If Ken Kirkby has his way, Bowser will become a Mecca of magnificent sculptures in 10 years time, attracting tourists to the area and satisfying merchants and artists alike.
It will begin August 8 as four local renowned sculptors come together at the Sandbar Cafe in Qualicum Bay, and create their masterpieces at that location during the following three days (August 9,10,11).
“It will grow bigger and bigger, and we’re going to fill Bowser with beautiful things made by human beings to attract people from all over the country,” said Kirkby, an accomplished painter living in Bowser.
Kirkby said that folks in the area have been complaining tourism numbers are down but nobody seems to be doing anything about it.
A number of local merchants are sponsoring the event that will see Oscar Moria, Jerry Strelioff, Dan Chichey and an aboriginal artist known as Junior, each crafting a large sculpture out of wood in the Sandbar Cafe’s parking lot.
The sculptures that will be created this year have already been sold, Kirkby said, but will be put in public places for people to enjoy. Next year he hopes to have more sculptors participate, eventually having the most amount of sculptures per square feet than anywhere else in the world.
This will give people a reason to come to the area, he said, other than the area’s beauty and the fish in Nile Creek.
On August 8 starting at 1:30 there will also be a book launch at the Sandbar Cafe, for Kirkby’s new book, Mythography, paintings by Ken Kirkby & Friends, poetry by Manolis.
The book features paintings by Kirkby and other local artists like Dan Gray, Brian Buckrell, Cindy Mawle, Allan Dunfield and Nana Cook, among others.
Each painting is accompanied by a poem written by Greek poet and publisher Manolis, based in White Rock. The poems successfully “get into the skin” of each painting, Kirby said, adding Manolis is a brilliant man.
Proceeds from the book will go to the Nile Creek Enhancement Society, of which Kirkby is the president.
The carvers will assemble a little after the book launch begins, Kirkby said, and will carve from early until late on August 9, 10 and 11.
