Arts Hudson

Shakespeare's ‘Twelfth Night’
The Hudson Players Club "Shakespeare by the Lake"
by Kathryn Lamb
18 – 28 July 2024 at Jack Layton Park
Thursday, Friday, Saturday,and Sunday each week @ 19:00
ENTRANCE BY DONATION – SUGGESTED $20

This summer, the Hudson Players Club has chosen Twelfth Night, as its annual Shakespearean offering to the Town of Hudson. This, with its cheeky Shakespearean mix of romance, impersonation, gender confusion and inappropriate relationships is being directed by Raymond Yust, who is new to Hudson audiences. He has trained, taught and worked in productions across the US and has acted in numerous plays and films, Shakespearean and otherwise, from New York to Kansas City to Chicago. Peter Garbacz is the stage manager for this production, James Berryman, the technical director and Jean Frederic Samson, the producer.

In Elizabethan England, twelfth night festivities, usually occurring around January 6, were periods of raucous revelry, often presided over by the King of Misrule. This Twelfth Night was written around 1602 (Shakespeare would have been about 36 years old) but was not performed until several years later.

In this story, a pair of twins, Viola and Sebastian, are shipwrecked off the coast of Illyria (historically located on the Adriatic coast of the Balkans). Viola (Samantha Cicchino) survives the wreck, but believes her brother has perished. To be safe, she disguises herself as a man, takes the name Cesario, and manages to find employment as a page to a local nobleman, the Count of Orsino (Bill Fletcher). The count is enamoured with Olivia (Fiona Chandler), a noblewoman, who is not interested in him at all. The count sends Cesario, his page, to woo her, only to have her fall for Cesario himself, believing, of course that he/she is a man.

Olivia is surrounded by a coterie of admirers including her servants Maria (Jennifer Wade) and Fabian (Geneviève Grenier), her jester Feste (Simon Côté), and two gentlemen courtiers (Dave Fisher and Jean Frederic Samson), all of whom hilariously meddle in everyone’s affairs. They also delight in shaming and taunting the piteous Malvolio (Steve Walters), Olivia’s devoted if somewhat humorless steward. To confuse things further, Sebastian (Konstantine Malakos), Viola’s twin, has been rescued and reappears. Now, we have a full-scale recipe for craziness and confusion, but powerful directing and acting keep the storyline on track!

Watching a rehearsal as the play comes together, I can feel the magic happening. To see the director work with each actor to find the place where the actor becomes the character was truly exciting. As the gestures are refined, intonation perfected, and body movements aligned - the transformation takes place before my eyes. I should not be surprised, though, because everything the Hudson Players Club has ever undertaken has been done with absolute professionalism. Once again, hilarity ensues, along with love, tension and clever satire, as we are carried into another reality - Shakespeare’s reality.

Be sure to grab your lawn chair and mosquito repellant and head down to Jack Layton Park. You will want to be there!

Tom Allen:
The Missing Pages
by Steve Ambler

The Hudson Village Theatre, in collaboration with the Hudson Chamber Music Series, is pleased to announce a performance of The Missing Pages, a "chamber musical" written by and starring Tom Allen, on February 26 at 4pm in the Village Theatre, 28 Wharf Road in Hudson.

Tom has hosted a series of daytime shows on CBC Music, the latest incarnation of which is...Read more

In Hudson
Art and Music Bloom
by Briana Doyle

Artists practice in solitude but thrive in community. When artists gather together and inspire each other, art blooms.

Take music for example. Hudson is an extraordinarily musical town. Not only are there many opportunities for musicians to play in Hudson, but there are many excellent musicians — many of whom also write and record their own original material. In Hudson, music blooms.

Here, we have an ecosystem of opportunities for musicians to...Read more

Bloodshot
by Douglas Post
reviewed by Kathryn Lamb

It is London 1957, and we are over the Thames, on Blackfriars Bridge facing east, as our protagonist contemplates an agonizing decision.

He is an aging ex-cop, who had a talent for taking grisly crime scene snapshots. Now fighting depression and alcoholism, he is trying to get work as a photographer.

