The Downtown Sculpture Exhibition 2026

Scroll to learn more about the sculptures!

All sculptures are for sale. The Fenelon Arts Committee does not take a commission on sales. All inquires and sales are handled by the Artist. Their contact information is below and on the plaque that accompanies each sculpture.

 James Cameron Smith, Darner

James Cameron Smith, Darner
2026
mixed media
56 x 30 x 30 inches
🔴 SOLD

Purchase information:
jcs@jamescsmith.ca | 613-473-4049 | jamescsmith.ca

Inspired by the Canadensis Darner dragonfly, I became immersed in the visual brilliance and functional elegance embodied by these 300-million-year-old creatures. This sculpture celebrates their enduring presence. Darners, members of the aeshnid family, are revered throughout Ontario's cottage country for their role as natural predators of mosquitoes and black flies.

Perched on a cedar stump, Darner is brought to life through inventive material use: six vintage stainless steel golf club shafts form its articulated legs. To capture the dragonfly's exquisite wing design and the speed, vitality and precision of dragonfly flight we used a digital dye-sublimation process on laminated aluminum, with detailed imagery on both upper and lower surfaces.

Most captivating are Darner's bulbous compound black rhinestone eyes representing her 30,000 lenses. Also a group of smaller simple eyes called ocelli simulated by glass marbles detect changes in light intensity and aid in flight stabilization. The head, constructed from polyester, engages viewers to celebrate the insect’s exotic anatomy. The thorax and abdomen are formed from thermo-shaped ABS pipe reinforced with polyester resin. Mounting hardware is concealed within the cedar root base. An automotive anodizing paint finish ensures resilience and longevity in outdoor conditions.

They begin their life cycle in watery environments. Rooted in both ecology and Indigenous shapeshifter mythology, the dragonfly carries deep symbolic resonance. This sculpture invites viewers to reflect on metamorphosis, sustainability, and the enduring beauty of nature’s ancient characters.

Artist Bio
Smith has specialized in public sculpture since 1984. In association with artists at Campbell Monument Company in Belleville, Ontario, their large scale outdoor sculpture commissions have been recognized with numerous awards and in 2006 Smith was inducted as a Fellow of The American Institute of Commemorative Art. Recent public art commissions in municipalities across Canada continue to flow out of James’ Madoc studios. His works installed in these public spaces have received substantial recognition throughout North America.

Smith lives near Madoc, Ontario and holds a B. A. from York University and an Associate Diploma from the Ontario College of Art. He is the co-author of two books: "Accentuate the Positive, Creative Arts for Children with Disabilities" Addison Wesley Publishing, Toronto, 1988 and "Createability, Creative Arts for Preschool Children with Disabilities", Communication Skill Builders Phoenix Arizona 1992.

Rosalinde Baumgartner, Hans

Rosalinde Baumgartner, Hans
2018
black clay
15 x 11 x 8 inches
$2,000

Purchase information:
rosalinde.baumgartner@gmail.com | 519-803-6435 | artevoke.com

It always takes a little push, a decision to begin to let it happen. Best not to have ideas how it will finish. If I am lucky, intense concentration on the subject follows. One forgets about time; an alarm clock is handy to remind of a needed break.

My figurative pieces start from work sessions with a model. A friend of our sculpture group consented to model for us. Kind, wise, tall and very slim, it was a joy to work with him. How did I know when the work was finished? With Hans it was easy. He grew so naturally, there was no doubt in my mind at all. This does not always happen.

Some of my sculptures have 3 versions, growing and changing from a small piece. My favourite material is clay. I have used different versions, black, red, white. For larger sculptures I have experimented with Winterstone, it is hardy, does not break, and doesn’t need firing. The drawback is it is not responsive to your touch. It dries fast and hard, you could not impart the delicate details you find in the bust of Hans in a material like that.

This sculpture was exhibited in Elora and also at a sculpture show in Ottawa. The material is high fired black clay.

