And just like that, Santa is on his way!
Can you believe we are closing out 2022 already? What a year it’s been. I’m sure you’ve all been just as busy as I have the past couple of months, but the fun doesn’t stop does it? Finishing the year strong with a few more events, just in time for the holidays.
Before we get into what’s to come, I’d like to thank you all for your support this year. Being an artist and small business owner in Vancouver is wonderful, but of course comes with its MANY challenges. We’ve all been through tough times this past year, I know I certainly have so I truly appreciate the support and positive interactions from everyone – whether it’s been in person or online! I’m still new to the virtual world of social media (been at it less than a year) and recently hit 500 followers on Instagram which is pretty cool. I’ve enjoyed connecting with all of you and hope to engage with all of you even more in the future. Shoot me a message anytime with feedback, comments or questions. I’d love to hear from you!
With that being said – I’ve had the chance to see a few of you over the fall at some of the events that have taken place for me. It’s been a busy past couple months and here’s what’s been going on:
The “True Colours” Exhibit took place at The Gallery George in October and it was lovely meeting everyone, especially all my fellow artists who showcased their work alongside mine. We have such a wonderful, talented community of artists in Vancouver and it’s always nice to connect with everyone over our shared passion. I also had the opportunity to host a live demo here which I really enjoyed! It’s been a little while since I’ve done demos (used to host these often over the years!) and it reminded me how much I love sharing my skills and showcasing my work in a live setting, answering everyone’s questions, sharing stories (a HUGE part of art for me is storytelling), providing tips and advice, and of course enjoying a Mimosa or 2 with all of you while I paint 😉 It was a great experience and I hope to do more live demos in the new year. Stay tuned…
Had another new and exciting opportunity to showcase my work this fall at The Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival! Showcased some of my favourite floral pieces at The Roundhouse Community Centre and had a lot of fun being part of this free community event promoting and supporting the arts. Some very cool and interesting work by other participating artists, and I enjoyed connecting with some of my Instagram followers who came by to check out the event. This year marked their 6th annual festival with a record number of attendees and lots of support from local artists, musicians and the community. Looking forward to seeing what next year’s festival brings! 😊 More info about the VOAF here – https://voaf.ca/
And we ended October with a fun Halloween showcase of some of my younger students’ paper mâché masterpieces! This is an annual event that I love hosting for the kids with different themes and it’s a great way for them to show off what they’ve been working on. Some fantastic pieces this year for our spooky Halloween theme, and we held a little contest with prizes by audience vote for the best paper mâché work. First place this year was The Blue Bat by Fenna! Coming in a close 2nd – The Little Custom Ghost by Leo, 3rd place to Bob the Spider by Marielle, and in 4th – the Hooded Joker by Colton. A fun day of art, tricks and treats to kick off Halloween. Already thinking about next year’s theme…
That brings us to this month and what’s in store for the most festive season of the year!
With the holidays just around the corner, I’ll be hosting my annual Holiday Art Show & Sale this Saturday November 26th from 11am to 4pm. This year I’m excited to be partnering with some other local artists from the Dunbar community – Sascha Westendorp, Pauline Willems and Monique Berner! The four of us will have all our pieces, small and big, available to view and purchase – everything from paintings, to handmade pottery, to greeting cards, small framed prints, you name it – and at discounted prices and perfect timing for Christmas gifting. Not to mention door prizes and festive goodies/treats for all!
Can’t wait to have you join us and kick off the holidays with everyone. Details here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/georgias-annual-holiday-show-sale-tickets-467630855477?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Last but not least, happy to share that I’m a participating artist in this year’s Anonymous Art Show – an art fundraiser supporting the North Van Arts and the programs they bring to the community. You can view all the participating works online and bid on them from now until Dec. 17th. Given that the artists are to remain anonymous, I can’t tell you which piece is mine but maybe you can find it 😉
Sneak peek of just a handful of some of the participating pieces below, and you can check out all the work here https://northvanarts.ca/events-exhibitions/the-anonymous-art-show-2022/ or visit North Van Arts in person to see the whole display.
Of course on top of everything, art classes are still in full swing and my students keep me busy all week long. I love teaching and I’m looking forward to new classes and new students in the new year!
And that pretty much covers 2022 for me. But who knows? Adventure never ends for Georgia, and there’s still over a month left for me to stumble onto some new, unexpected art quest. I’ll keep you all posted but never a dull moment around here.
What is everyone else up to this busy holiday season? I’d love to hear from you! Connect with me on my social media channels or send me an email – looking for a painting, something in my portfolio OR custom? Have a painting question? Need some tips? Let’s chat about everything art. And let me know what else you’d like to see from me for videos and art tutorials. Happy to give the people what they want! 😊
Thank you all again for your support this year. All the best to you and your loved ones during the holidays. Cheers to the future!
<3 Georgia