4 minute read
Downtown Duncan Art Pages
A Thriving Arts and Cultural Community
BOLD, BEAUTIFUL, RED ART LYNN HARNISH AND GAIL JOHNSON
AQUAMARIS ART GALLERY
Cowichan Valley artist Lynn Harnish started her artistic journey on the prairies in central Canada. Focusing on Interior Design which spanned 25 years of her career, Lynn and her family moved to Vancouver Island in mid 1990’s, where she gradually transitioned into expressing her creativity through visual arts and the language of abstraction. Having worked in acrylic for several years, in 2012 Lynn discovered encaustic painting and fell in love with this ancient medium and the way it allowed her to create works of art with remarkable sense of depth.
“What is it about carving into the wax and revealing previous layers that means so much to me?” - Lynn asks upon reflecting on her work. “It’s an emotional process… I allow my mind to wander into the realm of trust with thoughts of personal journeys. As beautiful as life is, at times it can challenge us with uneasiness and pain. Like shards of broken glass, we have to put the fragments back together and find happiness and peace again. It’s within those fractures that we find the beauty.” Lynn’s willingness to embrace inherent unpredictability of the encaustic process, which is as labour intensive as it is meditative and intuitive, opened her up to brave explorations of whole new realms of expression.
The result of her natural progression towards the use of cold wax and oil paints is Lynn’s brand new body of work, encompassing mixed media paintings presented behind glass with crisp matting and contemporary black frame.
Expressed through saturated colour, beautiful pops of red, bold shapes, interlaced layers and markings that reveal what lies beneath, these visually striking paintings present
The Quiet Is So Loud, Cold Wax Mixed Media on Paper, Framed dimensions 16” x 20” by Lynn Harnish
as the perfect amalgam of minimalism and exuberance.
Exuberance and joy emanate from the newest poppies painting “Abundance Around Us” by the Vancouver Island artist Gail Johnson. Rooted in storied and grounding experiences, Gail’s playful, colour-saturated and richly textured style makes her expressive depictions of this timeless subject matter much loved and sought after by collectors worldwide.
Aquamaris Art Gallery Upstairs in the historic Duncan Garage Building Suite 202 - 330 Duncan Street (250) 597-2798 aquamarisartgallery.com
Cowichan Bay Marsh, Acrylic on Canvas, Cheryl Painter
JULY ARTS
LANDSCAPES OF COWICHAN VALLEY BY CHERYL PAINTER
Having grown up in the Cowichan Valley, Cheryl took for granted the beauty here. However, this changed when she returned as an adult to live and raise a family. The beauty around became a constant source of inspiration.
Trained as a graphic designer, Cheryl painted full time in North Vancouver where she joined and eventually became the president of the North Shore Artists’ Guild. As she became more prolific, her work could be seen in various juried exhibitions such as the Ferry Building Gallery in West Vancouver.
Seeking a change of pace, Cheryl and her family moved back home to Cowichan where she and her husband opened and operated “Chocolate Pearl”, an artisanal chocolate shop located in Downtown Duncan. As successful as that venture became, Cheryl decided to step back from chocolate making to focus on her true passion, painting.
She paints to share the joy she feels in these places. Sometimes quiet spaces, places to walk and slow down – places that allow you to breathe. There is something new each season, even with the very familiar.
Inspired by the Group of Seven, who painted Canadian landscapes that felt recognizable and yet distinctive. Cheryl uses her graphic design training when it comes to composition, color, pattern and texture. Even though the images are based on real places, she edits with her own personal perspective, so the viewer will focus on what was important to her at that time. This show will take you through all seasons to places you may know and a few you may not in this wonderful paradise called Cowichan.
Excellent Frameworks Home of the EJ Hughes Gallery 115 Kenneth St. Duncan, B.C. V9L 1N5 250-746-7112 www.excellentframeworks.ca www.ejhughes.ca
Spring Greens, Hillbank Creek Acrylic on Canvas, Cheryl Painter
EXCELLENT FRAMEWORKS & EJ HUGHES GALLERY
Cheryl Painter Artist Painting Demo Saturday, July 9 113pm Refreshments provided Excellent Frameworks - Home of the EJ Hughes Gallery 115 Kenneth St., downtown Duncan 250-746-7112 excellentframeworks. ca
AQUAMARIS ART GALLERY
July displays bring a visual treat of breezy new seascapes and colourful landscapes by Lisa Riehl and Ken Campbell as well as delightful pleinair pond-scapes by Sharon A. Stone. July hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5:00 pm. Suite 202-330 Duncan St. Downtown Duncan 250-597-2798 aquamarisartgallery. com
