It's not your usual art tour.
On the May 19 and 20 long weekend, a Roberts Creek style arts movement is being put together by a group of creative individuals to form a bike-friendly, low-impact festival showcasing international talent.
The theme is the humming bird, said Goldmoss Gallery's Lee Roberts, since the bird is a frequent visitor to our shores, and you will see many birds depicted on the hand crafted, reusable signs pointing the way to seven Creek venues for the two days of music, art, film and food. In case you can't use your bicycle, there will be free bus transport to and from B.C. Ferries and to all venues, every half hour during the two days.
The Roberts Creek Art Festival (RCAF) includes much more than art on a wall. It takes in video and sound artistry, food and drink, and engaging, thought-provoking people at every stop.
"There's a great film component to the festival with international movie makers," Roberts says.
Here's an example - contemporary rural life is captured at This Is It: electric mountain bikes, concrete jewelry, contemporary art and design, sweet music, the All Terrain Cabin and hens driving a chicken tractor(thisisit.ca).
How's that for different?
The other venues have spruced up and are ready for your visit.
At ZoDuna Studios, Una Bachinski and ZoD Gaudette form a creatively prolific duo and will transform music, food, paintings and jewelry into a multi-sensory experience. They will be showing a film on the visiting grey whale (unabachinski.com).
Goldmoss Gallery, a passive solar gallery on permaculture grounds opens a new show, Todayism, in which 11 contemporary artists from around the globe collaborate to interpret the show's title(goldmoss.com). They will also feature a collaborative piece, Hoo-la-love, by Lee Roberts and Michael Undem (www.dayism.com).
International artist Gor-don Halloran, who represented Canada at two Olympic Games with monumental installations of ice art, will showcase three different art forms in his studio in the woods, including Lotus in Motion, floating art on water (gordonhalloran.com).
At Strait Sound, visitors can be part of the studio audience for a live album recording on Saturday afternoon with Nir Blu on piano and Graham Ord on horns.
At 7 p.m. catch Cannery Row (one of the few admission fees at $20 a ticket) at a garden party, or on Sunday, lounge about in the sun for a folk-flavoured picnic(straitsound.com).
From the Cannes Film Festival to the Roberts Creek Festival - comes the multidimensional artist at the ArtBarn, Mardi Ahmed, who will launch a book of her writings and show her architectural glass, large abstracts and art films(mardi.ca).
Nestled next to the original wagon route of Highway 101, a little known historical secret, the Supercabin Sound Gallery, opens its doors of perception through music, film and the art of Hanif Jamohamed. Hear a solo session with Robert Wilk and guests at noon to 12:45 p.m. andRobotic Horse Mechanical Sun from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m.
Find a map to these locations at www.robertscreekartsfestival.com.
