Gabriola's Annual Studio Tour - Thanksgiving Weekend

If you are lucky enough to be visiting the island you are in for a real treat!!!

Gabriola Island — the “Isle of the Arts” — has one of the highest concentrations of artists in Canada. And while every day is a celebration of art on this lush and lively island, on Thanksgiving weekend the festivities reach dizzying heights. Island artists throw open their studio doors to tempt your senses with dazzling arrays of art! On October 6-7-8, all of the artists listed in the brochure are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Highlight the must-see stops on your map and use the distinctive road signs to guide you to each studio.

This is a unique opportunity to see artists — many with national and international reputations — up close and personal. Rarely do art fans get a chance to make such an intimate connection with so many artists and their art in the space where it’s created. While the treasures you might take home will be with you for years to come, the memory of talking with the artists will stay with you forever.

Free, self-directed tours of artists’ home-based studios and galleries can happen all summer long when Island life-in-the-sun is in full swing.

Fascinated by things that shimmer? Scope out the studios featuring award-winning jewellers.

Do canvasses make you swoon? From contemporary to landscape, Gabriola has a painter for every taste.

Driftwood furniture, ceramics & pottery, woodworking, photography, leatherwork, hand-woven textiles, stone work and more — it’s all here, waiting for you to discover and enjoy.

Get your studio tour map online or come by the office!

Recent Art Workshop held on Gabriola

     Donna Bray Zakreski is a fibre artist and recently Randi was lucky to have the opportunity to participate in one of her classes - right here on Gabriola.

Her workshops include machine quilting, use of dyes, inks, paints, watercolor crayons and surface design and so much more to inspire you to create.

In 2009 Donna was awarded "Best of Country, Canada" for the world quilt competition X111 Quilt which was named, "Where is the Ice?"

On Gabriola we are so lucky to have the amazing artists who share in their process and offer these incredible workshops.

Gabriola Recycles

 On Gabriola we are so fortunate to have GIRO, the Gabriola Island Recycling Organization.  As a result the most popular days on the island tend to be Wednesday & Saturday's - when GIRO opens their doors to the public to their "re-store" a place where you can find special treasures of once loved items...

On trip their recently I was on the hunt for a hard case suitcase that I could use as a mobile art case - and with the hint of a friend, I stumbled upon a hardshelled old make up case.  Of course, it had seen better days, but a good washing, and deconstructing the gold lamay interior and a few coats of paint - oh, yeah and a little help from the artist in the family, Tina Lynch, and voila....

I can't wait to sport this - maybe during Gabriola's art week festival at the end of April beginning of May.

See you next time at GIRO...

Published...

Ok, another bragging & proud daughter moment...

I was at the newstand yesterday, when I remember that the newest issue of Cloth * Paper * Scissors was out, I was curious as a year ago they had a contest for designing minature mixed media homes which Randi had entered. I immediately opened up the magazine to find the home sweet home feature section, and noticed that after hundreds of entries they narrowed it down to 95 homes that they featured in a 7 page spread - and sure enough mom's house made the cut (page 79 bottom row 2nd one in).
(No surprise to anyone who knows mom, that even in her crafts her love of real estate is evident - as per the home sweet home.)

Congratulations!

12 Days of Christmas

A collective of 12 artists got together this year to do a Christmas exchange, as a result they have created a very special 12 days of Christmas Package that will be up for Silent Auction at the Craft Fair at the Commons, December 3. The surprise - the 12 gifts are wrapped, they range in items from ornaments, card collections – but that’s all I’m giving up!

This silent auction item will have 12 gifts for you to open, each made by a local artisan. What a great way to lead up to Christmas, as a Christmas gift, or maybe it will complete all the shopping you had to do – all while raising money for PHC. Artists who have contributed to this Christmas Package include; Karen Aaker, Tina Lynch, Julie Sperber, Diana Bonder, Randi Lynch, Brenda Reid, Mariko McCrae, Christy Wilson, Lindsay Godfrey-Stocking, Jane Reddington, Jennifer Lynch, Tammy Hudgeon.
Hope you have as much fun bidding as we all have in creating & sharing!

A homemade Christmas...

What a fun and memorable Christmas we had this year on Gabriola. My parents, Randi & Jack, still live in the same house that we grew up in so for Jennifer and I there are many great memories in each of the rooms. This year we aimed to make most of the gifts that we gave away, and I found it much more exciting then the few items I ended up purchasing.

I completed a mosaic piece from the course I took with Karen Aaker and gave it to my husband, the kids received a teddy bear (well, dog and alien to be precise) designed from their drawings- a technique I learned from trading art classes with a special friends, and my sister received a painting. I was very pleased to receive an art course at Jupiter Ranch in February and a beautiful pair of felted gloves from my sister.

The weather was perfect for a Christmas walk, we shared too much good food, and had great company, all the perfect recipe for a great Christmas.

We were so thrilled at how the kids marvelled in everything homemade, that we are starting early this year, and looking for creative ideas for Christmas 2010 - if you have a great craft/gift idea, please let us know or even better yet, send us the instructions!
(submitted by: Tina Lynch)

Art Start: Fairy Wings Worshop

Perfect timing… Halloween being just around the corner and the Art Start weekend featured a “fairy wing” workshop. For those who haven’t seen the stunning wings around the island, at many events, the wings are hand crafted by a very talented young group of ladies on the island or participants of their workshops.

