By Bethany Harpur
Local artists are joining forces to celebrate the National Capital Fine Art Festival’s fifth year as a fund-raiser for the Kidney Foundation of Canada.
“I think it’s fantastic,” says Marilyn Henricksen, executive assistant with the foundation and a member of the festival’s committee. “(The artists) are a great group of people, and they seem very happy to be involved.”
Twenty per cent from each work of art sold will go towards the foundation’s biomedical research and patient services program. Henricksen says the festival raises between $15,000 to $17,000 annually.
The festival was first started in Westboro 10 years ago by chairman and local artist Peter Germotte as both an incentive to bring tourists into the area and a chance for artists to display their talents.
“Most artists end up going to galleries, who charge quite a bit in markup,” says Germotte. “It’s difficult to make a living when you’re giving most of your money away.”
The artists themselves see the exhibit as a great chance at being seen.
“Some years it’s really good, some years it’s slow,” says Charlie Spratt, a local watercolour painter whose landscapes of Algonquin Park will be featured at this year’s show.
“It’s still an excellent opportunity to show my work. And it’s always great to raise money for the foundation.”
The festival moved to the Congress Centre and then on to the Aberdeen Pavilion after the Westboro Arena was sold to the Ottawa Boys and Girls Club. Both organizers of the event and artists are pleased with the “light, airy building, with lots of parking,” says Henrickson.
“Moving in (to the Congress Centre) was always difficult,” she adds. “People were paying around $12 (for parking) on top of the cost for admission. The pavilion has much easier access and free parking.”
Visitors to this year’s show will be able to peruse the work of over 80 artists from as far away as North Bay, Ont. and Rimouski, Que. The show will run from April 23-25.