BARRINGTON, N.S. – There was standing room only at the Barrington Municipal Administrative Centre on Feb. 6 for the unveiling of 10 giant lobster sculptures painted by local artists from Jordan Falls through to Weymouth as a Canada 150 Legacy project.
“This project is truly a community collaboration,” said Suzy Atwood, tourism and community development co-ordinator for the Municipality of Barrington. “One of the lobsters tonight is titled ‘It Takes Many Pieces,’ which is very fitting to this entire project because it truly took many pieces to make it possible.”
That particular lobster was created by the 2018 graduating class at Barrington Municipal High School, led by Melissa Strachan of the Shelburne County Youth Health and Support Association. Painted in the school colours, "the puzzle's pieces represent many parts that come together to create our community," said Suzy Atwood, tourism and community development co-ordinator for the Municipality of Barrington.
"The students were encouraged to leave their mark, either a symbol, an image or words that represent them as individuals within their community,” she said. “Their legacy will remain on the lobster hopefully for many years to come."
While the lobster sculpture project was largely funded by the federal government through the Canada 150 Heritage Canada Fund, the project has received a lot of support from the community, from sponsorship for each sculpture by community businesses and organizations to the Shelburne County Arts Council, which helped sponsor each of the artists to help cover the cost of supplies.
The project also had a helping hand from B. Reynolds Trucking, who transported the unpainted sculptures from Dartmouth to Barrington free of charge, and Allen Christies Body Shop, who donated time and talent to give the sculptures a protective top clear coat.
“All 10 of the sculptures really have a broad sense of representing our rich heritage and culture in the Municipality of Barrington,” said Atwood.
“Each lobster is truly a piece of art and we are very honoured to have these to be located throughout the municipality. The artists who contributed exceeded my expectations," said Atwood.
The lobster sculptures, which are made from a fibreglass mould, were first used by East Seals Nova Scotia in 2005 for a fundraising campaign in Halifax called Lobsters in the City. One of those sculptures is located at the Stanfield International Airport.
“These lobsters have been on my to-do list for five years,” said Atwood. “I can’t remember the first time I saw one but I knew I had to bring them here to the Lobster Capital of Canada. As corny as it sounds, this is a dream come true for me.”
The 10 sculptures will remain on display at the Barrington Municipal Administrative Center until Feb. 16 during normal business regular hours.
The lobster sculptures will be installed around the community in the spring.
The artists who created the lobsters
• Richard H. Brannen
• Janet Moore
• BMHS graduating class & Melissa Strachan
• Morgan Reashore
• Tara Goreham
• Jackie Giguere
• Clifton Sears
• Shannon O’Sullivan
• Michelle Blades
• Erin Smith
