The Fernie Arts Co-op was a busy place on Saturday, as they celebrated their annual ‘we pay the tax sale’.
According to the co-op’s president Melanie MacVoy, “the price you see is the price you pay and we cover the tax.”
The event was also a bit of a grand reopening, “because we’ve been working hard over the summer putting in our slat walls, new lighting, new branding, new signage and we thought it was a good reason to celebrate,” said MacVoy.
The Fernie Arts Co-op has been around since 2007 and is made up of over forty artists from the Crowsnest Pass to Jaffray. The walls and shelves are adorned with art in various different mediums. Everything from painting to jewellery, woodworking to pottery and stained glass to leather can be seen featured in the co-op’s Second Avenue space.
MacVoy is a painter.
“I mostly do cedar trees and mountain landscapes,” she explained. “I used to work at Island Lake Lodge so I was kind of inspired by the cedar forests there and I like to get out skiing and hiking and biking and use that inspiration for making my art.”
As a completely volunteer-run organization, events like these are a great way for artists to connect with the community. MacVoy added that the co-op itself is a really supportive and inspiring place for artists.
“It’s just a really supportive, creative community and it’s good to inspire each other and brainstorm and pool our different talents together and have a successful gallery in Fernie.”
