Oak Bay artist Linda Mercer shows off her shift from prairie dogs to the more localized four-legged friend and their human handlers with Walk a pop up art.
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Mercer came to Oak Bay from rural Alberta, trading vast spaces for a more in-your-face scenery.
Dog walkers capture her eye on her routine walks as does the architecture and gardens of the region.
“I love it here. I do love to be able to walk,” Mercer said. “I’m really enjoying Oak Bay and this is a reflection of what I’m seeing.”
The move inspires a wealth of new material for both her paintings and her ceramic work.
“I’ve been painting for years … five years ago I got my hands on clay and thought ‘gosh I love this’,” she said. “Daily walks throughout Victoria, and especially Oak Bay, inspire me to fill my sketchbooks. I love sharing the sidewalks, parks and beaches with other people and with their four-legged friends. Everybody walks in Oak Bay, even the crows.”
She sketches out images from the walks then transfers to ceramics, where a small story plays out on each piece. She also continues her en plein air paintings in oils on small panels.
“I’ve been a landscape painter for many years, typically working with oil on panes en plain air. I”m inspired by the graceful homes and lush gardens of Victoria.”
Walk, a pop up show and sale starts with an artist reception Thursday, Sept. 7 from 6 to 9 p.m. and continues Friday noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at 2351 Central Ave.
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