Symphony Splash at the Empress Hotel

Symphony Splash, Victoria's favourite summer festival, took place yesterday in Victoria's Inner Harbour. The Symphony and all of the other musical entertainment for the day, were on a barge in the bay, in front of the Empress Hotel and the Provincial Legislature Building. Festival goers from all of the world as well as most of Victoria, came out for this wonderful event. I was one of six artists demonstrating on the lawn of the Empress Hotel. These three girls from Japan were so beautiful in their kimonos!


I had a great time interacting with the public who are always so interested in an artist's process.
Some of the other activities included top class street entertainers, a street dance with lessons from the Arthur Murray Dance Company, painting for kids, and the best, a Musical Instrument Petting Zoo of kids, so they could hold and try out a musical instrument.


As the sun went down the anticipation to hear the Victoria Symphony play from the barge increased. More and more people arrived, more and more boats arrived, and the best seats were in kayaks right in front of the Symphony Barge. The kayakers were thick like rush hour traffic!


Our Provincial Legislature building with it's beautiful night time lights.



The Victoria Symphony, playing on their floating stage. They played many well known classical pieces, as well as some fun pieces by the Beatles that everyone sang along to.



As the final piece of music came to an end the sky lit up with a grand finale of fireworks! What a fantastic day everyone had, and I'm lucky enough to live here!

Symphony Splash at the Empress Hotel

Artishow Plein Air Event - Empress Hotel Victoria BC

This past Sunday was the Artishow Plein Air kick off event. Every Sunday throughout the summer, artists will be demonstrating their work at hotels around the Inner Harbour of Victoria. Painters and sculptors will be out interacting with the public, both locals and tourists. It was a great day, and I spoke to people from many parts of the world. I'm very honoured and humbled to be with some of Victoria's best artists at Artishow, plein air summer event. Check them out - Annie Pelletier, David Hunwick, David Goatly, Tara Juneau, and Robert Amos.





The painting I started on Sunday is a view from Cattle Point, a few blocks from my home, across to Mount Baker in Washington State. We can go weeks without seeing Mt. Baker because of cloud cover, but when we do, it's absolutely breathtaking. It just looms up and glows in the sun.

The canvas is 24 x 48, and did I mention that it's always windy in Victoria? We're right on the Pacific Ocean with nothing but wind and water between us and Japan. Luckily I brought bungy cords. I had my canvas attached to the easel with a bungy, and the easel attached to a box holding supplies and a heavy jug of water. I was painting in acrylics, and with each gust of wind, my paint dried at high speed. It made covering a large canvas a bit of challenge, but I got around it with acrylic medium and mixing the colour inside a yogurt container.





I'm posing for my girlfriend Kerry, who came down expressly to capture these photos for my blog. Thanks Kerry!




Chatting to some interested art enthusiasts, who just happen to be locals. We have a vibrant arts scene in Victoria and many dedicated show goers. I'm almost finished the painting, and will most likely post it in a few days. This upcoming long weekend, Sunday July 3rd, from 12 noon - 6pm, we will be out again on the lawn at the Empress Hotel. If you're in the area, we'd love to see you!

Artishow Plein Air Event - Empress Hotel Victoria BC