An annual dockside art show will see artists and artisans set up shop on docks around Kennisis Lake again this year.
On July 17, the Art on the Dock event features 30 artists who will exhibit paintings, pottery, jewelry and more at their lakeside properties.
Event organizer, Janis Parker, said it’s a unique opportunity to celebrate Haliburton County’s vibrant arts sector.
“I think people are just in awe of how many wonderful artisans we have within our community and Haliburton County as a whole,” Parker said.
Besides purchasing art directly from the artists, the event raises money for the Artists in the Schools & Community program. Since it began seven years ago, donations at each art venue and sales of limited edition prints by artist Wilf McOstrich have raised over $20,000.
Since many of the artists have learned or taught at Fleming’s Haliburton School of Art and Design, Parker said art education is a worthy cause to donate to.
“As you get to talking with more and more people, a lot of them had a basic gift but did an awful lot of their training at the Fleming school for the arts,” Parker said.
Artists such as Barbara Larcina and Lynda Henry wrote in the tour’s brochure that they’ve been inspired by the school’s classes and arts community. It’s Parker’s hope that the event can help continue investments in arts education.
“We wanted to make sure the arts continued to flourish in Haliburton,” she said.
Savannah Tomev is an artist who creates colourful, intricate paintings of animals and landscapes on canoe paddles. This will be her third year showcasing art at her family’s cottage.
For Tomev, the focus of Art on the Dock isn’t about making money: it’s a way to connect with the wider arts community of Kennisis Lake and Haliburton.
“It’s a great way for people to make connections with other artists but also make new friends at the lake,” Tomev said.
Art on the Dock is July 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and July 18, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information on the artists and exhibit locations, go to haliburtonarts.ca
