Creativity Uncorked: Lake Country ArtWalk 2008
Guest contribution by Sharon McCoubrey
This year marks the 15th time that the multi-arts festival called Lake Country ArtWalk will offer seemingly endless displays of creative artworks and many special features related to a theme! ArtWalk will once again showcase the new, original, artworks of over 300 artists. The colourful gates of ArtWalk connect the sites and take you on a journey of discovery of many different art forms, sculptures, paintings, quilts, drawings, prints, photography, and more.
Creativity Uncorked is the theme of ArtWalk this year, and will refer to vineyards and grapes, wineries and wine, a fitting theme for an arts festival taking place in the Okanagan Valley. Each artist participating in ArtWalk has been invited to create an artwork related to the theme. The resulting Theme Gallery will be fascinating as many creative minds visually interpret the theme.
Over 300 children also got involved with the theme as they chose either purple or green paint to create a monochromatic landscape on oval shaped paper. These will be assembled to form fantastic grape clusters, art within art.
Opus will be playing a major role in ArtWalk once again this year. We are so appreciative of their sponsorship, which helps make this festival happen. The Night Mode Gallery will exhibit the artwork created by some of the staff members at the Kelowna Opus store. It is good to know that the people who help us choose the right paper or paint from the Opus store are also practicing artists. The Opus staff will also provide a wonderful opportunity to those people who have always wanted to try painting, but for some reasons, such as lack of supplies, or not knowing where to begin, have not given it a try. A small canvas, paints, a still-life prop, and some guidance will be provided for all wannabe artists.
Other special features at ArtWalk include unique sculptures created from grapevines collected after last year's harvest. The featured photojournalist will show a series of images taken progressively of the damaged sites following the massive Okanagan Mountain fire of 2003. This show will be meaningful as we mark the 5th anniversary of a fire that affected so many.
A number of unique pairings can be experienced at ArtWalk. The Wine and Tapas Reception will offer a typical pairing, that of food and wine, but another pairing will bring together poetry and paintings. A group of authors will create poems inspired by selected paintings, thereby offering dual representations of ideas. Another pairing can be seen as a projected show will highlight the integrated artworks that can be found at the wineries throughout the Okanagan Valley.
A number of unique pairings can be experienced at ArtWalk. The Wine and Tapas Reception will offer a typical pairing, that of food and wine, but another pairing will bring together poetry and paintings. A group of authors will create poems inspired by selected paintings, thereby offering dual representations of ideas. Another pairing can be seen as a projected show will highlight the integrated artworks that can be found at the wineries throughout the Okanagan Valley.
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