Lee Roberts from Goldmoss Gallery assured me that I would never be able to see every event at the brilliantly creative Roberts Creek Arts Festival (RCAF) held last weekend May 17 to 19. He was absolutely right. The good news is that the 10 Roberts Creek venues that opened their doors to the public can be visited again at any time of the year.
Here are some personal highlights: while Pan Willson warmed up for aerial acrobatics at This Is It on Lockyer Road, blacksmith Kelly Backs demonstrated how to forge a hook using centuries-old techniques. Steve Weave played his new ukulele while Nadina Tandy gave me a tour of Robert Studer's dinner table. The guests were part of a performance; each was given an unusual artefact, a seal skull, bird beak or useful tool, along with a story by Studer.
Rashmi Singh elegantly spread a lentil flour crepe on the grill at Molten Spirit Gallery and filled it with potato curry, while musicians Randeesh and Sam Hope sang. Chris Motloch, glass blower, demonstrated his art while visitors took photos of the coloured glass balls sparkling in the trees.
At Nico Spacecraft, the musicians switched from roots to blues with ease while audiences sat in crafted wooden lounge chairs and Amber Stobie sold her chocolates.
Meghan Hildebrand's paintings were a dazzling complement.
Goldmoss Gallery showed off the work of potter Laurie Rolland and the black and white drawings of R.B. Wainwright, among other artists. Gallery hosts Bon and Lee Roberts almost stole the show with their artwork.
Nicolas Teichrob's Sunshine Coast premiere of his environmental/paddleboard film, Stand, screened to a nearly full house on Sunday. It marked the journey of a stand up paddleboarder on the coast of Haida Gwaii who sought comments from residents about the proposed pipeline and tanker route through their waters.
