For the 22nd year artists on Gabriola Island are opening their studios and workshops to the public.
The annual Gabriola Arts Council Thanksgiving Studio Tour takes place across the island from Oct. 6 to 8. This year 83 artists working in media including painting, jewelry, ceramics, glasswork, weaving and textiles will be displaying and demonstrating their work in 71 studios.
Leatherworker Anita Jackel has been participating in the tour since nearly the beginning. She said she enjoys discussing her work with guests.
“This is one of the few opportunities where people actually can see where I make my work,” she said. “And I have a separate gallery that is set up so they can see all the different designs that I do and also they have the opportunity to look at my workshop.”
The Thanksgiving tour is a busy time on the island. GAC executive director Michelle Benjamin said artists typically receive between 200 and 400 visitors each day. To help guests plan their tour the GAC building will be displaying samples of all the artists’ work.
“Artists on Gabriola have been working all year really and particularly in the last few months to prepare their work and prepare their space to receive visitors who want to come in and see their work, see their working space and talk directly with an artist about what they’re doing,” Benjamin said.
She said it can be more meaningful purchasing work from an artist directly, or watching them create the art.
“It adds a different dimension to the artwork. You have a story that goes with that piece of art…” Benjamin said. “It just changes your relationship to that piece. You’ve experienced it differently and more personally and more intimately.”
This year 18 new artists are joining the tour for the first time. Among the newcomers is potter Patricia Rokosh, who moved to Gabriola in 2015. Her first sale on the island was at last year’s Gabriola Elementary School Parents’ Advisory Council Christmas Craft Fair.
She said her experience with the sale motivated her to participate in the Thanksgiving tour.
“People seemed to like what I did,” Rokosh said. “So I thought, ‘OK, I’m going to make this commitment,’ because I love Gabriola as a community. I’m going to make this commitment to be part of the studio tour. And it’s a big commitment.”
Rokosh has been making pottery “off and on” for 17 years, but this is her first time taking part in an event like the studio tour. She’ll be sharing her studio space with metalworker Hilary Peach.
Rokosh said she will have her wheel set up and if a visitor wants to give pottery a try she will provide an apron and a bucket of water.
“In the three and a half years that I’ve been here I’ve gotten to know a lot of people on Gabriola and I just want them to come see what I do,” she said.
WHAT’S ON … Gabriola Arts Council Thanksgiving Studio Tour takes place at 71 studios across Gabriola Island from Saturday, Oct. 6 to Monday Oct. 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here For a map and a list of artists.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com
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