This week artists and artisans south of Nanaimo will be opening their studio doors for the 30th annual Cedar Yellow Point Artisan Tour.
There will be around 20 participants in this year’s event, offering paintings, woodwork, glasswork, ceramics, jewelry, fibre arts and artisanal foods.
Josée and Victor Duffhues of JoVic Pottery are 23-year veterans of the tour and its longest-serving members. Josée, a painter, said they have regular visitors from as far as Washington State.
“It’s just the most exciting opportunity to show off your latest work, sell your latest work [and] get people excited about the fact that we live in such a beautiful area,” she said.
Josée attributes the tour’s longevity to the fact that the Cedar-Yellow Point area is “artist rich” and because the artists are spread out, visitors are forced to explore the region.
“I think that our success is based primarily in quality and location,” she said. “And I think that a Christmas tour is a lot more adventure or excitement than going to a shopping mall.”
Over the past 23 years Josée said she’s seen the artisan tour get smaller, but more professional and it’s now a part of many people’s annual Christmas traditions.
“Things that are made by an artist or artisan have a value that goes beyond dollars,” she said.
WHAT’S ON … The 30th annual Cedar Yellow Point Artisan Tour comes to venues in the Cedar-Yellow Point area from Thursday, Nov. 22 to Sunday, Nov. 25. For a map and list of participating artists and artisans, click here.
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