The community can now see the new upgrades to the Armstrong Spallumcheen Art Gallery and Museum.
From its beginnings in 1974, the Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Arts Society (ASMAS), which runs both the museum and art gallery, has actively worked to preserve the community’s history and encourage the arts.
In the early-’80s, the City of Armstrong offered the society space in part of a machine storage building and the resulting museum opened to the public in 1983.
Five years later, with the help of a gift from Rusty Freeze, a life-long resident of Armstrong, the ASMAS expanded into the rest of the building and added the art gallery.
Run by a volunteer board of directors, the building has changed over the years, and more recently has undergone major renovations.
“There is a new post and beam arbour leading from Pleasant Valley Boulevard to the main entrance, located on the side of the refurbished and repainted building. The entrance itself has been enlarged and covered with a post-and-beam copper coloured roof,” said Joan Badke of the art gallery.
“The wooden door is a work of art. Once dark and cave-like, the entrance way is now filled with natural light during the day and the glow of a wonderful cast-iron chandelier after dark. “
Just inside the entrance, a tomato red wall welcomes visitors.
Beyond the entrance and reception area, two well-lit galleries provide exhibition space for artwork by local and regional artists.
“The organized archives provide easy access to an extensive collection of early photograph, documents, newspapers, maps and records,” said Badke.
The museum features reproductions of a railway station, school room, blacksmith shop, and general store as well as glass displays of items of historic interest,
“Volunteers help with every aspect of the museum, art gallery and archives. They enthusiastically work at such varied activities as archival researching, creating and maintaining displays in the museum, hosting opening reception and opening receptions and school tours, cleaning, gardening,” said Badke
The opening of two new exhibitions followed the ribbon cutting ceremony and grand reopening Thursday.
The AMSAS is presenting its Antique Clothing and Fabric Show along with an exhibition of paintings, entitled Introspection, by Kelowna artist Colleen Dyson.
Initially a landscape painter in watercolour, Dyson now primarily paints still life and florals in oils and acrylics on black gallery canvas.
“Taking my work one step further, I have come full circle by bringing my black canvas method back to landscapes,” said Dyson, who is primarily self-taught,
“I have supplemented my knowledge with a fine arts course, and have studied and taken workshops with both local and well-known international artists.”
Dyson has also been involved in numerous national, juried, and non-juried exhibitions, and has had several solo shows.
In 2010, she received best in show in the Society of Canadian Artist’s Small Gems Show held in St. Anne-de-Bellevue, Que., and was accepted in their selected members show in Halifax, N.S. in 2012.
She was also recently awarded the signature status with the Federation of Canadian Artists.
Both exhibitions run to July 27 and the gallery is open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information, call 250-546-8318 or visit www.ArmstrongSpallMuseumArt.com.
