Several Sunshine Coast artists are taking part in the Harmony Arts Festival in West Vancouver July 30 to Aug. 8.
Pauline Hurley, who paints huge canvases of fruits and vegetables in her home studio in Roberts Creek, will be exhibiting in ArtBeat, the "outdoor gallery" created in the store windows of Marine Drive and Bellevue Avenue during the 10 days of the festival. Several of Hurley's vibrant acrylics will be on display at Carmello's Restaurant at 1448 Marine Drive.
Hurley likes to work on a large scale, with many of her paintings measuring three or four feet square. Working within the space restrictions of the ArtBeat exhibit, she's chosen to show some smaller works there, including studies of a single pear, an oyster mushroom and a bowl of golden fruit.
Other Coast artists will sell their wares in the outdoor craft market on the West Vancouver waterfront near the Ferry Building Gallery. The craft market runs both weekends of the festival, Friday evening through Sunday, as well as B.C. Day Monday.
Potter Keith Lehman, who, together with his wife Carole Henshall, runs the Poplar Studio in Gibsons, will be showing teapots, mugs, grinding hubs for spices and his signature chopstick bowls. The chopstick bowls have a curvy, asymetric, organic-looking design which is also surprisingly functional. The thumbhole ensures the bowl sits easily in the hand and the chopstick holes keep the sticks in place. Lehman also created a smaller version of this design, without the chopstick holders, which he dubbed a "latté bowl."
Jane Ford, who lives in Sechelt, will be showing her paintings and cards at the craft market.
As well as the art exhibits and craft market, the Harmony Arts Festival offers a smorgasbord of arts, including sunset concerts and outdoor movies at John Lawson Park, fireworks and music at the Park Royal Fountain Stage and live art demonstrations in many media, including pottery firing in a smoking-hot raku kiln. Live music events happen daily, including a street dance on Marine Drive July 31, a Sunday tea dance Aug. 1, eight bands on the Youth Rock stage Aug 1 and 2 and bongo drum workshops during the Creative Kids' Day Aug. 7.
Best of all, everything is free. For more information visit www.harmonyarts.ca.
