Pre-tour celebration to mark 10 years of Art Across the Marsh

Twenty local artists will be on hand at Live Bait Theatre this Saturday afternoon to offer residents a sneak peek of their upcoming studio tour, while also celebrating how far they've taken the event in the past 10 years.

Art Across the Marsh Studio Tour organizer Robert Lyon, who also happens to be one of the featured artists on the annual tour, said the event started out from humble beginnings a decade ago but has emerged as one of the must-see cultural events of the year.

"Having gone this far, making it to 10 years, is a reward in itself," he said. "I think it's a real testimonial to the cooperative nature of the artistic community here."

From its modest start in 2000, when a mere four artists opened their studios to the public, to this year's event which highlights the works of more than 20 artisans in the Tantramar region, the tour has grown by leaps and bounds, said Lyon, attracting hundreds of visitors into the community each fall.

"Having been there since the beginning, I'm pleased to see how it has affected the community," he said.

"It's nice every year to see the spill-off effects."

Lyon pointed out that the event draws in a lot of people from outside the community at a time of year when it's needed the most, in between the summer tourism crowd and the Christmas rush.

And over the years, the tour has steadily been gaining a reputation as a unique, flavourful event that offers viewers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to see the work of a variety of artists.

"It certainly helps maintain the theme of Sackville as a cultural destination," said Lyon.

Offering a taste of what's to come in next weekend's studio tour, the artists will put their talents on display during this Saturday's pre-tour celebration. From jewelry-making, quilting and rug-hooking, to pottery, painting, photography and more, the artists will all have several pieces on display from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday at Live Bait.

"This is a chance for people to come out and meet the artists, all in one spot, and see what they do," he said.

New artists to the studio tour this year are painter Cristina Sidhu and rug-hooker Peggy Sue Payne. Returning artists include Denyse Milliken, Dennis Reid, Darlene Teahan, Patty Chasse, Robert Lyon, Katherine Hicks-Lyon, Peter Manchester, Joan Blakney, Kaeli Cook, Donna Sharpe, Sue Rose, Colin McCabe, Thaddeus Holownia, Marilyn Cook, Rachel Morouney, Bob Morouney, Ghita Levin, Diana McIsaac and Derrick Currie.

Lyon said the Tantramar region seems to be a natural draw for professional artists, perhaps because of both the landscape and the exceptional quality of life.

"If you look anywhere else in the province, you'd be hard pressed to find such a high density of professional artists in such a small area. It really speaks volumes about what we have here."