Surrey-area artists are staying creative with online explorations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eunkyo Kim (aka Unky) will give a Thursday Artist Talk on Surrey Art Gallery Association’s Facebook page on May 7, starting at 7:30 p.m.
The artist talks are typically held at the gallery on the first Thursday of each month.
“In the face of the Corona virus challenge, we are now going to deliver these events on Facebook using live video, and it will be available to watch anytime afterwards,” according to a post on the association’s website (sagabc.com).
The non-profit society is also working to bring its gift shop and art rental program online, in addition to its physical space at the gallery.
SAGA’s Mixed Media Competitive Paint Off is also going online, from May 10 to 16 on the group’s Instagram page.
The event was planned for a date in March, but was postponed due to the pandemic.
“In the light of hope and sharing, we have opted to create a new online version of this event to give our artist community an activity that they can do in their studios or home,” says a post at sagabc.com.
The roster of artists who previously applied for this competition will have one week to complete a painting with art supplies delivered by SAGA. Artists will post their progress photos or videos during the seven-day period on Instagram, and SAGA will share them.
“For our competitors this is a social media opportunity for artist exposure and SAGA will provide social media guidelines and support,” the group says. “SAGA will jury the completed works to identify the winners, and then artists may auction/sell their artworks online. A limited number of artists may be entered into the competition, based upon supply availability. If you wish to get involved, let us know by emailing info@sagabc.com.”
Also online, Surrey Art Gallery’s Art in Motion project features Vancouver-based artist Sandeep Johal in an “Exquisite Corpse” drawing lesson posted to Youtube.
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At surrey.ca, the gallery’s Art Together series of online programs “explore art and artists in the community, spark the imagination, and celebrate the ways that art can impact our lives.” Upcoming video tours will focus on works in Don Li-Leger: Counting the Steps of the Sun and Susan Point: Spindle Whorl.
Elsewhere, the Arts Council of Surrey has put out a call for submissions for its juried Arts 2020 exhibit, to be shown at artscouncilofsurrey.ca for two months, starting June 30. Entry fees have been waived this year, and prizes will be awarded in five categories. The entry deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, June 5, via email sent to info@artscouncilofsurrey.ca.
The arts council is also planning a “Together apART” visual art exhibition, to be published online and in the organization’s monthly Spotlight newsletter. The entry deadline is 4 p.m. May 15.
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