Emily Carr grads strut their stuff at art gallery

One of the most highly anticipated visual arts exhibits of the year opens Friday at Comox Valley Art Gallery.

Bachelor of Fine Arts graduates from Emily Carr University (ECU) who study at the Comox Valley Campus of North Island College will show their works.

The exhibit is titled Undone and opens alongside Adornment and a show called Through the Looking Glass. All exhibits open from 7 to 9 p.m. this Friday with a wine and cheese reception and everyone is welcome.

Undone is featured in the public gallery and window gallery and will consist of the artworks by 19 graduates working in a variety of media. ECU grad students will present an Art Talk on May 22, the closing day of the show.

• Aline Hoffart is attached to creating portraits.

• Cam Reid’s work is based on the body’s perception of time; this work is manifested within layered drawings on transparency film.

• Jenja McIntyre works in themes of identity, representation/authenticity and ideas of self-projection and uses a variety of material to address these including photography and sculpture.

• Joyce Lindemulder is formerly a professional website designer, who began a search for her voice through visual arts, and has earned awards and scholarships.

• Joshua Aronovitch’s drawing in inks on watercolour paper, is an abstraction from a previous work depicting a relationship between the finite and the infinite, branching out to explore form, and colour.

• Julia Crucil’s work centres on the nuclear family and the residue of the 1950s, examining the politics of everyday life, with a special emphasis on how children are raised.

• Keely Chadwick explores the many different connotations of the line, often visually exploiting the language of cartography to do this.

• Kelly Gough was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2005 and released from the Canadian Armed Forces after 22 years of service as a social worker. Gough makes art to challenge misconceptions around mental illness.

• Lori E. Sorensen works in ceramics; this body of work addresses the Chinese practice of foot binding.

• Lorraine Baker-Brill’s art comes from a deep connection to the spiritual. 

• Matthew Ives’ journey of self-exploration focuses on political and social issues. 

• Patricia MacNeil has studios on Cape Breton Island and Vancouver Island.

• Qwayaciiq Sam is a Nuu-cha-nulth artist from the Ahousat tribe. He comes from the Wolf Clan and takes great pride in the Haa-huu-paa (teachings) and culture of his people.

• Rebecca Brown works in many different media but particularly loves sculpture and ceramics.

• Rhonda Burden asserts that the world is desperate for any small acts of kindness that might connect people to their own humanity.

• Ron Ham is seeking new paths and inspiration, currently working on abstracted landscapes with a high degree of finishing and glazing techniques.

• Teresa Colby’s art is strongly influenced by the West Coast rainforest, exploring concerns about the environment, consumerism, climate change and sustainability.

• Tim Beer is engaged in works exploring the physical and psychic condition of the human body in various states of motion and activity.

• Virginia Kwok works mainly in drawing and painting, incorporating ambiguousness and humour.

Concurrently, CVAG opens Adornment, an exhibit showcasing the award winning Wearable Art creations from last months’ sell-out event, alongside jewelry from five of the CVAG gift shop’s talented artists.

The winning creations by Tara Hope, Ron Pogue, Ashley Brown, Ria Ambrose and Lori Kenney will be displayed alongside studio portraits of the cast by Billy Pipe of Pipin Hot Photo.

Included in the cast are some members of Courtenay Little Theatre who presented short skits to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Along with these will be jewelry and crafts by Courtney Powell, Kim Naylor, Donna Naven, Damaris Oakley and Ellen Statz.

Through the Looking Glass will also open in the George Sawchuk and Lower Level Studio. This show is guest curated by Jeff Hartbower and Laurie Bartlett, who invited artists in an open call to submit works that share and educate the public regarding the realities and struggles of mental illness.

Please note that after opening night, this show is open Wednesday to Saturday from noon to 4.

CVAG is at 580 Duncan Ave. in Courtenay. Normal gallery hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. FMI, call 250-338-6211.

â€" Comox Valley

Art Gallery