Anniversaries abound as local art galleries are able to reopen their doors after more than two months.
Madrona Gallery downtown is celebrating its 10th anniversary exhibition June 13 to 27 with pieces from multiple guests such as popular muralist Luke Ramsey and versatile landscape artist Clayton Anderson.
Madrona’s doors are open with adjusted hours, Monday to Saturday.
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The downtown West End Gallery currently remains appointment-only as the gallery is showcasing Greta Guzek’s Between the Lines, an online exhibition, from June 6 to 18.
Guzek is celebrating 20 years and 11 solo exhibitions with West End Gallery. Her West Coast paintings use intricate design and vivid colours to capture the idyllic qualities that are intrinsic to the serenity of West Coast life and nature.
“I live on the edge of a natural paradise where I witness, daily, the heartbeat of the earth; it is radiant. I found these same sentiments in the poems of Robert Perry, whose anthology ‘The Arbutus Islands’ became my focus point for these paintings, seeing between the lines,” Guzek said.
The Avenue Gallery in the heart of Oak Bay Village reopened its doors to permit in-store browsing on May 26.
“Our gallery has had a steady stream of art collectors and appreciators in to visit,” said owner Heather Wheeler. “We have the best clientele ever and are so grateful for their support over these uncertain past two months.”
Sales for galleries dropped during the pandemic and The Avenue Gallery was blessed to keep a steady pulse of local and international clients.
“They came forward to gift artwork to themselves, while ensuring our ability to reopen our business,” Wheeler said. “This, in turn, has enabled us to continue our important support of Victoria Hospice.”
Wheeler added her gallery will be issuing a challenge to help fundraise more for Victoria Hospice in the next couple of weeks.
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Right now, there are nine pieces hanging in the Avenue Gallery by one of their artists, Bi Yuan Cheng.
Cheng’s pieces capture West Coast history while challenging traditional landscapes. As local art writer Robert Amos once noted, Cheng’s work brings distant objects up front and presents them not as small but as large.
The Avenue is now open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Madrona Gallery is open with adjusted hours of Monday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. West End is open by appointment from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily by booking ahead at 250-388-0009 or art@westendgalleryltd.com. Visit westendgalleryltd.com for more.
