Art for Sale!

Every month Guemes Island Art gives you a taste of the talented folks who call Guemes Island home. If you’re like me, these articles never fail to stir up excitement and a longing to see their creations in person. Lucky for us, the Celebrate Guemes events planned for Memorial Day weekend include a Studio Tour on Saturday, so our wait is over. Twenty-nine artists will be spread across eleven locations around the island. There will be a combination of sales, studio visits, and a few demos. You can make a day of it and purchase Soup-to-Go at the church (11:30am – 1:30pm). Drive through with $5 and get a delicious soup, bread, and dessert.

A couple artists will be giving demonstrations of their craft. Randy Rinehart, who concentrates on wood and ceramics, will have a turning demo. If you’re more partial to things on the soft side, might I suggest the fiber arts demo at the Community Center where you can see spinning by the Fiber Arts Group.

Former Featured Artists who are participating include:  Amanda Rose, Cathy Schoenberg, Loalynda Bird, Susan Brendan, Devon and Chris LeBoutillier, Les Eelkema, and David McKibben. This is your chance to check out any who piqued your interest. These artists dabble in everything from photography, graphic arts, and painting to jewelry making, rock painting, and wood both turned and repurposed. You can see, up close and personal, the amazing luminaries that grace the Earth Day parade. There will be new art talents to explore as well, like indigo dyed goods and macrame wall art.

This is also when you can get an advanced look at future featured artists. Spoiler Alert – Tom Hancock will be our June artist of the month. You’ll never look at wine barrels the same way again after seeing his work. We all have those people who are impossible to buy for – why not use this event to stock up on unique items that anyone would love. I also find that it’s a wonderful excuse to treat yo’self in the name of supporting locals! Home décor, painting, sculpture, cards, pottery, and fashion accessories are what you can expect to find from Kit Marcinko, Dana McCarthy, Jill Delaney, Bill Clark, MitreCraft, John Hurd, Marietta Harrigan, Chris Shuman, Kara Simons, Aiden Mattke, and Robert Anderson.

– Article by Libby Boucher

 “Purchases help to keep art alive. The work of local artists and makers is not stuck on a dock in a shipping container. This is the perfect opportunity to shop local. Help local artists live their dream.”