Le Tintamarre (Bang a Gong)

Today is National Acadian Day (I would write it in French but Pierre's away and I don't know how to insert the circumflex over the "e" in Fete, as in La Fete Nationale Acadienne). There are celebrations and parades and loud banging of pots in the streets and outdoor music shows throughout Acadie scheduled. My first experience of it was in 1980 in the northeast New Brunswick seaside town of Caraquet. I danced outdoors on a makeshift wooden floor to endless fiddle music until I thought my heart would burst from my chest. It was a wonderful introduction to Acadians, their music, their joie de vivre, their warmth and their pride.

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The Blessing of the Fleet

There is also a "blessing of the fleet" that goes on in Caraquet when the lobster season begins. I mention this because one of the paintings in my Maritmes Series depicted this event, and got me into lots of hot water with the local press and outraged the citizens. I laughed it off, thinking it ridiculous that one of my happy little paintings could cause such a ruckus, including very irate letters to the editor of the Acadian newspaper. I realize now that I should have milked it dry for the publicity value of it (there's no such thing as bad publicity?) I think part of the problem was that I showed an Acadian woman kissing her crucifix pendant while wearing a star-emblazoned bikini top, representing the Acadian flag. I present the painting here for you to form your own opinions.

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On Parade in the Lobster Capital of the World

Another summer event, in the Acadian town of Shediac is the Lobster Festival which happened in July. When I first moved to the Maritimes, 20 or so years ago, I was both stunned and amused to learn that there is a Mr. Lobster mascot, or perhaps he's the Lobster King, who reigns over the festivities. I had to depict this wonder in my series as well. (This painting, by the way, went to live in Haiti.)

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Parlez-vous at Parlee Beach

Shediac is also well-known for Parlee Beach, which is thronged during the summer months--particularly in August when the Quebeckers arrive. The beach is part of a Provincial Park so you have to pay for the privilege of being crammed and jammed with masses of sun-seekers in all shapes and sizes. The water is reputed to be the warmest north of East Virginia. There are many beaches where you can go for free, and the water is the same, so we don't generally go to Parlee. But here are our Acadian friends, Betty and Rita, on their day off from work at the lobster plant, soaking up some fun in the sun.

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There were 30 paintings in my Maritimes Series and they were shown and sold in many galleries on Canada's east and west coasts. I called this style of painting Post-Naive. If you'd like to know how the series came about and what it means, you can read all about it in my artist's statement.

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The Acadian folk group Barachois asked me to do the artwork for their first album, which included a painting of them at a traditional kitchen party. Now those are folks who know how to throw a party!

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(BTW no pot banging or gong bonging in my little village tonight--it's strictly Anglo in these here hills.)