Another Side of Us – Art Exhibition at MERA

On Saturday September 7th at 2 pm the vernissage for the latest art exhibition at MERA will be held at 2 pm. “Another Side of Us” features the work of MERA’s administrator Trina Conboy and MERAs’s maintenance team David & Patti Jo Wilson.

Trina Conboy has been doing pottery for 10 years. Starting out as a thrower on the wheel, her work has branched out from functional to the more artistic side and now includes hand building. In need of a change in her work, she took up sketching & painting, initially to apply the skill to clay but now uses canvas as well. Following a shoulder injury, Trina started doing glass on glass and stained glass. Her life long passion however is photography. “I wasn’t born with a camera in my hand, but it wasn’t long after that that I started to take pictures of everything and anything”. Samples of all of these mediums will be featured at the month-long exhibition. Some pieces will be for sale, and others are just to share – for your viewing pleasure.

A lifetime resident of McDonald's Corners, Dave Wilson has only left for four years when he attended Sheridan College. One year in Oakville for Art Fundamentals and then a three years course in Illustration majoring in Advertising and minoring in Book Arts in Brampton. Graduating in 1991 Dave came back home and ended up employed by Lindsay Duncan and Sons Sawmill/Farm for 18 years. Along the way he married Patti-Jo Williams and had three kids, Avery, Emily and Brady. Dave started working at MERA in 2011 and continues to freelance doing artwork, in particular airbrushing. Dave's t-shirt work is inspired by his love for comics. Dave loves various mediums including colored pencils, markers, acrylics and watercolour. To pay the bills Dave delivers the Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa Sun and National Post newspapers around the area starting in Perth and travelling close to 200km six out seven nights a week. Dave continues to paint and draw when time and sleep allow having just lately designed the logo for Lanark's 200th celebration next year.

Patti-Jo Wilson, better known as PJ by friends and family is a life time resident of the area and even married the boy next door. Her craft work and interest started over 20 years ago with very simple with plastic tree ornaments and wreath decorations. PJ now works with intricate wire, crystals and gem stones. At the moment she is making trees of life both large artistic form and as wearable pendants. She is part of the local farmers' market, and sits on the board of directors for both MERA and The McDonalds Corners Agricultural Society. In the winter time she can be found in her studio creating wonderful forms of art and in the warmer months making pickles.

MERA is located at 974 Conc 9A in McDonalds Corners. For hours on when you can see this exhibition please visit our online calendar at meraschoolhouse.org or email