Mainstays of the summer art scene up and down the coast, studio tours provide important opportunities for artists and artisans to show and sell their work, particularly in places like Powell River and, even more so, on Texada Island.
According to Sandy McCormick, tour director of Texada Artist Studio Tour, hosting an art tour on a small, not-so-easy-to-get-to island is difficult.
“It’s hard to get folks to come over because you’re talking two ferries from Vancouver Island, three from the Lower Mainland,” said McCormick. “Perhaps people are sometimes reluctant to make that commitment in terms of travel when other art tours are more easily accessible.”
Competition for the biennial event exists with similar tours in larger centres, such as Powell River, the Sunshine Coast and Comox, she added.
“It’s always a challenge to get people here, which is why we only do it every two years,” said McCormick, an artist who incorporates beach glass into a wide variety of materials, including jewellery.
Its location and smaller size is part of the tour’s appeal, according to some participating artists.
“There were more than 200 people who came over to my studio last time, which really surprised me; neighbours and people from off-island,” said Mary Lock, a potter, carver of lanterns and maker of sculpted raku wall masks. “I was able to meet all sorts of different people, talk about my work and show them what I did. I thought it was a great connection with people interested in pottery.”
McCormick said that seeing inside the artists’ studios and what they do, and talking about how and why they do it, are the best things about the tour.
“You have all different artists and artisans. Some paint, some work with wood, some work with stained glass or jewellery; there’s all different types of things,” she said. “You’re not just going into a store and looking for the finished product; you’re seeing how the pottery is thrown on the wheel and how the wood is turned on the lathe.”
Lock will open her ocean-view studio, where she has her wheel and other materials for potting on display. Because she was so engaged with talking about her art during the last tour, she said she will not do any demonstrations this time.
“I talked right from 10 am to 4 pm, almost without stopping,” said Lock. “The day just flew by.”
For more information about the Texada Artist Studio Tour, which takes place Saturday, August 13, and Sunday, August 14, and features 19 artists, go to texadaart.com.
