Art Walk and Sale 2014 was a huge success in the lakecity this summer.
“Both artists and businesses have told me how happy they are with the art walk this year,” says event co-ordinator Arty the Art Walker Willie Dye who has spent many hours in his comical artist suit promoting the event.
A total of 175 passports were completed and handed in by 1 p.m. Saturday in time to qualify for the grand prize, says Dye.
By comparison, he said there were about 110 passports completed last year that qualified for the grand prize.
Each of the 52 participating businesses also had a prize draw box to go with the work of the artist whose art they had on display.
And judging by the number of entries in some of these boxes he estimates that more than 400 people participated in at least some portions of the walk.
The draw for the grand prize of a beautiful silver necklace featuring a rutilated quartz stone designed and made by Coun. Geoff Bourdon was made at the wrap up party for artists and participating businesses held Saturday evening at the Central Cariboo Arts Centre and was won by Horse M-Powered’s Jane Folka.
The first, second and third place people’s choice votes for favourite artists and favourite businesses on the art walk were also tabulated and announced Saturday evening.
The favourite artist this year was quilter/artistic designer Rita Seibert, followed by airbrush artist William Dalimore in second place and fibre artist Beatrix Linde in third place.
The favourite businesses were Eloquence Spa and Salon in first place, The Bean Counter Bistro in second place and Woodland Jewellers in third place.
Some of the fun at the closing event included the final live auction of three self-portraits donated by lakecity leaders to raise funds for Cops for Cancer.
Dye’s own portrait of himself as Arty the Art Walker sold for $56.50.
School District 27 Superintendent Mark Thiessen’s portrait sold for $55.
The silent auction portion of Dr. Glen Fedor’s portrait finished at $115 in efforts to keep his own portrait and support the cause he bid $200 for his own portrait for which he received a huge round of applause.
Fedor said he actually did the portrait in one evening.
At mid-day Saturday there was also an unveiling ceremony for the city’s newest mural.
Williams Lake downtown Business Improvement Area chair Jan Hermiston said she would like to thank Mayor Kerry Cook and city council for approving $5,000 left over from the former Communities in Bloom budget to pay for the mural which was created by Dwayne Davis.
Dye says the addition of this mural makes Williams Lake the mural capital of the Cariboo.