Meet Mr. Art Connolly- local photographer, social-activist, friendly face, and creator of ‘Humans of Sarnia'. Now, it is his turn to be on the other side of the camera. I sat down with Art over the holidays at a local coffee shop. During our chat, he shared his journey from Gagetown to Sarnia and all the stops in between.
Art was born in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1954 and spent his childhood at the Canadian Forces Base (CFB) in Gagetown. It is the second biggest military base in Canada and biggest in Eastern Canada. His father was a Master Warrant Officer in the Canadian military and his mother was an emergency police dispatcher. He lived there with his family until he was 15 years old and then his father was transferred to Trenton, Ontario. They lived in Belleville, which is close to the military base in Trenton. Art describes growing up on a military base as a unique experience because he had to learn to make friends quickly because it would not be a permanent dwelling. From Belleville he moved to London, back to Belleville and then landed in Toronto in his late twenties. He was a young, single man at that time working for the City of Toronto as well as doing stand-up comedy. Art told me that his love for comedy started at the age of 8 when he went with his mother to a Jerry Lewis movie and recalls the audience howling at the jokes. At that moment, he fell in love with that type of atmosphere. A few of his favourite comedians that he has seen perform live are Robin Williams, Bob Hope and George Carlin. In Toronto, Art studied with The Second City, which is a performing arts theatre group. Art’s passion to make people laugh became a reality and he became a comedian. One of the best memories for him was when he did a show in Kingston, and he received a standing ovation from the audience. In his early thirties, Art moved to London, Ontario. He worked for a courier company and then owned his own courier company, before taking a position with the federal government in 1999.
In May of 2005, the Canadian media reported that several chemical defoliants, including Agent Orange were sprayed by the U.S. military between 1966 and 1967 at CFB Gagetown in New Brunswick, Art’s hometown. Agent Orange is an unregistered herbicide and chemical defoliant that was created by the U.S. military in the 1960s for brush control and vegetation management in the Vietnam War. It also contains a substance called Dioxin, which has been linked to several serious health conditions, including skin disorders, nerve disorders, type 2 diabetes and numerous cancers. Art sadly lost his brother, mother and sister to diseases linked to the chemical exposure. This sparked his interest to create a website to gain awareness of this issue. As a social activist and Vice President of the Agent Orange Association of Canada, Art spoke on the CBC radio, talk shows and spoke at conferences. Specifically, he was invited to speak at the International Conference of Victims of Agent Orange in March 2006 in Hanoi, Vietnam where he shared Canada’s story about the poisoning of so many of its people by chemical defoliants.
In 2012, Art received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. This medal was created in 2012 to honour Queen Elizabeth II's 60th anniversary as Queen of Canada. It was awarded to 60,000 Canadians who made significant contributions to the country.
Art and his wife moved to Sarnia in early 2023- his wife’s hometown. It was always their plan to move here once they both retired. That April, he created ‘Humans of Sarnia’, which was inspired by the ‘Humans of New York’ project.” He wanted to mirror this renowned project that highlighted the everyday lives of people in New York and shared their stories. Thus far, Art has had many memorable encounters with Sarnians. Art exclaims, “The depth of our conversations has really shocked me. We all have a story and want an opportunity to tell it.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Art missed human interactions and really cherished in-person connections instead of virtual ones. The Humans of Sarnia Facebook page has been continuously growing since it started April 9th, 2023. Its mission is “to celebrate the diverse voices and stories of our community one person at a time. Through authentic conversations and candid photography, it aims to foster understanding, connection and empathy among the people who call Sarnia and surrounding area home.” Currently there are 2.5 thousand people in the Facebook group which can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/905018930762433.
Art told me that despite not working a 9-5 job anymore, he still wakes up early every morning because he does not want to miss a moment of retirement. Each year, Art and his wife spend a few months in Venice, Florida to escape the cold Canadian winters. They enjoy hiking, exploring preserves and state parks, hanging out around the pool, spending time at Siesta Key beach. Art created his own photography business in 2017, focusing on street photography, portrait photography and reportage. His goal is to catch people in the moment and have a more natural style. Art’s vision is “to capture the essence of human connection, the raw emotion, and the fleeting moments that define our lives.” He says, “Through my lens, I seek to tell stories that resonate with authenticity, whether it is a portrait, candid moment or a scene from nature.” He believes that “photography is more than just a single image; it is a collaboration between photographer and subject, a shared experience that reveals something profound about both.” He told me that he likes to joke around while doing photoshoots with people. An example is keeping the lens cap on the camera and trying to snap a picture. “I just love to make others laugh,” Art chuckles. You can read more and contact Art about his photography business and/or his ‘Humans of Sarnia’ project at www.artconnolly.com.
As I wrapped up and said farewell, I paused for a moment to reflect on our conversation. Art is a selfless, passionate, driven, and optimistic human of Sarnia. He was born into a military family, performed stand-up comedy, advocated for the victims of Agent Orange, created his own photography business and founded, ‘Humans of Sarnia.’ Whether it be sparking up a cheerful conversation, unravelling our cherished stories or cracking a good joke, I am lucky to call him my friend.