The new Bayside Gallery, located in the dining room at the Bayside Oceanfront Resort in Parksville, will have a new exhibit starting in January.
In partnership with the resort, the McMillan Arts Centre (MAC) and the Oceanside Community Arts Council, artists Cindy Mersky, Sarah Boileau and Pattiann Withapea will have their work displayed from Jan. 4 until March 31, 2022.
Mersky’s ‘Mid-Island Modern’ work was created using the technique of décollage, often considered the opposite of collage as an exercise in subtraction and not addition, where art is created by tearing away pieces of an image and leaving fragments of papers and layering of previous images.
“The colours, textures and overall feel of my work has been influenced by memories of growing up in the ’60s and ’70s. Music, fashion, TV shows, advertising, interior design - everything was so cool and groovy. Our home was filled with mid-century modern furniture and artwork, my dad drove a pink Cadillac with giant fins and Bewitched was on TV. I hope you feel the vibe,” said Mersky.
Boileau’s collection, ‘Places of Power’, of realistic oil paintings conveys her preference to paint landscapes that have strong sculptural shapes. As a child, she was heavily influenced by her mother’s passion for photography and many family camping trips in the mountains of northern B.C.
She considers herself a predominantly self-taught artist, though has learned much over the years from other artists. Her paintings have exhibited at shows all around Vancouver Island, including the MAC.
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“I have always been inspired by the natural beauty of our planet, all of it, and all the more because of the differences and contrasts. It fills my heart with joy to behold a mountain shrouded in misty clouds, or the fresh green of new spring leaves. These visions evoke a powerful feeling of awe and gratitude and I open my heart to the landscape, letting it become a part of me. Every painting I have created comes from this place. I hope to bring more love and beauty into our lives by creating artwork that embodies the spirit of nature so that we may always be reminded of the way that is supports and nourishes our souls,” said Boileau.
The work that Withapea will be exhibiting at the Bayside Gallery are part of her latest collection, ‘The Oceana Series’.
These unique semi-representational works pay homage to her aerial views of some of southeast Asia’s most beautiful beaches, as well as the beaches and coves that surround her home in Nanoose Bay and provide her with solace and an infinite source of inspiration. Additionally, she has included a selection of some of her recent abstract artworks in mixed media.
Withapea’s abstract paintings demonstrate her desire to break with traditional bonds to express her voice as an artist.
Working in alcohol ink, resin with pigments, acrylic paint, and mixed media, inspires her to push the boundaries of tradition and create new techniques while incorporating non-traditional elements that give her work a unique imprint.
– NEWS Staff, submitted