For two days, the volunteers carefully opened 17 crates that the museum received from the Canadian Association of New York, an organization with a goal to foster goodwill between Canada and the United States as well as engage the international community of New York. The organization was formed in 2005 when two other societies, the Canadian Society of New York and the Canadian Club of New York, both founded in the late 1800s, merged.

Inside the crates were paintings that are part of a collection of art that once hung on the walls in the Canadian Club lounge at the Waldorf Astoria hotel. Starting in 1947, the art collection grew to feature images from across the country, from the Parliament buildings in Ottawa to the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia to name a few.

Riverbrink curator Gary Essar said since the Canadian Association of New York was formed the paintings have sat in storage for a number of years.

"Over the years a number of members have disbanded from the club and these paintings were stored away," Essar said. "This is the first time the paintings are being shown as a group in years."

Essar said the organization had decided to loan the collection for display to deserving galleries across Canada. Riverbrink was chosen as the host to the exhibition of the paintings outside of their original New York City home.

"It's a first for us on two levels," Essar said. "It's the first time these paintings have been outside their home and it's the first time Riverbrink has hosted a traveling exhibit."

Art conservator and Riverbrink volunteer Sandra Lawrence helped in the uncrating and hanging of the exhibition. Lawrence said the paintings represent a cross-section of the beauty of Canada. Since Riverbrink is close to the border, Lawrence said Canadian and American visitors can enjoy the exhibit.

Works in the exhibition include art from artists Maurice Cullen, Franklin Arbuckle and Robert Pilot to name a few.

The exhibition will be on display at Riverbrink from May 17 to October 19.

The Canadian Association of New York exhibition is part of Riverbrink's 25th anniversary celebration. This Saturday, May 10 from noon to 5 p.m., Riverbrink will be part of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Bed and Breakfast Association Spring House Tour.

Saturday's festivities will include musical entertainment with harpist Anne Marie Brennan Regehr at 12:30 p.m. and classical guitarist Jonathan Earp at 3 p.m.

Other exhibitions at the gallery include Niagara: History in Art, which features prints of Niagara Falls from the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University.

Riverbrink opens to the public beginning May 17 at 10 a.m. For more information, call 905-262-4510.