Vankleek Hill is a well know haven for artists and has a beautiful Art Gallery that is worth a visit at 103 High Street, The Arbor Galley
One of these well-known local member-artists at Arbor Gallery is France Poliquin, our first Honoray President.
The original concept of Art In The Garden was put forward by France Poliquin who was inspired by similar events she participated in elsewhere.
According to France “My involvement with textile art began when I was just two years old so my early memories are of me playing with wool, my mother’s sewing basket and finding treasure in her Singer sewing machine, again, doing whatever was available for me in my home. My mother would knit these gray socks late at night while the rest of the family was sleeping of course I would still be up since sleeping was my last worry, I would just not go to sleep so I keep busy by crocheting silly things like just a chain and a ball of knots, it was fun staying up while the other was forced to sleep something like a privilege.
Still today my best time for creation is at night when all is quiet and still, that is when my best ideas come so easily. I always had a textile project on the go and I am always looking for new ways to work and make textiles”
In the early 90s that her biggest dreams come true when she met up and studied at the “Centre Textile Contemporain”, in Montreal under Louise Lemieux Bérubé and Régine Mainberger. At this moment her passion for textile art starts to flourish and develop.
She then met Toshiko Horiuchi-MacAdam at NSCAD who became a very strong influence and mentor by inspiring France to create Wearable Art.
France further indicates that “My interest in natural dye is always fascinating since I was living close to the forest, I was an assistant trapper and hunting and fishing always brought her deeper where she would find so many ways to do my vegetable dying on fabric and paper. Making natural dyes, ink and pigment is something I inherited from my ancestors; it is just a natural thing for me. “
France has exhibited her works throughout in Hearst, Kapuskasing, Ottawa, Orléans, Rockland, Toronto, Windsor, Guelph, Sudbury, Finch, Montreal, Ville de Lachine, Yellowknife, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Banff, Halifax, St. Albert, Finch, Alexandria, Hawkesbury, l’Orignal, St Eugène, and of course Vankleek Hill.
She has had an international presentation with an exhibit at Municipal University of Kyoto in Japan.
Her most recent exhibitions have been at:
- 2025 - Solo show “Rétrospective” Centre Culturel le Chenail Hawkesbury
- 2024 - Exposition « Ottawa Valley Weaving and Spinning Guild » during their annual Exhibit-sale and their Centre Ottawa
- 2024 - Exhibit at the Arbor Galerie Arbor Room à Vankleek Hill ON
- 2024 - Solo show at the Champlain Library in Vankleek Hill Ontario2024 - Solo show “Rétrospective” Conseil des Arts de Hearst Ontario, à la Galerie 815, Hearst
- 2024 - Solo Exhibit “Rétrospective” at Galerie d’Art du 815, Hearst