Blog

My first blog talked about the impulse to make art and making art is, by its nature, a solitary pursuit. Most artists, however seem to feel the need to engage in organizing for a variety of purposes.  Exchanging ideas, arranging teaching gigs and workshops, hosting exhibitions and just socializing – these and other pursuits bring artists together and they form groups.  In the Osoyoos area, the Osoyoos and District Arts Council is the umbrella organization for the arts.  Member groups include or have included Artists on Main [painters], the Art Gallery Osoyoos, Osoyoos Photography Club, O’s Own Writers, several music and dramatic groups, Osoyoos Woodcarvers, Osoyoos Potters and the Quilters Guild.  Painters and potters meet regularly at the studios behind and above the art gallery on Main Street and visitors and new members are always welcome. The Council’s website www.osoyoosarts.com contains information and links to each of these groups as well as information about Council activities.  The Oliver Community Arts Council www.oliverartscouncil.org has a similar mandate and features 16 member groups including the Oliver Sagebrushers, that community’s long-standing painters group.

The senior painters’ organization in Canada is the Federation of Canadian Artists.  Formed in 1941, making it 84 years old this year, it is the oldest and largest group of its kind in the country – founding members included some of the Group of Seven - and sets national standards for adjudicating art and artists.  The provincial association is headquartered on Granville Island in Vancouver and can be found at www.artists.ca. Its local  affiliate – the South Okanagan/Similkameen Chapter – meets monthly in Penticton.  It currently consists of around 80 members, many of whom belong to the other groups mentioned above as well as local informal associations in Summerland, Naramata,  Okanagan Falls and points south.

A unique feature of life in this part of the world is the seasonal nature of the population.  The summer influx of vacationers fills the coffers of local businesses and increases visits to local galleries.  In the winter, however regular snowbird visitors swell the ranks of churches, community groups and the art community. Unlike casual summer visitors, these stalwarts become active participants in the life of the community and art groups and galleries look forward to their return each year.  Not all artists belong to organizations however and works created by our more solitary colleagues appear from time to time at gallery shows open to non-members prompting comments and questions like “Who did this?”. The advantage for any artist in belonging to a group aside from the relationships formed is accessibility.  More exhibition opportunities are available to members, teaching and demonstrations are regularly held and the chance to critique one another’s work on a regular basis is one of the techniques members use to improve their craft.

If you are an artist, would like to be one or simply appreciate art, consider getting involved in one of the organizations in the community.  The Okanagan Art Gallery is always ready to welcome visitors and prospective members.

Michael Jorden is a local painter of landscapes, historic and western subject matter.  He welcomes your comments and suggestions and can be reached at mike@jordencook.com.