For more than a decade, the Copper and Fire arts event has attracted artists who create everything from chainmail to wire art to jewelry with valuable minerals.
And Britannia Mine Museum executive director Kirstin Clausen wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way.
The annual event returned to the museum grounds on Sunday (July 19), and Clausen reflected on the popular gathering of unique artists.
鈥淭he original design of the event was asking how do we merge mining and the arts together,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 very obvious when you think about the link with metal and jewelry.鈥�
Clausen said prior to the museum鈥檚 upgrades in 2010, the event was much bigger, but it has evolved into a nice added bonus to the facility鈥檚 calendar.
鈥淚t gives people a little extra value when they come to the museum,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey can talk to the artists and see all the details in their art up close.鈥�
One of the artists at this year鈥檚 event was West Vancouver resident Joanne Waters. She has delved deep into the world of metal wire art since 2011 and said she slowly developed her passion.
鈥淚 had worked with kelp before wire and began making jewelry and baskets out of wire,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hen I decided to make a dolphin because the name of the building I lived in was called the dolphin. Then I made a crow and pretty soon I started doing all sorts of stuff.鈥�
It鈥檚 the second time that Waters has displayed her creations at Copper and Fire, and she said one of the best things about the art form is its versatility.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to be so accurate,鈥� she said, as she bent and re-shaped a cylinder. 鈥淵ou can always change the shape after, and all you need are pliers and a plier cutter.鈥�
She said her son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren live in Squamish, so the Copper and Fire event allows her to visit them as well.
Waters is also excited about being featured for the second time at the 麻豆社国产Public Library鈥檚 Foyer Gallery in November. The title of the collection is Outdoor Squamish, and Waters will showcase her creations of windsurfing, mountain biking, kayaking and the other outdoor sports for which 麻豆社国产is known.
Clausen said she鈥檚 an artist at heart and is a big fan of the Copper and Fire event.
鈥淚鈥檓 passionate about this day because we do science and environmental discussion about metals, but we don鈥檛 often stop to think about how our quality of life is impacted by the raw materials that we make into beautiful and valuable things,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a way for us to have one day a year to talk about art.鈥�
This summer at the museum, there鈥檚 a new Science of Metals show, which occurs every weekday at noon and 2 p.m. Clausen hinted that the new attraction has been popular and may become part of the permanent set up.
She added that the museum will also have a Halloween event this fall and a new Christmas-themed event in December.
For more information on the museum, visit www.bcmm.ca.
