The Woodstock Art Gallery is looking for an artist to create a commemorative sculpture in an area park.
The sculpture will be displayed at the newly named Florence Carlyle Park in Woodstock.
“Florence Carlyle was a trailblazing female artist who garnered national and international acclaim while practicing at the same level and calibre as her male contemporaries,” Mary Reid, the director and curator of the Woodstock Art Gallery said in a news release. “The intent of this public artwork is to recognize her importance not only to Woodstock, but to the development of Canadian art.”
The gallery hopes the project will improve the representation of diversity in the area and promote the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
“Carlyle had two significant same-sex relationships during her life,” the gallery explained in the release.
According to the art gallery’s website, Carlyle was born in Galt, Ont., but moved to Woodstock when she was seven years old.
Then in 1890, she went to Paris to study painting for six years before returning to Canada.
The project was announced at a special event on Saturday in connection with the 100th anniversary of Carlyle’s death.
Gallery officials said they received $50,000 towards the commission from the Department of Canadian Heritage Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage Legacy Fund and the remaining $25,000 will come from the city’s art acquisition fund.
Once completed, the sculpture would also become part of the gallery’s permanent collection.
Artists in Ontario can submit an application through the city’s website.
