Red Ribbon a ‘perfect venue’ for artists to get exposure

High school students, senior citizens, and everyone in between had something in common Saturday night: sharing their creativity with the community at the annual Red Ribbon Art Exhibition.

Hosted by the Fort Erie Arts Council, the 18th edition of the event took place at the Leisureplex banquet hall, close to 40 artists had their work on display.

Stacey Collins moved to Fort Erie from Hamilton last year but has been creating abstract art for 20 years.

When she relocated late in 2023, one of her first orders of business was connecting with the arts council, leading to her participating in her first local show as a Fort Erian on Saturday.

“Everybody has been so friendly, kind, and welcoming,” Collins told Fort Erie Radio on Saturday as guests mingled around the banquet hall, enjoying a glass of wine and some hors d’oeuvres.

She also said a passport format, where guests checked off a box on their event program after asking artists a handful of pre-determined questions, was a great and “highly interactive” component of the show.

Barbara Kozbial is an artist from Ridgeway. She wasn’t showing her work on Saturday but could be found chatting with some of the other creative minds who were.

She agreed that the work of the arts council, a group of volunteers that keeps the local arts community thriving, deserves a lot of praise.

“It’s hard to get it out there, and this is a perfect venue,” she said, adding that sometimes artists aren’t the most social individuals.

“A lot of people like to paint in solitary and don’t get out,” she said.

Marilyn Hardabura has lived locally for seven years and said she has “no particular style” when it comes to her artwork, pointing to one where she used Mexican sea glass, and others of a lion’s face, as well as an urban architecture setting.

“I’m here to expand my creative abilities,” she said, adding this was the first Red Ribbon she took part in.

About 10 Greater Fort Erie Secondary School (GFESS) students also had work on display. None were there when Fort Erie Radio stopped in to check out the show, but art teacher Ben Featherston said they were excited to have their work displayed at a real, in-person art show.

Arts, in general, are “vital” in a young person’s secondary education, he said.

“It’s so important to have a sense of belonging,” said Featherston, adding that hundreds of GFESS students are in the early stages of preparing for a bi-annual musical of ‘Legally Blonde’ that will be performed in the spring.

Students will perform music, act, and help set the stage, especially those who are enrolled in a new set-building course being offered at the high school.

“I think it builds their confidence and gives them a set of skills they can rely on and explore on their own time,” he said.

At about 7 p.m., Fort Erie Arts Council chair Donna MacLeod said a “fairly steady flow” of people were coming in, and that she had already seen a few pieces being sold.

“That’s always nice for the artists,” she said.

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