Paige Seburn
The Lake Report/Niagara Now

Kathy Thomas stood proudly beside her work of art, “A Land Divided: Tracing the Invisible Lines,” as visitors wandered through the RiverBrink Art Museum grounds this past weekend.

The installation art piece was one of five featured at On The Brink, a two-day outdoor art festival hosted at the art museum on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 — a new event it plans to make an annaul tradition.

The festival celebrated installation art — a form that transforms spaces into immersive experiences, allowing visitors to interact with and reflect on the work in relation to its surroundings. 

The theme focused on the concept of land, featuring creations by artists working in and around Niagara.

“It was incredibly honored to be chosen to create this display, because, as a map-maker, I’m usually one-dimensional,” said Thomas.

Thomas is the artist and cartographer behind Tracing History, a collection of non-commercial touring maps showcasing heritage sites and other locations not found on other maps.

She’s created maps depicting the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Queenston community and various places Laura Secord settled in throughout the Niagara region.

“I write on a paper. I print out my maps. They’re flat. This gave me a chance to think three-dimensionally.”

Thomas views the land through the lens of maps and the stories they tell, she said — and that this piece represents that viewpoint for her.

She’s grateful the people of Niagara have appreciated the maps that she’s created of towns and trails and that it’s wonderful to see that perspective resonating here, she added.

Other artists showcased their interpretations of land and space, with each piece inviting viewers to experience art in new and meaningful ways.

The festival also featured local food truck Banh Theory, offering Vietnamese street food.

Debra Antoncic, the museum’s director/curator, said that the festival was designed to transform the RiverBrink grounds into a canvas for exploring land through art. 

The artists’ installations each brought a unique perspective and she found it fantastic to see such positive engagement from the community, she said.

“We had a really great response from lots of different artists,” she said.

Antoncic also said that the festival was supported by a discretionary grant from the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, which helped make it possible.

Attendee Jo Furley, who traveled from Toronto, said that it was a great visit despite the long drive.

“I love the visual appeal of it, the reuse of materials, and the different ages of the metal,” said Furley.

She found the stories behind the artworks engaging and enjoyed learning about them, she added.

Tim Mackiddie from Niagara Falls found the festival’s setting along the river particularly beautiful.

The installations are a unique way to explore art, he found — it’s an adventure walking through the property and discovering each piece, he said. 

“It’s really unique that there are Canadian artists here with interesting installations that you can kind of travel around and see,” said Mackiddie. 

If you missed this year’s festival, keep an eye out for next year’s dates and other RiverBrink events, like the Off the Walls Art Sale on Oct. 25, catered by Smoke and Barrel Niagara —Mackiddie’s catering company.

“It’s a fundraiser where there will be great art, great wine and great food provided by us,” he said.