Escape to Nature
“Art on the Lake” Workshops
Nestled amongst a dense forest on the shores of Alta Lake lies the rustic Alta Lake Station House. This unique venue hosts the annual Art on the Lake program, a series of creative workshops that nurture artistic self-expression through visual art courses offered from July through September. The old charm of the building and character of its natural surroundings is a huge draw for returning participants and provides first-timers a unique retreat-like experience in Whistler.
Shelagh Thiessen, a longtime workshop volunteer and this year’s Art on the Lake program organizer, says that the surrounding natural environment is as much an influence on these workshops as the atmosphere created by those who attend. “Each time I find myself at the Alta Lake Station House, the lack of distractions eases my transition into a creative and expressive mindset,” says Thiessen. “It inspires confidence, like, my hands can manifest anything that my mind creates.”
This year’s program catalogue features workshops in expressive and multi-media arts, as well as in watercolour, acrylic and oils. A fourday course with Gaye Adams will focus on outdoor painting, while instructor Justin Ogilvie will push the figurative talents of attendees in his two-day figure drawing and portraiture workshop. In September, instructor Shary Bartlett will instruct a three-part workshop series in image transfer, using watercolour, pastel, and acrylic media to transform photographs into hand-painted fine art.
With class sizes limited, the intimate setting allows participants to be social and experience personal growth at their own pace with oneon-one instruction from high-level instructors. “We have many returnee participants who have grown immensely over the years in their artistic abilities,” continues Thiessen. “It’s fantastic to see these seasoned attendees work alongside first-timers. It creates a mutually supportive environment where everyone’s perspective is welcome.”
Long-time attendee and volunteer Susie Cipolla credits these workshops as the foundation of her professional painting career. “These courses inspired me to take up painting as a serious hobby and later as a full-time career,” says Cipolla. “They highlighted the obvious: you’re never too old to learn something new.”
For the full lineup of creative workshops and to register online, visit www.artswhistler.com/classes.