The Potato House contribution to the Williams Lake Art Walk and Sale this month is two fold.
The Potato House is providing the public with an opportunity to try their hand at mural painting and then will auction off the murals created to raise funds for the McLeese Lake Fired Department and the Salvation Army food bank.
Local artists and people who might like to dabble in a little painting exploration are invited to the Potato House to paint on Monday afternoons between 3 and 6 p.m. Painting takes place outside if the weather is fair, inside if it rains. And there is hot apple cider sweetened with Potato House honey for people to enjoy while they paint.
“Anyone who has a hankering to play around with paint on a board is welcome,” says Potato House executive director Mary Forbes.
There are larger mural boards for adults to paint on and smaller boards for children to express their creativity.
Every Monday she said there will also be a local artist in attendance to answer questions and help people with their creations, among them lakecity mural painter Dwayne Davis.
This past Monday artists Jazmyn Douillard and Hattie Deyo started work on their murals.
Douillard is known for her graphic art including her most recent colouring book The ABCs of Mythology created with fellow artist Ingrid Glaw. Deyo is well known for her creative face painting and her talent as a singer/songwriter/musician.
Forbes said the Potato House Community Sustainability Society had originally planned their art walk mural project as a fundraiser for the society’s programs which include a community compost centre, community garden beds, as well as recycling and food sustainability initiatives.
However, after receiving a grant of $1,000 from the Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Society she said they decided to make the mural project a fundraiser for other community groups in need.
Douillard, who is also co-owner of The Realm of Toys is partnering with the Potato House society to host The Phoenix Social fundraiser at the Potato House on Friday, Sept. 29 from 6 to 11 p.m.
The licensed event will include music, raffle prizes, and the auctioning of the murals to raise funds for the McLeese Lake Fire Department, which needs a fire hall and the Salvation Army food bank, Forbes said.
Douillard said Ingrid Glaw who now lives in Winnipeg will also host a Phoenix Social fundraiser on the same date in Winnipeg, also to raise funds for the McLeese Lake Fire Department and Williams Lake Salvation Army food bank.
Forbes said she will try to make special arrangements if school or pre-school groups of children wish to come and paint a mural.
To set up a time for a group mural visit or for more information Forbes can be reached at 250-855-8443.
