Hundreds of people strolled up and down Oak Bay's Bowker Creek for the 19th Brush Up art show on Sunday, Aug. 11.
This year, a record number of 54 local artisans, from painters to jewellers, crafts persons to wood carvers, all showcased their work to the public.
Organized by the Oak Bay Community Artists Society since its inception, this free and family-friendly art show was first started to promote the local talent of Greater Victoria.
“The purpose was to give the artist a place in another venue to display and sell their work without a commission,” said Flo-Ellle Watson, artist and president of the society. “If we put our work in coffee shops and galleries, we always pay a commission, but here, they're free to keep anything that they sell.”
Participating in this yearly event for nearly two decades, Oak Bay artist Erik Thorn, 95, was sitting quietly selling his paintings, as well as the work of his late wife, Miriam Thorn, who passed away last year.
“I'm trying to clear the house and I still have 80 paintings framed on the walls at the moment… and we probably have another 100 more down in the basement,” said Thorn.
Together for 67 years, the couple met in 1956 while they were both working at the British Museum.
Drawing inspiration from wildlife and landscapes, the two artists travelled the world together, from their backyard in Victoria, all the way to the savanna of Tanzania and Kenya.
After a life filled with countless adventures, Thorn is now thankful to be part of the Bowker Creek Brush Up to sell his work and connect with the community.
“It's great to see all my friends (and) catch up with them,” said Thorn. “It’s also nice to see all the people and the sunshine.”
Pleased with the growing interest the event has garnered over the years, Watson said that she and the society have no plans to end this two-decade-old tradition anytime soon.
“It's amazing,” said Watson. “People love to come here and we have wait lists for people who want to get in. But we don't want to get too big so that it gets too overwhelming.”
