“Art is one of the purest elements of human happiness...As the sun colours flowers, so does art colour life,” wrote John Lubbock in The Pleasures of Life. Our lives will soon be infused with art and colour as the 2023 Art Crawl gets under way on Oct. 20.
According to the map guide, crawlers will be greeted by 260 artists eager to share the inspirations for their staggering variety of creations. It will be impossible to take them all in. This is not a dash-about tour; their works must be savoured. I’m hoping to visit as many of the 17 Halfmoon Bay/Middlepoint studios as time will allow!
The guide’s image of an organic-looking building is familiar. I have caught glimpses of it on my walks to Sargeant Bay, taking the short-cut marked by half a blue canoe standing upright at the top of the driveway. Curious to know more, I reached out to Chris Hergesheimer, of Brothers in Farms fame, who told me the MudMission Studio was constructed by the Mud Girls Collective (of which his artist-wife Amanda-Rae is a member) and numerous volunteers. In a 2018 Coast Life article, “Digging it with the Mudgirls,” the studio is described as “a labour of love offering valuable lessons and messages relating to sustainability.” #155 on the Guide, artists Kelly Bullock, Victoria of Sweet Athena, and Amanda-Rae of Stella Rose Herbcraft, are not to be missed! For information on the Collective, visit www.mudgirls.ca.
My talented friend Elly Van Alfen, and her daughter, Myriam, are proud to share their array of quilts, wall hangings, totes and pouches. Inspired by the colours of nature, the creations are resplendent with organic and geometric shapes and patterns. Make sure to add studio #159 to your list! And if you’re lucky, Labradoodles Honey and Bean will also be there to receive your hugs of affection.
Joelly Cright is a first-time crawler but no stranger to the Sunshine Coast arts scene. She is a second generation creative – her mother was a talented watercolour artist. You can visit her gallery of stunning florals and realistic wildlife at www.joellycright.com, and then come and see their splendour for yourself at her Fine Art studio. On Friday night, crawlers will be offered “plant-based bites and wine,” more reasons to drop by #160!
Wendy White wants you to know that the Halfmoon Bay-Chatelech Community School Association AGM takes place at 7 p.m. on Oct. 23 in the Chatelech Secondary School Library. Open to all residents of Halfmoon Bay and Sechelt, meet the community school coordinators and learn about their food and school programs. For more information, contact Wendy at [email protected].
In a future column on the Halfmoon Bay Community School’s canceled Art Program, I’ll explore how the community can provide funding (and volunteer) for this valuable program that teaches children to trust themselves and their talent. “Every child is an artist!” – Picasso.
If you have an event or a story you would like to share, send an email to [email protected].
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