The Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre (RVAC) opened its latest exhibition last night (July 13), highlighting its members in the main gallery and three artists in the side galleries.
RVAC’s last exhibition featured Halfmoon Woman Pat Bruderer, Hanna Dotzenroth, Willow Hopkins, and Shirley Liu. Now, the exhibit has moved on to its next exhibition which is a special member’s show. The latest exhibition also features the talented work of Shantael Sleight, Riki Kuropatwa, and Alex Stewart.
Taking inspiration from the exhibition’s theme, From the Forest Floor, the members’ contributions for RVAC’s latest exhibition are varied. Some members opted for a local favourite with different depictions of mushrooms, others took the theme more literally with various pieces showing different forest floor scenes.
With member’s shows, the artwork can be as varied as the interest of the artists at the gallery. One example of the alternative style was former RVAC Executive Director, Jacqueline Pendergast’s work. Pendergast’s contribution to the exhibition was sewn fabric, creating a stunning forest floor of carefully chosen coloured thread.
Other pieces from the members included painting, pottery, and collage work.
Off the main gallery, environmental artist, Alex Stewart, has incredible pieces combining artwork, photography, and the natural processes of various ecosystems.
Stewart creates biodegradable portraits and brings them out into the natural environment. The Fraser Valley-based artist then documents the decay of the pieces.
“These portraits create a surreal landscape, providing a fanciful escape. Inspiring deeper thought about how we interact with our environment, from the positive to the negative,” said Stewart in his artist statement.
After Stewart’s work, gallery two is home to Riki Kuropatwa’s Further Down the Road (show). Kuropatwa’s exhibition is comprised of a series of TV stills that the artist has painted. She spoke about her interest in the style in her artist statement.
“I began drawing from TV stills, as a way to reignite my studio practice. It began at a point in which I was feeling overwhelmed with the prospect of beginning a new body of work,” said Kuropatwa.
As she continued to paint the various stills, the Edmontonian began to focus her efforts on Antiques Roadshow, specifically. Kuropatwa addressed why she chose to home in on the reality show.
“Often, there is a deferential relationship between the owner and the expert. But, there is also animosity, defiance, and other strong emotions that occur between the two,” said Kuropatwa.
The emotions make for great –and expressive– subjects that the artist highlights in her work.
The third, and final, artist in RVAC’s latest exhibit is Shantael Sleight’s Mothering. Sleight is originally from Edmonton, AB but now calls Victoria, BC home. Her exhibition, as the name suggests, is inspired by a community of women that Sleight was in contact with to share their experience of mothering.
“Mothering explores this nuance and the complexities of human imperfection as part of a life-long relationship with giving out and taking in,” said Sleight in her artist statement.
Her artwork uses different methods, from oil paint to sewing and collage. Sleight’s work is as diverse as the different experiences of mothering.
The exhibition opened on Thursday, (July 13) and will conclude Aug. 6.
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@ZacharyDelaney
zach.delaney@revelstokereview.com
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