The Bowen Island Museum and Archives’ newest exhibit touches on community and connection to place through the Mount Gardner Park neighbourhood woven through the lens of the Eastman/McNeill family.
Mack and Antonia Eastman are among the first to have settled in Mount Gardner and passed on their love for Bowen to future generations. As soon as Mack visited Mount Gardner he fell in love with the place and bought a cottage when he returned from World War I.
Mack and Antonia’s lives, while incredibly active and eventful, were shaped by their love for Bowen. Antonia’s vast array of paintings depicting Mount Gardner’s landscapes and seascapes show her greatest artistic inspiration came from her surroundings. Following in her footsteps, Ian McNeill also took inspiration from his visits to Mount Gardner for his own works of art.
Mount Gardner has been shaped by the people who have called it home and these people, including the Eastmans/McNeills, have in turn been shaped by their time at Mount Gardner.
The stories of the old Tea House, Endswell Farm, and copper mining interweave with the development of Mount Gardner’s unique history. Insights from Mount Gardner current or past residents have been crucial in helping us recreate the evolution of the neighbourhood. The construction of iconic buildings, such as the Tea House and Endswell Farm, the exploitation of the copper mine, and the passage of steamships at the government wharf, are all key moments that contributed to making Mount Gardner the way it is today.
The stories of Alf Wells, Bill Leithead, James Mortons’ ‘The Dusty Road from Perth’, and the Eastmans/McNeills allow one to draw connections between the people of Mount Gardner and the places they inhabited.
Charles McNeill, grandson of Mack and Antonia, was profoundly impacted by the natural environment and history of Mount Gardner. Growing up while surrounded by such a spectacular scenery that is vehemently defended by the community inhabiting it influenced Charles’ career path. In addition to following in his grandfather’s footsteps, who worked for the League of Nations, by working with the United Nations, Charles dedicated his life to environmental preservation and sustainability.
Join us at the museum to explore Mount Gardner Park and the art, history and family ties of the Eastmans/McNeills. The exhibit will be open daily until August 31. You can learn more at www.bowenislandmuseum.com
