The Madrona Gallery runs Colours of Summer XIV from July 1 until Aug. 8.
This annual group exhibition showcases leading contemporary Canadian artists with works influenced by the summer season.
Some standouts include Meghan Hildebrand, who creates abstract landscapes that are “story maps of the imagination,” and Caitlin McDonagh’s intricate illustrations inspired by folklore. Themes in McDonagh’s work include growth, cultivation and renewal.
Award-winning Joe Coffey creates works in oils, graphite and mixed media. His works are often quirky, abstract and dynamic depictions of animals like goats, horses and dogs done with bold colours, reflective of his early years spent on the family farm.
Notable historic works from Madrona Gallery’s collection will also be on display.
Learn more at madronagallery.com.
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| A Lunar Landscape by Bruce Edmundson at The Avenue Gallery. “A Lunar Landscape is inspired by the idea that our moon, notwithstanding being our oldest companion, friend, muse, and god, has graciously absorbed whatever charm, power or blame we wish to imbue it with. And, now, all these millennia later, battle scarred, pitted and abused, still smiles and suggests there is more to offer," said Edmundson. |
The Avenue Gallery brings Angela Morgan, Bruce Edmundson and A & R Jewellery into the spotlight this month.
Angela Morgan’s work celebrates humanity, transforming abstract images into living moments. Her human figures express the poses of life from the jubilation of dance to the contemplation of summer’s end.
Victoria sculptor Bruce Edmundson developed an interest in wood carving in the early 1990s while working in the forest industry. Taking burls from trees, he transforms them to highlight the exotic characteristics that people cherish in wood.
His standout piece, A Lunar Landscape, is inspired by the moon.
“A Lunar Landscape is inspired by the idea that our moon, notwithstanding being our oldest companion, friend, muse, and god, has graciously absorbed whatever charm, power or blame we wish to imbue it with. And, now, all these millennia later, battle scarred, pitted and abused, still smiles and suggests there is more to offer,” Edmundson said.
One-of-a-kind jewellery by Angela and Ryan Rosenberg (A & R Jewellery) will also be on display. Handcrafted exclusively in Argentium Silver and authentic gemstones, their work blends design and functionality.
Find out more at theavenuegallery.com.
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Throughout the summer, West End Gallery continues to feature a curated collection of vibrant Canadian artists.
New arrivals include work from Western Canadian painter Steve Coffey, who uses oil paints to bring a sense of depth, richness and texture to his paintings. This style is reflective of his influences, which include famous landscape artists such as the Group of Seven, Emily Carr and Alex Colville.
“I’m drawn to patterned intricacies of land and atmospheric abstractions of sky. I’m drawn to the mystery of our own existence somewhere in between,” Coffee said.
Other artists featured at West End Gallery include Steven Armstrong, Alain Bédard, Cameron Bird, Naomi Cairns, Sophie Carrier, Rod Charlesworth and many more.
Accompanying glass and sculpture is by Kathleen Black, Elaine Brewer-White, Dulce Alba Lindeza, Robert Held, Tammy Hudgeon, Darren Petersen and David Thai.
Drawing inspiration from the Canadian landscape, much of Black’s glass collection are intricate creations that mimic maple leaves. Black works in a glassworking technique known as Pâte de Verre, which involves making a paste of crushed glass applied to a mould and then fired. This method gives her pieces a unique, multifaceted texture, perfect for reflecting light.
Find out more at westendgalleryltd.com.
As summer unfolds, the streets are once again bustling with tourists, markets and buskers.
This unfolding of everyday life on the urban street was an important source of inspiration for artists in the Renaissance, and remains an interesting one for artists today.
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s exhibition The Street runs June 3 unril Sept. 3, a show comprised of more than 50 works from the Vancouver Art Gallery’s holdings. Painting, photography, print and video ranging in date from the 18th century to the present are all on display.
The exhibition features Canadian and international artists, including Roy Arden, Kati Campbell, Robert Capa, Allyson Clay, Robert Frank, Fred Herzog, and Ian Wallace.
Learn more at aggv.ca.
