Rossland artists were on display for the annual Columbia Basin Culture Tour during the Aug. 13-14 weekend.
For the third year, this free self-directed tour provided an opportunity to meet behind-the-scene galleries, museums and artist studios not normally open, and browse and/or purchase original art or fine crafts.
While some said the tour was a thriving success, others weren’t so sure.
“It was awesome,” said Stephanie Gauvin who set up a tent on her front lawn with her works on display while she painted. This was her second time on display with the culture tour.
“A lot of people came from Rossland but I also had a few from Nelson. The weather was great.”
She offered a 30 per cent discount and sold quite a number of her canvas prints.
“I was in it two years ago and it was for only one day. It was not so busy. Not enough people knew about it. A week would be better (than a weekend.)”
Trish Rasku, a local weaver, spinner, felter and soap maker, had over 20 visitors.
“Most were from Nelson,” she said. “They came because they were interested in what I do. They asked a lot of questions about my tools. I have a lot of tools.”
Rasku has participated in the tour for the last three years and will certainly do it again.
“The first year there weren’t so many.”
She would like to see the tour spread over more days or several weekends.
Joyce Austin, curator at the Rossland Museum expressed the same sentiment.
“Why don’t they do it over four weekends?” she said. “They could feature each area of the basin, say Nelson/Castlegar/Trail on one weekend, Creston and Cranbrook on another weekend and so on.”
Getting around one region in one or two days is near impossible, she said, let alone trying to go to other regions.
“If they had it say over four weekends in a month, that way, if an artist wanted to visit other artists, they could.”
The museum offered a children’s painting station, providing supplies and a summer student to help. But there were only a handful of children that dropped by.
“We’d have to look at it, to see if we’d do it again next year,” she said. “(The paint station) wasn’t worth it. We hoped to see more kids.”
The Rouge Gallery was open both Saturday and Sunday featuring local artists, but Les Otterbein, who manned the floor on Sunday was disappointed with the turn out.
“We had about 20 individuals and that included adults, kids and dogs,” said Otterbein who produces beautiful photography as enhanced prints on canvas. “I wouldn’t consider it a success. We usually have a lot more than that on a regular Saturday – at least 30 or 40.”
Louise Drescher, one the Rouge’s member artists said there were over 100 visitors last year during the culture tour.
“Rouge has about two dozen artists, both members and consignments including painting, sculpture, fibre, pottery, fused glass, jewellery, photography and metal art.”
The Rouge Gallery has been situated in the old Bank of Montreal building since last September. It is open Tuesday to Saturday throughout the summer from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Culture Tour split the basin into four areas with 89 venues, featuring 38 in the Southwest Basin including Nelson and Castlegar to Trail, Salmo and west to include (for the first time) Grand Forks and Christina Lake. The Southeast Basin included Creston to Fernie; the Northwest Basin from Crescent Valley to Nakusp and Revelstoke; and the Northeast Basin from Windermere north.
For more information, visit the Columbia Basin Trust website at www.cbculturetour.com