Taking place August 8 and 9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Columbia Basin Culture Tour allows you to explore artists’ studios, museums, art galleries and heritage sites during this free, self-guided event. Travel to studios and archives that aren’t normally open, see demonstrations, new exhibitions and collections or meet people behind the scenes. To participate in the tour, simply grab a map, your Culture Tour Directory and go!
New to the tour the tour this year in Silverton is Christiane Fortier who creates functional and decorative pots with a porcelain stoneware clay. Tea bowls, vases, and serving bowls are thrown by Christiane and multi-fired with clay slips and glazes to achieve different gradations of colour and texture. Teapots feature stainless steel handles that are hand fabricated and shaped to fit. Ana Bokstrom creates primarily clay sculpture — masks, figurative and abstract which often incorporate found objects such as antlers or twigs. They are mainly glazed using oxides, giving them an earthy natural character.
In neighbouring New Denver visit the lovely, old Silvery Slocan Museum. Formerly the Bank of Montreal, this two-story museum features a rare brick bank vault, transportation exhibits, a collection of journals, business machines and memorabilia from the Newmarket Hotel (Victorian sitting room and kitchen) and an exhibition dedicated to New Denver’s Japanese Canadians. Louise Ducharme of By Louie Studio will be exhibiting at Garden Graces for the tour. Louise works in oils, acrylics, watercolours, clay, collage, multi-media and encaustics. Visit Crazy Ravens Studio where Paula Cravens will be demonstrating gelatin prints and showing her original paintings, art cards and matted prints
In downtown Nakusp is the studio of Debra Rushfeldt, a short walk from Nakusp’s beautiful waterfront walkway. View her over-sized realism based charcoal drawings, her whimsical and colorful abstract mixed media paintings, and experience a working art studio/gallery. Also in Nakusp is the Studio Connexion Gallery, a small independent gallery which promotes local and regional artists. The gallery is going into its seventh season and its owner, Anne Béliveau is looking forward to featuring new and established artists.
Take the scenic route to Kaslo to visit Karel Peeters at Kooterra Pottery at his new studio/gallery on historic Front Street in Kaslo. The gallery will feature the colourful functional earthenware pottery of Karel and the work of other fine craft regional artisans in different media. At The Langham Cultural Society visit the Japanese Canadian Museum with archival photographs and view Regeneration an exhibition of celebrated West Kootenay artists, Tsuneko Kokubo and Toru Fujibayashi in the gallery.
North of Kaslo, tour the lovely garden of Fred Rudolph that features raised beds of vegetables and flowers surrounded by wilderness and mountain-side. Take in the photography, mixed media and group painting exhibition by Fred Rudolph, Sergio and Amber Santos. Fred’s photography is the extension of the garden, capturing subjects dear to his heart; animals, plants, and landscapes.
In Ainsworth the J.B. Fletcher General Store joins the tour for the first time. Circa 1896, it is one of the oldest buildings in the area. Purchsed by Heritage Trust BC from the Fletcher family in the mid 1980’s and restored in 1986-87. The original counters and shelving remain in the store along with a large display of artifacts from the area. A large storyboard of historical photographs will be showcased telling the tale of Ainsworth’s early days as a mining community.
Tour brochures are available at tourist information centres and participating venues. Visit the website at www.cbculturetour.com to view full artist/venue profiles for further details on each location’s activities or register to receive a tour brochure in the mail.
For further information, call the CKCA at 1-250-505-5505 or toll free at 1-877-505-7355. The Columbia Basin Culture Tour is generously supported by Columbia Basin Trust funding.
