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Not every work of art needs to span the breadth of the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling — sometimes the limitations of a small canvas can bring out an artist’s best work. The creative potential of tiny art is on full display at the Kariton Art Gallery, where artists of all ages have been tasked with transposing their big ideas onto little canvases.

Throughout the month of June, The Big Tiny exhibit has collected over 200 paintings, all submitted by members of the community. I spoke with Meghan Dahl, the gallery and events manager for the Abbotsford Arts Council, who laid down the rules for me: Anyone, of any age can submit their work, as long as the canvas used is four by four inches. If your piece happens to sell, “70 per cent goes to the artist, 30 per cent goes to the Arts Council.”

The reason for the size limitation? Dahl says it’s all about accessibility for first-time artists. “It’s less intimidating to start small… People find it a nice place to start, and it’s usually affordable to buy several [canvases] at a time.” There’s no need to worry about adhering to a particular theme either — the subject of your painting is up to you: “Anything goes. We get anything from abstracts to landscapes to animals… all kinds of things.”

The flexible criteria means that anyone of any skill level has an opportunity to see their own work on display — especially young artists who are just getting started. While visiting, I got the chance to speak with Ilse Pitzel, a high school student who found out about the gallery through her grandmother. Her painting, Dave the Candle-Man is a surrealist portrait of a well-dressed man (presumably Dave) with a burning candle for a head.

Pitzel’s piece feels right at home alongside an eclectic assortment of styles. Watercolour birds mingle with acrylic still lifes, and photography of fruit hangs next to Warholian pop art. If you happen to be visiting the Kariton Art Gallery on a whim, you can also use the art table to make a masterpiece of your own, and display it on the community board.

You might assume that the community’s appetite for art has diminished somewhat since the pandemic. However, despite being forced to go online for a spell, Meghan Dahl says community involvement in the arts is high: “We’re definitely seeing an increase… this year especially, 80 people attended the opening.” It seems that art is alive and well in Abbotsford.

The Big Tiny runs from June 4-25, but Dahl says visitors can catch the exhibit until June 30. Don’t worry if you miss it! This is only the second year that tiny paintings have been exhibited, and it’s reasonable to assume there will be a third Big Tiny. Not to mention, the gallery has many more projects and exhibitions coming down the pipeline, so stay tuned.

GINA JOHNSON & KIRAN SHERGILL

UFV’s annual Student Research Day, an event where students share their research projects via Student Microlectures with “UFV academics, students, family and friends, industry and community leaders, and other members of the Fraser Valley community,” took place on April 4 at Evered Hall. Participating students have their projects judged by UFV professors, and the students who get the highest scores receive an award and $200. It was at Student Research Day that a few people had a bake sale.

The goal of this bake sale was to raise funds for Nepalese who are hospitalised from HIV complications. Due to the monetary expenses associated with HIV treatment in Nepal, many Nepalese who are hospitalised due to HIV struggle to pay for treatment on their own.

Kiran Shergill, a fourth year BSW student, led the bake sale. It was a practicum duty assigned by Rita Dhungel, assistant professor within the School of Social Work and Human Services (SWHS) program. Dhungel has a research background in social justice, and she is particularly concerned with supporting both Nepalese living with HIV, and Nepalese who have survived human trafficking. She also engages in similar actions for Albertans. Gina Johnson, a third year BSW student who represents the Student Social Work Association (SSWA) as its president, also assisted with hosting duties.

Students brought cupcakes, cookies, cinnamon buns, and coffee to sell. The fundraiser featured stories and some words of encouragement that were shared via PhotoVoice. One person shared that while they were receiving HIV treatment, the doctors recommended they ate a diet with nutritious foods like fruit. However, because of the high cost of fruit, it was not possible for them to follow their doctor’s orders. Another person had written in their PhotoVoice that they wanted to help “change the world” by

“spread[ing] … light into the lives of trafficked survivors and help[ing] them with their reintegration.”

A total of $210 was made in donations. As Shergill, Dhungel, and Johnson sold baked goods throughout the day, they also engaged in conversations with their customers (consisting of other students, as well as UFV staff) regarding the prevalence of HIV and human trafficking in Nepal. These conversations encouraged customers to think about how they could support all people with HIV, but particularly those in Nepal, moving forward.

A few adjustments could be made at next year’s Student Research Day in order to cater to each customer’s individual needs; there was a high demand for more payment options, such as debit and credit. Many students could not eat the baked goods as there were no gluten-free or vegan options for them. Despite these issues, many students and faculty were interested in learning about HIV and human trafficking in Nepal.

Photo Credit: Matthew Iddon