Five of Greater Victoria’s most beautiful homes and gardens – each one hosting a local artist for the day – will be featured in this year’s Art Gallery of Greater Victoria House Tour.
The event takes place Sept. 7, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and features unique homes with inspiring gardens, art and interior design.
One of the elements that makes the AGGV House Tour unique is its Art in the Garden program, with some of Victoria’s most accomplished artists working at their art at each home.
This year’s artists include Bev Petow, Robert Amos, Richard Hunt, Brian Simons and Debora Tilby. The Victoria Flower Arrangers Guild also create flower arrangements specifically to complement the décor of each house.
“This is one of the most important annual fundraisers benefiting the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria,” says event co-chair Pieta VanDyke.
“The funds raised support the mandate of the gallery, which includes the development of education as well as exhibition programming.”
This year the self-directed tour will lead visitors to three homes in Oak Bay built between 1918 and 1930, an Old Esquimalt residence from the 1950s overlooking the treetops, and a 1950s manor on a sprawling acreage behind Elk Lake.
From the homes, to the gardens (one of which was once featured in Better Homes and Gardens), to the Art in the Garden, floral arrangements, furnishings and art collections, visitors will be whisked away into a day filled with beauty.
Tickets are $35 and available at the AGGV, GardenWorks, Brown’s the Florist and online at aggv.ca/housetour2014. Tickets purchased online must be picked up at the gallery prior to the tour date.
In conjunction with the house tour, and in partnership with the Union Club, a Meet the Artists Tea will be held Aug. 23, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Reading Room at the Union Club, 805 Gordon St.
Guests will have the opportunity to speak with house tour artists, enjoy a tea, and tour the Union Club.
A limited number of tickets are available for $25 at the AGGV, the Union Club and on the AGGV’s website, aggv.ca.
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