Thanksgiving has passed and Halloween is yet nine days away. Before you put on that costume, the St. Albert Painters Guild has a festive little tradition of its own for the people. It's also one of the most popular events to arrive in St. Albert Place throughout the year.
The cultural group's annual Art Show and Sale arrives next weekend and it's always a bonanza. This year, nearly 50 artists will have hundreds of their original paintings on display and for sale to the general public.
"It's called Variations," offered Valerie Smith, one of the guild's members taking on the promotional duties. "It was chosen because we feel that the 'Fall' theme is just too limiting. We're really emphasizing the range of experience levels from the emerging artist to the professional artist. There's going to be a huge variety."
Variations opens on Friday, Oct. 28 at 9 a.m. with an opening reception that evening from 7 to 9 p.m. with many artists in attendance. There will be snacks and refreshments plus live musical accompaniment to set the atmosphere. The show and sale continues on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and it closes Sunday with hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be opportunities throughout the weekend to meet the artists themselves and observe some painting demonstrations.
It all takes place in the rotunda at St. Albert Place. Visit www.paintersguild.ca for more information.
Even the trees need a way to beat the winter …
Just before the snow arrived, Akinsdale artist Mark Morris put a resin-soaked sweatshirt around a tree in his front yard. It sure isn't something that you see everyday but the installation that he calls contemporary sculpture has an ulterior purpose.
"It's about marking the place or spot. I marked that spot with GPS for that location," he said, offering the geographical co-ordinates for his unique installation: 53 degrees 38.09 minutes North, 113 degrees 34.947 seconds West.
He's been placing these sweatshirts across the country, starting with the first in Nova Scotia in 2005.
"If you notice what's facing the street, the arms make an 'X' that's typical of all maps. That's facing due east."
Morris has been an artist since the late 1960s. According to him, his last exhibit was in Montreal 40 years ago.
