Georgian Bay Primordial – Harmony in Nature
By Blanka Guyatt, Director and WAG Committee Member
It was an honour for Watershed Trust to have been invited by Sue Miller to participate in the opening of the art exhibition she curated at the Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts. The exhibit ran from March 2 until April 14 and parts of it were also on show when Watershed Trust hosted the Collingwood Chamber of Commerce’s After Five with Van Dolder’s on April 21.
Watershed Trust and Sue Miller have much in common. We share a concern for and love of the environment and the waters of the Georgian Bay. We are both stewards of the ponds and the wetlands, the streams and the rivers that flow though our area. We both are in awe of the natural beauty of our area and we are prepared to do all in our power to protect it and preserve it for future generations.
Sue A. Miller studied art at Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario. She has been a practicing professional artist in the Georgian Triangle area for more than 20 years and her work is held in private collections in North America, Europe and Japan. She lives in Wasaga Beach and has a large studio, the Mill Street Art Studio, on the main street of Creemore above a coffee shop. In the past she has also shared studio space at the Fishbowl and Tremont Studios. Sue is best known for her atmospheric water/landscapes of Georgian Bay and Atlantic shorelines. This installation is a new project that has been percolating for three years and is relevant to the fragile biosphere of not only Georgian Bay but of all shorelines and bodies of water.
This project is an “immersive” installation exploring Georgian Bay undisturbed by 
humans, a habitat in its most pure form. The installation consisted of large-scale oil paintings, a large three-dimensional suspended sculpture, a large free-standing sculpture and audio recordings of shoreline wildlife. The subject matter explored unspoiled shorelines, in a variety of seasons and perspectives, without focus on “iconic” Georgian Bay scenes, but rather the “overlooked” uncommon view. The three-dimensional work was created from natural detritus collected from around the Bay. The overall appearance and experience of this installation reflected the “essence” and spirit of a primal Georgian Bay shoreline.
Sue recently joined the Blue Mountain Watershed Foundation. We are delighted to have her as part of our organization. In her art she expresses the Watershed Trust commitment to the environment. She will be our inspiration in our many endeavours.
Besides her own work, pictured above, the show included the work of 16 local artists relevant to the concept of the exhibition.