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The Old School House Arts Centre in Qualicum Beach hosts 2 exhibits into December

‘ Threads of Hope ’ features several Island Fibre Art Network artists
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’Threads of Hope’ on exhibit at The Old School House Arts Centre in Qualicum Beach until Dec. 17, 2021. (Submitted photo)

The last exhibitions of 2021 are now on display at The Old Schoolhouse Arts Centre (TOSH) in Qualicum Beach.

‘Threads of Hope’ features the work of members of the Fibre Art Network from across Western Canada and is on view in the Brown Gallery and the Dorothy Francis Gallery. The exhibition explores themes of hope, longing and desire for the future of the world. The works flow from one to the other with a ‘thread of hope’ connecting them. A number of Island artists are featured in the exhibition, including Qualicum Beach textile artist and TOSH resident artist, Margie Davison.

“In the book, The Hidden Life of Trees, author Peter Wohlleben provides research evidence and numerous examples of the interconnectedness of trees through their roots,” said Davison in regards to her work Interconnected Roots on view in the exhibit. “These root connections, aided by a fungi network, allow trees to share nutrients and water. My ‘thread of hope’ is that humans can learn from the trees to value our interconnectedness with each other to work together for the benefit of all.”

READ MORE: The Old School House Arts Centre in Qualicum Beach hosts 3 exhibits through Oct. 30

The Volunteer Gallery features the work of Heather McAllister. In her exhibit, ‘Oh, the Places I have Been’, McAllister situates textile works alongside mixed media, oils and cold wax, wood and encaustics with molten beeswax paintings. McAllister’s vast mixed media approach creates abstractions that are powerful and poignant.

“From forays into textiles, encaustic, and thick bodied oils, Heather McAllister’s work delves deeply in layers to extract the very marrow of life’s moments and meanings. Her work creates colour stories that draw us into the complexity of our emotionality. The use of the encaustic process creates a luminous translucency that makes for peekaboo moments into various story lines,” said Illana Hester, executive director at TOSH.

Artist McAllister said: “Making and thinking are complementary activities that enrich and give meaning to my life. For me, the aesthetic work involved in playing with and discovering the expressive potential of materials is in and of itself a rich and compelling experience. My memories are often stirred by a mark, a colour, a texture. These stirrings propel me toward deeper expressions and explorations. As I give myself to this deepening play state, freedom emerges. It opens me to remember in new ways or to have flashes of new insights: Oh the places I’ve been, the people I’ve known, and the interactions I’ve had.”

Both exhibitions are on display for both in-person and online viewing from Nov. 9 until Dec. 17, 2021.

– NEWS Staff, submitted

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