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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1975-11-06, Page 13y ane Towed • sh.. epainted With O.i2s in 1954, She didn't a., n intriguing h.,..o... bby4 Thee rig y stands Agnes' Moon, who now lives east of create atnaSterPiect and she didn't in her mind. because Hurricane Ham „Clinton' renenb...ers well the 'kV da al.teher In tial �is �id lead ��li rain anwin. I �es AO* fiend dabbled with paints inside a house in LorWeshoro, She friend a was of the late Ann . nd ;." airservice, who is remembered in this area as a talented artist and designer. Ani had been 01 and had received oil paints as a get well gift. She Invited ,Agnes to help her tr .► em out. Anes soon discovered, "Once you get into painting, you can't quit.". After that day, she and Ann often Painted together. She learned a great deal. from Ann, although their styles differed. 'ugh the years, she also studied how and attended several classes of the Goderich Art Club. In addition, she received guidance from Joseph erenters of the Rockwood Academy in Guelph. Last Summer, Agnes spent a week at Edna Johnson's Art School in outhampton. One of the instructors, who greatly impressed her, was John Matter, He taught her low to use complementary colours to bring out the ma n -colours in a scene. hili in Southampton, she painted a view of the Lighthouse on Chantry M1 island. She won't take all the credit, though, because Mr. Matter helped her complete the rocks lathe foreground. When she is asked to describe her style, she laughs. "I didn't realty know what f was doing, but most of `the in- structors and the other painters I've talked to tell me my style is strong and good. f like contrast." Although she paints some still-Iifes, sheprefers landscapes. She's always on the look -out for striking scenes, which She can capture an canvas. She has discovered she doesn't have to travel far to find picturesque views. Colborne. Hullett and West Wawanosh Townships are her favourite ,haunts; she isn't as familiar with G oderich Township. ��cfic�rd�rUt� o��� the -hest ate naturalness still abounds. Most of the trails Lead nowhere, and sometimes she's glad to return to the main roads, Agnes Moon . was among the many exhibitors at the Colborne Christmas Fair recently. Mrs. Moon started painting as a hobby and has since created her own unique style. She Is shown here with a picture of the Mllh.at Benr miller that has since been altered and renovated. (News - Record photo) but she always gathers ideas for more paintings, Aainter Can't always set p � up her _palette and sit out wherever she finds a view, instead she carries . a camera. Later she. paints the picture using the snapshots, and per memory as guides. During the past 20 years, Agnes Moon has, created hundreds of beautiful paintings. She gives away many of there. When each of her nieces and nephews are married, she presents therewith a much appreciated painting. Her art is also in demand at the Psychiatric Hospital, , _where she works in the oc- cupational therapy department. The staff often requests one of her paintings to give to someone who is sick or who is leaving. - Forseveral years, she has par- ticipted in Clinton's Potpourri and in the Carlow Christmas Fair. For awhile, she also attended the Art Mart in Goderich, but now she's too busy. She explains that self-discipline is needed when a painter becomes involved with a group, such as Potpourri. She is obligated to prepare paintings for the show; otherwise she might become lazy. But she adds, "It's only the getting at it that's hard. Once I get started, I don't want to stop.'" This year she sold most of her entries at Potpourri in August. Then she scurried to prepare more for the Christmas Fair in October. By the time the .summer had ended, she had painted between 18 and 20 canvasses. Her display at the fair illustrated her appreciation of local scenery. One landscape featured the Maitland Valley; another showed the river at Sum- merhill; and a third depicted .the rustic Benmiller grist mill before the renovations began to transform it into a hotel. She interpreted the symbolism she employed in her painting of Hutton's Mill. The old mill was located on High- way 4 at Londesboro. She painted, the pioture shortly before the building was torn down, and ,the used a sunset to depict ict the end of an era for the old mill. `That's what was thinkinghe f painted it,",, she explains. "'A painter puts in what you want people to see. Even if you don't get your message across, you get satisfaction from ex- pressing yourself." A painter never runs out of ideals, and Agnes now , has seven projects in mind. One of her plans is to paint a landscape in West Wawanosh Township in which evergreens, a brook and a rail fence are prominent. Rail Fences are difficult- to paint because of the curves of the wood and the shadows. Agnes is determined to tackle the challenge, however. She painted the Little Lakes in - Colborne Township using the summer shades of, green. Recently she returned to take photos of the same scene with its autumn colours. She contends all the seasons are beautiful, but autumn is the easiest to paint because the colours are definite. When an ordinary person glances at a distant bush, . she sees some yellow leaves among the dark green. But a painter sees much more; she detects mauve shades among the shadows. When she paints, she uses mauve to complement the yellow. That's one of the lessons Agnes learned at the Art School in Southam- pton last summer. She echoes the advice of her instructor, John Matter, "A painter looks and .