NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA MUSEUM OF ART & HISTORY
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The History Committee of Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH) scored a “hat trick” recently. Three months in a row OMAH has been full to capacity for the History Speaker Series. We thank the community for their support.
Acclaimed author Rachel McMillan’s talk “Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Muskoka and our local regions that Inspired her Life and Work” was a huge success. McMillan grew up in Orillia and has been a life-long Montgomery enthusiast. In addition to her passion for Lucy Maud’s writings, she has authored eight historical mysteries and three contemporary romances.
McMillan gave an engaging and passionate account of the life of Lucy Maud Montgomery.
Lucy Maud was best known for her books about Anne of Green Gables and her love for Prince Edward Island. She was born in New London, PEI in 1874 and two years later moved to Cavendish, PEI with her grandparents.
However, she spent the majority of her adult life in Ontario. It was in Ontario where she penned most of her books.
Lucy Maud was the wife of Pastor Ewan MacDonald, living in Leaskdale in Uxbridge Township and later in Toronto. She was locally known as Mrs. MacDonald, the pastor’s wife.
McMillan recounted that, while living in Toronto, Lucy Maud vacationed in Bala (1922). This is where Lucy Maud created The Blue Castle.
Quotes from Lucy Maud’s journal: “Bala is a dear spot”, “it has the flavour of home, PEI”, “what a lovely name is Muskoka; music, charm and wonder.”
The Blue Castle was inspired by her holidays in Muskoka, the waterways, the trees, the rocks, the quiet. She created imaginary castles from the scenery. This is her only work set completely away from PEI and is also one of her few adult works of fiction.
Published in 1926, it is a story that takes place prior to World War 1 in the fictional town of Deerwood located in the Muskoka region. Deerwood is based on Bala which shows many similarities to Deerwood.
In addition to her love of Bala and the Muskoka area her journals make reference to ‘motoring to Orillia’ in the late model 1922 touring automobile.
McMillan explained that Maud did not have a happy life, but that she was happy when she could escape into the world of The Blue Castle. Hopefully we, as appreciators of the location and beautiful nature surrounding us, are part of that communion that she inspires.
In Montgomery’s memory, let us pay more attention to the ‘castles’ that she built out of trees and lakes and rocks, the fairy-tales that she could find in the landscape that we take for granted.
Lucy Maud Montgomery built cathedrals out of nature and she took a snap shot of the changing seasons so that they are timeless. We are fortunate to have this landscape, this canvas at our disposal.
For Lucy Maud, Muskoka was the first time she felt the same creative drive and connection and passion for a landscape as she did for her beloved Prince Edward Island.
Rachel McMillan’s passion and respect for Lucy Maud was contagious. It was obvious that more than one person in the audience was inspired to read Lucy Maud’s works, especially The Blue Castle.
Please join us Wednesday, April 17 to hear students from Orillia Secondary School speak about their upcoming spring trip to Europe to participate in the 75th Anniversary of D-Day.
They will share their passion for keeping alive the memories of WW1 and WW2 with today’s youth and highlight the stories of a few of the Orillia soldiers who served.
Admissions to the History Speaker Series event is free, although donations to OMAH are appreciated. Doors open at 7 pm and the talk starts at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome.
On Wednesday, May 8, OMAH hosts the Annual Carmichael Art History lecture.
Join us to hear artist and coin designer Tony Bianco and Robert Browne, son-in-law of Emmanuel Hahn who created the iconic Schooner Dime and Caribou Quarter, give an up close and personal look at coin design in “The Art of Money: Design of Canadian Coinage.”
Tickets are $15 each and are now avialble at OMAH. Credit cards are accepted.
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