Ottawa

There are 6 posts tagged Ottawa (this is page 1 of 1).

Rockhounds in Ontario and Canada

A rockhound is an amateur geologist or collector of rocks, minerals and gemstones. It’s not always about the value or selling them. Not for me. I like the history of rocks. Such ancient things, far older than even the oldest of trees. Eroded by time and the elements (mostly water) found on and under land, sea and space, small enough to fit into a pocket or far too massive to consider moving at all. How can anyone not find even the most common rock a bit interesting.

There is some difference between being an ordinary rock collector and someone who actually knows whether the rock they just picked up (because it looks interesting) is a gem, mineral, or just another rock. I’m the ordinary rock type of beachcomber, streetcomber, forestcomber, (even though only one of those is a considered a real word at this time).

I like rocks, sometimes I carry one home in my pocket. It’s a casual hobby. But, I couldn’t say for sure whether the rocks I keep are anything but an interesting looking rock. I did study geology in high school, so I know (remember) a little about how rocks are formed.

Ontario (I live in Ontario) with links found for the other Canadian provinces afterwards.

Ottawa Lapsmith and Mineral Club
The Niagara Peninsula Geological Society – St Catharines
Barrie Gem and Mineral Club (Currently inactive).
The Gem and Mineral Club of Scarborough – Toronto

The British Columbia Lapidary Society
Victoria Lapidary and Mineral Society
Ripple Rock and Gem Mineral Club – Campbell River
Port Moody Rock and Gem Club

Alberta Federation of Rock Clubs 
Southern Alberta Rockhounds Association
Edmonton Tumblewood Lapidary Club
Calgary Rock and Lapidary Club

Prairie Rock and Gem Society – Regina, Saskatchewan

Montreal Gem and Mineral Club Quebec

The Central Canadian Federation of Mineralogical Societies
Mineralogical Association of Canada 
Gem and Mineral Federation of Canada

Do you know all of these, what they are or even more about each of them? They are all connected to rocks in some way. Not on this list was rock piling or stacking. I’ve seen people turn them into bridges which continue to stand without anything but friction and gravity keeping them together. Also, Inukshuks, traditionally used for navigation and communication in northern Canada.

  • lapidary
  • tumbling
  • carving
  • sculpture
  • architecture
  • fossils
  • geology
  • paleontology
  • prospecting

List from: Virtual Museum of the History of Mineralogy

Ottawa’s Old Train Station

Bhat Boy’s exhibition, called the Old Train Station, featuring scenes from Ottawa’s original train station downtown [was] showcased at the Orange Art Gallery. “One of the things that really interested me is that the old train station was the hub of industrial Ottawa before it became a government town,” Bhat Boy said in an interview. According to a press release, the old train station, built in 1909 and located across from the Chateau Laurier was closed in 1966. The Grand Trunk Station officially opened in 1912, bringing historic arrivals and departures, including New Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry departing for the First World War before the station was renamed to Union Station. It was the arrival and departure points for everyone from King George VIII and Queen Elizabeth, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and even Elvis.

Source: Ottawa Community News

Ottawa’s Old Train Station

Bhat Boy’s exhibition, called the Old Train Station, featuring scenes from Ottawa’s original train station downtown [was] showcased at the Orange Art Gallery.

“One of the things that really interested me is that the old train station was the hub of industrial Ottawa before it became a government town,” Bhat Boy said in an interview.

According to a press release, the old train station, built in 1909 and located across from the Chateau Laurier was closed in 1966.

The Grand Trunk Station officially opened in 1912, bringing historic arrivals and departures, including New Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry departing for the First World War before the station was renamed to Union Station.

It was the arrival and departure points for everyone from King George VIII and Queen Elizabeth, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and even Elvis.

Source: Ottawa Community News

Calligraphy Guilds/ Societies in Canada

Today I worked on calligraphy organization links for dmoz. Here are all the active groups/ links I found for Canadian locations. 

Non profit society formed to promote, inspire, encourage and share the art form of calligraphy. Includes newsletters, events and contact information, Based in Calgary, Alberta.

Exists to promote calligraphy, to encourage all forms of its expression and to provide opportunities for artistic and technical development.

Non-profit organization, run by volunteers. Offers classes and workshops, events and membership information.

Calligraphy Society of Ottawa

Promotes the enjoyment and study of traditional and contemporary hand lettering. Newsletter, meeting and workshop information.

A group of calligraphers, lettering artists and advocates of handwriting. Edmonton, Alberta.

Formed in 1976 to help, encourage and inspire those interested in calligraphy and handwriting. Includes membership information, calendar of events and gallery. Victoria, BC.

Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, provides program, workshop and membership information. Includes newsletters and member showcase.

A non-profit organization for Okanagan calligraphers to share their expertise and to introduce calligraphy to the general public. Kelowna, BC.

A non-profit society that promotes and encourages the calligraphic arts through workshops, exhibits and socials. Red Deer, AB.

Non-profit group formed to facilitate the exchange of information between calligraphers, and to promote interest in and appreciation of the art form. Events, workshops, membership and contact details.

Group based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Offers information on meetings, membership, workshops and exhibitions.                                     

Storytelling

What the ear does not hear cannot move the heart. — Cape Breton saying

March 25th I am attending a local Storytelling workshop. I’m looking forward to it and I really like Joanne, the woman who does the workshop. Today I looked up storytelling to find out a bit more and see what we might be doing in the workshop, just curious. There are a vast amount of resources for storytelling online.

From Wikipedia: Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images, and sounds often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture and in every land as a means of entertainment, education, preservation of culture and in order to instill moral values. Crucial elements of stories and storytelling include plot and characters, as well as the narrative point of view.

Storytellers of Canada

Storytelling Toronto

Vancouver Storytelling

Ottawa Storytellers

National Storytelling Network (USA)

International Storytelling Center

Society for Storytelling (UK)

Australian Storytelling

Professional Storyteller Network

World Storytelling Day is March 20th. Great timing for my workshop.

Digital Storytelling and Digistories