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Art walk wraps up with draw

A crowd of more than 60 artists, merchants and organizers gathered Friday night at the Station House gallery to celebrate the end of the 2011 Art Walk and Sale put on by the Williams Lake Central Business Improvement Area Association and the Station House Gallery.
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Sharon Sipes is the art walk people’s choice winner for favorite artist.

A crowd of more than 60 artists, merchants and organizers gathered Friday night at the Station House gallery to celebrate the end of the 2011 Art Walk and Sale put on by the Williams Lake Central Business Improvement Area Association and the Station House Gallery.

Several exciting events took place, says art walk chair Willie Dye.

These included silent auctions, a live auction and door prizes for all those present.

There were three major awards presented.

“In an extremely close race that could not be predicted by the computers until after the 5 p.m. official close of the art walk, Frame Creations by Bruce was declared the winner of the Most Popular Business Award,” Dye says.

“Three or four other merchants could easily have pulled off the victory on the final day. This is an indication of how hard the down town merchants (35 in all) worked at making their visitors feel welcome downtown.”

Sharon Sipes, who displayed her paper tole art at Elaine’s Natural Foods, was the people’s favourite in the artist category.

Sipes discovered her passion for paper tole art during a workshop she took in Edmonton in 1990.

As she developed in the art form she advanced into the sculptural medium.

In 1998, Sipes began teaching the more advanced style of this art form in Vernon and then in 2000 she was invited to England where she taught for a month.

In 2009, Sipes  brought this art to Williams Lake where she continues to share her talent with her students.

She still consults with her original instructor to further the development of this interesting and very detailed paper relief form of creating art.

The most highly anticipated event of the evening was the draw for the Canadian diamond earrings, Dye says.

Dye, the host, and Cindy Watt of Woodland Jewellers, supplier of the earrings, presented them to a very excited Rose Eastman of 150 Mile House.

“Everyone present had a great evening,” Dye says.