-looks and keeps on looking. When you took at a scene a colour may not be there. But, if you know it could be or should be there, keep lookinguntil you see it." Agnes Moon has studied painting and experimented with oils for more than 20 years. She has turned out hundreds of beautiful oil paintings. Nevertheless. she feels as though she has only begun. She learns something from every picture. ' "Painting is a demanding hobby," she concludes, "but it's intriguing. It gives relaxation and great satisfaction because you become totally involved." Study shows Huron. residents completely trust politions Huron County Council is both responsible and responsive. So says a study completed by Dr. C.T.M. Hadwen, a sociologist from the University of Guelph, and presented Friday, October 31 to county council. Entitled Local Government in Huron County, the study was carried out under a grant from the Ontario .Ministry of Treasury, Economics and Intergovernmental Affairs in co-ooeration with Huron County Council. It showed that reeves and deputy -reeves ' are well- known, trusted, appreciated, honest and IoyaI. It indicated jhat while some changes are needed, residents of Huron County don't want anything to change to basic life style found in Huron. -"This attitude of respect and trust, of co-operation and concern, is sadly lacking in the case of many elected - and appointed - officials today." the report concluded. "The fact that it. exists in Huron County is a factor to be taken into consideration when any changes are contemplated." The date for the study was gleaned from minutes of council meetings both at the county and municipal level. As well. 57 reeves and deptity- reeves were interviewed in ,197.3 along ,with 15 municipal councillors. There were 450 Huron County voters in- terviewed of which 80 percent were from the rural areas Auld 60 percent from the urban ' districts of Huron. All field work for the study was carried out by a team of four Huron County residents whose work was carefully supervised and inspected. The results of all interviews were afterward coded, punched on computer cards arid processed to yield the results presented to Huron County and perhaps, more importantly, touee;'s Park. The public described their elected officials as "well. liked, community minded, competent, ' honest and reliable". They feel that elected people in Huron run for office "to serve the community". Only a sinall percentage of those in- terviewed thought councillor value the prestige of their positions, or wish to exercise authority,,: People living in rural areas tended to stress the farming background of a person who wanted to serve as a municipal councillor. There were six main reasons given by respondents in the study thought to be the motives for elected officials running for office in Huron. They were (in order) : a chance to improve local living conditions; a chance to support a specific cause; prestige; opportunity to enter political life; benefit to personal business; and salary. It was young people who tended to give weight to the benefit to personal business for municipal councillors; about half of them feel this is "very important" or "ex- tremely important". Middle- aged or odder peofile do not feel so strongly on this' matter., All groups believed that the salary was not at all im- portant in deciding municipal councillors to run for office. Those who had lived longer in the county were more em- . phatic about this,. Road maintenance and snow removal was considered to be the single most im- portant function of local and county councils, according to the voters interviewed. . The next most urgent issue, according to the people, was pollution. Other important matters were thought to be general upkeep of the county, control of .the budget and setting the tax, rate , apd drainage and sewers. In general, the voters felt that the area in, which the municipal councils had been most effective were roads artd snow removal, general upkeep and drainage. Hearing reports first Respondents from the public believed that hearing reports presented and paying bills were important duties of councillors. These were followed by (in order) bylaws, tenders, purchases, committee reports, grants, severances, loans and debentures sold. Voters felt 'councils had been successful in staying in contact with the people, and said this was done through reports by the media and by personal contact. Only a minority mentioned open public meetings. Urban dwellers appeared to be more •, ndent on contact through ` } media. Rural dwellers tended to give personal contact as the most important method of communication. A majority of voters felt that the municipal council does have the financial resources it needs to do its work, but a sizeable minority Nit that it did not. Three-quarters of the respondents expressed themselves as ' "fairly satisfied" with the work of the