What: TD Art Gallery Paint-In
Where: Moss Street
When: Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission: Free
It began three decades ago as a humble event with a gaggle of artists in the parking lot of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.
This Saturday, the 30th TD Art Gallery Paint-In is expected to attract 30,000 art lovers to 10 blocks of Moss Street. There, they’ll see an army of artists in action.
That first Paint-In in the mid-1980s involved a “handful of artists [who] worked and exhibited in the AGGV parking lot,” said AGGV director Jon Tupper.
By contrast, the 2017 Paint-In will host a whopping 174 local artists — a record number — along both sides of Moss Street. It’s a sprawling celebration of human creativity.
But it’s more than just a friendly demonstration of painting, drawing, sculpting, pottery-making and other art forms. There’s also plenty of food, drink and music. Those visiting the family-friendly beer garden in the gallery’s parking lot (running 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.) will be serenaded in the afternoon by the bands Benedict Beattie and Zoubi Arros. A dance with the Latin Project follows at 5 p.m. Food and drinks — including beer and wine — will be sold on site.
To commemorate the Paint-In’s 30th birthday, it will offer two new exhibitions. An outdoor display, Paint-In Stories, is based on interviews with longtime artists such as sculptor Maarten Schaddelee (who, by participating in 23 Paint-Ins, is a record-holder). There are also interviews with organizers and volunteers. And members of the public are invited to share their own stories.
In addition, the Long-Standing Artist Exhibition inside the gallery features the work of 25 Paint-In artists.
Eight “imaginative stations” along Moss Street will provide interactive art-making opportunities. There is also a pet station with water bowls, doggie bandannas and paw-print-making activities.
The latter is in response to the growing number of people bringing their dogs to the Paint-In, said Julia Pauselius, AGGV facility and events co-ordinator.
“People like to bring their pets. A few years in a row, I saw somebody with a snake on their shoulders. We are hoping to see them again this year,” she said.
The 2017 Paint-In has a $130,000 budget, including in-kind donations. About 200 volunteers will help out.
Despite being one of the largest festivals on the South Island, the TD Art Gallery Paint-In has retained its community feel. Recently, Pauselius and her team hand-delivered information sheets on the Paint-In to Moss Street residents. Some locals have been known to take advantage of the crowds by hosting front-yard rummage sales.
“It’s really about artists bringing their studio to the streets,” Pauselius said. “We want people to really feel that they can access art, that art is not just something in ivory towers.”
Note: Those attending the TD Art Gallery Paint-In are encouraged to walk, bike or take public transit to the event, as parking is limited. There will be 11 portapotties on the site. The AGGV is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. free of charge.