A manila envelope drops through his mail slot containing...Read more

Pagoda Starling Drop a New Single
and It Rocks

Dreamy harmonies, moody melodies, and intimately intertwined guitars are the hallmarks of the Pagoda Starling sound. Folky, emotive, and subtle, Seiji Gutierrez and Briana Doyle draw upon influences ranging from vintage folk and alternative rock from the 60s through the 90s — and the end result is distinctively original. Pagoda Starling's first original single, Magpie Molly, was released on all streaming services on November 15, with more...Read more

The Hudson Film Society
Is in Its 17th Year
by Clint Ward

Monday at the Movies is at the Village Theatre from September to April. It is a series of 8 films that elevate and inspire. Add to this the yearly Big little Canadian Film Festival and there is lots of opportunity to enjoy cinema, with others, in a darkened room with the beam of light filling the screen with life.

One of Hollywood's greatest actors had this to say about his chosen art form.

"Hey, I got an idea, let's go to the movies. I want to take you...Read more

Little Red Ridinghood
Strikes Back
by Kathryn Lamb

As I walked into the Hudson Village Theatre to watch a rehearsal of this year's pantomime, the energy and excitement was immediately palpable. After two years of "panto-deprivation", the town is ready. I watched with wonder as the performers on stage worked to perfect their routines, fine-tune their gestures and get their timing down pat.

Little Red Riding Hood Strikes Back is director John Sheridan's second original pantomime for the Hudson Village Theatre. This version was...Read more

Microbrasserie Cardinal
Brews Live Music and Beer

Cheers!

Enjoy good times and great beer at Hudson's Cardinal Brewing.

Hudson is home to a surprising number of bars and restaurants for a small town. We've got fine dining and casse-croûtes, vegan fare and surf-and-turf, pubs and cocktail bars, great breakfast spots and fancy coffee — and if you don't mind...Read more

Arts Hudson
Resumes Publication
by Bert Markgraf

We're back and we're better.

Arts Hudson stopped publishing a print edition in April, 2020 due to the pandemic. First we were locked down and then people were reluctant to pick up print copies. To the right and below are some of our favourite covers from the last few years.

We continued to maintain an online presence at artshudson.org, where we had a steady stream of traffic. However, one of our most popular...Read more

The War Memorial Library
Bunker Art Sale
by Kathryn Lamb

The War Memorial Library Shop / The Bunker's eagerly anticipated annual "Off the Wall" Art Sale will happen Saturday, November 12 from 10AM to 4PM at the Stephen F Shaar Community Centre, 394 Main Road, Hudson, QC

After another year of generous donations, closet cleaning, and post-covid downsizingo...Read more

Hudson Chamber Music Series
Andrew Sords and Cheryl Duvall
by Steve Ambler

The Hudson Chamber Music Series is pleased to announce the third concert of our 39th season, on November 6 at 4pm in St. Thomas Church, 413 Main Rd. in Hudson. Violinist Andrew Sords and pianist Cheryl Duvall will present a recital of works from the Classical, Romantic and early Modern periods (Mozart, Chopin, Brahms, Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Ravel and Boulanger).

Andrew and Cheryl performed in our series in 2017 as part of the Andrew Sords Trioo...Read more

Erica Teaches Music
In Her Studio on Cote St. Charles
by Bert Markgraf

The Hudson area has gained a new resident musical couple with Erica Jacobs-Perkins and Ben Stuchbery who moved here from NDG about a year ago. Erica plays the violin and Ben is the flautist in their band, the "Cygnus Trio," which also includes Ben's brother, guitarrist Jonathan Stuchbery. They perform music ranging from baroque to folk, dances and new commissions. You can listen to their music and buy downloads on their website, thecygnustrio.com. Their band activity is less than it used to be, now that they are raising their two-year-old, but Erica gives music classes locally and hopes to add more students.

Erica has created an attractive music studio...Read more

Hudson Chamber Music Series Dolin Quartet
by Steve Ambler

The 39^th season of the Hudson Chamber Music Series continues apace on October 23^rd. The Dolin Quartet will play Romantic chamber works by Robert Schumann and Antonin Dvorák. Like all of our concerts this year, it will take place at 4 pm on Sunday afternoon in the sanctuary of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish church, 413 Main Rd., Hudson.

The Dolin quartet consists of cellist Elizabeth Dolin on Cello, violinist Laurence Kayalah, violist Lambert Chen and pianist Meagan Milatz. The string players of the quartet gave a concert in our series in March, and Elizabeth and Laurence gave a recital for violin and cello, ...Read more

Canadian Artist Leo Schimanszky Immortalises Scan
that Saved His Life
One that detected a 'silent killer'
thanks to two doctors who really cared
by James Parry

Passionate about life and his many paintings and sculptures that have won international critical acclaim over the decades, 79 year-old Canadian artist Leo Schimanszky considers himself to be truly blessed and lucky to be alive today folowing emergency surgery last November. For a disease that he describes as a potential 'silent killer' and for which, he says, he experienced no warning signals or symptoms* whatsoever.

