Saturday, August 19th
12pm - 5:30pm
About the Festival
The Summerville Art Festival is a professionally-produced, curated event that showcases the natural beauty and artistic talent of both our region and our country. For the first time, artists from across Canada will be invited to participate. The festival brings together emerging and established artists in the picturesque community of Summerville, New Brunswick, celebrating the communities and artists that have shaped the area's rich history.
Summerville is a small, peaceful, and charming community located just outside of Saint John on the Kingston Peninsula. Situated along the beautiful Kennebecasis River, it’s accessible by ferry from Saint John, Grand Bay, and Quispamsis. Visitors can arrive on foot, by bike, by boat, or by car, as we celebrate the beauty of New Brunswick and the warmth of its people while interacting with artists and enjoying their works.
The festival will feature a diverse range of artworks, including painting, sculpture, photography, and fibre art. It will also include live music, food vendors, workshops, and artist talks, making it a fun and interactive experience for art lovers of all ages. The festival is an excellent way to discover new artists, learn about different art forms, and experience the natural beauty and vibrant culture of Summerville.
The festival begins at the historic and picturesque Summerville United Church, which has been standing for over 150 years. Guests can enjoy a short stroll along Route 845 to an expansive property overlooking the stunning Kennebecasis River, where they can explore several pop-up art galleries.
Parking is available at the church, and guests are encouraged to bring cash or checks to purchase artwork, as not all artists will be able to accept credit card payments.
Everyone is welcome to attend, but children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. While not all venues may be fully accessible, the festival team will do their best to accommodate guests with accessibility issues.
Summerville has been home to many well-known New Brunswick artists, and during the festival, the church will host an exhibit featuring the works of the Deichmann potters, renowned for their pottery worldwide, as well as artists Rosamond and Ted Campbell, who played an important role in the Saint John art scene in the 1920s and 30s, Marjorie Miller, and Karen Butler O’Brien.
There is no cost to attend the festival, but the church is requesting donations for parking and admission to its exhibit. Beverages and snacks will be available for purchase at the Summerville United Church and throughout the festival.
About the Organizer
Cindy Scott
You could say that Cindy Scott began collecting art as a youngster growing up in the village of Summerville on New Brunswick’s Kingston Peninsula. Cindy loved to play on her grandmother’s beach where she would hunt for glazed, odd-shaped pottery shards among the beach rocks. The great Canadian art potters Kjeld and Erica Deichmann lived next door to Cindy’s grandmother and ran their Dykelands pottery studio there. The broken bits from the Deichmann’s seconds and misfires would wash up on the beach and become prized objects for a kid with a sharp eye.
Sometimes Cindy would get to tag along while her mother went down the road to visit her friend Rosamund Campbell. Rosamund and her husband Ted were major figures in the Saint John art community that also included Miller Brittain, Jack Humphrey, Fred Ross and Pegi Nicol MacLeod. But the big attraction at the Campbells for Cindy was a pair of life-size rocking horses (a horse and a camel to be precise) that Cindy would be allowed to ride on.
Cindy's early experiences ignited a lifelong appreciation for the art and artists of New Brunswick. She has been actively collecting and displaying their work for many years. With a background in communications and a successful career in the Ottawa technology industry, Cindy has now turned her attention to promoting emerging artists and hosting art events in both New Brunswick and Ontario.
Cindy Scott's goal for the 2023 Summerville Art Festival is to showcase the natural beauty and artistic talent of both the region and the country. To achieve this, she has extended an invitation to five visiting artists from across Canada to spend the week before the festival in Summerville creating art while immersing themselves in the area's natural beauty. These visiting artists will join a select group of Maritime-based artists to exhibit at the festival. Cindy, along with her family, friends, and neighbours, welcomes you to discover art treasures on the beautiful Kingston Peninsula at the festival.
