Arty the Art Walker Willie Dye is busy this week helping to pull together the 2016 Art Walk and Sale that opens with a tour of the first 20 locations on this year’s expanded walk.
His preparations included making a last minute run this week to pick up the work of three Bella Coola artists.
The art walk guide is expected to be back from the printers early next week and will be available at the Tribune/Weekend Advisor and venues hosting art exhibits.
Dye says the art walk has grown substantially this year to include 63 business and public venues hosting art exhibits.
Last year there were 54 host venues, Dye says.
While the number of visits required to win the art walk grand prize has increased, Dye says the walk is still quite doable, visiting an average of two venues each day during the month-long walk.
“Some people just love getting out there,” Dye says. “Even if we had 100 locations they would get out there and visit them all.”
Of the 63 artists featured, Dye says 21 are new to the art walk this year and nine are returning to the art walk after a hiatus.
The art walk features a wide variety of art work including water colour, acrylic and oil painting, pottery, wood carving, quilting, weaving, sculptures and more.
The grand prize this year is a wood carving by Spirit Carver Dean Ross, who has worked with Pioneer Log Homes of B.C. for 12 years and has been featured on the television series Carver Kings.
The art walk will begin Friday, Aug. 5 with a grand opening taking place in the Lake City Auto Care Mall on Oliver Street followed by a guided tour of the first 20 venues in the art walk booklet where artists will be in attendance to greet the walkers.
“I think it is going to be absolutely great,” Dye says. “Art Walk is a great opportunity for the artists and the merchants but mostly for the people who get to go out and look at some great art.”