Let the beauty of art, music, food and land enchant you at the 17th annual Arts and Music at Gelndale Gardens, Sat., Aug. 6 and Sun., Aug. 7.
The event offers over 60 artists, including painters, printmakers, photographers, sculptors, metalworkers, potters, glass designers, woodturners, weavers, quilters, jewellers, mosaicists, bonsai art and more (complete list with bios at hcp.ca). Live music will serenade the gardens each day, contributed by some of Victoria’s finest musicians, including Terry Brennan (Rhythm & Roots singer), Brad Prevadoros (guitar), The Chattering Class (Victorian roots music), The Odd Hack Band (English country dance), Windrift Woodwind Quintet and Ron Sera (accordion).
The Victoria Flower Arrangers’ Guild will once again be providing a land art installation throughout the garden grounds, the perfect setting for such a unique art medium.
New this year is Art on Wheels, a classic car show that will bring vintage automobiles to the gardens for the entire weekend.
Master gardeners will be on hand to provide advice and support, and a plant sale will feature an extensive range of plants from the garden’s nursery.
Fresh local food will be provided by the garden’s own Cafe Nourish, and a selection of B.C. beer, wine and cider will also be available.
Contemporary Coast Salish artist Chris Paul has been involved in the event over the last three years.
“It’s worth checking out every nook and cranny there,” he says. “I go there once a week at least and still haven’t seen the whole place.”
Paul calls the gardens a hidden treasure and says the music and fresh food add to the atmosphere.
Paul will be bringing something special to this year’s event: art work made entirely of sandblasted red cedar.
“I saw people doing sandblasing with glass and sometimes with cedar as an accent; I thought I’d try to use it as a feature,” he says.
Glendale Gardens is at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Road (off West Saanich Road). Tickets are available online at hcp.ca, or at the door. Tickets are $12 for adults, $9 for students and seniors and children under 16 are free. Tickets are good for admission on both days. Parking is free.M