Art abounds at the Eastside Culture Crawl

Credit: Flickr / Simone Hudson

Join the parade of art enthusiasts touring the studios of East Van artists this weekend at the Eastside Culture Crawl

East Vancouver artists of all media—painters, sculptors, furniture makers, potters, jewelers, glassblowers, photographers, musicians and more—will open their studios to the public Friday, November 20 through Sunday, November 22 for the 13th annual Eastside Culture Crawl. All studios are contained between Main Street, East 1st Avenue, Commercial Drive and the waterfront.

This year, the free event has an all-time high of 315 artists showing in 60 buildings. Luckily, you can experience the Crawl in a few different ways: pick a neighbourhood or a particular studio building (check out the Eastside Culture Crawl map), or search the website by medium or artist name.

Mixed media artist Arleigh Wood

captures the natural world to

ethereal effect.

You can also visit the Strathcona Community Centre (601 Keefer Street) during the Culture Crawl, where volunteers will hand out maps and help with route planning.

As a seasoned crawler, my favourite part of the experience, besides viewing the wonderful, inspirational work, is getting to peep inside those mysterious studios and speaking to the artists about their work. (I also enjoy the snacks many artists set out!) Browsing is welcome, but if you intend to shop, note that most artists only accept cash and cheques.

Artists to crawl

If you have time, try to visit as many artists as possible over the three-day exhibition. But if your time is limited, here are a few not to miss:

Arleigh Wood (326-1000 Parker Street) uses mixed media—including paint, collage, photography, silkscreen, woodcut and etching—to incorporate images of the natural world, particularly trees and birds, to ethereal, romantic effect.

Furniture-maker Arnt Arntzen’s stunning

work features reclaimed wood and metal.

Olie Designs (The Mergatroid Building). Amy Stewart’s cozy wool and alpaca shawls, scarves, hoodies, hats and headbands are knit with chunky, exaggerated stitches that give them big impact. They also make great holiday gifts.

Arnt Arntzen (Panefico Studios) is a Vancouver furniture-making veteran who uses reclaimed wood and metal to create modern chairs, desks, lamps, tables and even bowls that have both a homey and an industrial feel.