celtic musician – and on the board of the Riverside Celtic College in Guelph.
McCauley divides her time between her studio in Elmira and the rural southwest coast of Ireland, finding inpsiration for her paintings and prints in the landscape, light and people of Ireland (as well as the music).
McCauley has exhibited her work internationally, most recently with a solo exhibit lastsummer in Cork City, Ireland.
Her work is included in collections in Canadian embassies across the world .
She has been invited to return to Ireland as artist-in-residence at the Cill Rialaig Artist Colony in Kerry in summer 2013, where she will be painting in a pre-famine cottage on the Atlantic Ocean and playing her fiddle at local pub sessions.
Since 2002, McCauley has been an adjunct faculty member in the Fine Art Department at the University of Waterloo, , Ontario, teaching printmaking, drawing and painting.
“Unfortunately Eva had to move her studio to Elmira because she couldn’t find a place here which was large enough and affordable.”
Cairns said the community needs to keep rents affordable.
“We don’t want to lose our artists because the rents go up so much that they cannot manage to stay.”
Cairns said this is a common theme in communities where artist are attracted where the costs are low.
But as the community becomes more popular, the costs increase and they have to move to other communities.
“This is something we have to keep our eyes on,” providing affordable studio space.
