In Pictures: The Revelstoke Spirit Festival — Day One
By David F. Rooney
The long awaited Revelstoke Spirit Festival got under way on Friday with two great events — the Swiss Guides: Shaping Mountain Culture in Western Canada at the Railway Museum and the Anything Goes Art Show and Silent Auction at the Visual Arts Centre.
If you’re interested in local history, the CPR’s historic role in western development or mountains and mountain climbing then you should go see the Swiss Guides exhibition, which is here until February 26. The show chronicles the history of Swiss guides in BC and Alberta from the 1890s until the present. (Click here to learn more about the show.)
Alas, there is nothing left to see of the Anything Goes Art Show. Just about every single one of the 40 10×10 canvasses created by local artists was snapped up by art patrons. The hugely successful show was held as a benefit fundraiser for the Visual Arts Centre. About 150 people attended the event.
But even if you missed these two events you can still enjoy vicariously through these photos:
The new exhibition, Swiss Guides: Shaping Mountain Culture in Western Canada, was opened at the Revelstoke Railway Museum on Friday evening. This was one of the two events that kicked off the Revelstoke Spirit Festival, which runs from February 4 until February 13 at venues throughout the city. Here, Swiss Consul General Hans-Peter Willi presents Museum Executive Director Jennifer Dunkerson with a small gift as Western Canadian Trade Commissioner Florian Gabriel looks on. David F. Rooney photoMLA Norm Macdonald (left) joins Rene Hueppi and Swiss Consul General Hans-Peter Willi at one of the exhibits of artefacts in the show. David F. Rooney photoTobias Hueppi (left) serves Rubyanne Meda and other guests at the opening reception of the Swiss Guides exhibit at the Railway Museum. Tobias, his mother Connie and father, Rene and Leon and Susan Dosot prepared a terrific spread of traditional Swiss dishes for the event. David F. Rooney photoIt was standing room only at the second event of the Spirit Festival's first day — the Anything Goes Art Show. Local artists painted 40 10x10 canvasses for the show. A silent auction resulted in just about all of them being sold with half of the sale price going to The Centre and half to the artist. This great fundraiser saw more than 150 people attend the show. David F. Rooney photoRosana Marmont, a new artist planning an exhibition here, poses with one of her works in the lobby of The Centre. Alas! This work was not for sale... doubtless more than few of the patrons at Friday's show would happily have purchased it had it been up for grabs. Marmont's exhibition will be held later this year. Daviod F. Rooney photoArt exhibitions are always great opportunities to chat with friends. Here Josee Wodman (left) talks with friends Sharon Kelley and Jim Cook over a nice glass of wine. David F. Rooney photoArtist Krista Stovel (center) talks with friends during the show. David F. Rooney photoCrescendo's Daniel Weber talks about his shop's specialty oils and vinegars with potential customer during a tasting at the show. David F. Rooney photoSusan Knight (right) gazes at some of the works awaiting bids during the silent auction. David F. Rooney photoBill Sanders talks with Joanne Stacey at the opening. David F. Rooney photoArield Christman (left) chats with Eva Hemming and her mother Janet Pearson at the opening. Ariel and Eva each and paintings entered in the show. David F. Rooney photo
