Christmas is a joyous time for many people, which two artists aimed to capture in their downtown Nanaimo Art Gallery exhibition.
Jan Smart and Gerda Hofman present Alegría – the Spanish word for joy – a collection of small works on display from Dec. 8 to Jan. 7.
Smart, who exhibited her work across Canada and China, describes her work as a personal protest and public response to doom purveyors who aim to drag society into their “sloughs of despond.”
She views her art as a point of celebration of community.
“I want my work to reflect that sense by exploring beauty in the mundane, part of our shared personal and public experience, as my primary inspiration,” Smart said.
Hofman, who was also part of an exhibit in China, said she develops series of paintings with different subject matters.
“After deciding on the subject matter, I try to present it in new way that relates to contemporary circumstances and material,” she said. “Light, expression of line and correctness of information are important components in my paintings and drawings.”
Hofman’s works in Alegría consist of a new series of shells – those small, found objects which come from the shore as well as being ‘found’ in stores.
An opening reception is set for Dec. 8 at the gallery from 4-6 p.m., and is open to the public.
The downtown gallery is located at 150 Commercial St.
For more information, please call 250-754-1750.