The Super Fun Art Show is just one of 37 destinations to check out this weekend, all part of the New West Cultural Crawl, but according to organizer Ted Munz, it’s definitely not one to miss.
“This is going to be super fun,” Munz told the Record. “There’s going to be music, an outdoor patio, drinks, food provided by Queen’s Meat and Deli, (and) there’ll be interactive art for people to try out.”
Munz and FAT Paint Co. co-owner Bradford Lambert were introduced through a mutual friend who was looking for a space to showcase some of Munz’s ceramic and tile mosaics. Lambert, being an artist himself, jumped on board, and a plan was made to take part in the 2017 Cultural Crawl. (FAT Paint Co. participated in the crawl when it was located on Front Street.)
“So we said, ‘Why don’t we pull together some sort of group show?’” Lambert said.
The art show runs both Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will feature work by more than 10 artists, including three FAT Paint Co. staffers – Lambert, Kelsie Kunz and Rob Thomson.
Lambert, who by trade is an animator, kind of stumbled into his new passion – painting – thanks to day-to-day work at the FAT Paint workshop.
“Since we’ve been manufacturing paint, paint has really interested me, and I’ve been able to sort of find new expressions in the ‘serendripitous,’” he said. “Just a random motion of dripping and paint, creates this mess that I’ve been able to push around and find imagery in it – and I guess that’s where it becomes expressionist, abstract.”
In addition to a few pieces by Lambert, folks can expect to see a diverse variety of artwork, Munz said, everything from painting and photography to welded metal work and mosaic pieces.
“A lot of the artists, it’s their first time, so I want to expose them to this (world),” he said.
There will also be entertainment, including live painting, interactive art and face painting for the kids, food, libations provided by Steel & Oak and prizes donated by Lafflines (one of Munz’s other passions is comedy).
FAT Paint Co. is located at 140-131 11th St. (corner of Auckland and 11th streets) in what Lambert hopes becomes New West’s next place to be for all things artsy.
“We call it the Terminal Flats,” Lambert said. “We want to promote the neighbourhood as being the future artisan neighbourhood. I would love to put it on the map.”
