TRIPLE INCALMINO Glass work by Julie Gibb of Sandpiper Studio that will be on display at the show.Photo submitted
By Breanne Massey
Pioneer Staff
Artisans are rebranding the Tour of the Arts on the British Columbia Day long weekend this August after a lack of volunteerism shuttered the annual event.
Painter Susan Fahrni decided to use the opportunity to help the arts and entertainment community branch out with Art in the Park.
Art in the Park will highlight the Columbia Valleys creativity with an outdoors exhibition of 16 artisan booths at Pothole Park between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday, August 2nd.
I was annoyed the fastest and wanted to do something, said Ms. Fahrni with a chuckle. Somehow I ended up being the co-ordinator.
She had applied to became a featured artist during the Tour of the Arts in late May then received an email from the Columbia Valley Arts Council (CV Arts) indicating the longstanding tradition had been cancelled due to a lack of volunteers and artists this summer.
When I saw the artist names (in the email), we had about 21 and normally theres 50 to 80 artists, so it was a substantial drop, explained Ms. Fahrni. But because we were (copied to the email), we all knew who each other were and how to contact them. In the conversations we were having, somebody suggested having art in the park and the big, huge difference between it and the tour is the fact that we have not created the passport.
There will be no printed documents for spectators with artist biographies and maps.
That was a huge, time-consuming (task) that came with a cost, said Ms. Fahrni. We decided to do this as simply as we could.
VIBRANT VENDORS A map of the proposed vendors who will be setting up exhibitions in Pothole Park on August 2nd. Image submitted
There will be art work from Marilyn Oliver, Jane Tevelein Doel, Rita Rankin, Lori Lee-Stout, Julie Gibb (Webster), Sandra Beingessner, Sherry Mallach, Ingrid Vincent, Colin T. Bell, Elizabeth Segstro, Patrick Yesh, Gerry George and Tom Symington, Cat McDiarmid, Suzette Dunphy, Brian Woodward and Ms. Fahrni.
We had about four people who said that they were not going to be able to participate, said Ms. Fahrni, noting the numbers wouldnt hamper or hinder the show. The rest of us have slowly come on board and taken on different jobs.
Entertainers Marty and Eli Beingessner will perform from noon until 2 p.m. at Pothole Park. Then, Bill Cropper and Kurt Reichel will play music for everyone between 2 and 4 p.m.
For more information about Art in the Park, visit www.facebook.com/Invermereartinthepark.
