Feature artist Geoff Searle kicks off the month, on display Oct. 8 to 18 at The Avenue Gallery in Oak Bay.
Searle has been a potter and artist since 1972 and works mainly in clay. Sculpture, raku, pit firing are produced at his studio in the rural Fraser Valley.
Born and raised in Kimberley, Searle attended the Kootenay School of Art in Nelson and lived in a number of communities throughout the province before settling on the West Coast.
It has been said that his work is almost as intriguing as the man himself. Not known to be a conformist, his creativity and natural curiosity has led to some exciting work that puts him at the forefront of clay innovation. His work has found its way throughout the world from galleries in Vancouver and Victoria and is in the hands of numerous private collectors.
Passages, a solo exhibition by Brent Lynch runs Oct. 21 to Nov. 1 at The Avenue Gallery.
Painting from the boat this summer, Lynch felt constantly reminded that life is a passage.
“With no street signs, lights or roads on the open ocean, the task of navigating is a matter of experience and judgment. The sea and surrounding land heads speak. They dictate space, depths, distance and so much more. The read and the approach is important. I love the sea. In these paintings I revisit this ancient metaphor.”
Avenue patrons can also explore the works of landscape and floral artist William Liao. Growing up in Beijing, he was surrounded by classical Chinese culture as well as new European art. These are the influences which continue to define and inspire his work today.
With seven years of professional training, Liao graduated from Beijing Normal University, with a bachelor of arts degree and a major in fine arts. Liao’s paintings combine traditional mediums with modern techniques, providing his audience with another dimension of experience. In 2017, William won the Art Battle Vancouver, received the silver medal at the Signature Medal Show at Federation Gallery, as well as first place in the Acrylics in Action show.
READ ALSO: At the Galleries: Emily Carr and her influence highlight year-long showcase
West End Gallery celebrates Joie de Vivre – Sacha Barrette’s premiere exhibition in Victoria from Oct. 2 to 14.
Barrette completed his bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Université du Québec à Montréal in 1982 and went on to work successfully at several advertising agencies. Having also worked teaching private art lessons Barrette’s love of painting intensified and he made the leap of faith to devote himself entirely to painting.
Inspired by his travels across North and South America and Europe, Barrette’s colour palette is a rich combination of deep ochre, burnt orange, rich burgundy, and vibrant blue. Enticing viewers down familiar alleyways and tranquil landscapes Sacha’s paintings offer a vibrant invitation for your eyes to travel throughout the canvas.
“Thirty years ago, I left everything for painting: my house, work, and spouse. I let art guide my nomadic steps with only a bag pack as luggage, some rolled canvas and my colours. Since I didn’t like the boulevards and the high streets, I always passed through the alleys, bringing me from one to the other until I reached my destination. It was during one of these walks, at a time when I didn’t know what to paint, that I found in an alley everything I was looking for. There is a wide range of colours in an alley, both nature and architecture can be appreciated, with a beautiful and inspiring escape point. There is also this frozen time away from urban modernity, this rural atmosphere printed on the walls of fences, garages, and interior courtyards. These little corners of the city where the human has tinkered behind the brick facades, a glimpse of life unique to each one. From then on, I have never stopped painting these alleys, each time as if it were the first. They became the engine of my inspiration”.
For this new series, Barrette painted the alleys with a new approach. They are no longer painted from real and existing places, but purely inspired from his imagination. For the landscapes, they are the landscapes just around his home, where he walks the paths at least every other day. And the ponds come directly from memories of his last trip to France.
From Oct. 16 to 28, West End hosts an exhibition by Robert Savignac – Le Bonheur au Quotidien
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Savignac was born in Montreal, Quebec, in 1946 and grew up to study at Vieux-Montreal CEGEP and Université du Quebec. Known for lovingly painting the chaotic splendour and lush abundance of urban gardens, Robert’s latest collection abounds with colour. Playing with real landscapes and his imagination, he creates beautiful and inviting oases on canvas. Flowers spill from balconies, vines creep up the side of stonewalls, all while dappled sunlight casts its light and shadow. Masterfully playing with perspective, composition, and a jewel-like palette, he revels in creating contemporary portraits of floral spaces. An artist, who delights in sharing his love of painting, takes the viewer with him on a journey to the tranquil respite of the garden. Robert’s works are featured in numerous private collections in Canada and Europe and is one of Canada’s most sought-after artists. “I would tell you that the goal sought through the paintings remains unchanged for all these years namely the creation of imaginary places that bring to the viewer a feeling of well-being and joy. A place where we want to live. It is first of all a question of emotions and not a structure around a theme.”
Visit westendgalleryltd.com for more.
Madrona Gallery presents a solo exhibition of 19 new paintings by Rick Bond.
With a career that spans four decades, Bond has become internationally recognized for expressive landscapes that combine bold colour and loose brushwork to embody the atmosphere of the coast.
Born in Victoria and raised in the Gulf Islands, Bond now resides near Vernon where he continues to refine his style and develop new collections of work for exhibitions around the country. Bond studied at Okanagan University College, Pearson College, the Federation of Canadian Artists, and the Emily Carr College of Art and Design Outreach Program. This will be Bond’s seventh solo exhibition with Madrona Gallery.
For further details on the exhibition, please contact the gallery or visit madronagallery.com.
To raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health, the Bateman Foundation is partnering with other organizations in our community to celebrate the intersections between the Arts and health.
Relief: A Transformative Journey Through the Rockies is a new photography exhibit navigates mental health and iconic Canadian landscapes. The new in-house exhibit that explores the magic of nature through a spectacular collection of images. Each photograph captures a special moment spent among the untamable majesty of the Rocky Mountains, accompanied by journal entries that offer a window into the artist’s physical and mental journey. Viewers are invited to slow down, take a breath and enjoy an immersive experience.
Relief will be on display at the Bateman Gallery in Victoria’s Inner Harbour now through Jan. 29, 2022. Photographs from the exhibit will be available for purchase, with the proceeds supporting the artist and the ongoing work of the Bateman Foundation to build relationships with nature.
READ ALSO: Island Coast Salish artist’s colourful design selected for newest BC Ferries vessel
Samantha Dickie presents A Moment in Time through Oct. 31 at the Victoria Arts Council Gallery
Visit artopenings.ca/samantha-dickie.html for more.
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is all about Emily Carr: Seeing and Being Seen for the next year.
The showcase is divided into two sections, one half of the gallery looks at how Carr documented what was around her, highlighting many of the works she is praised and admired for today. The second half focuses on how artists and historians of various backgrounds and world views react to and interpret Carr’s legacy and body of work.
Seeing displays 13 of Carr’s works from the collection of the AGGV, including Odds and Ends, Big Eagle at Skidegate and Above the Gravel Pit. Being Seen examines works by other artists impacted by Carr’s legacy.
The exhibition runs in the AGGV’s Graham Gallery through July 2022. For more information visit aggv.ca.