That disease, he was to learn to his horror, ...Read more

Hudson Chamber Music Series 39th Season
by Steve Ambler

The Hudson Chamber Music Series is pleased to announce its 39th season, which once again will bring chamber musicians of international stature to perform in the heart of our community. All concerts will take place at 4 pm on Sunday afternoons in the sanctuary of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish church, 413 Main Rd., Hudson.

The first concert of the season features a recital by the duo of Jessica Tong, violin, and Michael Sheppard, piano. The duo played for us in April 2019. This time they will play works by Schubert, Poulenc, ...Read more

Finnegan's Market
A Eulogy
by Kathryn Lamb

It is early morning, and in the pre-dawn mist, vehicles quietly pull into the parking lot, so as not to disturb the still-sleeping neighbors. Birds are tuning up for their daybreak chorus, and spring geese rise from the water.

The local Saturday market is preparing for its big day. This market has been a fixture in Hudson for many decades, and reliably, every Saturday from the first of May to the end of October, it comes to life in this idyllic ...Read more

Hudson Chamber Music Series
Recital by Lara Deutsch and Adam Cicchillitti
by Steve Ambler

Photo credit: Images of Lara and Adam
are provided with permission from Curtis Perry
(www.curtisperry.ca)

After the pandemic forced us to cancel their February 13 appearance, the Hudson Chamber Music Series is pleased to announce a recital on April 24 by flutist Lara Deutsch and guitarist Adam Cicchillitti at Saint Thomas Aquinas Church in Hudson. The duo will play works inspired by traditional and folk music by Bartók, Piazzolla, Takemitsu, Ortiz and Noble.

Flutist Lara Deutsch was named one of 2020's "Rising Stars" by BBC Music Magazine. She is a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player known for her engaging warmth and ability to connect with audiences. Recipient of the $125,000 Prix ...Read more

Renovations for Six
A Fun(d) Raising Comedy at Village Theatre

Local actors help raise money for the theatre
by Kathryn Lamb

Couples, power, sex and secrets……. What a potent mix! Hudson Village Theatre is celebrating spring with a new play, Renovations for Six, the latest offering by Canada's favorite comedic playwright, Norm Foster. Known for crowd-pleasing productions that are at the same time humorous and profound, Renovations for Six is directed by veteran Steve Walters and performed ... Read More

Local Artist Continues 5,000 Year-Old Tradition
of Creating Exquisite Wind Chimes

Carmen Marie Fabio, former editor of The Journal, is pursuing an artistic hobby she loves
by James Parry

To parryphrase Bob Dylan, and for the past 5,000 years or so, they have been 'Blowin' in the Wind.' Of every description and on every continent on Earth. Depending on your outlook on life and spiritual beliefs, they can either be pleasant sounding background music or a tool to bring good luck and positive energy while warding off negativity. According to some, when hung facing west, they attract good luck in the lives of children and help them to bring honour to their family. Similarly, when hung in a northern direction, they open up career opportunities. And when hung in the north-west zone, they bring the luck of mentors into your lives. I'm speaking of wind chimes....More

Hudson Chamber Music Series
Recital March 27th, Glorious Strings
by Steve Ambler

The Hudson Chamber Music Series is pleased to announce a recital on March 27 at Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish in Hudson, part of our (abbreviated) 39th season. The concert features works for strings by Mozart, Dohnányi and Arensky. The performers are cellists Elizabeth Dolin and Guy Fouquet, violinist Laurence Kayaleh, and violist Lambert Chen.

Since her Carnegie Recital Hall debut in 1985, Elizabeth Dolin has been recognized as one of Canada's finest cellists, in demand as a recitalist and chamber musician throughout Canada and the United States, ... More

Puppet Making Workshop for Kids
from the Hudson Players Club

Get your kids aged 8* to 16 into this fun packed in-person puppet making workshop coming up from March 19th thru April 2nd (three Saturday mornings), at the community centre in Hudson, from 10.30 am thru 12.30 pm.

