Festival of Art headlines Sam Slick weekend in Windsor

The Hants County Arts Council and the Pisiquid Canoe Club have teamed up again this summer to host the second annual Festival of Art Aug. 1-3.

The festival will showcase artists from all over the county on one of the busiest weekends of the summer.

The Pisiquid clubhouse on the Windsor Waterfront hosts the festival as a unique way to raise funds for both organizations, and to give local artists some exposure. “This is a good opportunity for the council to profile the members and let people know about what we do, too,” says club president Lynn Kirumira.

HCAC director David Howells said it is a win-win situation. “This gives our artists visibility, which is one of our biggest priorities -- to get the word out there that we exist.”

There were 24 local artists on display last year, and Howell said they hope to surpass that this summer.

The three-day festival will open with a wine and cheese reception Friday evening, and the gallery will be open to the public throughout the weekend.

Opening night will unveil the new HCAC banner and Hants County Arts Digest, which provides a listing of artists, studios, galleries and cultural associations throughout the region. “Our directory is a big thing- these are the best artists in this county,” Howells said. “It’s a kind of one-stop shopping. The public at a glance can find out what artists are out there are and what they are doing.”

He noted the directory also gives a broader perspective of the variety of artists in the area.

Although council represents all mediums, the festival itself will focus solely on the visual arts and will include a special guest, internationally renowned printmaker Prof. David Silverberg.

Silverberg is a member of the Royal Canadian Academy and the Royal Society of Arts. He had taught at Mount Allison University for 32 years, was Acadia University's first scholar-in-residence and has had more than 180 solo exhibitions internationally. “Having Prof. Silverberg's participation will be a special honour for the Hants County Arts Council,” Howells said.

It’s been a busy year for the arts council. With membership almost doubling, they have also printed their first memberships cards and full colour banner for use during gallery events. Those accomplishments spell good things for the upcoming festival. “The response from members to this year’s show has been fantastic. Building on the success of momentum generated by last year’s Festival of Art, the directors of the HCAC are striving hard to make this year’s show an even greater success.”

Last year, the event raised approximately $1,200 toward equipment for the canoe club, and Kirumira said the festival is a unique approach to fundraising. “People get tired of the same old fundraisers,” she said. “This is something new and different; it's a whole other use for the club.”

She noted that last year's festival left a lasting impression. “People were just blown away; it was very impressive.”

Holding the festival during the Sam Slick weekend is ideal, she said. “We are always busy that weekend anyway, and there will be a lot of traffic on the waterfront. Our location is what attracted the council; it's just such a beautiful place.”

For more information on the Festival of Art, please contact show coordinator Kristie Sheehy at 757-2004 or visit the website, www.hantscountyartscouncil.com.