Arts Alive is back again for another year, giving artists of all mediums a chance to offer individual interpretations of a photo taken by a local shutterbug and selected by the North Thompson Arts council (NTAC).
This year’s photo is a wintertime snapshot showing a portion of the Mush Bowl in Wells Gray Park.
“The idea is to promote that everyone can take an image and interpret it their own way—it could be artistic, it could be verbal, or it could be a hands-on creative project,” said Joanne Wright, a member of the NTAC, whose husband also took this year’s photograph.
In previous runs of Arts Alive people have done everything from realistic interpretations with paint, to sculptures, to poems, to jewelry, and sculpture inspired by the given year’s photograph.
The project, which actually predates the NTAC’s creation, was started by late local artist Pat Sabiston, along with Wright, who came up with the idea for Arts Alive during a discussion they had more than a decade ago.
https://www.clearwatertimes.com/community/remembering-our-friend-and-my-mentor-pat-sabiston-part-1/
“We initiated the idea together in conversation and then Pat was the one who ran with the idea and developed it, because she was a marvelous photographer, and so about eight of us would gather at her house and look over half a dozen (photographs), and we’d select a picture from the group,” said Wright.
“And 99 per cent of the time they were Pat’s photos, and though she has passed away, it continued pretty consistently, we didn’t miss any years, and it’s as much out of respect and love of Pat that we’re continuing on.”
Arts Alive started in 2005 and when Sabiston passed away four years later, it marked the first year she wasn’t present during the selection process, though the group still selected a photograph that was taken by Sabiston.
“Pat wanted to think of it as a unique opportunity for anybody in the community to contribute and that’s how it started,” said Wright.
This year’s Arts Alive photo can be picked up at the Clearwater Library, free of charge, and participants have until the last Farmers Market of the year, which takes place in the fall, to create and submit their work.
When all the works are submitted they will be put on display at the Farmers Market to be showcased to the public.
“On the day of the display, we put up a couple canopies and tables, place them in the market and that day people can wander around and take a look at all the different interpretations.”
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