Thanks to a limited time show held at a Bancroft gallery, you can now give the gift of local artwork for just a fraction of the usual cost.
Until Sunday, December 28, A Place for the Arts (APFTA) is hosting their annual Christmas in The Annex exhibition, where original artwork is priced at $50 or less.
“This is a great place for people to come and enjoy the art but then see, too, that this is a nice gift for somebody,” says Debbie Christie, a quilter, stained glass artist, and APFTA member. “The idea of getting an original piece of art for an affordable price certain lures people to come in and have a look.”
A Place for the Arts is a collective formed in 2014 that has grown to include more than 40 local artists who display exciting solo and group exhibitions in a storefront gallery in downtown Bancroft.
With the exception of a few years, APFTA has been running variations of Christmas in the Annex for almost as long as the collective has been around. Christie says the exhibit is a “win win” for both the buyer and the artist.
“It gives artists an opportunity to either study small works or to bring in things they’ve had sitting around for a while or they didn’t put in their main exhibits,” says Christie.
Spotlighting 22 member artists in The Annex gallery, the exhibition features a wide selection of artworks from small canvas paintings to puzzles, photographs, and bags.
There are also little wooden animal figurines and blocks, priced at just a few dollars, that were donated to the group during the community art workshops that used to be held in the space.
“We’ve had them for a while and I thought kids might come in and buy them with their allowance,” says Christie, noting the exhibition features differing artists each year. “We have a turnover of artists ever year and we’re excited that some of our newer artists have brought things in this year.”
From the artist’s side, Christie explains that Christmas in the Annex is a good opportunity for member artists to see the public opinion on version of their work they don’t typically explore or sell.
Manuela Schmidlechner, for example, typically paints with acrylic and oil on large canvas, though has smaller works for sale though the exhibition. Christie explains that the smaller versions offer insight into the process while still presenting the same style Schmidlechner is known for.
“These would be studies for her,” Christie says. “But this a way of her bringing in what she’s experimented with.”
Shawn Hamilton, on the other hand, is taking the opportunity to see the response to an all-new medium. The artist started her career as a professional equine photographer though is exhibiting her new endeavour, photo encaustics. This style involves painting photographs with encaustic medium made from beeswax and dammar resin to add a unique layering element to her photos.
“She’s just experimenting with it and is not sure how it’s going to sell, so she brought it here,” Christie says. “I believe she’s already sold two of them.”
Christmas in the Annex can be viewed in The Annex gallery at A Place for the Arts at 23 Bridge Street West in Bancroft until December 28.
For more information on A Place for the Arts, visit www.apfta.ca.
