The Garibaldi Art Club’s annual spring show is now on display at the ACT.
Everyday Special is the name of the show and artists had to find something extraordinary in the everyday.
“Everybody has their own idea of what they look at every day that is special to them and they’ve made each of their visions extraordinary to them and they put their own spin on it,” said club co-vice-president Norma Jean Phillips.
This year’s show saw around 108 entries, of which 50 were chosen by jurors Deborah Strong, Linda Muttitt and Judy Osiowy.
Winners of the show were announced on April 28 at a reception at the ACT.
First place was an acrylic called Sophie, by Bryn Watkins. It is a close-up of a dog’s face.
Second place is another acrylic called Yellow Tug Waiting For Work, by Isabel Gibson.
“Isabelle is a master of tug boats and barns and these are her favourite subjects,” said Helen Laity, the other vice-president.
Third place is called Everyday Brush Strokes, by Jack Prasad.
“It’s a very creative use of a frame and art supplies inside of another frame. It was very creatively done,” said Laity.
There were two honourable mentions that went to Lyn Thomas, for her painting called Last of the Sunlight, and Norma Jean Phillips, called Tiny Blessings.
“I had been given some wonderful textured paper by another artist friend that lives on the Island,” Phillips said about her mixed media piece of a hummingbird in a nest.
“When I was looking for images, I just look around at nature. We were feeding hummingbirds in our backyard and we left the feeders out all winter. It was such an inspiration to watch them this winter, we enjoyed them so much,” she said, adding that the piece is colourful, primarily in blues and greens with red and orange.
Maple Ridge artist Diane Speirs has a acrylic still-life called Reflections Apples in Colander on Checkered Cloth in the show.
“I actually paint a variety of things. Mostly acrylic and alcohol inks,” said Speirs.
“Most of the members of the club enjoy the spring show because it is juried and so it challenges us,” she added.
“We feel that it raised the quality of the paintings in the club by being juried.”
Speirs also enjoys the support that members of the club give each other, whether one is new to painting or just getting back into it.
“When I started painting, I didn’t know anything and it has really helped me to learn about how to prepare my work, how to have it out there for being juried, how to have things professional for going into a gallery. It challenges you, all the things that we do, the shows that we do, to try to keep improving our painting,” said Speirs, adding that members also come from Mission, Coquitlam and other areas around the Lower Mainland.
“It’s amazing the talent that we have here. People don’t have to drive into Vancouver to see great art,” said Speirs.
The Garibaldi Art Club of Maple Ridge has been displaying original art work in the community since its inception in 1959. This latest exhibition will also be part of the 20th annual Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Art Studio Tour, May 12 and 13.
Everyday Special runs until June 2 at the ACT Art Gallery, 11944 Haney Place in Maple Ridge.
Regular gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday and selected evenings.
• Anyone interested in joining the Garibaldi Art Club can go to garibaldiartclub.com.
