Five artists sharing a new downtown loft studio are attempting to capture the hearts and minds of residents with a variety of programs, initiatives and endeavours.
Local artist Stan Matwychuk is taking the lead in organizing initiatives, which would include life drawing classes, art history lessons, summer markets, mural festivals and outdoor film screenings.
"It's a loosely based organization of artists who get together and work towards creative ends. Anything arts based that's a bit off-kilter," said Matwychuk. "We're trying to program the space and get things happening."
Matwychuk said he's confident of his initiatives because Squamish is an arts community at heart.
"Because it's very outdoor active and people are very creative and live outgoing lifestyles, art is just a natural extension of that so I think that Squamish is definitely growing in that avenue."
The centre opened just over a month ago in an upstairs loft on the corner of Vancouver Street and Second Avenue and is adorned with different types of artwork.
"The area is very open to what we're trying to do down here, the landlords donated the fences and the sides of the building so we can use them for drawings and to promote the classes," said Matwychuk.
Arts spaces are a hot commodity in Squamish, and the studio was made possible with the help of the Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC).
CFDC has a program that subsidizes small businesses and Matwychuk submitted a proposal to open an artist run centre, Homebase Studios, and provide artistic outlets to the community.
Five artists of varied backgrounds currently share the space.
Samera Gibson is a large canvas painter, Amber Butler works on accessories and textile design, and two more artists are with Blondblonde Creative, which creates brand logos, websites and advertising campaigns.
Matwychuk does murals and graphic design and illustration and is also the business manager of the arts space. He said both his landlord and the youth centre have donated walls for his illustrations and "it would be great to have a bunch of walls to work with in the upcoming season."
Anyone looking to delve into life drawing classes or improve skills will have the opportunity to sketch live models at the new studio downtown.
Matwychuk's first program is a series of contemporary life drawing sessions and he said he'll decide his next move based on the community's reaction and involvement.
The introductory class is geared towards artists who are new to the concept of figurative drawing or just need a refresher on the subject.
The first three classes will focus on skills using only the imagination, and the last class will test those skills with the use of a model.
The four-week course will be held every Wednesday in June from 6:30 to 10 p.m. for $120.
The more advanced session is designed for artists familiar with the genre and fundamentals of sketching still life, using models in every class. The four-week course will be held every Thursday in June from 6:30 to 10 p.m. for $150.
Those hired to pose for a class will be paid $50.
For more information contact Stan Matwychuk at [email protected] or call 604-898-2525.
