Christmas Season Underway In Arts District
By John Swartz
Friday evening featured a number of Art District events, providing an opportunity for patrons to take in as much art as they could handle.
On the street, with snow drifting down, the first encounter was with Deb Halbot and Leslie Fournier and their annual Merry Streets Alive Christmas project. Halbot was ready to take pictures of people posing in front of a Christmas tree and then those people could choose a tree ornament made by area artists. They will repeat the exercise in the alley next to Stuffed Saturday, December 14 at 11:30 a.m.
Lee Contemporary had the annual If Only I’d Received Art For Christmas exhibit featuring smaller, less than $100, art by Alex Richardson, Heather Price-Jones, Olivia Neal, Sam Vessios, Craig Mainprize, Bewabon Shilling and Tanya Cunnington. A bonus is three watercolours by Tanya and Bewabon’s son, Cal. Many pieces were snapped up early in the evening, but the show will remain until all the art is gone.
Art & Home Studio was also busy with an opening reception for sculptor David Warner and his copper wire Bonsai-like miniature trees. Also getting a spotlight was Marie Jose who had sterling silver jewellery to show. The rest of the gallery walls are covered with art looking for homes.
The big event was at the Orillia Museum of Art and History’s Drawliday Festival . This annual Christmas event featured 114 tiled paintings, drawings and photos by as many artists. Event goers purchased tickets for the party and draws were made throughout the evening; ticket holders received a correspondingly numbered tile to take home. The Will Davis Trio provided some nice jazz music.
Other galleries in the Arts District had their own Christmas collections to show. Aside from the regular art on hand, they are also showing smaller, less expensive works suitable for unique Christmas gift giving.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia) Main: The Orillia Museum of Art and History had a large crowd on hand for their annual Drawliday Festival.
