Sculpture Day and Art Walk at Aurora Matheson Fine Art Gallery

The Penticton Art Gallery and Aurora Matheson Fine Art Gallery are once again presenting The Sculpture Day event on March 23rd, 2024 during the Ignite the Arts Festival, a nine-day celebration of art and culture. Sculpture Day will be located at Aurora Matheson Fine Art Gallery, 221 Martin Street and on the City Centre Gym Parking lot, adjacent to the Gallery.

This event will take part in conjunction with the Spring Art Walk which showcases art throughout greater Penticton.

What to Expect:

Live Painting:
Similar to a mini-art market, artists will be displaying their work as well as selling paintings, cards, and commissions. Meet, greet, and connect with local artists as they craft right before your eyes.

Sculpture Exhibition & Demo:
Check out the outdoor sculpture exhibition as artists showcase their pieces. You will also have the opportunity to watch as local sculptors build magnificent works, inviting you to engage with the Sculptors through Q&A.

Ice Sculpture Event:
We are very excited to announce that Aaron Grant, a well known Canadian ice sculptor will be creating a piece for Ignite the Arts during the day. If you have never seen this form of carving before, you won’t want to miss it! This will take place in the parking lot.

About Aaron Grant: Aaron Grant has been sculpting ice since 2010. Formally a resident of Penticton, Aaron began his sculpting interest up at Apex mountain sculpting snow as a hobby. Eventually he earned the title of BC snow sculpture champion at the Vernon winter carnival. This allowed him to travel to the famous Quebec carnival representing B.C. in the National championship. After moving to Nanaimo, Aaron found that sculpting ice was a way to practice his artistic skills which turned into a small business.

Since beginning in 2010 he has completed over 400 ice sculptures with only pictures of them as a memory. The best part of being an ice sculptor is being able to quickly transform a large 300 pound block of specialty ice into a unique and eye-catching work of art in a short amount of time. As a public display of artwork, it is unique and yet fleeting. One that has to be in person to appreciate it. He enjoys doing public demonstrations and contests because the audience is always so enthusiastic and curious.

Live Music:
Indulge your senses with the soulful melodies of Yanti & Friends, a rhythm & blues jazz band set to grace Sculpture Day with their enchanting performances. Join us for an unforgettable musical journey filled with rhythm, harmony, and dancing, reminiscent of last year’s lively celebrations.

Food Truck:
Fiesta Mexicana Food Truck will be joining us, you’ll be able to dig into some tasty Mexican treats while you enjoy the event!

Family Sculpture Contest:
Create, experience, and delve into the world of sculpture with our family friendly sculpture contest. As part of Sculpture Day, we invite family and friends, young and old, to come and participate in creating imaginative pieces with your dream team– a maximum of six people. You will get to work with your chosen team to produce an artistic creation or interpretation of your desires. Sculptures will be assembled from found objects ranging from cardboard to concrete, making use of any material your team finds to have creative potential.

At 3:00 the teams will be judged esteemed local sculpture professionals. If you are interested in participating in this fun event, you must pre-register for the competition. This event is free to attend and we encourage early registration to make sure you get your allocated area to construct your work. Pre construction at home is encouraged and some assembly can take place prior to the event however significant assembly must take place on site. Follow this link to our registration form for more information and details about the guidelines and rules of this contest.

 

Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in a day of artistic exploration and community engagement at Sculpture Day, part of the Ignite the Arts Festival. Mark your calendars for March 23rd, and join us in celebrating the rich tapestry of creativity that defines our vibrant community.

For more information contact Renèe Matheson by email auroradawnarts@gmail.com or call (250) 488-4999