Sable Island Institute and ArtsSmarts Visit a Lawrencetown School

The Sable Island Institute and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia’s ArtsSmarts Nova Scotia program visited Atlantic View Elementary school in Lawrencetown for a fun day of Sable Island-themed art-making.

On Wednesday, April 11th, 2018, artists and staff with the Sable Island Institute and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia’s (AGNS) ArtsSmarts Nova Scotia program visited Atlantic View Elementary school in Lawrencetown, for a fun day of Sable Island-themed art-making.

Painter Susan Tooke and filmmaker Dominique Gusset of the Sable Island Institute gave a presentation about the Island, and brought natural materials and examples of beached plastic litter collected on Sable Island by researcher Zoe Lucas.

Following the presentation, the grades 4-5-6 students had opportunities for hands-on investigation and discussion of artefacts found on the Sable beach—including skulls and bones from horses, seals, and a harbour porpoise, a variety of shell, crab and sponge specimens, and manmade litter items ranging from tangles of balloons and ribbons, to a note in a plastic bottle. The creative potential of both natural and litter items was explored during a drawing and photography workshop involving manipulation of these materials through magnification, sketching, and rubbings of surfaces, and combined with photographs, to create artworks.

AGNS Assistant Curator of Programs Kris Webster and Gallery tour guide Pam Evans also assisted with the presentation and art-making activities. This was phase one of a two-year ArtsSmarts Nova Scotia project, which will continue at the school this fall.

The Sable Island Institute welcomed the opportunity to be involved in this program. The Institute’s mandate includes development of public outreach and school programs that provide access to physical resources in our collection through multidisciplinary activities/workshops and interpretive services.

ArtsSmarts Nova Scotia is operated by the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, with support from Arts Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, to develop, fund and promote our cultural resources with school communities throughout Nova Scotia.

Dominique Gusset
Sable Island Institute, April 2018

Photos provided by Kris Webster, ArtsSmarts Nova Scotia

The Beginning of a Memorable Partnership – Bob Dykes, 2017

In 1971, Bob Dykes flew to Sable Island to meet Henry James and his research team conducting behavioural studies of the island’s Harbour Seal population. Bob worked with the crew as they collected data on seals who were crossing the wide and featureless Sandy Plain, and spent lively evenings in the Aframe (a field camp constructed by the James Gang) discussing data and theories of animal navigation.

David Millar, 1967-1969

In May 1967, David Millar, fresh out of training in Toronto and Ottawa, arrived at his first posting, Sable Island. Outside of work at the weather station, David took an interest in the island’s environment and spent a lot of time walking and exploring, and developed two hobbies which he still enjoys – bird watching and photography. During his two summers, David occasionally assisted Dalhousie University’s Ian McLaren and his students in their studies of the Ipswich Sparrow.

Full Circle

In December 1963, Gordon LeBlanc began a one-year posting on Sable Island as a meteorological technician with MSC’s aerology program. The work was largely routine, with twice-daily launches of the upper air balloon and making detailed observations and measurements around the clock. On work days, there was little time to explore the island, so on a day off, station personnel might pack a sandwich and go for a long walk, or in the spring and summer ride their dependable horses, Rawin and Trigger.

Merlin MacAulay 1955-1956

In May 1955, after completing the 16-week course at the Upper Air Training School in Toronto, and then serving a few months in Sept-Îles, Quebec, Merlin MacAulay travelled to Sable Island on the government ship Lady Laurier to work as an upper air technician for the MSC. During Merlin’s stay, Fred Davis and a National Film Board of Canada crew visited to made a short documentary about Sable Island.

Win Trips to Sable Island with Kattuk Expeditions, 2023

A Sable Island Institute fundraising raffle for seats on a helicopter day-trip to Sable Island in early October 2023.

Now, it is about so much more – Lauren Hughes, February 2023

As we walked the network of horse trails… I was captivated by beetles, spiders, and the tiny sweat bee – newly recognizing the critical role that all of these creatures play in the island’s ecosystem.