The Main Street area is one of those rare areas where art and business appear to be seamlessly connected in the independent shops, cafés and restaurants.
Formed 10 years ago this fall, an artist collective called The Drift began representing the abundance of artists in the area as well as promoting their work in local businesses, nurturing Main Streets unique culture.
On Sunday, Sept. 29, the annual Drift Art Walk will again display the work of Main Street creatives in studios, shops, restaurants, studios and cafés along the street between 2nd and 33rd Avenues. Some of the artists will also even open their homes to the public to show off their work.
We came together to represent artists and get them out of their studios, out of their homes into the community and to involve that community with the artist by showing the art, says Len Budiwski, a sculptor and photographer whos been a Drift member since its inception in 2003. Its a nice symbiosis of art in the real world. With the art being seen in different professions and businesses, it ties the two [areas] together on many levels.
We saw a need for alternate viewing of Main Street work, explains VaroujGumuchian, executive director of The Drift board and an installation artist. Main Street has a lot of unique qualities in its diversity of art and unique crafts with small business. We wanted to link business to the art, it was something different we thought it was good match.
When The Drift first started, they had about 20 artists as members. Now, the number has doubled to 40, saying much about the growing scene and local business support for it.
The businesses, the MPBIA (Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Area) have been really supportive, says Gumuchian. Its helped them get people in their doors with the art and the artists have sold some work, too.
The off-the-cuff, open format of the Art Walk experience creates an accessibility to a world that can be a bit intimidating to some. Galleries sometimes come with underlying expectations of interaction that can be a bit uncomfortable. The Drift makes art accessible to the non-collector, the person who just wants to enjoy it.
Historically, art has been in places like coffee shops, going way back to impressionism were seeing a lot of good art in coffee shops on Main Street, says Budiwski, who has lived near Main for more than 20 years. The Art Walk gets you to slow down and you need to slow down, I think, to really appreciate art.
I think weve kind of help create a creative corridor, in a way.
In addition to bringing the public, businesses and artists together, the event also brings together those within the art community, strengthening the scene and creating connections.
(As an artist) Ive totally connected to people I would have never connected to, Gumuchian says. Like, three houses from me, there are four or five other artists who I didnt know lived there. With the businesses its the same thing. Its gotten me in the door of places I wouldnt have gone.
To find learn more about about The Drift or download an Art Walk map, go to TheDrift.ca.
