INNISFAIL – Barrie Heistad has quietly and privately dabbled in the world of art for about 40 years.
Over those years he created countless pencil, ink, water colour and leather creations but few ever got to view them.
And then his world changed this year when a family member bought him an Innisfail Art Club membership.
“The next thing you know they're having an art show, and I was asked if I had anything I wanted to show,” said Heistad. “I said, ‘yes I got a number of pieces that I wouldn't mind letting people see’, and here we are.”
Heistad was one of 15 new artists featured at this year’s Innisfail Art Club's 7th annual Fine Art & Craft Show + Sale at the Innisfail Library/Learning Centre on Sept. 22 and 23.
The 15 new artists were almost half the total number of 32 club members displaying their work at the show.
That 32 total is also almost half the club’s total membership of 65; three times as many as there were a year ago.
Wilma Watson, the club’s president, said the newfound explosive growth with the club was “activated” this past year by the Karen Scarlett-driven mural projects and the Community Heart BOMB Project.
“They (projects) were really just trying to encourage people to embrace community,” said Watson. “I also think it's really wonderful for Innisfail from an economic perspective; it brings people to town to actually want to see things that the art club is doing.
“And this weekend I know we've got people coming from Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatchewan, so that brings people to our town and that's economic growth for our community.”
With this year’s art show and sale featuring so many new artists, Watson said the club is now able to offer the public a wider array of art disciplines, such as Heistad’s work with leather; the art journaling books from mixed media artist Kelly Macpherson and the “spectacular” drawings from Greg Nelson.
“He's (Nelson) been in our community for many years but has also felt very shy to show his work publicly,” said Watson. “It's really wonderful to see all these people come out for the first time to show their artwork.”
For Heistad, a 72-year-old retired warehouse worker at Johns Manville, there is a new feeling of artistic triumph.
He remembers the days at work when on breaks he used to draw on his gloves; never ever believing that one day he would have the chance of displaying his art at a public exhibition.
“It's awesome. It's just something I never thought I'd ever do,” said Heistad. “And I guess I'll continue doing it and until the day I drop.”
