Armand Lemiez - R.M. of Grahamdale
Armand Lemiez was born in Belgium in 1894. At the age of seventeen, he came to Canada, with his mother and sister. He was a self-proclaimed athlete, pioneer, blacksmith, carpenter, philanthropist, painter, and sculptor. In 1912, the family moved to the homestead just south of Grahamdale. Lemiez never married and lived with his mother until she died in the 1950's.
After her death, Lemiez continued to farm and lived alone. He was a successful farmer, kept horses which he used to work the land; maintained a series of experimental fishponds; and apple orchard; and raised cattle. He painted throughout his life and it is believed that he had several hundred paintings on his property at the time of his death. At the age of 72, Lemiez began 10 years of intensely creative work that resulted in the 21 concrete sculptures, which have become his legacy. He devoted much of his latter years to the people who came to see his work.
During the summer months, he spent most of his day conversing with the hundreds of visitors who found Lemiez's remote farmstead.