The Town of Huntsville has been hosting Culture Days events since 2011. For 2017, one event, Crazy Train – Will Crush Your Problems, has attracted support from local potters.
The Crazy Train, based on the practice of curse tablets found in ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman times, takes place on Saturday, September 30 at Muskoka Heritage Place’s Rotary Village Train Station at noon, 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm. Crazy Train – Will Crush Your Problems invites participants to write their problems on a piece of broken pottery, place it on the rail, and watch it smash into smithereens when the Portage Flyer Train rolls over it. This is where local potters have risen to the occasion.
“Participants will not only get to smash their problems,” says Teri Souter, Huntsville’s Manager of Arts, Culture and Heritage, “they will get to smash their problems on beautiful art!”
Pottery will be provided, while supplies last, from Eric Lindgren, Lindgren Pottery; Mary-Ruth Newell, The Village Potter; and Karen Gray, The Potter’s Studio and Gallery.
“I could not be happier that we can upcycle artists’ studio mishaps into an event promoting positivity,” says Souter. “The response has been very favourable so far, with many people ‘hoping we have a big dumpster’. I am expecting a lot of local problems to be crushed. I hope participants will feel a real release of tension via this event. I think the world needs it.”
The event is the idea of Muskoka Heritage Place Manager Ron Gostlin and Collections Coordinator Sara White. Participants are advised to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the train’s departure so that they have time to get their problems written and placed on the track. People are welcome to bring their own pottery should they prefer to do so.
“We always put safety first,” says Ron Gostlin, “but we still try to find the fun, too.”
While the Crazy Train – Will Crush Your Problems event is free, if participants wish to ride the train there is a ticket fee. Train fares are $5.95 per adult and $3.70 per child.
Culture Days 2017 takes place on September 29, 30 and October 1. All events are free. Everyone is encouraged to visit culturedays.ca for a full list of almost 70 free participatory culture events in and around Huntsville.
“I’m expecting a smashing good time,” said Souter, with a laugh, “and we are very pleased that our local potters are getting fired up over this, too.”
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