Rain or shine, two things are always on display at Penticton’s Ignite the Arts Festival: community and creativity.
And with light showers falling Saturday, March 23, on Martin Street, Renée Matheson said those words couldn’t be more true.
“It’s creating a culture in the art world and creating community among the artists,” Matheson, owner of Fine Art Gallery, said as she watched her gallery host Ignite the Arts’ Sculpture Day.
The festival’s Community Week is officially underway, as locals gathered on Saturday for the annual Art Walk and sculpture contest.
Pat Field, a renowned sculptor who lives in the South Okanagan, was among those eager to share his creativity with others.
“Art is about community,” said Field, who designed the waterfall outside the Penticton Lakeside Resort. “It’s about being creative and sharing it with others.”
Field was joined by several other sculptors, including Aaron Grant, an ice carver whose work attracted the eyes of many next to the Fine Art Gallery. Live music and painting were also included as part of Saturday’s event on Martin Street.
The gathering marked Ignite the Arts’ first major event of Community Week, which will run until March 28, before Festival Weekend takes centre stage across the city from March 28 to 31.
“Ignite the Arts is building momentum every year,” Matheson said about the festival’s third edition. “Penticton is so beautiful, jammed in between two lakes and an event like this is so important to the city.”
A full list of Ignite the Arts events can be found here.
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