There are so many questions to ask when the subject is: Art Maze.
So many ...
Will it be dark?
How big is the maze?
What are the walls made of?
Will it smell like paint?
How long will it take to walk through?
How long will it take to run screaming through it if you realize a few corners in that you really don't like art mazes?
Will it be informative and fun? Will people get lost forever?
Are there prizes for people who don't get lost forever?
Can anyone go in?
Is it part of the Alberta Lieutenant Governor Distinguished Arts Awards in Lac La Biche on June 10 and 11?
When is it? Where is it? ... and most importantly, are French beret's mandatory maze-wear?
With so many questions, an art maze expert was required for answers.
Sandy Makokis is the president of the Lac La Biche Art Club — and the de-facto expert on art mazes. The Art Club will be hosting an Art Maze as one of several fun and art-themed community events in the days around the upcoming Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished and Emerging Artist Awards held in Lac La Biche County. The award ceremonies will take place on June 10 and 11.
The art maze, will be up and running from June 8-11, part of what the club is calling their Four Days in June Art Exhibition and Sale.
Makokis and the local club members created their first maze last year during the Festival of Tree event at the Bold Center, building a walk-through gallery, where visitors snaked through pathways lined with local artwork.
So that's all the background — what about the questions?
Well right off the bat, Makokis easily handled the first one, saying without hesitation that the maze will not be in the dark.
"How can you find the clues?" she asked — leading to yet another question.
What clues?
"There will also be a clue game or search game where guests will be given two slips of paper, one to look for clues throughout the exhibition and one to choose your favourite artworks," she explained, flowing easily into the next question about prizes. "They will deposit their guesses at the exit and their names will go into a draw for a door-prize."
Ok Sandy — but will it smell like paint, will people get lost and will there be screaming?
"The walls are made of gorgeous art and you will definitely 'get lost' in the landscapes. Depending on how lost you are in the paintings, you may take 10 minutes or 10 hours," she explained, going on to say she didn't recall any screaming at the event during the Winter Festival of Trees. "Run through screaming? Hmm. Didn't happen last time, but there was some laughter."
Art work displayed in the maze will be from all levels of local artistry. As a parallel to the distinguished and emerging categories of the LIeutenant Governor's big art event, the local art club is also drawing on up-and-comers as well as veteran local artists.
"The plan is to make it fun and informative, I've invited all the regional schools to participate. One of the Lieutenant Governor's awards is called Emerging Artist Award... and I believe Emerging Artists start really young, so this art show is for artists of all ages," Makokis said, adding that there will be a "People's Choice" cash prize award for the favourite artist selected by visitors.
The Art Club's cash prize will likely not be the thousands of dollars awarded to the winners in the Lieutenant Governor awards, but still, a nice reward and highlight for local artists, she said.
The Lac La Biche Art Club's Art Maze and Four Days in June Art Exhibition and Sale will take over the upstairs curling rink viewing area in the Bold Center from June 8 to 11 from 10 am to mid-afternoon each day.
The maze will be free of charge — and French berets are optional.
Anyone interested in submitting artwork to the club can contact them through social media or by email at [email protected]
The art maze is just one of several community events taking place to celebrate the Lieutenant Governor's Distinguished and Emerging Artists Awards.
Other events taking place in the community around the June 10 and 11 presentations will include a session on barn quilt making, a puppet workshop, a hands-on print-making workshop, an open air art display in McArthur Park, a local homemade jam music concert and guest speakers. Events will be held at Portage College, the Bold Center and locations across the community.
What else?
Check out our list of online links for activities and events happening in the community to celebrate the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Awards on June 10 and 11.
