The throng of visitors and locals drawn to Rockwood Centre in Sechelt this weekend will have some fine mixed-media art to take in nearby between events at the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts and forays to the Hackett Park Arts and Crafts Fair.
The three Coast artists who comprise The Mix collective are putting on an exhibition just down Teredo Street from the Rockwood, at the Seaside Centre, from Friday, Aug. 16 to Sunday, Aug. 18.
Charly Mithrush, Lore Schmidts, and Donna Stewart formed The Mix about five years ago, each bringing a different set of skills and techniques to the group, from use of concrete, to encaustic, collage, mixed media, acrylic, oils, resin, and acid stain.
“We gather probably once every six weeks to do critiques with each other and discuss our work and help each other with little technical problems we might have,” Schmidts said in a recent interview, joined by fellow group member Stewart. “We work very well together, we’re good friends, and we all have our little quirkiness that makes for an interesting show.”
Schmidts said the group does exhibitions twice a year, at the autumn Art Crawl and one other unfixed occasion earlier in the calendar, but this is the first time at this relatively large venue. “It’s quite a coup to be at the Seaside Centre during the writers’ festival,” he said.
The group plans to have 60 to 70 medium- to large-sized works in the show. “We like to have a smaller price point, as well, so we’ll have what we call ‘wall of smalls,’ probably 50 or 60 pieces, which will be cash and carry. People who buy them can take them with them,” Schmidts said.
The Mix routinely invites another creator to show with them at their exhibitions, and this year that will be mixed-media artist Francine Desjardins, who splits her time between the Coast and Vancouver.
“Francine has always been very supportive of us,” Stewart said. “She doesn’t show a lot here, mostly in Vancouver and Whistler. But we wanted to invite her, and she was thrilled with that.”
In addition to inviting another artist, the Mix also regularly picks a charitable cause to support with part of their exhibition sales. “This year it’s the Sechelt Hospital Foundation,” Schmidts said. “Ten per cent of sales throughout the weekend will go to the foundation.”
The Mix will host an opening night reception at the centre on Friday, Aug. 16 from 5 to 9 p.m. The show will also be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
