By Artwalk Correspondent Kari Burk
Sandy Donohue will be celebrating her sweet sixteen this year…that is…her 16th year involved in Castlegar’s Artwalk.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for people who are new to art to be able to exhibit because, really, we have so many artists in this area but we have so few venues …and I have to say that if it wasn’t for Jacquie (Hamilton) I don’t think we would have Artwalk. She’s extremely dedicated and generous with her time and energy” Sandy said when we sat down to talk about Castlegar Artwalk. Sandy recalls the artwalk originally having maybe ten venues and over the years has grown to 25-30 to venues showing artwork during the summer months of June, July, August and September.
Visiting Sandy at her home studio was an art adventure. Her paintings are exquisite stories and studies of light captured in time and place. Sandy said art was always in her “Ever since I could make marks on things, like furniture, walls, little boxes and plant pots and stuff, I was doing it.”
Sandy is also an experienced weaver and was a teacher before her kids were born. Then she went from experimenting with her kids watercolours one day to taking classes and now she will be teaching a watercolour class at Robson School (which is fully booked, I might add, so try for her next session if you are interested).
Sandy is also in the midst of illustrating a children’s book and I was blown away by her sensitive attention to painting the details of the story and her technical expertise. When I asked Sandy how she felt about the Castlegar arts community and what she might like to see happening here she said “I’d like to see a facility or venue where artists can meet and get together because I feel that having people that you are working with, painting, sharing ideas, your problems and successes with, would be good.” Sandy also noted artist/art instructor Mirja Vahala of Inspiring Minds Fine Art, and Recreation/Cultural Programmer Audrey Polovnikoff as having a positive effect recently on the cultural development of Castlegar.
If you have you ever wanted to show your artwork to more than just family and friends or are new to the area and would like to link up with the Castlegar arts community then maybe this is your year to have an art adventure and enter Castlegar’s 16th Annual Artwalk. Deadline for applying is March 26th. Applications are available at Biznet and Castlegar Chamber of Commerce. For more info contact castlegararts@canada.com or Jacquie Hamiltion 365-8026