The annual Gibsons School of the Arts (GSA) is underway with its first class quietly taking place ahead of schedule.
Although the non-profit organization offers six week-long classes in the summer, the class planned for the week of July 26 by local artist Greta Guzek filled up on the first day of registration, so now organizers, who will take a maximum of 15 per class, added a second workshop.
"Greta talks about luscious colour and is so passionate about what she does," said GSA president Sandra Sharkey. "Quite a few accomplished artists took her course."
Sharkey and past president Donnie McAra agree that Guzek is a great teacher, too.
Having a local artist as a featured instructor was a departure for the school. It was founded in 1998 with the idea of bringing international artists to the Coast for the benefit of the burgeoning local art scene.
"There will be at least one local artist next year as well," Sharkey added.
The school has a good reputation for finding quality instructors, and this year is no exception. John Stuart Pryce opens the next session on July 12 with a course in oil painting and acrylics.
Watercolourist Alex Fong offers the following session, July 19 through 23. He taught in Gibsons years ago and said this is where the inspiration of his workshop, Water and the Ocean, comes from. Now living in Kelowna, he misses the salty ocean air.
"A walk on the beach, coming upon a tidal pool, filled with life as a child would," he said. "How do I keep my sense of wonder? I love Mother Nature! I appreciate her beauty. We are lucky to have it outside our back door, and even luckier to be able to paint it."
Ken Campbell, who teaches Drawing Foundation Aug. 9 to 13, also brings years of experience.
"For me, drawing is the foundation skill to visual art," Campbell said. "All the professional painters I know constantly practise and keep sharp."
Campbell said his workshop doesn't try to teach everything in five days; rather it focuses primarily on one thing - learning to measure by eye - accurately. He shares three main techniques to do this: proportional, comparative and sight-size, and uses simple tools: pencil, charcoal and conté on paper.
"I have developed an easy step-by-step approach to creating line and tone work to give realistic results," he said. "It sounds intense, and it is, but we have a lot of fun, too."
The 12-member volunteer board that runs the GSA is thankful they still have one of the school's founders on the board, Peggy Small, and that they can call on another long time contributor, Vivian Chamberlin, as their mentor.
They lost a valuable volunteer in Barbara Bradshaw, secretary of the organization, when she passed away last month. Another key organizer, Janice Edmonds, had to withdraw this year for health reasons, and the remaining group scrambled to get back on track. They have had lots of support.
In 2002, after presenting courses at various locations, they leased the former library building now known as the Arts Building with the blessing of the Town of Gibsons. It's a great central location with many windows for natural daylight, and it offers easy walks into the Landing for plein air painting or having lunch.
This year about 70 per cent of participants are from the Coast. In the past up to 50 per cent came from locations as far away as Singapore. Like most organizations, the GSA plans a year ahead, and they welcome fresh, new faces. A committee will begin this summer to thoroughly research potential instructors for next year, and they will contact at least 18 artists to arrive at the final six.
"The good ones are often booked a year in advance," McAra adds.
Spaces in several of this year's classes are still available. Find out more at www.gibsonsartschool.net or by phoning 604-886-9349.
