May 10 – 28, 2023
![](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Alvar-invitation-1-600x600.jpg)
Gallery Opening: Saturday, May 13, 2 – 5 pm
Hybrid Artist Talks, in Gallery and on Zoom: Sunday, May 21, 2 pm (EDT)
Zoom registration via Eventbrite
Artist present: Saturdays, May 13, 20, 27; Sundays, May 14, 21, 28; 1 – 5:30 pm
The works exhibited in the Alvars exhibition reveal ancient rock formations of the Upper Bruce Peninsula and their rare flora.
Letarte became aware of the Alvars of the Bruce while at a cottage with friends in Dyer’s Bay in the pandemic summer of 2020. She returned a year later, equipped with charcoal collected from fire pits, canvas, and Arches paper, to get imprints of the elemental alvar pavements. She also took hundreds of photos of these calcareous rock barrens, that present as large and exposed areas devoid of vegetation, or covered with gardens of mosses and herbaceous plants adapted to this unique and harsh alvar environment. Other areas are populated by semi-open coniferous forests, dominated by jack pine.
Artist Statement
Inspiration came mostly from four visited locations, the Bruce Alvar Nature Reserve, on the northwest and northeast corners of Highway 6 and Dyer’s Bay Road, Singing Sands Provincial Park by Dorcas Bay and Lake Marr, near the “Grotto” on Georgian Bay near Cypress Lake. The artist was very mindful of not disturbing the fragile habitats while doing the barren rock rubbings.
Back in the studio, the rock imprints were enhanced with acrylic paint and/or natural pigments. The largest canvas charcoal imprint was treated minimally, with monochromatic acrylic paint and oil pastels. As the plan for the Alvar exhibition progressed, a series of paper collages emerged from deconstructed alvar imprints and experimental paintings with charcoal and natural pigments, brought back from African markets. Subsequently, photo transfers of moss and plant gardens, as well as unusual convex rock patterns were prepared. Several of them were then highlighted in a pointillistic fashion, to recreate the whimsical nature of the fascinating and unique alvar gardens.
Click the thumbnail below for the full-size view
![Michelle Letarte, Alvar Imprint by Dorcas Bay, charcoal alvar imprint, acrylic, and oil pastels on canvas, 40 x 30"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/36_Letarte_Alvar-Imprint-by-Dorcas-Bay-448x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Physionomie Alvaresque, Paper collage, pigments and acrylic on Arches paper, 30 x 22"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/35_Letarte_Physionomie-Alvaresque-452x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Minois Alvaresque, Paper collage, pigments and acrylic on Arches paper, 30 x 22"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/34_Letarte_Minois-Alvaresque-452x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Silvery Alvar, West Dyer's Bay Road, charcoal alvar imprint, pigments, pumice and acrylic on canvas, 20 x 24"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/33_Letarte_Silvery-Alvar-West-Dyer_s-Bay-Road-725x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Daydreaming, pigments and acrylic on board, 12 x 16"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/32_Letarte_Daydreaming-815x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Cosmos Alvaresque, West Dyer's Bay Road, charcoal alvar imprint, pigments and acrylic on canvas, 20 x 24"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/31_Letarte_Cosmos-Alvaresque-West-Dyer_s-Bay-Road-722x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Extravaganza, pigments and acrylic on board, 16 x 12"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/30_Letarte_Extravaganza-448x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Seeing Red, pigments and acrylic on board, 16 x 12"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/29_Letarte_Seeing-Red-449x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Frimousse alvaresque, pigments and acrylic on board, 16 x 12"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/28_Letarte_Frimousse-alvaresque-446x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Deconstructed Rock imprints 3, charcoal alvar imprint and acrylic paper collage, on board, 12 x 12"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/27_Letarte_Deconstructed-Rock-imprints-3-589x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Deconstructed Rock imprints 2, charcoal alvar imprint and acrylic paper collage, on board, 12 x 12"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/26_Letarte_Deconstructed-Rock-imprints-2-605x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Deconstructed Rock imprints 1, charcoal alvar imprint and acrylic paper collage, on canvas, 12 x 9"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/25_Letarte_Deconstructed-Rock-imprints-1-451x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Alvar tangle, Dorcas Bay, charcoal alvar imprint, acrylic paint & markers on paper, on board, 10 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/24_Letarte_Alvar-tangle-Dorcas-Bay-479x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Marr Lake pattern, phototransfers and acrylic on canvas, 10 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/23_Letarte_Marr-Lake-pattern-481x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Allure