Art Lovers rejoice! On June 22nd, Downtown Huntsville will be filled with art and creativity. The free event is a collaboration between the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, Huntsville/Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Huntsville BIA with support from the Huntsville Municipal Accommodation Tax and is expected to draw thousands of visitors to the Downtown Core.
The day begins with the second annual The En Plein Air Art Market running from 10am-6pm at River Mill Park in Downtown Huntsville.
The Market is presented by Huntsville Festival of the Arts and sponsored by Cogeco/Your TV. The event consists of a day-long art market featuring local artists, live outdoor painting, entertainment, and refreshments. 23 local artists & vendors will have their work displayed and available for purchase. From paintings to jewelry, to home décor, there is something for all tastes and budgets.
Canvas Brewery will also be on site serving up cold drinks while Downtown Espresso will offer a delectable menu of paninis and ice cream. Enjoy the live soundtrack of jazz and blues throughout the day, performed by local musician Jack Gaughan, with his band of incredible musicians. Don’t miss the mesmerizing aerial acrobatics by Ascension Aerialists as well. There will be plenty of hands-on activities for guests including crafts with Red Pine Art Supplies, and demos by Hear Well Be Well who is also supporting as community sponsor of the event.
The Huntsville/Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating the Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery by offering free walking tours of the murals led by artist Gerry Lantaigne. The tours will take place at 11am & 2pm, and those interested in participating should meet in River Mill Park. The tours take approximately 45 minutes and involve walking and standing for extended periods of time. Visitors can also contribute their own creativity to the murals by stopping by the community mural in Kent Park where they can add their own stroke of paint.
In the afternoon, the Downtown Huntsville BIA will host a garden party in Kent Park (corner of Main St. & Brunel) from 4-6pm. The garden party will feature delicious food from the Good Food Co-Op along with tasty mocktails, and Gerry Lantaigne will be painting his next community mural “The Artist’s Camp”, by Tom Thomson throughout the event. The Garden Party will also be the site of a live En Plein Air Art Auction starting at 5pm.
The event originally run by Kelly Holinshead of the Shutterbug Gallery, invites artists and area dignitaries to grab an easel and some paint before choosing an outdoor location downtown to inspire their creations. A few hours later, participants have to put down their brushes. The paintings are then given a bit of drying time before they are auctioned off to the public at 5pm, with proceeds going towards the Kareen Burn Visual Arts Scholarship supporting a local student studying visual arts-related studies in a post-secondary institution or program.
“Kareen was an HfA Board member and creative force in our community,” says Dan Watson, Executive Director. “She loved events like En Plein Air, and we are honored to raise funds in her name that will support young artists at the beginning of their careers.”
This year’s live painters include Tom Doherty, Robin Walton, Jacquie Heron, Sharon McKenzie, Helena Renwick, Sylvia Kerschl, Pamela Dey, Demi Ghinga, Pam Carnochan, Jennifer Alexis, Dawn Huddlestone, Cindy Keefe, Catherine Luce, Brend Behan Turnour and Cindy Keefe.
The En Plein Air Art market is the culminating event of the 2024 Huntsville Art CRAWL. Now in its 4th year, the CRAWL is a self-guided art tour in downtown Huntsville that takes place throughout the month of June. The Art CRAWL is supported by Huntsville’s Downtown BIA.
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:
Jewels By Becca Jane | Jewellery
Helena Renwick ART | Painting
Craig Fairley Pottery | Ceramics
Lauren Todd Photography | Photography
Sylvia Kerschel ART | Painting
Catajjen Boxes and Boards | Wood
JWH Designs | Jewellery & Painting
Air Art & Nature’s Drama Art Studio | Mixed Media
Demi Ghinga | Mixed Media
Morgan House Wool Works | Fibre/Wool Painting
Hoda Nicholas | Painting
Painted House – Jennifer Alexis | Painting
Birchnotes Creative | Printmaking
Danielle Vishnever Fine Art | Painting
Nan Peters Designs | Painting
Brenda Behan Turnour | Painting
Live Painting By: Tom Doherty, Robin Walton, Jacquie Heron, Sharon McKenzie, Catherine Luce, Cindy Keefe
Live Music by Jack Gaughan, Adina V & Friends
Aerial Performances by Ascension Aerials
Onsite activation by Hear Well Be Well & Red Pine Art Supplies
Mural Tours by Gerry Lantaigne (11am & 2pm)
Cold Alcoholic & Non-Alcoholic drinks by Canvas Brewery
Food Vendors: Downtown Espresso, Good Food Co-Op
For further information, please visit huntsvillefestival.ca or huntsvilleartcrawl.ca
