Hundreds of artists and their work will line Edmonton’s Whyte Avenue this weekend

· by · in Edmonton Festivals & Events, Edmonton News. ·

Nearly 400 artists are ready to create an outdoor studio by lining Whyte Avenue for the 18th annual Whyte Avenue Art Walk.

The 2013 edition of the festival will be the biggest one yet, said organizer (and owner of The Paint Spot) Kim Fjordbotten, adding customers will be able to browse through paintings, drawings, sculptures and more Friday through Sunday.

“Anybody who needs art for their home or office, this is the place to come,” said Fjordbotten. “You’re not just buying home décor, you’re buying a conversation piece and true focal point, so you get to talk to the artist and find the whole story behind it.”

That artist-customer relationship is taken a step further by The Daffodil Gallery on 124 Street, which has hosted an Off-Whyte holdover show since 2011.

This year customers can vote on three peoples’ choice selections via Twitter (@daffodilgallery, including #offwhyte in tweets), by email (info@daffodilgallery.ca) or through Facebook.

Businesses in the area are also very receptive to the artists, said Fjordbotten, noting Chicken Scratch will host a glass artist over the weekend. Other spots, such as Chianti’s and Block 1912, often show work by local artists.

That kind of interaction and support is what is bringing portrait artist Oksana Zhelisko back for the fifth time.

“It’s the place to meet people and expand your customer lists, and there are so many artists that I meet,” she said. “It’s a great experience.”

Festival facts

  • The festival spans 14 city blocks along Whyte Avenue in Old Strathcona, and runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
  • A complement to this year’s festival is Sand On Whyte, an exhibit on display in the South Scona Parking Lot (south of Whyte Avenue on 105 Street).
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