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There is perhaps no Vancouver Island-based artist that is more cherished than Emily Carr. More than 60 years after her death, her art is still revered, sought-after and cherished by both British Columbians and by the global art scene. Her whimsical paintings and illustrations, directly influenced by the rugged beauty of BC, capture our Province in ways no one has before or since.

Known for its spectacular mural displays, the seaside town of Chemainus recently announced plans to commemorate “Klee Wyck” (as Emily was known in Uclulet) with the world’s first “MuralSculpture”. Combining two mediums – in this case sculpture with a mural – this installation will measure an astounding 45-feet-high and 20-feet-wide.

Karl Schultz, manager, coordinator, and originator of the project, enthuses: “This is the first time something like this has been attempted to our knowledge. There will be many challenges, of which building the structure and body will be the most mind-boggling.”

Charlie Johnston of Winnipeg and First Nations carver Dennis Nyce are partnering up with Schultz to creat this unique tribute, incorporating steel fiber cement and artifacts from the Ucluelet area. The MuralSculpture is expected to make its debut in late 2012.

All Canadians will have the opportunity to be part of this historic project. For as little as a minimum $5 donation, contributors can have his or her name placed onto the back of the sculpture. Families can even create their own family donation tree where each family member will be linked together. To find out how you can be included in this piece of history, visit Emily Carr Monument online.

Summer’s days may be fading fast but that doesn’t mean there’s any shortage of things to see at the water’s edge in Tofino and Ucluelet. From September 15th to the 25th, the Island’s west coast is home to the Carving On The Edge Festival.

Wood carving is an artistic tradition with deep roots on Vancouver Island. For 10 days, both traditional and contemporary wood carvers will be celebrated through a series of fine art wood carving shows, traditional canoe-building demonstrations and workshops, tool-making & design workshops, storytelling events and hands-on wood carving events.

Perhaps of particular interest is the 10-day-long workshop with acclaimed canoe builders Joe Martin and Carl Martin. The building of a traditional sea-faring dugout canoe will be the highlight of this workshop.

Photo: Sam Beebe on Flickr

All events during Carving On The Edge are free and open to the public at various locations throughout Ucluelet and Tofino. You can pick up a “Carving Map” at any number of local retailers. The festival is proudly presented by the Pacific Rim Arts Society and sponsored by a number of fantastic area businesses.

For more information and a full line-up of events, please visit Carving On The Edge Festival online. There you’ll also fine more information about the various artists participating in the festival.

There are some things that no summer of mine would be complete without: flip flops, camping trips, BBQs and the Filberg Festival. It’s become an essential part of the hot months since I was a small child.

This year I was fortunate enough to bring my niece with me, though with her abundant energy and non-existent attention span, our time there was limited. After a cuddly visit to the Hands-On Farm, a pink balloon painted on her cheek and a roam of the grounds, she was ready to go.

My mom and I returned the next day, ready for savoury treats and a little bit of spending. My first stop has always been Lemon Heaven. Fresh-squeezed fruit and a little bit of sunshine (I swear) goes into every cup. I’m partial to the cherry lemonade.

Embracing social media, Lemon Heaven is now on Twitter and on Facebook!

Choosing what to eat can always be the most difficult part of visiting the Filberg Festival. Offering up everything from decadent ice cream and sizzling burgers to pad Thai noodles and perogies, my mom and I settled on Greek goodness. My hope for next year is that a vendor will add authentic Mexican food to the mix!

While the Filberg Festival is no doubt the highlight of each year at Filberg Lodge and Park, it’s impossible to ignore what makes this place so special. Shady trees, bushes and shrubs, brightly-blooming flowers and trickling streams are everywhere you turn.

With full tummies and excited anticipation, we spent the remainder of our afternoon wandering from booth to booth. This is is not your grandmother’s craft fair. The Filberg Festival highlights vibrant painters, knitters, jewelers, sculptors, woodworkers and glass-blowers among others. Textile arts have also seen a resurgence in recent years.

While some people visit the Filberg Festival for art and food, others visit it for the non-stop entertainment and music. With two stages and a children’s performance area, there’s no shortage of mega-watt talent. I managed to catch the end of Comox Valley-native Sue Medley‘s acoustic set before making time to rock out with the Russell Jackson Band.

Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee and raised in Wichita, Kansas, rhythm and blues are in Russell Jackson’s blood. His knee-clapping, foot-stomping, funked-out set had the audience captivated!

Another exhibitor well worth stopping for is West Coast artist Monk. Her mythical, paint-swept landscapes are earning her international acclaim. Each year at the Filberg Festival, a piece of hers is contributed while attendees can add to it, making it a unique group effort.

Last year‘s Filberg Festival painting was created in memory of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the fallen Georgian luger who tragically lost his life at the start of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Earlier this summer, Monk traveled to Kumaritashvili’s hometown to present the painting to his family. You can learn more about the painting known as “Nodar’s Spirit” here.

As we continued to make our way through the exhibits, I no doubt had to stop at Saltspring Soapworks. For years this homegrown company has been creating delicious, natural products for the body, hair, skin and even pets!

Lured by the tempting scents of their body gelato scrubs, I indulged in the Rose Provencal and hand therapy lotion (for those long days at the office). Thanks to the body gelato, if my skin could purr, it certainly would.

Reflecting on my photos and remembering the sights and sounds of this year’s Filberg Festival already incites nostalgia. 365 days seems like a long time, but as they say, good lemonade comes to those who wait…

You can see the rest of my photos on my Flickr set.

