The sixth annual Gibsons Landing Fibre Arts Festival Aug. 17 to 21 celebrates the elements: earth, wind, fire and water. Each visiting artist will interpret the theme during a full schedule of workshops and a showcase of art displayed at Elphinstone Secondary School.
"It's much more casual this year," says festival chair Nicki Grafton, "with fewer evening events. We found that people really like the hands-on experience rather than listening to a seminar."
The festival also offers a weekend (Aug. 20 and 21) of free activities and displays in Lower Gibsons, including a paper-making demonstration from sponsor Howe Sound Pulp and Paper and a musical evening on Aug. 18 in Winegarden Park to which the public is invited. At Elphi, centre of workshops, crafters can buy supplies at a merchant mall or enjoy a Friday night social event at which quilters can network with weavers and woodworkers. The evening's speaker will be local potter and fibre artist Gale Woodhouse on the subject of Engaging Creativity: Knickers Therapy.
Enrolment is up this year, says Grafton, over 50 per cent higher than last year. Some workshops slated for Aug, 17 to 20 are already full but space is available in some of the quilting classes and in the dyeing, felting and embroidery classes. A second class has been added to Coast doll maker Coralie Swaney's popular session in sculpting a character bust in polymer clay.
Of the woodworking courses, Gary Kelly's Bowl Turning for Beginners is at its limit as is Will Cummer's popular Driftwood Furniture Techniques course. A second session has been added and will run on Saturday, Aug. 20. For beginners, there's still room in Introduction to Wood Inlay taught by Coast guitar maker Dan Richter and also in Wood Carving 101 with the versatile expert on the properties of wood, Les Jozsa.
New this year is a special program offered by Olds College in Alberta and taught on the Coast over five days: the Master Spinners Certification Program from spinner, weaver, felter and dyer, Tricia Rasku.
Gibsons Cindy Buis, who operates her studio tour guide services for guests, will lead several tours including a Thursday, Aug. 18, visit to Gambier Island. She'll also be teaching a new Festival workshop, Frame Your Fibre Arts, for one day on Aug. 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. An experienced framer, Buis will share trade secrets: techniques on how-to mat and frame fabric work, from stretching to matting, placing in a frame and securing to the wall. Participants will take it step by step and ask questions along the way, then will tackle their own project. For more information on this particular workshop or guided art tours, contact Buis at 604-740-2660.
Pre-registration for Fibre Arts workshops is required. To register, call 604-740-1229 or check out the website www.gibsonslandingfibrearts.com.