Hosted by the talented Mary Vuorela, each of the three Saturdays will bring delight to the participants, working on puppet design, characters, thru to bringing your puppet to life... culminating with a show on the third Saturday (April 2nd). More

Hudson Chamber Music Series
February Recital by Lara Deutsch and Adam Cicchillitti
by Steve Ambler

The diocese for St, Thomas Church are opening up their churches for Masses, but not for other events. The Hudson Chamber Music Series is therefore obliged to cancel the concert. The next scheduled event is on March 27. We hope to have some positive news between now and then from the diocese.

The Hudson Chamber Music Series is pleased to announce a recital on February 13 by flutist Lara Deutsch and guitarist Adam Cicchillitti at Saint Thomas Church in Hudson. (Please note that the concert will only be able to take place if the Quebec government relaxes its restrictions on indoor gatherings.) The duo will play works inspired by traditional and folk music by Bartók, Piazzolla, Takemitsu, Ortiz and Noble.

Photo credit: Images of Lara and Adam are provided with permission from Curtis Perry (www.curtisperry.ca)

Flutist Lara Deutsch was named one of 2020's "Rising Stars" by BBC Music Magazine. She is a soloist, chamber musician...Read More

Strawberries in January
Shows are Back at Village Theatre
by Kathryn Lamb

The doors of the Hudson Village Theatre have opened at last with Strawberries in January, a clever, fast-moving play written by Evelyne de la Chenelière, translated by Morwyn Brebner and brought to our stage by Hudson Village Theatre artistic director Dean Patrick Fleming. It is a play full of life, love and laughter- just, I think, what the doctor ordered!

Evelyne de la Chenelière is a Quebec writer and actor best known for her Governor General's award-winning play Desordre public and Bashir Lazhar, the screenplay basis for the 2011 film Monsieur Lazhar. Morwyn Brebner is a writer, translator and co-creator of the TV series The Coroner, Saving Hope and ...Read More

Greenwood Activities Music and StoryFest
Greenwood Music in the Garden and August StoryFest

Music in the Garden features the Better Half Trio on August 22nd and Brian Gallagher on August 29th. Tickets are $10.00 and the music starts at 2:00 pm.

The 20th anniversary of StoryFest starts with Marie-Louise Gay on Saturday, August 28th at Greenwood, 10:00 am. The book is a children's book called "The Three Brothers" and admission is by donation. Visit Greenwood Centre for more information.

Coronicles 4 - Living with COVID
Tales from the Great Pandemic
by Art MacDonald

As he wrote in Coronicles 1 - Tales from the Great Pandemic, Art usually writes in the first person but he is still finding the need to socially distance himself and will therefore write in the third person - third minus first: there's your two meters social distancing right there.
Coronicles are COVID-related stories that Art has heard or read and that he thinks are worth repeating.
Back to the New Normal
So, how's your return to normal life been? This past spring we were wrestling COVID to the ground (see Coronicles 3 below) and we were going to be maskless by Labour Day. Then Delta struck and we're lucky not to be in a lockdown (yet). And we're still at the beginning of the Greek alphabet - there's room for many more variants. On a more cheerful note, Quebec has morphed from worst-in-class to a top performer as far as vaccinations, new cases and deaths go. Apparently we trust our government. Art wonders why this ...Read More

"Macbeth" by the Hudson Players Club
Theatre at Jack Layton Park
by Kathryn Lamb

Shakespeare's Macbeth, known also as "The Scottish Play" opens at Jack Layton Park on July 30. It is a Hudson Players Club production, and Aaron George is directing. He is known for his highly successful fringe festival productions, and for Shakespeare Canada, an organisation that takes Shakespeare to school audiences across the country. Macbeth is played by Simon Côté, well known to Hudson audiences for his past performances in Balconville and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

As I arrive at a rehearsal, I almost trip over a huge pile of weapons...Read More

Every Brilliant Thing
Theatre at Greenwood
by Kathryn Lamb

It was a beautiful summer afternoon on the lawn at Greenwood. Light jazz music wafted over the loudspeaker, as we gazed out over the river at an elegant heron who was preening himself in the shallows. People wandered on to the lawn, a few at a time chatting to each other as they took their seats. There was anticipation in the air as we waited for the first performance of the first play from the Hudson Village Theatre in more than a year and a half. It felt lovely- even a little magical.

