Creative citizens were embracing their inner Michelangelos at the Nanaimo North Town Centre last week at the Festival of Banners painting site.
The site was filled with various rows of canvases. Some were blank awaiting the brush strokes of participants and others were underway.
Nanaimo artist Leonard Barrett was painting his banner design of a bear with a butterfly on its nose last week and resident Sharon Barrette was painting a picture of a whale and a boat owned by her husband.
There are still about 100 banners left out of 200 to be completed by participants. People can submit their original banner designs by completing the entry form and $10 entry fee. Submissions will be accepted until April 15.
This year’s theme is What a Wonderful World. The designs are selected by the Festival of Banners coordinator and once selected the coordinator will contact the artist to schedule a time for them to paint the design.
All materials for the project are supplied, but participants are welcome to bring their own paintbrushes if they want. Participants are asked to plan to spend a few hours a day over two to five days to complete their painting.
Once the banners are complete people have the option of buying their banner and taking it home in the fall after it has hung throughout the summer on a city lamp post. The proceeds for the purchase go toward the banner program, which is overseen this year by the Nanaimo Arts Council. Banners are $30 for small and $40 for large sizes.
People can get more information and an entry form at the Festival of Banners painting site located at the Nanaimo North Town Centre or please call the Nanaimo Arts Council at 250-729-3947 or the Festival of Banners painting site at 250-585-1880.
A detailed list of design specifications is available on the entry forms.