Arts Council of Surrey presents
Arts 2017reflections on canada
Surrey Art GAlleryJune 23−August 26
ARTS 2017 is the latest iteration of the annual ARTS Series created together by the Surrey Art Gallery and the Arts Council of Surrey for local and province-wide artists to exhibit their work. This juried exhibition gives artists of varying levels of experience from across BC the opportunity to display their work. Unlike previous years where the exhibitions had an open theme, this year the exhibition asked the artists to ruminate on the topic of what Canada means to them and reflect those thoughts in their work.
All the works from the artists took interesting and unique approaches to the theme. Ranging from representations of Canada’s vast geography that so shapes the Canadian perspective to individual’s snapshots of the minutia of Canadian life. Through the diversity of this exhibition, the multicultural and expansive nature of both the land of Canada and the people of Canada are beautifully represented.
The strongest message of this exhibition is one of communication. Through the differing approaches to the theme a dialogue can be seen between the works, discussing what it is to be Canadian, what it meant to be Canadian throughout history, and where the artists see Canadian culture and ideas in the future. The perspectives of artists from all age ranges were expressed in this dialogue as works from experienced artists and those fresh to the field, both young and mature, are displayed.
Lastly, I wish to express my gratitude for the Surrey Art Gallery for their continued collaboration with this event; the jurors Jordan Strom, Lisa A. Chen, and Gabriela Aceves-Sepúlveda; the ARTS 2017 volunteer committee Carol Girardi, Ria Tinney, Jordan Strom, Rhys Edwards, and Donna Schipfel; and of course, all the artists who devoted themselves to the process of creating a piece of work for this event.
Carol GirardiPresidentArts Council of Surrey
ARTS CoUnCIL of SURREyPRESIDEnT’S PERSPECTIvE
ARTS 2017 CoMMITTEE
Brian foremanCarol Girardi Jordan Strom
Donna SchipfelRia Tinney
Rhys Edwards
ARTS CoUnCIL of SURREy REPRESEnTATIvES
Carol Girardi, PresidentMaxine Howchin, vice President
Cathy James, Treasurer
The Arts Council of Surrey and the Surrey Art Gallery have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this
catalogue. We cannot be held responsible for any errors or ommissions.
If you are interested in acquiring one of the works available for sale, please contact the
Arts Council of Surrey at 604-594-2700.
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Arts 2017Category 1 – Painting – Works on Canvas ........................... 6
Category 2 – Painting – Works on Paper.............................. 8
Category 3 – Drawing, 2-D Mixed Media & Printmaking .... 10
Category 4 – 3-D Works & fibre Arts ................................. 12
Category 5 – Photography & new Media............................ 14
Artists’ Statements .............................................................. 16
Jurors’ Statement ................................................................ 21
our Jurors ........................................................................... 22
Sponsors/acknowledgments............................................... 23
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ARTS 2017 – ExHIBITIon EnTRIES By CATEGoRy
CATEGoRy 1PAInTInG – WoRkS on CAnvAS
PLACInG ARTISTS CATEGoRy 1
Title of Work
Home
Canada-Great forever
Straight outta fleetwood
valley Wind
High noon
The Leader
Tar Sands, northern Alberta
A vital Link
Untitled 150
one
Commercial Drive
I Am Catnadian
Canada’s Drumyard
Saltspring Beaver
oh, Canada: A family Portrait
Title of Work
Tar Sands, northern Alberta
Straight outta fleetwood
Commercial Drive
I Am Catnadian
Price
875
3500
300
750
850
nfS
450
675
650
5000
1800
2500
1200
650
nfS
Artist
Hazel Breitkreutz
victor Bulik
Cayley Carson
Sidi Chen
Joanne Dennis
nino Dobrosavljevic
Tom Douglas
Louise Harding
Tracy Hetherington
Lorena krause
Chito Maravilla
Tristan Miller
Taslim Samji
Meghan Spence
Raymund valerio
Name
Tom Douglas
Cayley Carlson
Chito Maravilla
Tristan Miller
1st
2nd
3rd
HM
Medium
Acrylic
oil
oil
Acrylic
Acrylic
oil
Acrylic
Acrylic
Acrylic and Ink
Acrylic Impasto
Acrylic
Acrylic
Mixed media
Acrylic
oil
12
3
HM6
Medium
Watercolour
Poster colour
Watercolour
Acrylic
Watercolour
Monotype
Acrylic
Watercolour
Watercolour
Acrylic
Watercolour
Acrylic
Watercolour and Ink
oil pastel
Acrylic
Acrylic
Watercolour
Mixed Media Watercolour
Acrylic
