A painting by Gayle Howard, one of the artists featured in this year's Ensemble Show.

A painting by Gayle Howard, one of the artists featured in this year's Ensemble Show.

Ensemble 2012 at Maple Ridge art gallery

In its third year, Ensemble features small clusters of work

Maple Ridge Art Gallery’s annual juried ‘Ensemble’ exhibition opened ont he weekend with a public reception.

The exhibition features small ‘clusters’ of works in all mediums. With the exhibition now in its third year, there is increasingly a sense of anticipation amongst local gallery goers that this show will offer something for everyone, said curator Barbara Duncan. Paintings in a wide variety of styles, as well as ceramics, turned wood and other original art and artisanal work will be shown in ensembles of three to seven works per artist.

“Although the show represents mostly local artists, we’ve accepted entries from as far away as Gibsons and Lions Bay,” said Duncan.

“I think the opportunity to show work in such a beautiful gallery is part of the attraction. So many of our visitors say they are surprised at both the calibre of our exhibitions and also the size and proportion of the space. Having such a stellar gallery allows us to present group shows effectively as there is almost always an amenable spot for each artwork.

While the gallery will offer many affordably-priced artworks for sale, the gallery shop also has an abundance of locally produced craft items available for sale. The featured artist in the Gallery Shop is local artist Dorothy Johnson, whose wintry landscapes are available for purchase or simply to enjoy.

Many of the artists will be present at the opening reception (as below) which is generously sponsored by Thrifty Foods.

The exhibition will be offered Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Dec. 20 at Maple Ridge Art Gallery (The ACT Theatre) at 11944 Haney Place.

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