The artists collective that sprouted from a small gallery on Oak Bay Avenue moves to downtown Victoria this summer. The Gage Gallery is making a shift to a larger space with the hopes of a significant increase in foot traffic – in Bastion Square.
Gage is an artists collective, managed by and featuring the work of 21 local artists. In 2014, its founders sought a venue for exhibiting and selling members’ art.
The collective has a format that sees exhibitions rotate every three weeks, allowing visitors to pop in regularly and always see something new. Something the locals did, whether to look or purchase, said Anna Grant, an artist member.
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“We really appreciate their support all these years,” said Grant, whose show is the final one in the Oak Bay gallery. She hopes those regulars will come visit the new location.
The new space is roughly twice as large, with new furniture and professional lighting throughout.
“Artists will have more wall space to exhibit their work both in the main gallery as well as in the members’ gallery. Bastion Square is a lovely, multi-use plaza which is a destination location for tourists and locals alike,” said member Elizabeth Carefoot, one of two artists partnering for the opening show.
The location is also within walking distance of other commercial galleries such as Alcheringa, West End and Madrona, as well as public spaces such as UVic’s Legacy Art Gallery, Open Space and the Victoria Arts Council Gallery.
The Gage Gallery opens in Bastion Square on June 29 with Vivid Connections, a showcase by Laura Feeleus and Carefoot that runs June 29 to July 18.
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Expect joy, colour and playfulness in the showcase that features fibre and paint pieces, said Grant. Her show, Alone with Trees, closes June 20 at the gallery at 2231 Oak Bay Ave.
An outdoors person, she draws on experiences kayaking the coast and living off the grid. “It’s a celebration of our West Coast environment.”
Gage Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays, noon to 4 pm.
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