Castlegar painter and art teacher, Mirja Vahala, whose landscape paintings adorn homes throughout the Columbia Basin and beyond, is coming to Kimberley to teach plein air (outdoor) landscape painting in a 3-day workshop to kick off the 2018 Kimberley Kaleidoscope arts & culture festival. Vahala has degrees in graphic design and visual arts from Kwantlen University. She teaches drawing and painting classes for Selkirk College Continuing Education Department in her 12-easel painting studio custom-built for her by husband Marc in 2007 at their beautiful Windborne B & B in Robson, just outside Castlegar.
The 3-day plein air painting workshop at the Kimberley Kaleidoscope festival will run from Saturday, August 18, to Monday, August 20. It will offer 6 hours of painting instruction each day at sites in and around Kimberley. Participants must have some basic painting skills in acrylics or oils. The registration fee is $225 for the three days, or $75 per day.
Mirja will also lead the Da-vin-ci paint night on Monday evening, August 20, in Centre 64 when participants will receive a glass of wine and light snacks and learn to paint a picture following Mirja’s step-by-step instructions. The $45 registration fee for this fun and creative evening includes a canvas and painting supplies as well as that first glass of wine. A no host bar will be open. Registrants must be 19 or older.
One or two paintings by Mirja Vahla will also be featured in the Arts on the Edge regional adjudicated exhibition in the Gallery at Centre 64 which runs throughout the month of August. She is a previous Arts on the Edge prize winner.
To register for the plein air landscape painting workshop, the Da-vin-ci paint Night, or to enter the Arts on the Edge exhibition, contact the Kimberley Arts Council administration at Centre 64, 250-427-4919 or info@kimberleyarts.com.
Mike Redfern