The Okotoks Art Gallery has their summer exhibits on display for everyone to enjoy.
They have two exhibits for the summer, the Member Show and Sale and the Colour Your World, which have become a bit of a tradition at the Gallery.
According to the Assistant Curator at the Art Gallery, Katrina Lougheed, the Member Show and Sale started during Covid.
“It started five years ago, actually, back during Covid, when we needed to cancel all of our exhibits in a hurry. And when we reopened, we wanted to try and support our local artists a little bit more, but it was a really tough time for artists. During Covid, all the markets, everything got shut down,” Lougheed explains. “So, we put on a member show, and it was such a hit with the community and our local artist members that we’ve decided to just keep doing it and do it every single summer.”
The Member Show has 50 different artists at the exhibit this year, and each was allowed to bring up to six pieces to be displayed.
Lougheed says that, while not everyone brought six pieces, there are still about 250 pieces as part of the exhibit, and every piece is for sale.
At this exhibit, it isn’t just paintings.
There is woodwork, pottery, jewelry, ceramics, and more.
To have art as part of the exhibit in the future, you have to become a member with the Gallery.
At the other end of the Gallery, they have their Colour Your World exhibit.
“This is another summer tradition we just started.”
As part of this exhibit, they printed out large colouring sheets that are roughly four feet by four feet big and stuck them to the walls.
On top of that, they have also placed crayons in the room, so kids and adults alike can go in and colour the sheets on the wall.
“It brings families into an art gallery when they may not come if they think. ‘Oh, maybe an art gallery is not suitable for little kids.’ It 100 per cent is. We welcome people of all ages here. And this just lets the kids have a bit of fun while their parents browse.”
They currently have eight colouring sheets up on the walls, but as they get coloured in completely, they will be replaced with fresh, blank ones.
Both exhibits started on July 5 and run until Sept. 4, and are free to visit.
Over the summer, the Art Gallery is also open on Mondays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., whereas the rest of the year, they are closed that day.
Even though there is road construction in front of the Gallery, they are still open.
To learn more about the Gallery, click here.