At 76-years-old Okotokian Audrey Young is still going strong as an artist and as a driving force in organizing the Okotoks Artists.
The contributing group of local artists banded together several year ago when they were all involved with the Okotoks Art Gallery at The Station. They decided they wanted to do some shows on their own, so they broke away and started to hold events like the upcoming show and sale. Young credited Okotoks artist Joan Moore for being instrumental in getting the group going and organized.
She also explained many its members have continued their association with The Station but have joined the Okotoks Artists as an additional means to have their work seen and sold.
The Okotoks Artists meet regularly at St. Peter’s Anglican Church to create new works.
“We go every Tuesday and we do different things together,” she said. “We paint in oils, watercolors and acrylics. We also do some sketching and lots of talking.”
Many of the distinctive works produced during these gatherings will be available at the Spring 2011 Art Show and Sale Friday, April 29 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Peter’s Anglican Church.
“We get together twice a year for these big shows,” she said. “This one is usually in April and the other one is in the fall in October or November at Red Deer Lake United Church. We also get together at the library and have a mini show just before Christmas.”
Young broke down the types of pieces likely to be available at the art show and sale, where the paintings will come in a wide range of sizes and subject matter.
“A lot of them are framed but we also have some that are just matted,” she said. “We’ve got paintings of mountains and flowers. There’s someone who does cars and somebody else who does animals. There’s works featuring water of course and the prairies.”
Young admitted she herself loves to paint prairie scenes. Much of her work is done on canvas but she revealed she has also completed pieces on ceramic and porcelain tiles.
There is no charge to peruse her paintings and those of the other Okotoks Artists at the Spring 2011 Art Show and Sale but donations to the food bank will be gratefully accepted. Young said she is hoping this year’s turnout and enthusiasm from the public will exceed what was seen in the spring of 2010.
“We’ll have to see how the support is this time,” she said. “Last year it wasn’t really as good as it should have been. I think people are slowly realizing we’re here and we have a lot of knowledge and we can do a lot of things. It’s slowly coming around.”
The artists will be on site with their works on Friday and Saturday giving potential buyers the chance to meet and discuss the inspirations for their paintings. Tea, coffee and brownies will be available at this two-day art event at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, 31 Riverside Way in Okotoks.
