The 27th annual TD Art Gallery Paint-In on Saturday was another success, and co-ordinator Mary-ellen Threadkell said that she has the “collective conscious” of the artists and art lovers to thank.
“Everybody was hoping for a great day, and that’s what we got,” Threadkell said. “We didn’t even see a drop of rain on Moss Street.”
The Paint-In drew in a crowd of 35,000, comparable to last year’s event, as well as more than 200 volunteers and just under 200 artists. Threadkell described the mood as “electric, in a peaceful kind of way.”
The Paint-In organizers also launched a private Facebook group this year for artists to share tips and advice with each other, and Threadkell said that the feedback she’s received, both online and in person, has been phenomenal.
“There have been plenty of thank-yous directed at the Moss Street residents especially,” she said. “There were people coming out of their houses while we were still setting up, bringing tea for the artists, and then wine once we were finishing up. (Fairfield) is really the perfect place for the event, we just wouldn’t get that kind of welcome in the downtown core.”
Threadkell noted a few small challenges over the weekend, such as some people with an “entrepreneurial spirit” setting up stalls uninvited. She said that thanks to a city bylaw officer being assigned to the Paint-In, and VicPD officers keeping in touch with staff, the challenges remained small.
The Paint-In ran from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with attendance peaking around 2 p.m.