On the programme was "Every Brilliant Thing" by Duncan Macmillan...Read more

The Amazing Art of Gardens
and Some Fabulous Painters Who Immortalized Them
From Monet to Vincent van Gogh to Kadinsky and each in their unique style
by James Parry, photographs by James Parry - from his garden

'Tis Spring. My favourite season of them all. A time, in the garden, for rebirth and renaissance. With the hope of better, more positive days, ahead. A time when I'm always amazed at the sheer wonder, strength, tenacity, and perennial magic of Mother Nature. With green spikes forcing their way through bare ground or frosted grass. To unfurl, in just weeks, into an array of brightly coloured, often fragrant, leaves and flowers to stimulate and dazzle the senses. Not only for us homosapiens but also the bees, butterflies, and non-gardeners alike.
A time when Crocus pierce unraked leaves and even still-remaining patches of snow and ice. When swaths of Scilla transform green lawns into carpets of blue. Tulips shaft skyward to unfold in all their glory when the warmer weather comes.

Dazzling Daffoldils and Narcissuses, if not exactly to parryphrase William Wordsworth, a crowd, a host of golden daffodils, beside the lake, beneath the...Read More

Overcoming Stress and Spotlighting Climate Change
Local artist Leo Schimanszky reflects on both during ongoing Covid pandemic
by James Parry

It is no secret that with galleries still closed across Canada, and no real positive news to the contrary in the short or medium term for them to physically exhibit and ideally sell their works, artists have certainly had lots of time over the past year to reflect, create, and perhaps even expand their own horizons.
For Vaudreuil-Soulanges artist, Leo Schimanszky, two things were uppermost in his mind. How to combat the stress that is impacting on millions of Canadians as well as countless others worldwide as a result of the Covid pandemic, as well as the inexorable reality of climate change. At least if you listen to the scientists.

And so, in recent months, he has been working on two pieces – just completed – titled De Stress and Meltdown. And now ... Read More

Hudson Film Festival Available Everywhere in Canada
Hudson Film Society festival moves on line
by Clint Ward

The Hudson Film Festival was lucky last year to fill the Village Theatre just days before our whole world collapsed behind locked doors. This year we are not so lucky because those doors are still shut tight. Instead, as a great challenge but one loaded with excitement, the decision was made to do a virtual festival and stream the contents directly into comfortable living rooms. The excitement comes with more films, a longer time frame and a reach from shore to shore in our great country. Be part of this big adventure and pass the word to all your friends no matter where they live in Canada.

All the films on the program will be available from March 10 to March 20. You can watch them ... Read More

A Story for the Birds
Quite Literally!
Gerry Foliot creates artistic birdhouses
in support of palliative care
by James Parry

Bored with being simply bored during this seemingly endless pandemic that is Covid-19, Gerry Foliot opted to think outside the box as it were just after Christmas and went into his workshop-garage and decided that he had to get busy and become more creative.
Seven absolutely amazing birdhouses later, all unique, fun, whimsical, yet supremely practical, he is now on a roll while not planning to sell any one of them. Rather, he is making them available to his immediate family members, neighbours and friends with but one caveat. They have to promise to contribute to supplying bird seed for feeders at the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Palliative Care Residence on Como Gardens in Hudson.

Explains Foliot, a long-time woodworking hobbyist since retiring in 2002 and who lives in St. Lazare, "As we begin 2021 still in the midst of a pandemic, boredom has become a code word for any experience in which people feel disconnected, when life appears meaningless or uninteresting. I mean, there's only so much...Read More

Hudson Area Artists Enhance Their Online Presence
Updated Hudson Artists website
adds an extensive artists' showcase.
by Bert Markgraf

Everything is going on line, and that includes art. After Hudson Gallery Plus put many of their works on line at their website, galleryplus.ca, the Hudson Artists group last year revised their website at artisteshudsonartists.com and added a showcase where the member artists can display their work. The showcase highlights several works by each artist and has links to the artist's website or their section at the main Hudson Artists gallery. The showcase gives a quick overview of the style and type of work of each artist and lets you find out more if you're interested.

While you can't buy works on the Hudson Artists website, each artist's section has a link to their email address and you are encouraged to contact the artist directly to arrange for any purchases. Many of the works are cheerful or whimsical, exactly what we need at this time. Prices are low, especially for artists who have yet to make a name for themselves. What better way to brighten up your COVID day than to place a new work of art somewhere prominent in your home.

