Carl Ahrens Day was April 28th, 2007
Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery - 101 Queen Street North, Kitchener, Ontario
The April 28th, 2007 general meeting for the Waterloo Historical Society was dubbed Carl Ahrens Day, in celebration of a Waterloo County painter who has, until recently, been overshadowed by Homer Watson in the local history books. The meeting was open to the public and roughly 150 people attended, many of whom are not members of the WHS. With approximately 40 pieces of art on display, courtesy of the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery, the Government of Ontario Art Collection and many private lenders, it was the largest showing of Carl Ahrens' paintings and prints ever.
Kim Bullock, a great granddaughter of Carl Ahrens, was the keynote speaker. She outlined aspects of Carl's life
and art and also brought along a number of family artifacts pertaining to him. Other speakers included Wilfrid
Laurier professor Paul Tiessen, Kitchener mayor Carl Zehr, KW/AG director Alf Bogusky, WHS president rych mills,
WHS publications editor Susan Hoffman, KW/AG curatorial assistant Cindy Wayvon and Kitchener Centre MPP
John Milloy.
April 28th was also the release date for the 2006 Waterloo Historical Society annual volume featuring Carl Ahrens on the front and back covers. A large article on the painter by Kim Bullock appears in the volume. Bullock has just completed writing a novel about Carl Ahrens called The Oak Lovers and is currently seeking literary representation.
