GATES & DOORS OPENED TO CREATIVE SPACES
Tiny houses created high interest in the Cortes Museum’s 2018 tour of Creative Spaces – Gardens, Studios & Tiny Houses. Read more about tiny houses below.
Artist Maureen Bader had her gallery open and Loni Rene Taylor enticed us with her Greek love in many forms at the Old School House Gallery. Gary Fast’s Sculpin Pottery explored his porcelain and slab-built projects. Elisabeth Jaeger opened Hunt + Gather with ethical fashions and Voices on the Wind artworks by Brig Weiler.
The amazing gardens with koi ponds of Ray & Nancy Kendel and Cathy & Ian Winter were highlights on the tour. Martha Abelson’s colourful Sea Field Gardens had fantastic views of Desolation Sound and coastal mountains beyond. Fairhaven Gardens with many labelled roses blooming and plants for sale drew you in with a feast of scents. Hollyhock’s Cardiocrinum giganteum (giant Himalayan lily) rising to the sky amazed visitors. It was interesting to see how the Heritage Garden at the Museum has grown in partially shaded by heritage apple trees. The communal Seniors Village Garden has blossomed and spread to enhance privacy for and between all six cottages with fruits and veggies added amongst shrubs, trees and covering pergolas.
Tiny houses were a welcome addition on the tour this year. Dana and Joel Solomon’s established tiny house, built years ago with no nails, has been lovingly restored. Charlene Lo’s tiny house constructed DIY style is being built with an eye to sustainability and the ability to convert to living off-grid.
Endless innovations were exhibited to protect gardens from deer and invasive species, reflecting the creativity, resourcefulness and ingenuity of Cortes Islanders. The studio, garden and tiny house hosts had fun welcoming and engaging the tour visitors in their creative spaces. The day being quite hot, some hosts offered cooling refreshments and home-baked goodies to linger over.
The Cortes Museum very much appreciates the planning and work that all venue hosts put into each of their Creative Spaces. It was good of them to invite visitors to open their doors and gates into these special places in support of the Museum. Funds raised with this annual tour help benefit the Cortes Museum’s Public Education, Community Outreach and Archival Programs, as well as the continued development of the Museum’s own Heritage Garden featuring plants, shrubs and trees representing early Cortes homesteads. Sincere thanks go out to all those who participated, including the 96 who purchased tickets for the tour. More pictures from the tour on our Facebook page.
