Courtenay Rose, Victoria Laycock and KidzArt Dayz volunteer Anna Maria Lawrie weave the Giant Knitter

Prince George, BC – When Kidz Art Dayz began at the Two Rivers Art Gallery yesterday morning, the giant spool knitter had a short sample started up to give kids an idea of what loom knitting looked like…

By the afternoon, the sample had become a scarf fit for a giant king!  Seven-year-old Victoria Laycock and 13-year-old Courtenay Rose were doing their part in ensuring the knitting project ran down the gallery lawn and into the Civic Centre Plaza where hundreds were enjoying day one of the two day free art event.

BMO Kidz Art Dayz Coordinator, Katherine Benny, says this is the 22nd annual event hosted by the art gallery, and 6th year that BMO has been the major sponsor.  With the weather taking a turn for the wonderful, Benny says, "I got the weather I wanted – it’s gorgeous.  I’m so happy with how everything has turned out and it’s all running perfectly."

Despite last year’s downpour over the course of the two days, Benny says, three-thousand still made their way down to the event.  In 2010, "We had 5,000 people, so we’ll see how many we get this year because it tends to get bigger every year."

She says, "One of the big draws this year has been the giant paint spinner, which is exactly what it sounds like – you get a giant piece of meter-by-meter board and then you squirt paint onto it. It’s so much fun."

Once again, 250News caught Victoria Laycock in action, taking a turn at the spinner, while her younger brother, Jacen, waited patiently for his chance to create.

Day two of the event runs from 10am until 2pm today, with activities both inside the art gallery and outside. 

Benny says the goal is to encourage creative communities.  "It’s really great because we also have different community organizations involved (the Prince George Native Friendship Centre, the Fort St James National Historic site)," she says.  "So it’s just a really great way to come together in the Civic Plaza on two beautiful days and really have fun."

At right, four-year-old Madison Thomson (right) and her five-year-old cousin, Audrey Warren (left), unleash their creativity in the sunshine at the painting easels.

Another feature unique to this year’s event, are the photo boards placed around the venue, based on the works of famous artists, with face cut-outs, inviting Kidz Art goers to ‘insert their funny faces’ here.