Photos and Short Stories

The Arts Incubator is a space for experimentation, collaboration, and creative production grounded in real community experience. Through story and photo, we document the moments that shape our work—late-night editing sessions, first-time gallery installations, youth-led workshops, quiet breakthroughs, and collective challenges. These snapshots offer more than a behind-the-scenes look; they reflect the rhythms, relationships, and realities of building something meaningful together. Whether it’s an emerging artist discovering their voice or a group reimagining their surroundings through art, each moment tells a part of the story we’re living and shaping as a creative community.

Musicians to perform at Dryden Fall Fair Maurice, Tanya and Gerry are performing at the Dryden Fall Fair this afternoon! Come out and enjoy the show! And while you're waiting, hit the food stands! Photo: Terri Bell

Maurice, Tanya and Gerry are performing at the Dryden Fall Fair this afternoon! Come out and enjoy the show! And while you're waiting, hit the food stands! Photo: Terri Bell

Musicians to perform at Dryden Fall Fair

Art Borups Corners August 21, 2025

Catch musicians Maurice Betournay, Gerry McArthur, and Tanya McArthur performing live at the fair this afternoon!

Aftermath of the Cut The intricate details of dried, splintered wood tell a story of clear-cutting and the environmental impact left behind. This photograph, captured in black and white, forces the viewer to confront the raw reality of the landscape and the fire hazard it represents. The image is a powerful tool for visual storytelling and a conversation about land stewardship. Photo: Terri Bell

The intricate details of dried, splintered wood tell a story of clear-cutting and the environmental impact left behind. This photograph, captured in black and white, forces the viewer to confront the raw reality of the landscape and the fire hazard it represents. The image is a powerful tool for visual storytelling and a conversation about land stewardship. Photo: Terri Bell

Aftermath of the Cut

Art Borups Corners August 6, 2025

Black and white photography documents the fire hazard from clear-cutting's environmental impact.

Harvesting Blueberries and Ideas The changing seasons are starting to show themselves in the landscape, adding another layer of beauty to our blueberry picking. This photograph not only shows the full, ripe fruit but also hints at the yellows and reds on the leaves preparing for fall. It's a great example of the natural colors our artists and photographers are working to capture.

The changing seasons are starting to show themselves in the landscape, adding another layer of beauty to our blueberry picking. This photograph not only shows the full, ripe fruit but also hints at the yellows and reds on the leaves preparing for fall. It's a great example of the natural colors our artists and photographers are working to capture.

Harvesting Blueberries and Ideas

Jamie Bell August 5, 2025

Capturing nature's beauty through photography, art, and creative expression.

The Smooth Blue Aster A cluster of asters in full bloom. These stunning native wildflowers provide a final splash of color and a crucial food source for pollinators as the summer winds down.

A cluster of asters in full bloom. These stunning native wildflowers provide a final splash of color and a crucial food source for pollinators as the summer winds down.

The Smooth Blue Aster

Art Borups Corners August 4, 2025

Late-blooming asters signal autumn's arrival, adding stunning beauty to our landscapes.

The Golden Glow of August A field of bright goldenrod reaches for the August sun. These flowers are a vital late-season food source for pollinators in Northern Ontario.

A field of bright goldenrod reaches for the August sun. These flowers are a vital late-season food source for pollinators in Northern Ontario.

The Golden Glow of August

Art Borups Corners August 3, 2025

Goldenrod brightens Northern Ontario roadsides, offering a late-summer feast for pollinators and a touch of gold.

Black-eyed Susan A vibrant Black-eyed Susan stands tall, its golden petals reaching towards the sun. The deep, rich center of the flower provides a striking contrast, making it a beloved sight in Northern Ontario meadows.

Black-eyed Susan

Art Borups Corners August 2, 2025

A Sunny Staple of Our Landscape There is a cheerful radiance to the Black-eyed Susan, a flower...

Northern Exposure A detailed look at the intricate and delicate structure of Reindeer Lichen.

Northern Exposure

Art Borups Corners August 1, 2025

The Unseen Ecosystem: How Reindeer Lichen Feeds the North.

Rust in Peace A beautifully derelict 1948 Chevrolet truck, left to rust in the forests of Northwestern Ontario since the 1950s.

Rust in Peace

Jamie Bell August 1, 2025

A vintage 1948 Chevrolet truck, rusting away since the 1950s, becomes a photography subject in Northwestern Ontario.

Blueberry Abundance A hand gently holds a cluster of ripe wild blueberries, showcasing the bounty of the Northwestern Ontario summer.

Blueberry Abundance

Art Borups Corners August 1, 2025

Wild blueberries are a sweet taste of summer in the Northern Ontario and Manitoba boreal forests.

Eight Legs, One Purpose A female wolf spider in Northwestern Ontario carries her large, round egg sac. This mother keeps her future spiderlings safe by attaching the sac directly to her body, a clear example of maternal care.