Art will abound this weekend as 31 local artists open their studio doors to the public during Powell River Studio Tour. According to organizer and participating artist Alfred Muma, the studio tour is the perfect chance to meet artists and view their work in their own studio settings.
“Every studio and every artist is different and everyone who takes the tour gets to meet different artists in their working environment,” says Muma.
The free, self-guided art tour features 20 different locations from Lang Bay to Lund. According to Muma, the annual event is important to not only the artists involved, but also the Powell River arts community in general.
“The participating artists benefit by having people come through their studios,” said Muma. “The tour also lets people in the community know that arts is alive and well in Powell River.”
For organizer and artist Vi Isaac, this year’s studio tour will be her last as she prepares to move to the Shuswap region of BC. Isaac has been involved with the tour for 11 years and hopes to bring a similar event to her new home.
“I’m excited about the possibility of starting a studio tour in the Shuswap, but I’m also very sad to leave behind my friends and all of the activity here,” says Isaac. “I’ve enjoyed the studio tour and I’ve really enjoyed working with the people involved.”
Isaac and Muma agree the studio tour is best done over two days in order for those on the tour to take their time.
“For the people who have come to my studio in the past, they’ve always looked forward to seeing new work,” says Isaac, “and they are very excited to see what I am doing.”
Although Muma’s studio is open year-round, he says he has many more visitors during the tour because of the open-house nature of the event.
“That’s one of the reasons why I do it,” he says, “so people have the opportunity to see what I’ve done over the past year.”
While this year’s tour will feature many familiar faces from when it started in 2004, a fresh crop of artists will also be included. New to the tour this year are Lorna Downie, Bente Hansen, Gail Harwood, Meghan Hildebrand, Christine Oakley, Kerensa Haynes, Monique Labusch, Janet Southcott, Tim Poole and Elaine McKee.
“We are excited about the new artists every year,” says Muma. “It is nice that the public always has new works to look at.”
Powell River Studio Tour
When: Saturday, August 27, and Sunday, August 28
Where: Various locations
Price: Free
Info: powellriverartists.com