Disclosure: cmp.ly/6 (I was not paid to write this post but did receive my weekend passes compliments of the Filberg Festival.)

For 29 years, the annual Filberg Festival has drawn art and music enthusiasts from all corners of Vancouver Island and beyond. I remember attending the festival for as far back as my memory goes, spending many BC Day long weekends slurping hand-squeezed lemonade while wandering the grounds of the Filberg Park in steamy sunshine.

Festival goers will once again be treated to arts, crafts, food, music and more from July 29th through to August 1st as the entire Town of Comox is in full celebratory swing. More than 130 artisans will converge at this picturesque park, toting incredible creations ranging from pottery and metal works to jewelry, textiles and specialty food items.

This year’s guest artist is Coral May Barclay whose exceptional oil paintings will be showcased at the historic Filberg Lodge. Barclay is a Northwest coast artist widely acclaimed for her landscape paintings. In addition, Filberg Festival organizers are pleased to pack their stages with the musical stylings of Barney Bentall, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, Mae Moore, Lunch At Allen’s and Michael Kaeshammer among others.

New to the Filberg Festival for 2011 is “Sip & Bid” – giving attendees the opportunity to sip offerings from the finest of Vancouver Island’s wineries and breweries while bidding on original artwork by MONK and Marion Webber, travel vouchers and airfare for two with Harbour Air/West Coast Air and accommodation at Fairmont Pacific Rim.

If you’re planning on making the Filberg Festival a part of your BC Day Long Weekend – which you should – here’s what you need to know:

Where: Filberg Lodge & Park, 61 Filberg Road, Comox, BC

When: Friday, July 29th – Monday, August 1st (11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; closing at 6:00 p.m. on August 1st)

How: Very limited street parking is available. Your best bet is to grab a seat on the Park & Ride from Brooklyn Elementary School (1475 Noel Avenue). Ample bicycle parking and lock-up is available on site.

Admission: Advance one-day tickets are available at Thrifty Foods locations for $13. Tickets at the gate are $15 each or $30 for a full weekend pass. Kids 12 and under are FREE!

Filberg Festival organizers would like to kindly remind attendees that pets are not permitted on the Park’s grounds. Count on heat and sunshine so slather on sunscreen, fill up your reusable water bottle and have fun! For more information, visit the Filberg Festival online.

One of my most favourite discoveries in the Parksville-Qualicum Oceanside region is Milner Gardens & Woodland. I visited for the first time two years ago and quickly fell in love with its lush floral beds, marvelous old growth trees and charming tea house.

Photo: Milner Gardens & Woodland

It should come as no surprise that the summer months are some of the most beautiful at Milner. To celebrate this vibrant season in the Gardens, a number of enticing events are planned between now and the time the leaves start to change colour.

Art and Photography in the Garden
July 16-17
Meet, mingle and be inspired as more than 21 artists transform this seaside paradise into a giant makeshift art studio. Painters, sculptors, sketchers and photographers will be displaying their creations while allowing visitors the chance to chat and ask questions. Each artist has donated a piece of art to be auctioned off to benefit the Gardens.

Music in the Garden – Adult Jazz Intensive Ensemble
August 7
Phil Dwyer’s Adult Jazz Intensive Ensemble swings into Milner Gardens with some of BC’s top amateur musicians. Bring your jazz hands.

Music in the Garden – Spectacular Music BC
August 14
Joe Chindamo and Friends present “Improvisatory Fireworks as Jazz Giants Reunite” featuring Joe Chindamo on the accordion, Phil Dwyer saxing it up, Jodi Proznick on bass and Craig Scott on drums.

Music in the Garden – Finale
August 28
As summer days dwindle, join Milner Gardens as they welcome The Nanaimo Tidesmen Barbershop Chorus.

If you aren’t able to make any of these events, be sure to dedicate one day this summer to visit this Oceanside gem. Wander the pathways and make your way to the tea house for English tea and home-baked scones with Devonshire cream and sweet jams made from fruit that grows on Milner’s grounds.

Milner Gardens and Woodland is open to the public 7 days a week 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. all summer long and Thursdays to Sundays for the months of September and October. Find Milner Gardens and Woodland online, connect with them on Facebook or say hello on Twitter.

Now in its 22nd year, the Yellow Point Christmas Country Tour returns to the Cedar and Yellow Point area of Nanaimo once again this weekend.

Photo: City of Nanaimo

An increasingly popular event, the Christmas Country Tour allows for a wide variety of local artisans to showcase their wares and creations while invoking a sparkle of Christmas spirit.

Photo: City of Nanaimo

This self-guided tour [map] covers Cedar and Yellow Point, slightly south of downtown Nanaimo, and includes more than two dozen celebrated Vancouver Island artisans. This special weekend each year welcomes the public into studios, onto farms and into shops to peruse everything from handcrafted pottery, paintings, mosaics, First Nations jewelry, quilts, photography and mouth-watering incredible edibles. Scrumptious food and beverages are available at various stops throughout the tour to keep your energy up!

The Yellow Point Christmas Country Tour starts today, Thursday, November 18th and runs through until Sunday, November 21st. All stops on the tour are open from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and admission is free. Beat the Christmas rush and plan to spend some time exploring the quaint Cedar and Yellow Point area this weekend. For more information, please visit the Cedar Yellow Point Artisan Association online.