Beside my new favourite roti shop “Sally’s” on Wellington Street, and just the next alley over from Antique Alley, you can now find an artist’s alley.
Local artist David Dossett told landlord Bill Bishop of his vision to transform the old alley and courtyard into a faux French street. Bishop was interested, but when Dossett began painting the asphalt pavement to look like cobblestone, he was so impressed he told David that he could do what he liked with the space.

Above the cobblestone, the dreary brown walls have been painted to look like brick, and rising above these is the impression of timbered walls. In the middle of the courtyard, a fancy wrought iron fence has been erected, and beside it, a tall clock and a spherical fountain. In one of the corners, Dossett envisions the back corner of a church, and in another, he has already painted the facade of a “Poissonerie.”
Paintings, postcards and prints are displayed in the alleyway, and when these showcases close at night, they are made to look like French windows. “I was inspired by a painting of my father’s, ‘Eglise rue de Seine Paris, by Utrillo,” Dossett explained. “In Quebec city when the artist’s alleyway closes up, it looks like an industrial site. I wanted to give a little more imagination.”

It is certainly an imaginative space. Dossett hopes to build a snowman in the courtyard for the winter, a real-life model of his first painting of children playing in the snow. He speaks nostalgically that it is important to be reminded of life’s playfulness and innocence. I think he has done much to show us that already.
Everyone who works in the alley is a participating artist. Chris Perry was artist on duty the day I went to take photos. Chris has been invited to submit her design to Wildlife Habitat Canada in contention for their newest Canadian stamp. Former winners have included Robert Bateman and Michael Dumas.

Shoppers are often attracted by the works of Tully (Michael Pearson), whose iconic images of Kingston are sold here at an affordable price. All of the art here is affordable, starting with postcards at $5, prints at $20-25. Original paintings are also sold, at higher prices, while still in an accessible range. I especially enjoyed the works of Todd Tremeer, whose peaceful paintings of nature give a sense of awe and presence. His style is like the group of seven, with large brushstrokes and natural tones fleshed in an impressionistic way. Many eyes are drawn to his depiction of a canoe, with the horizon tilted just slightly to give a sense of movement.

New art and artists are being added all the time, though currently the studio showcases art from David Dossett, M.P. Tully, Chris Perry, Todd Tremeer, J. Gazo-McKim, Lori Kallay, Christine Perry, Ncouture-Lord, June Shepherd, Jeff Gill, Eric Kincaid, Peter Fyfe, Karen Leggo, to name a few.

Martello Alley is located at 203 B Wellington, with an artist is on duty from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.
The gallery may also be visited virtually at Martello-alley.myshopify.com.

One of the best ways to get the inside story on a city’s music scene is talk to someone from that scene. That’s why I went to Evan Mitchell, who picked up the baton for the Kingston Symphony as its music director just over a year ago and hasn’t looked back.

Mitchell, who won the 2009 Jean-Marie Beaudet Award in Orchestra Conducting, joined the Kingston Symphony as a 34-year-old after residencies as assistant conductor of the Vancouver and Kichener-Waterloo symphony orchestras. During those residencies, he conducted over 200 concerts and served as a consultant to the Vancouver Olympic Committee and assistant producer for the recording of the medal ceremony and national anthems.

That range of experience has served him well with the Kingston Symphony, where you’re just as likely to see him leading an orchestra performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 as Whitacre’s Godzilla Eats Las Vegas. Keep reading for his favourite Kingston venue and band, what’s coming up from the symphony, and what we need to know about K-town’s music scene.

What’s your favourite music venue in Kingston?

Kingston has a really amazing music scene, and there are all sorts of great venues, from little independent ones to larger venues, but I think my favourite is where we perform our Master Works Series, the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. It’s a real jewel of a venue, and it is for the city, too. It works for anything you want to throw at it.

What is it that you like about The Isabel?

First of all, it’s physically beautiful. The lobby has floor-to-ceiling glass, it has this unbelievable view of the waterfront, and inside the hall it has this incredible wood panelling that was aesthetically designed to reference the limestone deposits around Kingston that also serves the purpose of acoustically tuning the hall to make it sound just right. It’s a stunning and intimate hall, and you’re able to hear absolutely everything. It’s a joy to perform a concert in.

Do you have a favourite band or performer from Kingston?

I’ve been listening to the Tragically Hip since I was a wee lad, so I’d have to say they’re my personal favourite. I had the pleasure of meeting Gord Sinclair and chatting with him at an event, and he had some really remarkable insights on music sharing and MP3s and these sorts of things, because of course The Hip were a successful band at the peak of Napster. But they are all really incredible people and great musicians and great rock stars.

Outside of The Isabel and The Hip, what should visitors know about Kingston’s music scene?

That Kingston has a really remarkable music scene, top to bottom, from popular music, to symphonic, chamber, acoustic, even folk. It’s equal to something you’d expect from somewhere march larger, so for people who aren’t familiar with it, if you come here and want to hear great music, you won’t be short of opportunities, be they with us or otherwise. As an outsider, you might not think of Kingston as a music destination, but it is, and that’s something we hold dear.

Head to kingstonsymphony.on.ca for all of the details.

Kingston WritersFest presents 20-year Canadian Armed Forces veteran and former elite sniper team leader Jody Mitic reading from his memoir Unflinching on Monday, November 9. Jody’s memoir is a powerful chronicle of the honour and sacrifice of an ordinary Canadian fighting for his country, and his reading and talk take place as part of Remembrance week celebrations, as Canadians honour those who have given their lives for our freedom.
Unflinching is an authentic portrait of military life. General Rick Hillier, former Chief of Defence Staff for the Canadian Armed Forces, praised the book: “I’ve read it all – start to finish – in one enthralled session. Unflinching is raw, personal, unforgiving, unrelenting and draws one into Jody’s life, with a vividness and a colour that’s visceral.”
Jody will talk about his personal experience in the Canadian military, through sniper training, firefights in Afghanistan, culminating on the fateful night when he stepped on a landmine and lost both of his legs below the knees.
“But his story doesn’t end there,” says Barbara Bell, artistic director of the Festival. “Jody is the perfect example of a survivor and a ‘thriver.’” Since his injury, Jody has become a model of perseverance and determination – within a year he had competed in half-marathons using his new prosthetic legs, and placed second in the Amazing Race Canada’s first season with his younger brother, Cory.
Jody is also a respected advocate for wounded veterans, people with disabilities, and amputees. He founded the Never Quit Foundation and currently sits on the Board of Directors of Won with One, an organization devoted to helping physically challenged athletes realize their dreams. He also serves on Ottawa City Council as Sports Commissioner.

Now in its seventh year, Kingston WritersFest has confirmed itself as a prime Kingston cultural event and one of the top Canadian literary festivals. Our audiences visit from as far away as British Columbia, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces, as well as from northern New York state and the eastern seaboard, and our authors come from around the world and down the block.
Jody Mitic appears on Monday, November 9, 7:30 – 8:30 pm, at historic Currie Hall on the campus of RMC. Free parking available onsite. Tickets are $17 in advance (incl. HST and handling) – $19 at the door – and are available online at kingstonwritersfest.ca and at Novel Idea Books on Princess Street.