Artists from Langley and around the West Coast showed their work under the grape arbours of the Glass House Winery this weekend.
The annual West Fine Art Show touched down for the second year in a row in the winery owned by Arthur and Ingrid de Jong.
Members of the public sipped wine in the tasting room and browsed the converted greenhouse where the art was on display under living grape arbours.
The assembled artists were incredibly pleased with the venue, which bathed their paintings in soft natural light.
“Art is unexpressed unless its properly lit,” said Brian Croft, an artist and one of the key organizers of West Coast Fine Arts.
Last year there were 16 artists at the late summer edition of the show, this year that’s up to 18, including a number from right here in Langley, like Croft.
If last year’s turnout was good, Croft was even more impressed with this year’s.
“I was just blown away with the number of people who showed up,” he said.
Artists got to meet the public and sales began at the Friday night reception, Croft said.
That’s particularly important for the organizers, because 25 per cent of all sales go to one of West Fine Art Show’s charity partners. For the late summer show, that means the Langley Hospice Society.
The de Jong family never anticipated their winery space would become an art gallery when they built it, said Margit, daughter of Ingrid and and Arthur.
But when they were approached by the art show and Shannon Todd Booth of the Langley Hospice Society, they jumped at the chance, she said.
“We’re looking forward to seeing this event continue to grow,” Margit said.
Langley artists like Carmel Clare and Joanne Finlay were also excited to take part.
“My mum was in hospice,” said Finlay, about the importance the show has to her. “Her last days were wonderful.”
Being a part of such a show and supporting with her art is special for her, Finlay said.
Finlay’s pieces are densely detailed pen and ink works. She switched from graphite to using pen and ink, and tried to continue using some of the same techniques through ink, she said. Most of Finlay’s subject matter is nature on the West Coast, fitting the them of the show.
Clare also focuses on local landscapes and nature in her paintings, including a detailed dragonfly and the farms and fields of Langley itself. Clare has been showing with West Fine Art Show for five years.
The show continues Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
