Art 10 Gallery’s last active original member is turning 90, and the Nanaimo artists’ group is celebrating that milestone with a group show.
Dorothy Sevcov first joined Art 10 when it was established in 1983, and while other members have left the group over time, Sevcov has remained involved.
“When we started most of them were older than I was and just quit because they couldn’t do it anymore,” she said. “But I’m still painting different things and mucking about and I still belong to our Friday group that goes out sketching every Friday, and so I keep busy.”
This month Sevcov celebrates her 90th birthday, and in recognition of its longest-serving member Art 10 Gallery is putting on a group show in her honour.
“How can I be 90?” Sevcov asked. “It creeps up on you so fast.”
Sevcov normally creates realistic watercolour paintings, but in this show, she’s displaying her experimental acrylic works.
“It’s manipulating,” she said. “Putting different colours in a container on top of each other and then gradually pour around and then tip and swirl. I think they were all done with a different technique.”
Sevcov said one reason she’s remained active in the group is because of the friendships she’s developed.
“You have so much in common with them, it doesn’t seem to matter what age they are. You feel everybody’s kind of the same,” she said. “We have such a fantastic bunch of artists in this town. I haven’t met one that I didn’t like.”
She’s also well liked by her fellow members. Potter Virginia Dunseith calls Sevcov “amazing.”
“I just hope that when I’m 90, which is a few years away, that I have as much pep and spunk and togetherness as Dorothy has,” she said.
WHAT’S ON … Opening reception for Celebrations takes place at Art 10 Gallery, Nanaimo North Town Centre, on Aug. 9 from 2 to 4 p.m.
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