Town of Huntsville accepts $25,000 painting donation to public art collection

Thanks to a local arts patron, the Town of Huntsville has added a significant new piece to its public art collection.

Master of Algonquin Mists by Dwayne Harty

Mary Sinclair, a long-time cottager in Lake of Bays, offered to donate an original painting by artist Dwayne Harty to the Town. Master of Algonquin Mists depicts a bull moose walking through shallow water. The oil on Belgian linen painting is framed and measures 81-inches tall by 58-inches wide. The Town already has two paintings by Dwayne Harty in its collection. Both depict wolves and hang in Town Hall on the second floor.

General Committee, at its March 28 meeting, agreed to accept the donation into the public art collection.

Under the Town’s public art policy, there are no conditions on the display of works in the collection. In response to a question by Mayor Scott Aitchison, Teri Souter, the Town’s Manager of Arts, Culture and Heritage, said that a suitable and secure location to display the donation would be found as quickly as possibly. She also noted that most of the items in the public art collection are on display, and that the Town also has an extensive heritage art collection in the archives at Muskoka Heritage Place, much of which has more heritage than artistic value.

In exchange for the donation, Mrs. Sinclair will receive a charitable donation receipt in the amount of the current paid sale invoice—$26,249.00 including HST—an amount deemed to be the correct market value based on this and other recent sales of work by this artist of similar size and subject matter, noted the staff report presented to committee.

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