Artists are preparing for a bi-annual swarm of visitors to Pender Harbour during this year's Art Wave, April 22 to 24. The Easter weekend will open the season and the participating artists are preparing in their various ways.
For sculptor Jack Gibson, the preparations began nearly two years ago as he worked on his larger than life size figure of Yonel, a Cuban dancer.
During last spring's Art Wave, he showed visitors through his studio where he was sculpting the athletic image that will be a focal point in his home's landscape. During the past month, he has worked at a bronze foundry in Utah where Yonel is receiving his final shaping. Gibson hopes to unveil his sculpture on April 23 at 1 p.m. at the Jack Gibson Gallery, Elliott Road (off Garden Bay Road). Call 604-883-9010 for directions.
At Copper Sky Gallery and Café in downtown Madeira Park, always a centre of the action, Cindy Cantelon is preparing a show of Pender Harbour artists. The painters, Vicky Marshall, Dave Walker and Elena Fraser, are all new to the Coast, but not new to their art.
Heather Rule, a photographic artist, has lived on the Coast for nearlythree years. Her Windows Gallery is in her home and will be open to the public for Art Wave, weekends and by appointment. Her work is framed in aged wood and she has been told that it eitherbrings the outdoors into the room or draws you into the photo. She has prepared a new show for spring as her pieces tend to be seasonal and all about the Sunshine Coast.
The Blue Orca Studio is situated on a scenic point of land in Irvine's Landing (4200 Orca Rd.) and features the work of Krista Maurer. New to the Coast and to the Art Wave is the ArtLore Studio of Lore Schmidts at 4374 Francis Peninsula Rd. in Madeira Park. Formerly of Salt Spring Island, Schmidts will show an extensive array of paintings from his varied career.
Also at the Art Wave will be new works at Piecefull Glass, the home studio of glass artist and sculptor Pauulet Hohn, (5863 Mt. Daniel View Rd.) and at Geopia in Earl's Cove. This art and ceramics studio features a huge wood kiln.At the Harbour Gallery, the host artists are planning a fun art challenge exhibition. The gallery will be open to show the work of its members from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is situated across from the Performance Centre in Madeira Park.
Gibsons fibre artist Ursula Bentz will be teaching at a felted flowers workshop at FibreWorks Studio and Gallery in the yurts on the highway as part of their yearly schedule of workshops and presentations.
Local art and sculpture are on show at the Flying Anvil Gallery on the road into Garden Bay, and while you are in the neighbourhood, make time to visit Motoko's Fine Art Gallery to see her new, limited edition prints.
Each studio or gallery that you visit can point you on the way to the next one. Postcards with a list of participating studios will be available at most locations. Also look for new flags in blue and white that will signal participants and will hang along with the existing purple banner flags of the Coast Cultural Alliance.
