Last weekend was Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. Thanksgiving, for me, has always centered around family coming together from wherever we are and enjoying good food. Now that I have retired and moved back to BC, it is much easier to enjoy holiday celebrations together. I live near my oldest daughter and her family, and my two other (grownup) children are just a ferry ride away. Rob’s two kids and that set of grandchildren live farther away, and we are planning to travel to spend Christmas with them.
But, this Thanksgiving was a little different from past years. The studio art tour group that I belong to hosts three events a year — a Spring Showcase, a Thanksgiving Studio Tour, and a Christmas Crawl (which is also a studio tour). I participated in the Spring Showcase, and wrote about it here. The Thanksgiving Tour includes all three days of the long weekend.
For the tour events, artists open their studio/galleries to the public. People drive from studio to studio to view and purchase art, including paintings, pottery, handmade glass, wood carvings, jewellery, fabric art, and soap. Twenty studios were open for our Thanksgiving Tour.
This is the first time I have been part of a tour. It required lots of preparation.
This photo above shows my new sandwich board sign. There are also photos below showing the sign I now have in front of my studio. My daughter, the net artist designed the logo, and Rob built the cedar signpost and sandwich board.
I had lots of visitors to my studio over the three days, and even started a new painting.
Read more about Nanoose Bay Thanksgiving Studio Tour here.
My younger daughter, her friend, and my son came over on the ferry for the long weekend. Because of the tour, I did not have time to cook a big Thanksgiving Dinner. Instead, my daughter had the whole family over on Thanksgiving. She cooked an amazing feast! We also went out one night to a local English style pub and had a great dinner there, followed by some goofing around.
The weather has turned to Fall, and the leaves are brilliant colours.
I am grateful for my family, good times together, the chance to make art, and the beautiful place that I live.
I like your logo and boards - a real family effort! Glad the studio tour and Thanksgiving went well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anabel. I am very pleased with the signs. The art tour group is something new for me and I am glad to be part of it.
DeleteJude
I love studio tours like that. I'm sorry that I live so far away... I would have definitely join in! Your sign looks great... so official! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteJanis, I love studio tours too. The only downside of hosting was that I didn’t get to go around to see other artists’ studios. However, that was okay, as the week before when we had people visiting, my friends and I did a private tour, which we all really enjoyed.
DeleteJude
Your new sign looks awesome, Jude. I'm sorry that I missed the Thanksgiving Tour. I definitely plan to be at the Christmas Crawl!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you’re having fun on your trip. The Christmas crawl will be the first weekend in December.
DeleteJude
I like your logo and boards, Jude. Very nice design and a family effort. Sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a successful studio tour. I'd love to visit one of your studio tours one day.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, when you make out here to Vancouver Island one day, I’ll happily give you a private tour!
DeleteJude
I'm glad the tour was a success, Jude. Well done! And, such an artistic and creative family you have. I love your new logo and Rob outdid himself with those signs. You're all set now to invite the public regularly. I hope you sold one - or more - of your paintings! Happy belated Thanksgiving. The food looks delicious and that garden of yours... well, you already know I like it a lot. :-)
ReplyDeleteLiesbet, it was so awesome to meet you and Mark in person a few weeks ago. I thinks I need to do some paintings of my garden! I hope you are escaping the rain where you are travelling now. We are happily soaking up some sun on our travels.
DeleteJude
Hi Jude! I know I've been AWOL on your site for quite a while but I'm attempting to get around and say "Hi" to people I like and try to follow so here I am. So glad you had a nice Thanksgiving in spite of it being different. sometimes I think we appreciate them more when we step outside the norm. And I agree with everyone else that your sign looks awesome and if I'd been close by I would have come to see all your stuff! ~Kathy
ReplyDelete
DeleteHi Kathy. I know you have been busy travelling, so it is nice to see you commenting here. Now I am the one travelling!
Participating in the studio tour, and now, with the art website up and the signs made, I think there won’t be as much to prepare for the next studio tour.
Jude