Article by Bronwyn Boyer / Photography by Josianne Masseau

When Gravenhurst jeweller Penny Varney saw the “For Sale” sign outside the Albion Hotel just over 10 years ago, an idea lit up like a lightbulb in her mind.

“I called the real estate agent and pitched the idea to put a co-operative art gallery in the old dining room and kitchen,” Varney recalls. “The agent said she’d get in touch with the prospective buyer, and about five minutes later, I got a call from Guy Gagnon. He told me to meet him at the Albion right away and show him what I had in mind.”

Since construction at the Gravenhurst wharf had forced Varney and eleven other artists out of their space at Muskoka Gallery by The Bay, the meeting was fortuitous.

Gagnon was happy to help fill that void, and even applied for a grant to update the old wooden windows, which was no easy feat. Built in 1871, the Albion is a heritage building, meaning no changes can be made to the exterior and windows fall into that category.

Sadly, Gagnon passed away in 2022 after battling cancer. “It was a huge loss for us,” says Varney. “He was such an amazing landlord, very supportive and hands-on. When we had to close for four months during COVID-19 he told us not to pay rent and then when we tentatively started opening again with limited hours, he said just pay half to give us a chance to recover. He also bought a lot of artwork from our gallery over the years.”

After that auspicious meeting with Gagnon in 2013, Varney gathered a list of artists and started making calls. She started with people who had been part of Muskoka Gallery by the Bay, the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour and Muskoka Arts and Crafts. Before long, she had rallied 20 artists and Arts at the Albion was born. For a few months, they met at Varney’s house once a week to brainstorm ideas and plan it all out.

Gravenhurst painter David Dawson was one of the founding members and his background as an architect and interior designer was an asset in bringing the gallery to fruition. To complete his design, the co-op members first got to work ripping up layers of old carpeting, staining the original hardwood floor and painting the walls. Then, they built and installed Dawson’s displays and lighting concepts.

“Designing the layout for 20 people was a challenging but interesting project to work on, especially in a historical building,” Dawson recalls. “The concept was to give each artist their own gallery space to allow the viewer to immerse themselves in each artist’s works.”

That meant figuring out what kind of lighting was best for each work, whether it should be near the natural light of the windows or not, what looks best for two-dimensional works versus three-dimensional displays for sculptures and other items.

“It was quite an undertaking but it was fun,” says Dawson. “Everyone had skills that helped make it all happen. Some knew about woodworking and carpentry, so they built the displays. Others did metal work, so they made signage and railings. It’s been a good experience, coming up with design solutions. It’s like a living organism, as artists come and go over the years, I have to make adjustments.”

Although the roster at Arts at the Albion has changed over the years, there is always a wide variety of artwork to discover, both aesthetic and functional. Woodworkers, painters, basket weavers, photographers, stone carvers, potters, fibre artists, and jewellers contribute their pieces to be purchased, perused or used in the design of the gallery itself.

The co-op members also converted the reception area of the old hotel into a classroom that can be rented out for classes and workshops, creating a symbiotic relationship between the co-op and the community. During the summer, guest artists can also display their work, which gives artists a more flexible option to use the space.

“We each pay a certain amount each month,” Varney explains. “So as a way to keep the price down, we started bringing in guest artists to help supplement our income. They display for a month, and there’s no commission because they pay a set amount to be there. We only take them in during the busier season from May to December, and they do quite well during those months.”

Building on the success of Arts at the Albion, Varney also recently had another brainwave. After the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour closed down, she started the Gravenhurst Arts Festival in 2023 to fill its shoes.

“It’s going to be every last weekend in September and any artist can be a part of it for a $100 entry fee,” says Varney. “The Town of Gravenhurst has the budget for advertising and promotion, so it worked out well. We had 39 artists set up at various places downtown, like the train station, the opera house, the wharf and, of course, Arts at the Albion was open. It was a beautiful weekend and people just parked their cars and walked to each display, which was a wonderful thing.”

Bracebridge hinterglas painter Bonnie Bews is one of the original members of Arts at the Albion. “We’ve hit a big milestone, so we’re quite pleased about that,” says Bews. “It was the first time I was part of a co-op and the idea appealed to me because of how we all take care of each other, which is a big advantage.”

Bews also remembers the labour of love involved in transforming the dining room and kitchen of the old hotel into an art gallery. “We were all so determined,” Bews recalls. “We were able to take David Dawson’s design and figure out how to make it all happen in a couple months’ time. It works really well, it’s just a great environment with a great feel to it. You can just imagine the history the building has had and being able to enjoy artwork there makes it a very creative space.”

Each co-op member takes a turn working at the gallery for a day or two a month. While some artists might see this as a disadvantage, the advantages outweigh it for Bews.

“We work our shifts every month or so, and its great because the public has a chance to talk to all the artists in one place, rather than travelling to each studio and gallery,” Bews explains. “It’s also easier to promote and talk about another artists’ work than your own, so that really helps. I’m selling more through the Albion than in my own studio because it gets more people to come out to my studio after seeing my work there. It’s also more convenient to have my art on permanent display, rather than having to worry about being in my studio if someone drops in.”

To celebrate their 10th anniversary, Arts at the Albion will be hosting a gala event this year and a Retroactive Exhibition in September. For the exhibit, all the artists who’ve ever been a part of the co-op will be asked to come back and bring in a specially selected piece of work, which will be displayed in the classroom for the month.

“It will be an exciting walk down memory lane,” says Bews. “It will give people a chance to see artwork from members who’ve moved, retired, or for whatever reason hasn’t been available. For the first time in many years, people can come see or buy those pieces again.”

Arts at the Albion has been sharing diverse artistry with the community and its visitors for 10 years and aims to continue that tradition for many more years to come.