The Sundre Art Society's 41st annual art show and sale broke its record for the number of works of art on display as well as the number of artists who attended this year, said the group's president.
“It makes for a really spectacular show when you couldn't fit another work of art in,” said Virginia Wilson.
Over the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, April 23-24, organizers estimated roughly 400 people came to the Sundre West Country Centre to check out 215 works of art displayed by 30 artists, she said.
“We had about the same crowd as last year,” she said, adding organizers don't charge admission for the show and so don't usually have an exact number of visitors.
This year's favourite work of art came down to a tie between Jim Brown, from Olds, for his painting called King of the Hill, and Joyce Brosinsky, from Rocky Mountain House, for her piece called Harmony in Winter, said Wilson.
The favourite artist, which is determined by whoever gets the most votes, was Lila Weiss, a well-known local artist who has been with the society since its beginning, she said.
Organizers were originally concerned people might not be as interested in buying any works this year because of the economic slump, but they were nevertheless pleasantly surprised by the outcome, she said.
“Nobody needs a painting — it's a want.”
Even so, sales added up to more than $5,000, which while down from last year's roughly $9,000 was still a good amount all things considered, she said.
“For a community art sale, that is staggeringly fantastic,” she said, adding the society was able to meet its goal to keep the event “in the black.”
Some small community art societies won't even mention their totals following an art show and sale, she said.
“We were very happy with the crowd and very happy with the show.”
Organizers are already looking to next year and planned to discuss this year's event to see where it might be improved, although no major changes are expected, she said.
“Why mess with success?”
