A group of Gabriola artists representing a variety of disciplines are displaying their work together in the spirit of the French salon.
From Dec. 3 to 5 Carolyn Bell, Laurie Burns, Deborah Dallyn, Johanne Galipeau and Bob Wyche are presenting a group exhibition entitled Salon at the Gabriola Arts and Heritage Centre. The artists will be showing paintings, drawings, mixed-media pieces and hand-made knives.
Bell will be showing abstract paintings as well as prints of “heroic women” including Margaret Atwood, Julia Child and Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the style of religious icons. She said “I love the idea of a salon because it’s eclectic and there are many different kinds of visual art represented.”
“It is similar to the salons that people had back in the day – I’m thinking of the Left Bank in Paris – where people’s studios were a place where they actually met…” Bell said. “A community of like-minded people who, if they didn’t have the same vision even, had the same love of creativity and expression.”
She said she hasn’t been able to show her paintings in public much over the last two years due to COVID-19. During the pandemic she found refuge in other art forms.
“I just went to ground because I do have these other disciplines, which are music and writing, and it’s nice to be back and inspired,” Bell said. “I’m so excited to get back to the painting again.”
Galipeau created daily fantasy landscapes for 100 days as part of her own pandemic art project and in Salon she’ll be showing paintings based on that series. Burns has contributed ink drawings set in recycled gilded frames and a series of “dreamlike” watercolours. Dallyn will exhibit her three-dimensional multi-media works made from found and disused objects and Wyche will be showcasing kitchen knives influenced by traditional Catalan design.
Although the art works in the show are all different, Bell said the artists’ bodies of work play off each other well.
“I can always use the allusion of a jazz combo,” she said. “Somebody’s bass, somebody’s keys, somebody’s percussion, a couple of horns, and they’re all so different but they all work together.”
WHAT’S ON … Salon group exhibition takes place at the Gabriola Arts and Heritage Centre, 476 South Rd., on Dec. 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. and Dec. 4 and 5 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. COVID-19 protocols in place.
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