Taking Part in Gabriola Island’s Annual Thanksgiving Studio Tour

Taking Part in Gabriola Island’s Annual Thanksgiving Studio Tour

I’m excited to announce my participation in another upcoming art event – Gabriola Island’s annual Thanksgiving Studio Tour. The event is organized by the indefatigable Gabriola Arts Council and is free to attend.

The event is quite unique in that artists from around the island open their home studios to the public for 3 days — meaning you can do the tour your own way, at your own pace, and enjoy exploring. Furthermore, many artists go beyond simply displaying their work and also offer demonstrations for a truly intimate, creative experience.

It’s been a while since I took part in an open studio tour. The last was in the spring of 2019 when I was at Braid St Studios, which I’ve mentioned in a recent post. Prior to that, I was part of an open studio tour while living at ARC Live Work Studios in Vancouver — and we had a few thousand people come through.

However, those were somewhat different. This is the first time I’m inviting people into my home as part of a studio tour. And I think there’s something special – and beautiful and vulnerable – about viewing artwork in a home setting.

A Little Bit About Gabriola’s Thanksgiving Studio Tour

The unique 3-day art extravaganza has been a success since its founding and has evolved into one of the premier art events in the Pacific Northwest. Having celebrated its silver anniversary in 2021, this year marks the 26th occasion of the wonderful event. 

You can meet with 65 artists and enjoy their creative works up close and personal in 56 studios spread across the island. With so many studios to choose from, it’s difficult (or impossible) to visit them all. So, it may help to plan your visit in advance using this interactive map of the tour. You can also find the full list of studios here, which includes examples and descriptions of each artist’s work.

The Thanksgiving Studio Tour runs for 3 days, October 8th to 10th, with participating studios open from 10 am to 5 pm. However, Tour Central – the tour’s headquarters – will be open from October 6th through 10th, and it’s got a Preview Gallery where you can view works by nearly all of the participating artists. It’s above Nova Arts and Craft Boutique in the centrally-located Folklife Village.

There’s also a raffle fundraiser for a chance to own an original painting by Gabriola artist Tony Grove, which you can read more about here.

Artwork I Have on Display for the Studio Tour

I’m setting up my house as a gallery and I have one wall with about 20 framed paintings from my popular Little Gems Series, which I’ve mentioned recently (such as here and here). There will also be a variety of large-format mixed-media paintings hung throughout the house. There are about 9 of those, ranging in size from 30” x 40” to the biggest at 48” x 72”.

I’ll also have paper paintings, such as from my Fragments of Life series, and up to a couple hundred other loose Little Gems. So, there’s a lot of art to be enjoyed!

There will also be one finished piece from The Drishti Paintings – the new large-scale series I’m currently working on. The series is very special to me and a culmination of everything I’ve learned in my journey as both a healer and an artist. The paintings embody 3 core principles about healing – which I’ll reveal once there’s a body of work ready for a gallery exhibit.

What I’m Looking Forward To With This Tour

I’m really excited to meet people and connect with not only the people I know and love but with those who take the time and effort to come over to the island. It’s an amazing feeling to see a person connect with a painting that is right for them, and I welcome the opportunity to help people find the perfect match.

Also, something new I’m doing with The Drishti Paintings is offering commissioned works for people who want something for their home or meditation room. So, I’d love to talk to anyone coming through the tour who’s looking to create a visual anchor for their personal well-being.

Attending the Tour (and Getting to My Studio)

For those who have never been to our beautiful Gabriola Island, it’s just a 25-minute ferry from Nanaimo Harbour at the edge of downtown Nanaimo. For those coming from the mainland, it’s located between the Duke Point and Departure Bay Ferry Terminals.

I’m Studio #49 on the tour and located at 1063 Chappel Place. As mentioned above, there is also an easy-to-read online map with pins for all the studios. There is street parking available out front, then you just go through the gate and walk straight to the house.

Original Artwork and Prints for Sale Online

If you are unable to attend the tour, you can browse through my collection on Saatchi Art’s online gallery.

Saatchi Art offers multiple options to suit your personal tastes or needs. You can choose to have your print on paper or canvas and choose from 4 sizes to best fit your room. You also have the option to have it framed in white, black, or natural wood.

The “View In A Room” image on Saatchi Art should give you an idea of its size and let you see what it looks like on a wall.