INNISFAIL – It was a gorgeous Saturday morning on April 26 and there was a distinct sense of tranquility while entering the Innisfail Baptist Church.
There was no church service that day but there were gentle warm tones coming from harpist Janet Lutz.
She was tasked to set a soothing and relaxing mood for the second Artisan Exhibition & Sale.
The art show at the church was organized by Jacalyn Carr, a born and raised Innisfailian, and local artists Terresa Dersch and Kathy Knopp.
They call themselves the Wild Rose Artists, and it was the second consecutive year they have organized an exhibition for local artists.
“We were actually hoping to get 50 attendees and ended up having over 150 come. We were thrilled,” said Carr of the group’s first show last year which attracted 13 artists to display their work. “That kind of instigated us and we said, ‘let’s try again and see how we do this year.
“We've had a good crowd so far, and sales have been steady. So, that's great,” she added.
“All three of us are passionate about art. We’ve been painting for 20 plus years. It’s just to let the public know there's very talented artisans in the community.”
This year’s event had 16 artists showing their work, with about 125 attending, which is slightly down from last year but still pleasing for organizers.
“We had good sales and overall, we’re pleased with it,” said Carr.
The 2025 exhibition featured many paintings, as well as a lady with pysanki eggs, also known as Ukrainian Easter eggs, along with woodwork creations such as cutting boards, cheese boards, and bowls.
There was also pottery, quilts, ironwork and photography, the latter including a selection of seven stunning wildlife creations from Innisfailian Jean Barclay.
Professional artist Michael Downs also gave a two-hour painting demonstration of an Innisfail scene.
Downs also had four pieces of his work on display.
“Last year the reaction was that it was such a relaxing place. We had a pianist, a young man, play last year, so it’s a social event,” said Carr. “People can sit and have coffee, visit with their friends and look at all the art.”
As for future shows, Carr said it remains a strong possibility.
“We're thinking about it, trying to do it annually,” she said. “It's a lot of work for the three of us, but we have some volunteers that help us with it, and that is great.”
