The Central Interior Regional Arts Council (CIRAC) Arts Fest show at Parkside Art Gallery opened on Friday (April 15) with 36 submitted pieces from artists who come from all over Central British Columbia.
The diverse assortment includes vibrant photographic works, paintings, encaustic, stained glass, textile art, wood sculpture and pottery.
Any community within the region can typically host the annual CIRAC show and the benefit of being the host community is it makes it very convenient for local artists to submit their work.
The 2011 show features entries by eight local artists, which Parkside president Patsy Granberg says is a very good number, and more than usual.
“That’s the beauty of being local,” she says, adding Parkside is a relatively small gallery to be hosting a show of this size, but is pulling it off well.
“It’s kind of nice that it goes with our 10-year anniversary.”
The 36 submitted pieces will be juried by photographer Chris Harris and portrait artist Judith Copland.
From the 36 pieces, 10 were chosen for a travelling art show that will tour Central B.C. for several months, beginning in mid-May.
The pieces were chosen for quality and portability. The top 10 were:
• Gisela Gruning (100 Mile House), Collage/Hybrid
• Norm West, Nature
• Kathy Junker, Vine of the Soul
• Christa Krisman, Broken Record
• Tahirih Goffic, Despair, and The Snow Queen (two pieces were chosen)
• Caroline Anders, Horns and Windows
• Keith Carlson, Roadside Twist
• Lianne Heales (100 Mile House), Morning Mist Drive
• Genevieve Amy (100 Mile House), Forest Fire Sky
“It was great that artists from 100 Mile had their submissions chosen for the touring show,” Granberg says.
“Touring is all about exposure and it completes the process for the artist.”
Heales also won the four-day ArtWells scholarship Island Mountain Arts in Wells.
Granberg says the opening night was very successful.