Artist Bio
Born in Austria to a mother who loved to draw and a father who farmed the land, Rosalinde fled to Switzerland during World War II and grew up in both countries. In 1960, she emigrated to Canada with her husband and son, settling in Guelph, Ontario. There, she pursued a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Guelph, studying painting, printmaking, drawing, and sculpture. Rosalinde is actively involved in local art communities in Erin, Guelph, Alton, and Elora.

Carole Chaloupla Burton, The Dawning Recognition of Fundamental Aloneness

Carole Chaloupka Burton, The Dawning Recognition of Fundamental Aloneness
2023
winterstone
25 x 19 x 32 cm
$3,000

Purchase information:
carole.burton41@gmail.com

This sculpture forms part of an ongoing body of work titled Fragile Masculinity, which explores the quiet tenderness present in young boys and the ways in which it is often diminished or suppressed over time. The work seeks to hold space for vulnerability, sensitivity, and emotional openness, inviting reflection on how these qualities are shaped by cultural expectations and lived experience.

The piece is originally sculpted in terracotta clay, allowing for an intuitive, hand-built process that responds to subtle gestures and emotional nuance. A silicone mould is then created to enable casting in winterstone, a modified cement material chosen for its durability and capacity to hold fine detail. The surface is finished with acrylic, lending depth and tonal sensitivity to the final form.

Situated within a broader practice of figurative sculpture, the work engages themes of care, protection, and the preservation of inner life. It aims to evoke a sense of stillness and contemplation, encouraging viewers to reconnect with aspects of tenderness that may feel distant or obscured.

Artist Bio
Burton’s work explores the embodied experience of having memories, thoughts, emotions, and intuition contained within our bodies. She seeks to give form to the invisible and difficult-to-articulate feelings and sensations that reside in all of us. Specializing in evocative portraiture and figurative sculpture, her practice is dedicated to capturing fleeting moments of inner reflection: moments that are both deeply personal and profoundly universal.

Chance Shermet, Mountain No. 1

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 | 647-766-8774

Mountain No. 1 is a part of a series titled Building Mass with a Grain of Sand. This project explores the realm of resources plotting along a spectrum of tiny or vast, individual and collective, and abundance versus scarcity. Connecting these diverse ideas of resources, whether natural materials from the earth or the labour and skill of us as people, there are references to measuring, extracting, industry, wealth, and greed.

Mountain No.1 was created using river pebbles applied to a form reminiscent of a stalagmite mineral deposit, or a pile of building materials. Experimenting with the aesthetic of pebbledashing used on architectural exteriors, the piece presents each stone as both remarkable as a formation of minerals over immense periods of time, but simultaneously an ordinary fragment, aggregate or material that might be molded into our built environment.

Artist Bio
Shermet is a Toronto-based artist and designer creating works that intersect object and sculpture. Graduating from OCAD University’s Industrial Design program in 2021, Chance has shown work across Toronto at Artscape Gibraltar Point, DesignTO x OCAD U, J-Spot and Ignite Gallery, as well as temporary public art projects in nearby cities. He has recently received the Emerging Artist Award from Dan Lawrie International Sculpture Collection and a juror’s award for Latcham Art Centre’s annual juried exhibition.

Jeff van Leeuwen, Untitled 23 // Janus

Jeff van Leeuwen, Untitled 23 // Janus
2026
concrete and charred driftwood post (Lake Ontario)
50 x 12 x 12 inches
$1,200

Purchase information:
jeffvanlee@gmail.com
289-440-1520

The (Im)Balance Series is a collection of self-portraits made using casting techniques and found object assemblages. Producing these works has helped navigate my grief after losing my mother to mesothelioma (cancer caused by asbestos exposure). For years, I struggled with anger, sadness, and emotional disconnection. Exploring art and spending time in nature became essential parts of my healing and catalysts for rebuilding my sense of self.

