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Kamloops paint nights draw all ages to social art

The Kamloops Art Gallery Portable Art Trailer

KAMLOOPS - Art nights are growing in Kamloops as a combination creative experience and social night.

“It’s just fun to do,” co-owner of Barnacle Records Jessie Kobylanski says. “Anybody can go to the bar or pub to drink. This is more engaging.”

Barnacle Records holds their Chromesthesia once or twice a month on Friday nights, collaborating with the Kamloops Art Gallery.

“Chromesthesia has a whole other dimension we can’t offer anywhere else because it’s a record shop,” education and public programs coordinator at the Kamloops Art Gallery Emily Hope says.

The Gallery puts on two different types of events — Chromesthesia and Drink and Draw — for creative types looking for a social experience, or social people looking for an artistic experience.

“With both events what we’re looking to do is create a comfortable social space where art happens,” Hope says. “If they want to come and socialize we’re going to provide the supplies and support for them to also experiment with art.”

Drink and Draw happens twice a month at two different locations, Zack’s Coffees and Teas and Red Collar Brewing. Hope says each event draws a different crowd.

“At Zack’s we tend to get more seniors and young family,” Hope says. “At Red Collar it’s a real mix, we get a university crowd there, both students and professors.”

Kobylanski says they get a younger crowd at Barnacle Records on Fridays.

“It’s a space for those who aren’t of age, who aren’t going to the bar,” she says.

Chormesesthia also sees a different participant, as the Art Gallery sends over art instructors and brothers Ryland and Dion Fortie with the Portable Art Trailer, or ‘Pat’ as they refer to it.

The trailer holds a variety of tools for art, including a mini printing press.

The events seem to be part of a growing trend in Canada. Hope says she first heard of it from friends in Montreal, liked the idea, and worked on organizing similar nights here.

Kobylanski says she went to events hosted by Hope and started working on pop up events with her arts collective. Now they’re both interested in engaging the wider community.

“The arts community here is pretty tight knit,” says Kobylanski. “We’d like to see it grow and that’s why there’s events to invite people together.”

To contact a reporter for this story, email Brendan Kergin at bkergin@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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