Work from Foothills area artists will be front and centre at a prominent Okotoks gallery during one of the arts community’s biggest events of the year.
Lineham House Galleries on Elma Street is one of eight Foothills area locations participating in the Most Beautiful Art Tour in Alberta, Sept. 10-12.
“We will have a lot of new art in the gallery – a lot of our displays will change from the ones that have been up for the past few months,” said Cheryl Taylor, owner of Lineham House Galleries.
Some of the Okotoks area artists' works at Lineham will include Virgini Senden, who will have her landscape paintings on display, some of which are from the Foothills area.
Don Hamm of High River will also have a number of landscapes at the gallery.
Also at Lineham Galleries is Nathan Bell’s unique art based on fishing – sculpted lures created from found items such as feathers, walnut shells, pieces of wood and others.
The enchanting work of Jennifer Dale, aimed at children and those young at heart, will be on display at the gallery’s Happy Room.
Pieces from Alison Philpotts of Calgary are also on display. Her work is popular in the Foothills area, Taylor said.
The tour has helped to bring new art lovers into town, Taylor said.
“We get lots of new people in, often just on the tour, to explore what we have in southern Alberta for arts and artists,” Taylor said. “Ninety-nine per cent of the time it’s the first time they have ever been in our galleries.
“They enjoy looking at what we have and people will quite often come back. We enjoy being part of that community that we have in southern Alberta.”
Lineham House Galleries continues to expand its Macleod Trail General Store, a small gift shop which includes work of Okotoks area artisans.
“Little things that are affordable and great for gifting,” Taylor said. “People wanted to support, especially during the pandemic, but they may not have the money for a painting.”
Elma Street
Coinciding with the tour is the fourth annual Elma Street Arts Walk on Sept. 11.
The walk will have artists’ works on display both outdoors and indoors on the historic street. The variety of arts will including paint, music and culinary arts and others.
It is being organized this year by Russell and Heather Thomas of Birdsong Studios, with assistance from Sherry and Krystof Lindenback of 94 Take The Cake.
Several of the Elma Street businesses will be participating and there will be more than 40 vendors.