alvaresque, Dorcas Bay, charcoal alvar imprint, acrylic paint and markers on paper, on board, 10 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/22_Letarte_Allure-alvaresque-Dorcas-Bay-477x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Marr Lake convex formation 2, phototransfers and acrylic on canvas, 10 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/21_Letarte_Marr-Lake-convex-formation-2-478x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Imaginary Garden, Dorcas Bay, charcoal alvar imprint, pigments and acrylic on paper, on board, 10 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/20_Letarte_Imaginary-Garden-Dorcas-Bay-482x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Compromis de couleurs, Dorcas Bay, phototransfers and acrylic on canvas, 10 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/19_Letarte_Compromis-de-couleurs-Dorcas-Bay-477x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Allégorie alvaresque, pigments and acrylic on board, 12 x 16"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/18_Letarte_Allegorie-alvaresque-811x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Reconstructed moss garden, West Dyer's Bay Road, phototransfers and acrylic on canvas, on board, 18 x 24"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/17_Letarte_Reconstructed-moss-garden-West-Dyer_s-Bay-Road-801x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Pictograph, Dorcas Bay, charcoal alvar imprint and acrylic on paper, on board, 8 x 10"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/16_Letarte_Pictograph-Dorcas-Bay-749x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Bijou Alvaresque, East Dyer's Bay Road, phototransfer and acrylic markers on board, 8 x 10"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/15_Letarte_Bijou-Alvaresque-East-Dyer_s-Bay-Road-743x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Sunset impression at Singing Sands, phototransfer, acrylic and pigments on canvas, 8 x 10"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/14_Letarte_Sunset-impression-at-Singing-Sands-788x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Enchanted Columbine, East Dyer's Bay Road, phototransfer and acrylic markers on board, 8 x 10"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/13_Letarte_Enchanted-Columbine-East-Dyer_s-Bay-Road-764x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Reconstructed mosses, charcoal alvar imprint, pigments and acrylic on board, 8 x 10"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/12_Letarte_Reconstructed-mosses-758x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Métaphore alvaresque, charcoal alvar imprint, pigments and acrylic on board, 8 x 10"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/11_Letarte_Metaphore-alvaresque-754x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Moss and Rock, West Dyer's Bay Road, phototransfer and acrylic markers on board, 8 x 10"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/10_Letarte_Moss-and-Rock-West-Dyer_s-Bay-Road-751x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Assemblage alvaresque, Arches paper collage, pigments and acrylic on board, 12 x 12"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/9_Letarte_Assemblage-alvaresque-611x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Vignette Alvar, Dyer's Bay, phototransfer and acrylic markers on board, 8 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/8_Letarte_Vignette-Alvar-West-Dyer_s-Bay-Road-605x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Marr Lake convex formation 1, phototransfer and acrylic on board, 8 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/7-Letarte-Marr-Lake-convex-formation-1-8-x-8-inches-130-603x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Flat-top white asters 2, West Dyer's Bay Road, phototransfer and acrylic markers on board, 8 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/6-Letarte-Flat-top-white-asters-2-West-Dyer_s-Bay-Road-8-x-8-inches-130-609x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Star-flowered-lily-of-the-valley, West Dyer's Bay Road, phototransfer and acrylic markers on board, 8 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/5_Letarte_Star-flowered-lily-of-the-valley-West-Dyer_s-Bay-Road-598x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Flat-top white asters 1, West Dyer's Bay Road, phototransfer and acrylic markers on board, 8 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/4-Letarte-Flat-top-white-asters-1-West-Dyer_s-Bay-Road-599x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Agencement alvaresque, Dorcas Bay, charcoal alvar imprint, pigments & acrylic on paper, on board, 8 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/3_Letarte_Agencement-alvaresque-Dorcas-Bay-603x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Composition Sable, Dorcas Bay, sand imprint, acrylic paint & markers on paper, on board, 8 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2_Letarte_Composition-sable-Dorcas-Bay-599x600.jpeg)
![Michelle Letarte, Sand texture, Dorcas Bay, sand imprint & acrylic on paper, on board, 8 x 8"](https://michelleletarte.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/1_Letarte_Sand-texture_-Dorcas-Bay-601x600.jpeg)