This month, Greater Victoria galleries are ushering in the spring season with collections from artists exploring everything from vibrant ocean-scapes to colourful nature scenes.
From April 10 to 24, the Madrona Gallery is welcoming artist Jeremy Herndl’s solo exhibition, Human Nature. The collection features paintings that combine elements of the big industry with the natural environment to demonstrate the beautiful, yet contradictory relationships between people and the environment.
“As a landscape painter, ideas about land use, colonialism, privilege and environment shape the way I look at places,” said Herndl, the artist in residence at the Fairy Creek blockade. His work focuses on the ways that humans and nature are intertwined and deeply affected by one another.
For more information, visit madronagallery.com.
In April, The Avenue Gallery will be showcasing the work of feature artist Gordon Scott who – after experimenting with watercolour, charcoal and photography – found his niche when he discovered the technique of using ink and acrylic paints on the back of glass panels. To him, the glass is an ideal canvas on which to express himself with vivid colours and create unique contemporary art ranging from wall panels to tables.
“The wall pieces were the result of me going back to my happy place after far too many months of lockdown and isolation,” Scott said. His mind wandered “to the vibrant colours of the Caribbean” and he was reminded that better times lie ahead. The collection will be on display from April 8 to 15.
Work from artists William Liao, a professionally trained painter who grew up in Beijing, and Geoff Searle, a Kimberley-born potter and artist with nearly 50 years of experience, will also be on display this month.
For more information, visit theavenuegallery.com.
At the West End Gallery, the whimsical works of Dana Irving will be on display from April 24 to May 6. In her collection, Pride of Place, Irving invites the viewer to let their imagination wander while gazing into the unique landscapes she creates in her paintings.
The Prince George-born artist studied at several B.C. institutions and is inspired by the work of artists of the 1930s and ’40s as well as the Group of Seven. Irving’s works – which seek to creatively capture Canada’s landscapes – have often been compared to that of both Emily Carr and Dr. Seuss.
For more information, visit westendgalleryltd.com.
This month, the Winchester Gallery is displaying In Search of Form; Abstraction in West Coast Canada which features colourful springtime paintings by Canadian artists Jack Shadbolt, Jack Wise, and Gordon Smith. The collection – focused on abstract art of Canada’s West Coast and the artists who defined the style through the 20th century and into the 21st– opened March 19 and will remain in the gallery until April 14.
A simultaneous exhibit, Maritime Impressions, showcases the artwork of John Horton, a London-born painter who spent time in the Royal Navy before coming to Vancouver. He often worked on board his floating studio, a 35-foot fishing boat, while exploring B.C.’s coast and drawing inspiration. Horton is dedicated to “historical and technical accuracy,” however, being a self-professed perfectionist, he’s never satisfied with his artwork. The collection opened on the upper level of the gallery on March 19 and will remain through April 14.
For more information, visit winchestergalleriesltd.com.
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