Hudsonite Paul Winstanley Pens Captivating Children's Book
from China with Love
Titled Four Silk Roads
For Chinese youngsters learning English in Chongqing
by James Parry

Without question, China has certainly been in the news this past year and virtually all of it negative. Think the initial epicentre of the global Coronavirus-19 pandemic and the rabid response of soon-to-be former U.S. President Donald Trump, the ongoing Canadian saga of the two Michaels now entering their third year of incarceration and its political ramifications, as well as the country expanding its footprint around the world and its assertive foreign policy. For sure, it's not easy finding positive news when it comes to China. But I have. All thanks to a proud and multi-faceted Hudsonite by the name of Paul Winstanley and out of the city of Chongqing in South West China.
For Paul, originally from Bolton in the U.K. who emigrated to Canada in 1981, a specialist in the aviation field and whose career has seen him working in the contract design and drafting world not only in Canada but also in France, Germany, and China, is the author/publisher of a little gem of a book titled Four Silk Roads.

Image from the cover of "Four Silk Roads"
In essence, and with magnificent illustrations by local artist Catherine Alexander, it tells the story of four of the great discoveries and inventions of China millenia ago. Namely...Read More

Coronicles 3 - Wrestling Covid to the Ground
Tales from the Great Pandemic
by Art MacDonald

As he wrote in Coronicles 1 - Tales from the Great Pandemic, Art usually writes in the first person but he is finding the need to socially distance himself and will therefore write in the third person - third minus first: there's your two meters social distancing right there.
Coronicles are COVID-related stories that Art has heard or read and that he thinks are worth repeating.
Following the Science
To defeat Covid, we all have to follow the science, make logical decisions and act responsibly. There was a great exchange in a Canadian paper about this. Someone had written a post about following the science but their English was not great. The next person posted (paraphrased), "After following the science, you should follow the grammar." Another post said that science was about cause and effect. In the spring we were told not to wear masks, we had a lockdown and the cases went way down. Now we are told to wear masks, we have had a lockdown and cases are way up. Obviously, the science says masks increase the number of cases.
Online, people often miss sarcasm, which is why we have the sarcasm tag: </s>, which means...Read More

The Room Below
Nineteen Years of Panto Fun
A panto retrospective on the Village Theatre website
by Kathryn Lamb

As a small child, one of my favorite Christmas fantasies was the "forgotten" gift - the present that didn't make it under the tree on Dec. 25 - (whether because it was lost, misplaced or delayed) but would turn up, magically, a day or two later.
Well in keeping with the unpredictable nature of this holiday period, that has actually happened! Although COVID deprived us of our annual Christmas pantomime, someone rooting around in the basement of the theatre, has located some archived film from pantos past and created "The Room Below - 19 years of Panto Fun", currently available on the Hudson Village Theatre website (www.villagetheatre.ca). This presentation is MC'ed by Steve Walters - in the guise of his better known alter-ego, Patty Cake, with input and help, I suspect, from videographer Michael Reid and a few other Hudson Players.

We have been blessed with nineteen editions of this unique form of fun, craziness, hilarity and work. The plots have evolved, the cast enlarged, costumes and sets have become more elaborate and technology has advanced. But what is always clear is the skill, creativity and commitment of so many individuals that have gone into these...Read More

The Challenges of Doing Theatre
Online During Covid-19
Hudson Village Theatre and the Hudson Players Club
by Kathryn Lamb

HUDSON VILLAGE THEATRE
'Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring….
Except……there seems to be a light over there at the Hudson Village Theatre!
The theatre has this year gifted the town, with a collection of virtual holiday stories presented from their own stage, called the 12 15 Days of Christmas. They have been released one per day from the 10th to the 24th of December (after which they will be archived) and they are available from the theatre's website www@villagetheatre.ca, or through their Facebook page. The readings are offered free of charge, although donations are being accepted for Le Pont- Bridging foodbank from anyone who feels able to do so, and all donations will be matched by Your Local Journal.

