SOUTH RIVER -- The Crystal Cave Mineral Exhibit & Crystal Shoppe has reopened with new exhibits.
Owner James Toth says they have been working for the past few months setting up a new sculpture, the Ammonite Stone Spiral built by John and Julia Breckenridge and Braelyn Rose. The spiral has a ‘wishing’ stone in the centre based on the Fibonacci sequence, a repeated pattern in nature.
“It's a really large art installation on-site that allows people to go into it,” Toth says. “It's shaped like a spiral. People can walk through with different intentions and we have a huge wishing stone in the middle. As you walk through, you can think about your intention in the middle.”
Toth says the spiral takes inspiration and its name from the Ammonite fossil.
In addition to the new sculpture, Toth also opened his photography studio, Studio Four Thirty-Two, last November. He describes it as a collection of landscapes and wildlife photos taken in the Almaguin Highlands and Parry Sound District.
The Crystal Shoppe also has expanded its artisan collection to create what Toth calls an artisan village -- an area of the store that focuses on local artisans.
The village includes Sculpture by Donna Lee Brock, Our Lavender Garden by Lynn Weller, Sundog Woodworking by Glen Gatenby and Rachel Boone, Selene Ever Changing by Amy Scarrow, landscape artwork by Monique Cudbertson and Algonquin Coffee by Rob Learn.
With many farmers’ markets only allowing food vendors, Toth says it’s a way to keep artists in the public eye.
“The primary function of the village is to bring people out of the once-a-week, three-hours-a-week farmers’ market or artisan market and give them a space to open full time, 35 hours a week, and really test the waters of having their art support them full time.”
Toth says the new additions allow for people to make the most of their time visiting.
“Our primary goal here is to build a sense of community and to create a unique experience for people so people aren't just coming here for shopping or for looking around the museum for just 10 minutes. It's a day event for people that they can come and look at the museum.”
Due to the Canada-U.S. border remaining closed, Toth says they are relying on local, regional, and provincial travelers to make up for the lost revenue.
“We're definitely banking on the staycation. There are people who are looking for something to do now.”
The museum plans to create social-distancing guides using dinosaur footprints instead of arrows to guide people through the exhibits and gift store. Toth says they are limiting the number of people inside to 10, but says there are plenty of activities and sights outside the store, as well.
Since opening last Wednesday, they have received an “overwhelmingly” positive response, Toth says.
“The community's really come out to support us. We've met some great people who have come through. And not only locals, but people have come from Sudbury, like one to two hours away, to see what we're doing.”
Mackenzie Casalino is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the North Bay Nugget.
The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