During nature walks, seeking solitude and peace, I was often unable to escape the sight of waste and discarded human-made debris. I found this deeply upsetting. These sculptures are my attempt to assuage negative feelings and to revalue the discarded. Each work uses some element of balance- the physical act of which helps me solidify my own emotional stability; as I reharmonize found materials with the human form. Rather than imposing a predetermined structure, I listen closely to the thingness of things; responding to the textures, histories, and tensions already present within the objects I collect.

Through reworking what has been cast aside, I aim to create spaces of attention, tenderness, and renewal. At its core, my work is an attempt to find light within loss and balance (beauty) from what remains.

Artist Bio
van Leeuwen is an intermedia artist and sculptor based in Southern Ontario, Canada. Having transitioned to an art practice from construction and trades, van Leeuwen’s work incorporates a close familiarity with the materials and structures that shape daily life. Repurposed concrete, wood, metal and found objects make up the bulk of his assemblages.

His pieces often investigate the complex relationship between humanity and the environment. Sculptures function as a commentary on the human condition, and a criticism of the irresponsible management of materials and waste.

Fracturing, recombining and balancing forms help van Leeuwen to address issues of negligence at their core: personal understanding and acceptance of oneself and others. His belief is that without internal balance and harmony, external imbalance-be it interpersonal or environmental, is sure to follow. This inevitably leads to conflict. He works to encourage self reflection, tenderness and love, fostering greater accountability with nature and each other as stewards of our planet.

Mary Sullivan, Angler’s Dream

Mary Sullivan, Angler’s Dream
2026
gypsum cement and spray paint
43 x 20 x 24 inches
$1,250

Purchase information:
marys477@gmail.com | 705-328-0317

The Kawartha Lakes region is defined by its many lakes. People are drawn here to swim, boat, and fish. Angler’s Dream speaks to the connection between community and water.

From the beginning, I envisioned a school of five fish. Positioned at different heights and angles, the fish suggest dynamic movement through water and the natural rhythm of a school in motion. Each fish was first sculpted in clay, then a two-part silicone mold was created. The fish were cast in Ultimate Drystone Gypsum cement with an embedded metal rod for strength and stability, sanded, painted, and sealed for durability.

Although the forms are reminiscent of various fish species, I was less interested in creating exact replicas, and more inspired to capture the brilliance of the fish found in our local lakes. The mottled colours and patterns evoke the complex richness of nature and celebrate the vibrant life that exists beneath the surface of the water.

Artist Bio

Joy and optimism are constant influences in the work of Lindsay-based multidisciplinary artist, Mary Sullivan. Using clay as her primary medium, she also works in lino print and watercolour. Inspired by the natural world, her artwork is often whimsical with animals and nature serving as recurring themes whether she is working in clay or on paper.

Sullivan holds a Fine Arts Degree from the University of Toronto and a Creative Arts Diploma from Sheridan College. Her paintings and sculptures have been exhibited across Canada, including the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition and Robert McLaughlin Gallery, and in the United Kingdom. This sculpture marks Sullivan's first outdoor installation.

Sculpture Locations

Planter No. 1

Carole Chaloupka Burton, The Dawning Recognition of Fundamental Aloneness
&
Rosalinde Baumgartner, Hans

Planter No. 2

Mary Sullivan, Angler’s Dream
&
Jeff van Leeuwen, Untitled 23 // Janus

Planter No. 3

Chance Shermet, Mountain No. 1
&
James Cameron Smith, Darner

The FAC would like to give a special shout out to our 2026 sponsors. Thank you so much for your support. We couldn’t do it without you!

Join us for the public launch of
The Downtown Sculpture Project 2026
on Friday, May 8, 2026 at 11 a.m.
at Colborne Street Gallery in Fenelon Falls.

Each artist will speak about their sculpture and art practice followed by a guided walking tour and on-site Q&A.

The submission deadline for the 2026 call has closed.
Please email fenelonarts@gmail.com to be added to our mailing list.

CONTACT AND INQUIRIES

Fenelon Arts Committee
Darcie Kennedy, Chair
fenelonarts@gmail.com