Each year, art enthusiasts have the opportunity to witness first-hand what 91原创-area artists create by visiting them on site in a studio. The sixth annual 91原创 Art Studio Tour runs the weekends of September 20, 21 and 27, 28.
Designed as a way for the public to see how artists work and where, this year芒鈧劉s tour features more than 40 artists. Many open their personal studios for the tour and invite fellow artists to 芒鈧搒et up shop芒鈧� with them for visitors to come by, watch, explore, and ask questions.
Some artists even offer demos, special pricing, class discounts, and free draws. Each location is easy to find with the art tour signs marking the locations.
A new artist on the tour this year is 91原创 resident Ed Pretty.
He has been a wood turner since his father originally taught him the craft of spindle turning, when Pretty was nine years old.
In the late 80s, Pretty took the hobby up seriously and began making things the average person wouldn芒鈧劉t believe were made on a lathe.
芒鈧揑 use local woods, native to B.C., and if it芒鈧劉s not native, it was grown here,芒鈧� Pretty said of his source material. 芒鈧揗aple is the vast majority of what I turn because there芒鈧劉s so much of it.芒鈧�
Creating attractive pieces that showcase the wood is what Pretty focuses on. He uses a very high quality fabric dye to add colour.
芒鈧揟he dyes don芒鈧劉t block the light,芒鈧� he noted. 芒鈧揑t actually emphasizes the grain rather than muting it like some stains.芒鈧�
He creates a very diverse range of projects from bowls and lidded boxes to platters and hollow forms (which are large items hollowed out through a tiny opening).
Another specialty of Pretty芒鈧劉s is his multi-axis work which leads to work that looks far from the traditional lathe projects visitors expect.
芒鈧揥e spend a lot of time answering questions [during tours and at shows] because people aren芒鈧劉t used to wood as an art medium,芒鈧� Pretty said. 芒鈧揂 lot of people haven芒鈧劉t seen the colours and shapes.芒鈧�
For the self-guided tour, Art Studio Tour maps along with artists bios, including Pretty芒鈧劉s are available by clicking . There are 25 suggested stops throughout the 91原创s and due to the distances, they can芒鈧劉t all be covered in one day.