"A Child's Christmas in Wales" read by Bruce Dinsmore and Tallula Savage-Dinsmore
These readings are delivered to us courtesy of many of our favorite local thespians, and include old stories, new stories, stories from other lands and, of course, imaginary...Read More

The Astonishing 'Art' of Conspicuous Consumption
During Covid-19
From truffles to racing pigeons
by James Parry

During this crippling pandemic and for months now - particularly from south of the border - we have been hearing horror stories of desperate families going hungry and food banks stretched to the limit, wage-earners now without a job and not another one in sight, tenants behind in their rents being evicted and literally thrown out on the street with only what they can carry, and ever-increasing concerns about mental health and greater depression caused by Covid-19.
And yet, it seems, there are some in the world who... Read More

Hudson Gallery Plus Closes Hudson Location
and Moves Online at galleryplus.ca
New website is a convenient online platform
for area artists and other creative people.
by Bert Markgraf

After being forced to close for three months after mid-March, it became clear to gallery owners Heather and Bert Markgraf that operating the gallery during the pandemic was not viable. After reduced operations over the summer, the gallery moved out at the end of September and a computer networking company now occupies the space.
As the paintings were returned to their owners, some of them were photographed for eventual online presentation. A basic version of the new website at galleryplus.ca went live in November and it now has over 100 works for sale online. With Arts Hudson still working with the artists and with a logo (below) similar to the one that was at 448 Main Road, the website itself and the ecommerce part is operated by IT company North46 Technologies based in Vancouver. With the North46 system, you can buy Gallery Plus items with a credit card and you don't need an account.

New artists and crafters are being added continuously but you can already buy works by James Parry, Susan Jephcott, Joan Salter and Heather Lowe in addition to a large number of Markgraf prints. Lorne Elliott comedy tracks, Charles Becker jewelry and Hudson T-shirts and sweat shirts are also available. For orders from the Hudson area, you can ask for (contactless) delivery. If you wish to sell your work via Gallery Plus, please email art@artshudson.org.

Shernya Vininsky Krause
Shares her Passion for Horses with 40-Piece Exhibit
With gallery in Vaudreuil-Soulanges currently closed,
she creates her own virtual tour
by James Parry

I think it is safe to say that it is every artist's dream to have a few of their works exhibited in a high-profile art gallery. But 40 of them? And all showing at the very same time and until they are sold from now through January 20 next year? Well, that is perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime achievement!
But that is exactly what has happened for long-time Hudsonite and multiple award-winning artist, Shernya Vininsky Krause, who first developed her love of art at the tender age of six when her parents moved to Ville St. Laurent, an almost country-like setting at the time.
But here's the rub. Unfortunately, and due to ever-changing Covid-19 restrictions, that gallery - Le Musée Régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges at 431 avenue Saint-Charles - is now closed and almost certainly will be for some time to come.
Undaunted, Shernya has come up with a most innovative way of promoting her 40-piece collection. The theme of which is "For the Love of Horses." She has created a video of the actual show together with an audiotape that was made showing each piece as she talks about them. To view the slideshow go to:

For the Love of Horses

(If you see a painting that you would like more information on, call the Museum at 450 455 2092 or 514 892 2851)

Caught up with Shernya recently to learn more about how she approaches...Read More

Coronicles 2 - Surfing the Second Wave
Tales from the Great Pandemic
by Art MacDonald

As he wrote in Coronicles 1 - Tales from the Great Pandemic, Art usually writes in the first person but he is finding the need to socially distance himself and will therefore write in the third person - third minus first: there's your two meters social distancing right there.
Coronicles are COVID-related stories that Art has heard or read and that he thinks are worth repeating.
The Civil Disobedience Stories
The Quebec government has passed legislation giving it emergency powers. These powers are described in the Public Health Act but there's also a clause that gives the government the power to take any additional measures it considers necessary. So yes, the government can send police into our homes to look for illegally present adult children or possibly friends with benefits in our beds.
But not to worry, Quebeckers don't take kindly to government overreach. Even during the first lockdown, there were...Read More

Remembering and Honouring
Our First Nations Sisters and Brothers
Local artist Barbara Farren exhibits in Toronto
through December under the theme of Canadian Unity
by James Parry

With Covid-19 still raging across Canada and indeed the world, calls for unity and understanding becoming more vociferous every day, so many artists as well as those in the performing arts on hiatus, and theatres and concert venues closed, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find some positive news on the arts scene these days.
But here's one that kind of encapsulates them all.
As of this week and continuing through December 18, a painting by local artist Barbara Farren titled Our Sisters and Brothers, Our Burden of Shame is on display at the N3XT Canada Exhibition staged by the Arts and Letters Club in Toronto, a very prestigious club founded in 1908 by members of the Group of Seven to support the Arts.