councils. Some were very satisfied and only a few were not very satisfied. More Satisfaction, was expressed by life-long residents of Huron County than by others. Almost unanimously, respondents were against a change to regional govern- ment, Apart from a few who thought that a regional,. government might be more , efficient, the great majority responded that there would be `'rtoadvantages" accruing from regional government. A wide range of disad- vantages was mentioned, with the largest single group, about half the respondents, saying that they would lose contact with those directing their affairs. Others felt that regional government would be too expensive and that the residents would have no local power. - Respondents felt that among the changes needed in Huron was the provision of more jobs. Rising costs in agriculture was seen as the major problem by rural and urban respondents, but very few felt the council could help with that problem, or any of the other agricultural problems mentioned. The average age of the voters interviewed was 51. The largest single oc- cupational group for female respondents was homemakers. The major occupations ' of male respondents were farmers (15.3 percent); retired (14.4 percent) ; skilled trades (10.2 percent); unskilled labor (8.8 percent); professional and technical (5.1 percent) ; clerical (5.1 percent); managerial (4.2 percent); and unemployed (0.55 per- cent). ' The majority of respon• dents had always lived in Huron County. Nearly half of those questioned were members of the United Church of Canada. More than half the respondents were active in one organization or another. Of the municipal coun- cillots interviewed, 31 had served less than two years, 31 less than six years and 13 more than six years. Of the reeves and deputy -reeves interviewed, 24 had served less than two years an county. council; 24 less than six ., years; and sic more than nine years. THE TYPICAL REEVE the fifties, who lives in a rural area. He has been a member of county council for three or four years. Previous to becoming a county councillor, he has served his community in an elected public office, and in community organizations. He is a member of the United Church of Canada. The typical reeve is a family man, and his family is a little larger than the average size in Ontario. His wife does not work outside the - 'household (that is to say she does not work for pay). He is a reeve because he wants. to improve local living conditions, attd is willing to give the considerable time and effort this involves. There may be a specific area in which he wishes to work, on county, council, being a reeve rrfers a, chance to enter political life and there is a certain amount of prestige attached to the office, but a reeve is not really much concerned about that kind of thing. The typical reeve is certainly not on county council because of the token salary involved. • The typical reeve feels that his interests have become broader since serving. on county council. He has gained in self-confidence, insight and understanding. He is forward looking and realizing the crucial importance of planning for the future. He believes in keeping in touch with his constituents, in being available to the people and in making full use of the media. He does not desire a change to regional government and deplores that he has more desire to help the county than he has power to control events. He . knows he has the sup- port of the voters and enjoys their confidence as he carries out his duties. There's really not much diffdence between the typical reeve and the typical municipal councillor, although it is more likely the typical councillor lives in an urban area of the county. The typical reeve is in touch with both town and rural municipal councils as well as with representatives of the provincial government. He is increasingly concerned with the broad and important question of planning for the area, whereas municipal councillors tend to be more concerned with the main- tenance of existing facilities such as road upkeep. In other words. the typical reeve tends more and more) to be concerned with. the future of Huron County. while the typical municipal councillor tends to be more concerned with the present. While both are respected as individuals and for the quality of their work, municipal councillors may be slightly closer to the public, while reeves seem slightly more respected for their expertise. "The report gives a clear picture of how satisfied, how content people are with the municipal system," Dr. Hadwen told council. About the only negative comment made by Dr. Hadwen concerning Huron was the "optimism comes hard here". But he added that Ontario residents in general tended to be "worryers". Reeve Gerry Ginn of Goderich Township summed up the study for all of county council when he said, "It couldn't have been a more flattering report if we'd written it ourselves." The study provided a rofile of the typical Huron aunty reeve. He is a farmer who has lived all his life fn Huron .County. He is a man in Clinton's new building, is now +eomrl+e building over to the Osttat pet sent rent the I8 unit building out t0 s lel tiding the need and priority. The handbag .w ho win Contracting of St. Crines. (News,