Destination Knowlton >: May 2007

The Knowlton Gallery in Lac Brome has been renovated to provide more space for the exclusive artists they present throughout the year.

One of the more popular downtown attractions in Knowlton is the Knowlton Gallery on the busy corner of Lakeside and Knowlton Road. The gallery has been bringing new artists into the public spotlight regularly and often has outdoor demonstrations and events much to the enjoyment of the visitors to Lac Brome.

Today, May 2oth, The Knowlton Gallery celebrates its third anniversary with a new space and new artists! The vernissage was held on Saturday night and by all accounts it was a who's who of Lac Brome who came out to help celebrate this exciting new art show. The success of the opening night V.I.P event is proof that the hard work of the Knowlton Gallery is much appreciated by all of us who enjoy and appreciate fine art.

Having such a high profile gallery in the center of Knowlton, near the Theatre and Coffee shops helps keep the area vibrant! It's nice to see businesses working hard to make Knowlton a better place...but after all...that's the Knowlton way!
The celebration of the third anniversary of the Knowlton Gallery and the inauguration of its new second floor will take place on May 20, 2007. The Gallery spacious second floor now allows arts lovers and clients the opportunity to truly appreciate large paintings and splendid sculptures in a beautifully renovated and comfortable space.

The sculptures of Louis St-Cyr are on display during the exhibit. Don't miss his exciting and detailed bronze bird sculptures!

Spotlight on the sculptures of Louis St-Cyr

To highlight this special occasion, the Gallery is pleased to have renowned sculptor Louis St-Cyr as its honoured guest along with his extraordinary sculptures of winged fauna.

St-Cyr exhibits his works in only two galleries and Knowlton Gallery is proud to be one of them! With the new openess of the second floor in the newly renovated art gallery a real touch of urban sophistication has come to Lac Brome. The crisp lighting and wide spaces of the upper floor are what most of us picture when we think of a top-notch art gallery in any European city.

Louis St-Cyr began his career in 1995 and by 1996; he already had an exhibition of his works in Paris. A student of Roger Langevin at the Université du Québec in Rimouski in 1998 and of Brenda Fry in 1999, St-Cyr received a grant from the “Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec” in 2004. This began a notable change in his style. He abandoned his super-realist style in favour of one that emphasizes the form and movements of his stylised birds ready to take flight.

The bronzes of Louis St-Cyr are now available in permanence at the Knowlton Gallery.

The upper floor of the gallery is an open concept that lets the art breathe and be fully enjoyed.

Vernissage of the works of Marie-Danielle Leblanc

On May 20, 2007, between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Marie-Danielle Leblanc will be at the Gallery to present her new works.

A graduate in “arts plastiques” from UQAM, this young artist uses mixed techniques
and a variety of colours to bring the viewer into her imaginary landscapes. She has already had ten solo exhibitions and has participated in over 50 collective exhibitions.

Marie-Danielle Leblanc’s works may be seen at the Gallery until June 10.

Richard Pilon stands in the freshly renovated cafe that was once a gas station! The transformation is spectacular!

The Espress “O” café is now open for business on the corner of Knowlton Road and Victoria street in Lac Brome in what once was the local gas station and residents can hardly believe their eyes, or their good fortune, that the once rather bland Esso Station has been transformed into funky, hip coffee shop and lunch counter.

In a bold entrepreneurial move, Richard Pilon, owner/operator of the Star Café on Lakeside, has opened a compact version of his extremely popular downtown café in the Canadian Pond building at 513 Chemin Knowlton proving that local business is alive, well and quite frankly thriving in Knowlton.

The new Espresso “O” café will feature equitable blends of coffee and rich espresso and cappuccino freshly brewed in the gleaming new espresso machine that sits on the counter of the superbly decorated coffee shop. It is almost unbelievable that the old gas station office, the dingy oil-soaked dwelling of gas jockeys, has been transformed into what now looks like a truly cosmopolitan café that is like something we would find in a big European city!

The Pilon Family, including hard working friends, volunteers and believers in the new project, have created a magical, lush décor that looks like something out of a movie with vintage dome lighting, crisp white ceiling fans and burlap coffee bags hung from the ceiling; the effect is awesome! A bright red counter with black chrome and leather chairs, collections of brightly colored bottles, and baskets of natural fibers decorate the walls of what easily rivals any café from Sutton to the Atwater Market, and all in less than a few hundred square feet!

A small space but a great location! Cars line up for a wash and a coffee!

The space is small but Richard has big plans including setting up picnic tables and parasols to allow summer visitors and lunchtime guests to enjoy the summer heat outside under the blue skies. His sense of style has already proven to be a big hit at the Star Café in downtown Knowlton with a regularly full outdoor terrace and by bringing his unique touch of style to the other side of town he is really helping make Knowlton a special place. How refreshing to see local business folks take the initiative instead of waiting for big franchises to come in to town; with the large amount of commercial space for sale and rent we’re often left wondering when the large multi-nationals will roll into town and turn us into another Granby or South Shore Strip Mall! I mean when charming little coffee shops like the Express “O” open in Knowlton there is definitely hope! I must admit, even as a hardcore Timmy fan I’m now almost glad Mr. Horton is still stuck in Cowansville and didn’t invade Knowlton! In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the Richard and his concept didn't turn into a franchise in the Eastern Townships that rivals the big coffee monsters like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and Tim Horton due to the creative look and down-home hospitality of his establishments!

The new café will be open daily from early morning to 5pm and maybe later once the summer really kicks in and will include a menu of fresh panini, chili, soups, salads and a variety of pastries and deserts and great breakfast choices like bagels and crème cheese and juices. Surely the ambiance of the café, reminiscent of a quaint European bistro will be a welcome change from some of the existing local establishments that are reminiscent of a “George Fox” sensory experience.

The improved car wash is now open and people love the fact they can stop into the cafe for a quick cuppa while they scrub their fenders!

Alongside the café is the brand new Knowlton Car Wash that has re-opened in the Canadian Pond building. After months of seeing dirty cars and trucks in town it will be great to have a local carwash close to the shopping district of the new Knowlton town center. The Lac Brome Car Wash has been improved with the addition of brand-new supple, natural brushes and will possibly, according to reports, soon include phosphate-free soaps making it one of the rare car washes in Canada that use environmentally friendly soaps to help prevent the release of phosphates into the water table which is of particular concern to Brome Lake. A great step by the owners of the progressive, environmental firm Canadian Pond.

The Knowlton carwash and the Express “O” café are now officially opened and seeing the Canadian Pond building full and surrounded by a vibrant buzz of lively activity is another indication that Lac Brome is enjoying a real boom! There’s no excuse to see any more dust crusted jalopies or half closed eyelids in Knowlton now!

Visit the Express “O” café and Knowlton Carwash seven days a week at the corner of Knowlton Road (route 104) and Victoria Street.

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