Grand Prix at Qualicum Beach

I’ve just received an email asking if I’d like to race in the Grand Prix d’Art again this year. This is a painting race held in Qualicum Beach, about 160 km upisland from Victoria. I wish I could be there on July 25, because I had a great time last year. This is the painting that I completed at the practice workshop held the day before the race. At the workshop, you pick your location and decide what to include – in this case, the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery, the inukshuk in front of it, and Mt Arrowsmith in the distance. For the actual race, you pick your location out of a hat at 10 am, and have til 11 to find your spot and set up. Qualicum Beach is a beautiful place, so there are no bad locations. But there are some difficult ones. Mine had some lovely little shops grouped around a delightful garden – my only difficulty was deciding which way to look! Everyone stops painting at 2 pm, then you’ve got half an hour to get back to the Gallery, and frame and hang you picture.