How does art impact and play a role not just in the Kawartha community but in design?

Let’s start with the Fenelon Arts Committee! (FAC) Founded in 2018, the FAC champions arts and culture initiatives that enrich the community and enhance public access to the arts throughout Fenelon Falls. The committee explores opportunities to support artists, foster creative engagement, and strengthen the role of the arts within the village. Comprised of passionate volunteers and community members, the FAC is united by a shared commitment to cultivating a vibrant cultural landscape and celebrating the creative spirit of Fenelon Falls. Some of their recent work includes the Downtown Sculpture Project 2026, which kicked off this past May with an artist talk and walking tour.  The tour started at our gallery, Colborne Street Gallery, and it’s an event we love hosting each spring. Artists have the opportunity to speak about their sculpture projects as well as their art practice which is followed by a guided walking tour and on-site Q&A.

James Cameron Smith, Darner

2026

mixed media

56 x 30 x 30 inches

🔴 SOLD

All sculptures along the tour are for sale giving participants the opportunity to discover new works and artists. Each installment has a plaque with the name and contact information for the artist. 

Visit the FAC page for sculpture locations and more information on each artist and their work.

Rosalinde Baumgartner, Hans

2018

black clay

15 x 11 x 8 inches

$2,000

Purchase information: rosalinde.baumgartner@gmail.com

Chance Shermet, Mountain No. 1

2023

river pebble, plywood, pine, aluminum, and grout

35 x 19 x 16 inches

$1,150

Purchase information: chanceshermet@gmail.com

Organizations and initiatives like the Fenelon Arts Committee play an important role in bringing creativity into public spaces and enriching the cultural fabric of our community. We value the power of art not only to connect people with artists, but also to foster a deeper sense of place and belonging. Beyond offering beautiful works to admire and explore, art has the unique ability to tell stories. These stories reflect the history, character, and spirit of the communities where it is created and displayed. Through public art and creative initiatives, we strengthen connections, spark conversation, and celebrate the identity of the places we call home. We know that tourists and guests of family and friends to our area, appreciate local artists and enjoy experiences around discovering artists and their works. It’s part of the Fenelon Falls art and culture scene that Home by Tim + Chris are proud to facilitate and support.

Jeff van Leeuwen

Untitled 23 // Janus

Art in Design

Art is at the core of everything we do at Home by Tim + Chris. We love art so much that in 2018 we opened the Colborne Street Gallery. When it comes to our design clients, having an art gallery is handy because we can recommend, integrate and curate art pieces from our own collection. Art is how we build personality, character and depth into a space and it can be a way to communicate the function of a particular room.

Each spring at the gallery we launch our “wall of smalls” which is a fun and budget friendly way to experience and collect new art!

Our holiday art market is another opportunity to experience an array of work by Kawartha local artists.

Art can also lend a whimsical and fun feel to an entry like in project Corn Cob. 

Colour as Unifier

Art can also be a powerful way to create harmony and consistency within a space. We often use art to build on an already established colour theme, to further enhance and match the style of a room. To emphasize a certain style, we use art of a similar feel to give a space a contemporary or more traditional feel.

This lively piece provides a striking contrast for this media space in a client’s cottage. 

Colour Psychology

Designers use colour theory to select art that further builds on a design and colour palette. Sometimes using unexpected art with uncommon colour pairings can create an interesting tension that allows a space to take on a diverse and interesting personality.

This piece in our client’s guest cottage adds a pop of whimsy to a neutral bathroom

Beyond Walls

Art lives beyond trends and patterns, which makes it collectible, valuable and integral to good design. That's why we created our own art gallery, so we can tell your design story while bringing access to unique local artists and their works!

This painting catches the morning light in our Sturgeon Lake project and pays homage to exterior views.

Thank you to all the sponsors that supported the FAC Downtown Sculpture Project 2026! Home by Tim + Chris are proud to be a part of the art walk and continue to support local artists at Colborne Street Gallery! If you would like to be added to the FAC mailing list, you can do so by emailing: fenelonarts@gmail.com

You can also access our Home by Tim + Chris blog for posts like this one: Creating a Design Narrative Through Art

If you have a design question you would like to submit for the next Town Crier issue, you can send it to the Home by Tim + Chris design team at: info@homebytc.ca

Sign up on our website for our monthly eNewsletter, Lakeside Notes, featuring all things art and design. We can keep you informed of our favourite local picks, what’s new at The Grove Theatre and other events across the Kawarthas.

Tim + Chris