Creative exhibitions by local painters and photographers currently grace the walls of the Old School House Arts Centre (TOSH) in Qualicum Beach.
Halima Rogers, the Snapshots 4-H Photography Club and the Vancouver Island Silk Painters unveiled their masterpieces during the official opening at the arts centre (122 Fern Rd. W) on March 16.
Unwrapped, Rogers’ first exhibition, was inspired by a feeling of unwrapping the artist within.
“I didn’t know that I liked to make art. I didn’t consider myself and artist,” she said. “And so the time-span for this exhibit — what ties it together is a really specific two-year time-frame of moving from painting for a hobby and well-being, to developing this style and skill-set, painting abstract on large canvas.”
Rogers, who has called Qualicum Beach home for more than a decade, said abstract painting is an emotional language and she never knows how a piece will turn out at the start.
“I’m painting based on colour that I like or something that I’m feeling or something I’m thinking about. And I find this visual language a really direct expression of that,” she said.
Rogers’ inspiration can come from a morning walk by the ocean with her husband, or through a drive in her new electric vehicle. She painted ‘Fast Driving (listening to ‘80s music)’ after the latter excursion, but it was only after she completed the painting that she realized where the inspiration came from.
“I was trying a new technique, and when I looked at when it was done, I thought, ‘oh that was the fall colours, the road, the car, the ‘80s music’,” Rogers said.
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Be Bold, by the 4H Photography Club, showcases the work of Aiden May, Coraline Maliteare, Danika Sosnowski, Elena Sales, Ella Ketterer and Janel van Dongen, who range in age from nine to 18 years old. The club’s exhibition explores what it means to be bold in photography.
The club involves youth aged nine to 19 in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area who share an interest in photography, communication, leadership and community service.
Members go on field trips, participate in local photography exhibits, and enjoy learning from the area’s many talented local photographers. Some members are brand new to photography, while others have more experience.
The Vancouver Island Silk Painters’ group has members from Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Campbell River, Comox, Whiskey Creek, Nanaimo and Sidney. Silk painting is an ancient art that has existed for more than 6,000 years.
Three group members have been accepted into the Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) and two achieved FCA signature status with their silk paintings.
All three exhibits can be viewed at TOSH until April 24.