Paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolour, and mixed media, jewelry, ceramics, mosaic, glasswork, sculpture, and turned wood – there should be something for just about every artistic taste in the 2023 edition of the South Rock Art Tour this weekend (Saturday, Sept. 23 and Sunday, Sept. 24).
In partnership with the Semiahmoo Arts Society, an exhibit sampling work from all the participating artists and artisans will have a public opening reception at the Turnbull Gallery, South Surrey Recreation and Arts Centre, 14601 20 Ave., tonight (Sept. 21) from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (works remain on display at the gallery until Sept. 24).
Some 32 artists and artisans living in and/or working in White Rock, Ocean Park, Crescent Beach and South Surrey will be part of the open studio art tour.
A total of 19 separate studio locations will be open between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. both days and, as in last year’s inaugural event, some of the artists will be sharing their spaces with colleagues who have smaller studios or workspaces not easily accessible to the public.
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The artists and artisans will be on location at their studios to talk with visitors and answer questions about their work – and much of what is displayed, including wearable art and home decor, will be for sale.
This year’s tour offers a multitude of highlights, organizer Sylvie Peltier said.
In addition to her own wheel-thrown stoneware, Adele Samphire will be displaying pieces by her late husband, and famed ceramic artist Sid, while their daughter, noted glass artist Lisa Samphire has a new batch of blown-glass garden stakes in new colour combos.
Oil and acrylic artist Carla Maskall will reveal a large painting of the White Rock Pier and have her books (including What The Seal Saw) for sale, while pottery and mosaic artist Constance Glover has embarked on a series of garden sculptures.
“They are stacking pieces ranging in height from two-foot garden lanterns to a five-foot piece in three sections,” Peltier said.
One of the more unusual art forms featured in the tour will be the 1:12 scale three dimensional miniature furniture, plants, food, and decor made by Kathy Forbes, designed to be combined in scenes in cubes or in shadow boxes to hang on the wall.
Landscape and nature photographer Jon Lavoie will also discuss with visitors his techniques for capturing the bright sun or moon, as well as how to get the best out of a camera’s ‘manual’ mode. Mary Goldthorp will be showcasing her custom tribute artwork using clients’ paper memories collected over the years – everything from artwork from your children, or saved paper items from weddings, births, travel experiences and “life in general”.
Other demonstrations will be offered by Armida Ortega (paper art); Bruce Kleeberger (sculpture process); Eileen Fong (Chinese brush painting); Laurie Thomasson (watercolour cards) Sanjoy Das (making sound visible); Sherrin Kovach (stages of the sgraffito process with ceramics); Tammy Bailey (watercolour cards) and Tiffany Scott (hand-crafted beaded jewellery)
Other participating artists will include Alyson Thorpe, Audrey Bakewell, Caroline Baasch, Catherine Sheppard, Drena Hambrook, Georgina Johnstone, Jacqueline Yearsley, Jeanette Jarville, Joanne Carter, Lori Chalmers, Lorraine Scott, Mindy Hardiman, Nicole Carrie, Phil Winch, Richard Schmid, Sandra Tomchuk and Sherry Johansson.
To learn more about the artists and artisans, and for a Tour Map showing all the locations, visit www.southrockarttour.com
