It hasn't been an easy run this year, says Trish Thompson, co-ordinator of the Gibsons banner project, but in the face of delays, all of the artists involved have been supportive. Gibsons residents are accustomed to seeing the colourful street art on the lampposts in the lower town as early as May. This year, the project faced a tight budget that limited new paint supplies, and the fabric, usually pre-sewn at the manufacturers, has been sewn in Gibsons, one banner at a time, by Thompson - a slower process than anyone expected. Rest assured that this year's banners, painted by more than 35 local artists, will be on display in lower Gibsons by July. In fact, eight of the banners, those with a nautical theme, will be on the wharf in time for Canada Day celebrations and the Tugboat Rendezvous on July 1. The other banners will play on the theme of roosters, a suggestion made by Thompson to stir up the energy since the banners have favoured maritime themes in the past. Of course, 2005 is the year of the rooster in the Chinese zodiac, and also, Thompson sees the lower town as working really hard to hold its place in the community, giving them something to crow about.
Some experienced artists have grasped the concept and have used the colourful rainbow palette to paint roosters in boats, roosters at sunrise, roosters in yoga positions and generally doing extraordinary things. Some delightful work has already been produced by such artists as Vivian Chamberlin, printmaker Sa Boothroyd, potter and painter Fran Miller (a cheeky mermaid banner), Nadina Tandy, Katie Janyk and Janice Edmonds. But this is no elite group; it's open to all. Thompson says she likes to incorporate new artists.
"Maybe next year, school kids will be involved," she suggests.
The banner fabric, a sturdy, porous nylon, and the paint, called Rhinohide, that protects the cloth from the weather, is not cheap. So far, money for supplies has come from the silent auction proceeds of the 2003 banner selections. They are being offered with a reserve bid of $20, $40 and $50 depending on how the weather has affected the banner's condition. Some banners have already been successfully auctioned off, says Canada Day organizer Cindy Buis, who is also arranging banner decorations. The bidding will continue through Saturday, June 25, and maybe after, if banners remain. The public is invited to stop in to the painters' studio, next to Prudential Sussex at Sunnycrest Mall, until next Sunday to watch the artists at work and to place a bid for the 2003 banners hanging on the wall. This year's banner crop will be auctioned off next fall.
