The juried art show, ‘The Best of Grey County’, celebrates the beauty of Grey. Grey county has a rich artistic heritage with the Tom Thomson gallery in Owen Sound reminding us of some of our famous artists who painted here.
Hundreds of artists make their homes in Bruce, Grey and Simcoe Counties because of the natural beauty of Georgian Bay, our rivers, lakes and waterfalls, our scenic mountains, the Beaver Valley and much more.
“We paint or create because something inside of us won’t rest until we give expression to our artistic vision. We share our work with the public because we want to share the joy of that expression with others,” says Dar West, of Maxwell, a winner of best of show.
“Very few artists can make a living at what they do,” she continues. “But those people who visit art shows and co-ops have the opportunity not only to purchase a lovely piece of art for their home but also to invest in art that is sure to go up in value,” she adds.
Purchasing art directly from the artist means prices are far lower than in the galleries. In addition with the Best of Grey County exhibit, you have the satisfaction of helping out Meaford Hall that receives a generous commission on sales.
“Artists have always had the support of patrons. In today’s society that takes the form of support from local municipal government, and provincial and federal government grants for the arts,” says Erika Dick, show organizer.
“Artist Co-ops and Art shows help artists by letting them share the cost of rent and expenses. Artists take turns working in the co-op and therefore have more time to paint or pursue their creative endeavours. The advantage to art lovers is that they can see a large selection of original work in one location. Often emerging artists are found here before they become well known and their work becomes much more expensive. It is a wonderful opportunity to purchase an original piece of art, support the arts, and invest at the same time.
Prices at the show range from less than $200.00 to $2000.00” she adds.
Grey County has generously assisted by providing a listing of all the artists on their free website at www.visitgrey.ca/artists. Meaford Hall, because of its high ceilings and excellent natural light, makes a beautiful setting for large paintings. This year they have added hooks to some of their windows making the stained glass art especially attractive against the light.
These 32 artists consider themselves very fortunate to live in a wonderful place like Grey County. Come out and see the stunning collection of original paintings, stained glass, and artistic wood carving at Meaford Hall.
The Best of Grey County exhibit runs from February 21 through March 18 at Meaford Hall. Admission is free.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
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