Exhibit highlights 200 years of Dartmouth art

A new exhibition has opened at Dartmouth’s Evergreen House, showing 200 years of local artwork that celebrates places, histories, families, and traditions connected to the community of Dartmouth.

Named the D(art)mouth Museum Gallery, the exhibition is a mix of local paintings, basket-making craft, and needlework, some of which has never been shown publicly before, drawn from the collection of the Dartmouth Heritage Museum.

Among the paintings shown in the exhibition are works by famous Dartmouth artist Tom Forrestall, botanical drawings by Halifax artist Maria Morris, and paintings by Margaret van Gurp. “The overall idea of the exhibition is that local art fosters community and creates connection across generations,” Museum Director Amanda Furniss told the Post, adding that there are a lot of stories connected to the works.

Furniss draws particular inspiration from a doll, a tea set, and a photograph, all of which entered the museum collection only last year. The doll was handmade approximately 100 years ago, and the photograph bears witness to the girl it was made for playing with the doll and the tea set in her garden. “The doll is beautifully made and such a lovely example of textile craftsmanship that has been done locally,.” Furniss explained, adding that the work shows how craft and art connect with tradition, family, and community.

The exhibition is open to the public at Evergreen House, 26 Newcastle Street. There is no entry fee to the museum.