Our Sisters and Brothers, Our Burden of Shame

Their theme this year is Canadian Unity. And as Barbara told me, "James, I'm sure...Read More

Hudson Film Society
Video Montage of 2020
by Vivianne LaRivière

Trying something a little different this year. A friend of mine helped piece together a montage of some of the photos of the festival, as well as some video clips of the special guests. Nothing fancy here...simply some beautiful and endearing moments captured, hopefully giving us cause to take a 27 minute break, to remember the fun we had, the tears we shed, and the fun and tears we will have again. It is a such an honour to participate in such an event as 'candidly' as I do. That said, if any of you would like one of the stills let me know and I can send you one, as you provide a nominal contribution toward the Hudson Theatre Fundraising Campaign.
Enjoy! Amen. Vivianne

Hudson Chamber Music Series
Update on Postponement of the Season

The HCMS committee convened on September 6th and reviewed all the requirements and obligations with respect to COVID-19. After considerable discussion, our committee agreed that for the safety of our audience, we must cancel the planned concerts for October and November 2020. For the concerts planned in 2021, the possibility of resuming our season will be reviewed, but we cannot make a decision at the present time. Any change in our schedule will be announced on this page and via email to those on our distribution list.

Greenwood StoryFest
Unique StoryFest 2020 Goes Virtual
by Audrey Wall

Against pandemic odds, Greenwood's StoryFest has reinvented itself as a virtual online experience with authors from across Canada and as far away as England. Authors and participants will join us via Zoom.
This special literary festival will take place every Thursday during October on Zoom. The regular time will be 7pm Eastern time, with one exception….the event with Margaret McMillan will take place at 2pm Eastern time, as she is joining us from London. The final event with Tommy Schnurmacher takes place Sunday, Nov. 1st at 2pm ET.
Ticket are free, and can be reserved at greenwoodstoryfest.com . Please follow the directions on the website to get a virtual ticket and a Zoom Webinar ID number.
We are very excited about this year's stellar lineup. Here it is…...Read More

Hudson Arts Roundup
by Kathryn Lamb

Within the arts community in Hudson, the summer of 2020 has been, well, let's just say it, unlike any other within our memory. With most local venues shuttered, regular seasonal events cancelled, and artists who depend on these activities hurting financially, artistic activity is still happening, but more at a simmer than a boil. New methods of connecting are being tested, and everybody is Zooming. But although we are grateful for these new tools, and are finding new ways to put them to use, nothing can really replace meeting in person. Nevertheless, Art must go on. And so…..
The Hudson Artists has no plans at present for physical meetings or exhibitions. However, they do have a very impressive on-line Artists Showcase featuring the work of several members. It may be viewed on their website at artistehudsonartists.com and is well worth a visit.
The Hudson Players Club has stayed creative this summer with a series of play readings, a comedy evening and a quiz night via...Read More

Coronicles - 1
Stories fromthe Great Pandemic
by Art MacDonald

So, while Art usually writes in the first person, he is finding the need to socially distance himself and will therefore write this piece in the third person - third minus first: there's your two meters social distance right there.
Coronicles are COVID-related stories that Art has heard or read and that he thinks are worth repeating.
The Chicken Stories
What's the first thing that comes to mind when you're self-isolating?
"Let's get some chickens!"
You wouldn't think so but Art has first-hand evidence - even way back in March the chick supply chain in Quebec and Ontario was sold out. It turns out you can get day-old chicks mailed to you from as far away as London, Ontario, or you could if they had any to spare. By April the only chicks you could get were a random selection of left-over chicks if more hatched than expected.

Hen in a laying box

The thing about a random selection is, it includes roosters. By the law of averages, if you get a dozen chicks, you're likely to have...Read More

Below are links to Hudson-related websites:
Cardinal Microbrewery
Music Teacher
Debbie Reynolds
Violin Teacher
Erica Jacobs-Perkins
The Cygnus Trio
Artist Rita Shellard
Hudson Artists
Artist Barbara Farren
Jeweler Louise Seguin
Sculptor Marcel Braitstein
Greenwood Centre
Greenwood StoryFest
Heather Dubreuil Fibre Art
Christine Hunt’s Studio
Chamber Music Concerts
Hudson Film Society
Historical Society
Hudson Music Festival
Hudson Players Club
Artist Joanna Olson
Comedian Lorne Elliott
Pure Art Boutique
Sculptor Rosalie Levi
Hudson Village Theatre