Music in the Park
2023 Event Highlights

We welcome Jennifer to the Secret Art Garden.

She will be featuring her crystals and fibers with the attendees of the June 10 Music in the Park - Art in the Park Special Artists Edition for June.  Classical music will be played on the main stage and in the secret art garden within the wooded are of Westshore Estates Community Park.

A current member of the Arts Council of North Okanagan.

Peter Bittroff is a retired millwright welder that lives in Coldstream, BC. Using his knowledge of metals and collecting a variety of recycled material, he started his metal artist hobby in October 2017.

Using his imagination, he has created his own style of work, as each piece is original and not to be duplicated. His creativity is endless from the way he creates flowers, hummingbirds, dragons, abstract along with yard and garden pieces. He also likes to use old wood with metal for a variety of wall hangings and furniture pieces.

Born in Montreal, Quebec, Sue moved to beautiful BC in 1992.

Moving here, she felt like she had come home. After starting to hike all over North Vancouver, Squamish and Whistler, she fell in love with the majestic views. The strength of the mountains and the gift it gave her the aspiration to climb higher in all aspects of her life. Nature inspired her to be more creative.  Over the years she developed her style with help through a friend in North Vancouver. She then traveled throughout Europe, Asia, South America, and other countries and noticed she loved taking photographs to treasure her memories. Sue retired and moved to Kelowna and self-taught with a few online courses and meeting a few photographers, she invested in a state-of-the-art camera and learned many new techniques. She continues to enjoy the beauty around her and tries to capture anything that catches her eye. 

Born to parents with 50 acres of orchard in Lake Country, Jerry moved to Alberta for post-secondary education in forest science.  Following a creative streak, Jerry drew, and painted when time allowed.  While working in forest, climate, and biodiversity research, Jerry had plenty of time in bush camps to work on wood carving, and later, soapstone carving.  Jerry went on to start a guiding and outdoor training company which he operated for 35 years until retirement in 2020 when he moved back to the Okanagan.

Born in a logging camp north of Prince George, Sandy’s family moved, when she was seven years old, to a farm in central Alberta where she found her love of all things creative.  After completing a degree in science, she worked for the Alberta Government until she broke away from the “establishment” and used her natural talent to pursue a career as an entrepreneur, artist and instructor.  She opened her studio “Briarpatch Folk Art Ltd”, landed contracts with large brush and paint companies and spent the next 30 years, publishing, painting, and instructing around the world.  Sandy and Jerry (her husband) retired in 2020 and moved back to B.C.

When he was young, John thought you were born an artist, but as he aged, he realized that becoming an artist relied more on learning and a lot of thought. As a Vernon Artist and Art Instructor, John feels that a piece of art is “built” in several organized and thought-out steps that develop along an organized path. This allows the creative brain to progress towards the finished painting in a linear pattern that resembles writing a story. In fact, as an artist, he tries to have make sure his paintings tell a story, which he hopes resonates with his viewers, taking them back to a memory they fondly remember.  John has been drawing and painting for over 50 years and his career has included selling paintings at 15, sculpting in clay and metal, airbrushing commercially, painting in acrylics, oils, and pastels, and working as a 3d creative designer for various companies in Vancouver. Retired now, he has more time to do his Paintings, and to provide instruction to emerging artists.

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Crystal moved with her family to Winnipeg as a child and almost 10 years ago, moved her young family to BC with everything they could fit in their car.

Having spent more than a decade supporting people with diverse abilities to obtain support required for day-to-day living, she found that being creative was a way to create balance in her life. She deeply values the ability to being able to create in her own space but still spreading joy in her community! 

She recently completed a woman in trades course and found an interest in metal art. Flowers, she discovered, make a great gift to add to any celebration sign setup.

Mandi was born and raised in the Okanagan and has been inspired her whole life living with all the natural beauty the Okanagan offers.

When she paints, she realizes a sense of true freedom and a place where dreams can come true. Her paintings take her on a spiritual journey bringing her closer to inner peace and portrays itself as a visual documentary of the joy she feels while creating her art. She hopes to share this fantasy world with her viewers. She wishes that you have an opportunity to escape to a realm where imagination lives, and the dreams of infinite possibilities are real.

A painting is the beginning of the story.

Mirka immigrated to Canada from Czechoslovakia in 2007. She discovered the love of ‘diamond art’ painting just three short years ago. She loves to paint portraits, and animals and flowers.

In addition to paintings, Mirka has honed her diamond art skills to add her creativity to glass cases, pencil cases and keychains for that personal touch. She finds the only requirement other than a passion for art is to always proceed with ‘patience’ as the work can be time consuming and finicky at times.  

We welcome Tommy to the Secret Art Garden.

He will be featuring his metal art works with the attendees of the June 10 Music in the Park - Art in the Park Special Artists Edition for June.  Classical music will be played on the main stage and in the secret art garden within the wooded are of Westshore Estates Community Park.

From a margin doodler to a young teen age pencil sketch artist, Kristen took up charcoal and pastels before being gifted with traveler’s a easel and paint set from her wonderful and creative momma. Walking in the forest and along a waterfront with painting gear offers Kristen the serenity to get lost in her own head. Once a bartender, Kristen then gifted herself using her tips and bought some good quality acrylic paints and some ‘good’ brushes and then she was hooked. It was satisfying for her as it meant she could bring all the self-taught elements of painting to fruition on a real canvas.  She has been painting now for over 20 years. Admittedly, Kristin considers painting as a form of journaling. When times are bad or unfair, she paints. When times are jubilant, she paints. She does not often share her work as she considers it personal.

Born in Vancouver, Lynn was raised in the growing suburb of Richmond.

She was always in her element creating, and yet gives her grandmother credit for inspiring the work that she currently does now. Along the way, her art has taught her patience and the irony that ‘nothing is ever finished’.

 Her creative living experience makes her understand that ‘something more creative is always coming around her corner’.

Christina started her artistic journey at a young age. Her usual ‘dabbling’ in various mediums changed after the pandemic. Hunkered down, like so many others, she found her true artistic calling. The pandemic changed her life as she had the time to explore her creative side and started exploring numerous facets of art.

Her favorite armaments are a hair dyer and blow torch to bring life, movement, and emotion to various surface types.

Her art is a highly personalized reflection of her emotions. Her art is often a reflection of day-to-day stresses and anxieties that so many can relate to, and art often lands her in a state of peace.