From start to finish Hayden & Genny, (wing creators extraordinaire), led the workshop with 12 eager participant of all ages. In three hours, the wire frames that sat at the tables to start were hand shaped, covered with nylons, vividly painted on & decorated with glue, flowers, and of course glitter. The results were amazing! Gabriola has 12 more sets of wings, thanks to the Arts Council & everyone for putting on this spectacular workshop.

We won, everyone's a winner!

The Gabriola Health Care Society collected 3 beautiful handmade glass pieces from local artists to auction off in their Auxillary raffle. Volunteers were busy this summer selling raffle tickets at the Gabriola Farmers Market and at the Village Medicine Center and raised $3,900. We we’re lucky enough to receive a phone call letting us know we had won this beautiful platter made by Jill Adamson. I’m a bit nervous to take home such a beautiful piece of work, but looking forward to enjoying it in our home.

More than just an address.

Make your house sign an art statement and you could win a prize ! The fun "Gabriola Sign Contest" event is being presented by the Gabriola Arts Council and will surely add some personality to the streets of Gabriola. This contest is open to all residents of Gabriola, register and find out more information at Artworks Cofee Bar. Categories: best individual residence address sign, best neighborhood of signs, best business sign and the best art studio sign. $15 application fee. Voting will take place at the Fall Fair on Saturday, Sept. 12th.
Let's see some art on the streets !

Gabriola's First Theatre Festival - August 21 - 23rd, 2009

What a weekend it's going to be... 7 main stage productions, the launching of a young peoples theatre company & so much, much more! With so much local talent on display, you'll want to get your tickets early so as not to be disappointed - ticket information as well as information on the festival and the 7 main stage shows can be found by visiting: www.gabriolatheatrefestival.ca .

Alongside the productions to be found on the main stage, the weekend will be jam packed with additional activites in the Village area including;

Razberry's Jazz Cafe - in between theatre shows look for the open stage between Rasberry's & Artworks where you'll find a variety of local musicians and entertainers.

The Gabriola Lions - legendary pancake breakfast will be served on Saturday the 22nd between 9:00 - 11:00 am.

Street Art - come by and be enthralled and inspired by the work of more than 50 local island artisans who will be displaying their work.

Artists in the Village

Saturdays is a busy place in the Village, as people come out to the Farmers Market on Gabriola, and then proceed to the Village to finish up shopping, have a cup of coffee with friends, or perhaps pick up a fishing rod – for the afternoon. Well in the summer, there’s another reason to stop by the Village. The Gabriola Art’s council is featuring a different two artists each Saturday through until 5th September. It’s a great opportunity to come and meet some of the islands local artists who will display their art under the tents.

The Gabriola Arts council will also be selling art, by some very talented islanders, on magnets, ready to grace any metal surface in your home, and a great island keepsake. This year, there is a choice of 5 different magnets from artists such as; Dianna Bonder, Rick Cranston, Tammy Hudgeon, Rohana Laing & Sheila Norgate. If your not able to make it there on Saturday, they are also available at Gabriola Artworks. Cost is $5 each or the full set for $20 (receipt for charitable donation available). The funds will enable the Arts Council to continue to support artists and bring art to the Gabriola community.

The Empty Bowl Project

This weekend, as a fundraiser for Gabriola's Emergency Food Depot, People or a Healthy community are once again holding their annual fundraiser, and your chance to, make a bowl for hunger.

On Saturday, May 30th from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Sunstone Pottery studio's open it's doors, to all those interested in creating a bowl for Hunger. June 2nd is National Hunger Awareness Day and PHC welcomes your awareness and action to alleviate hunger on the island. Potter extoridnaire, Graham Sheehan and colleagues will be there to guide your talents in creating a bowl. A small fee of $5 is required to participate. Love your bowl??? During the week of June 18th - 24th the bowls will be displayed at Artworks, where you can bid on your own bowl or your favorite bowl. Note: Wear clothes suitable to play in the clay…have fun!!! You can register at PHC or on May 30th when you arrive at Sunstone. All ages welcomed!

Sunstone Pottery – 520 Argyle Lane, Gabriola

Roots Show

Be prepared to be dazzled as you enter the ROOTS show, hosted at Artworks in the Village, there are still three days left to treat your eyes to this community art event.

This years theme really challenged the artists... We were very impressed with the creativity that was invoked by this show and the ages and diversity of the participants.

If you have a chance to go, have a look at Melinda Wilde's painting as it tells a very interesting story about family in a beautiful way. Another piece that I found intriguing is Donna Zakreski's quilt, she has a very artistic approach to quilting. Of course, I need to mention the family members who also have their pieces in the show, Randi's "14 carrots" incorporates her love of quilting into an amazing fiber art piece, and Bianca, my 6 year old niece for her brilliant painting entitled Hungry, after her neighborhood rabbit - who gave grief to her garden! (Congratulations B. on the sale of your very first piece- with her family roots I'm sure it's the first of many more to come...)

There is also a silent auction which has numerous items; from the beautiful driftwood coffee table, to tempting jewellery, island services & so much more, it's a great place to stock up on gifts for friends and family, while supporting the Gabriola Arts Council.

Art Online

Gabriola is filled with artists and art lovers, here is a new website dedicated for artists wanting to sell and art collectors wanting to add to their collection. Recenlty, Jenn Chemago, the artist and owner contacted me and let me know about her new enterprise. Jenn and I are friends from our student days in the art studios of Malaspina University College and UVIC.

As a special promotion, and a way of getting more island art out into the world, anyone who currently registers on the site will have lifetime free membership. If you have a moment,visit the site http://www.oneworldartonline.com/ .