CATEGoRy 2PAInTInG – WoRkS on PAPER
PLACInG ARTISTS CATEGoRy 2Title of Work
Untitled 150
orca Spirit
Land Studies: An Interpetation of Canadian Geography
Lake front
Name
Tracy Hetherington
Roland Rihela
katina Giesbrecht
youngHwa Cha-Hach
1st
2nd
3rd
HM
Title of Work
Tug Boat Island
Lake front
Glorious and free
freedom
Past Meets Present
Land Studies: An interpretation of Canadian Geography
The Gatherings
Coast-Side Hedonism
freedom
Reconciliation
Down to Generations
natural Dolphin views
Growing Extraordinary Together freedom of Individuality
orca Spirit
Protect the Lynx
A Day to Remember
Where Heavy Lifting Starts
Pride
Snapshot
Price
100
1000
75
200
70
300
50
80
45
75
95
30
480
250
1200
30
50
200
120
30
Artist
florence Carlsen
youngHwa Cha-Hach
Carolina Christ-o’Brien
Martha Edades
Dania Ghandi
katina Giesbrecht
Josephine Jansen
victor keohavong
Aqsa khan
Eileen Matthew
Morris Meriwether
Alyzza nicholas Sarah Power
Ariel Ricafort
Roland Rihela
Jordan Sailor
Sim Christel
Lesley Tannen
Jamie Torrebadell
vivian Tran
1
2
3
HM
8 9
Medium
Scratchboard
Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist book
Mixed Media
Mixed Watermedia
Colored pencil
Title of Work
Scratching out Canada
Bhumi Devi
Prayer flags
An op Look at 150 years of Canadian federal Governments
of place
Proud Shoal Tower kingdom
A Shift of Tides
Sun Setting on the Polar Bears of Churchill
Price
318
250
950
250
nfS
nfS
1200
800
Artist
Chandni Ambwani
Sandeep Johal
Jorma kujala
Les Mckinnon
Erin Shavaun Mulcahy
Pan Carol
Tracie Stewart
Margaret Strickland
CATEGoRy 3DRAWInG, 2-D MIxED MEDIA & PRInTMAkInG
PLACInG ARTISTS CATEGoRy 3
Title of Work
A Shift of Tides
of place
An op Look at 150 years of Canadian federal Governments
Prayer flags
Name
Tracie Stewart
Erin Shavaun Mulcahy
Les Mckinnon
Jorma kujala
1st
2nd
3rd
HM
1 2
3
HM
10 11
Medium
Pottery
fibre Arts
Beadwork
Sticks, cut and stripped by beavers, and other found items
Mixed Media
Hand-blown glass
Title of Work
Bird’s Eye view
Can of Worms
Mi’kma’ki
Canadian Gate
A Bright future
Sea floral Series
Price
275
400
nfS
nfS
300
1600
Artist
Giovanna Cameron
Elizabeth Carefoot
Alanna Edwards
kathleen Gaitt
nina Mudny
Robert Gary Parkes
CATEGoRy 43-D WoRkS & fIBRE ARTS
PLACInG ARTISTS CATEGoRy 4
Title of Work
Can of Worms
Canadian Gate
Mi’kma’ki
Name
Elizabeth Carefoot
kathleen Gaitt
Alanna Edwards
1st
2nd
3rd
1
2
3
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CATEGoRy 5PHoToGRAPHy & nEW MEDIA
PLACInG ARTISTS CATEGoRy 5
Medium
Mixed Media
Photography
Photography
Photography
C-print
Title of Work
Memo
Mountie at the Door
Continuing Legacies of the Calgary Stampede
Canadian values
True Colours
Price
250
300
550
nfS
1300
Artist
Susan Howe
George omorean
Alana Williams
Mandeep Wirk
ketty Zhang
Title of Work
True Colours
Mountie at the Door
Continuing Legacies of the Calgary Stampede
Canadian values
Name
ketty Zhang
George omorean
Alana Williams
Mandeep Wirk
1st
2nd
3rd
HM
1
2
3
HM
14 15
ARTISTS’ STATEMEnTSCATEGoRy 1 – PAInTInG – WoRkS on CAnvAS
Tom Douglas – Tar Sands, Northern AlbertaA reminder that not all is perfect in our nation.
Cayley Carson – Straight Outta FleetwoodI celebrate humanity in my work through exploring the position of opposing the voyeur, demonstrating the satisfaction of indulgence, the flaunting moment of exhibition that people often demonstrate—guilty, honest, yet empowering. The sensuality of the sloppy, dripping paint and hurried mark—making speak to this sense, exuded in bright, glowing colour. I do this in a way that neither adheres to the representational object—often, the figure—or the expressionistic mark, using oil and pastels to create a ravenous conversation between refined line work and loose paint that exists as its nature dictates.
Chito Maravilla – Commercial DriveIs a vibrant place. It can also just be a statement. They say it’s the people that shape the place. I say it’s vice versa. What’s on your head?
Tristan Miller – I Am CatnadianI feel that with the current world climate, there has been a great deal of stress placed upon the appreciation and embracing of other cultures! I believe it’s important to remember the simplistic joy in exploring other culture, and taking part in the rich myriad of experiences they have to offer.
ARTISTS’ STATEMEnTSCATEGoRy 2 – PAInTInG – WoRkS on PAPER
Tracy Hetherington – untitled 150I use a crow to lift the teapot lid who we think we are as a national collective. A stump suggests the colonial behaviors we perpetuate, but also the potential we have for healing and nurturing an expanding inclusive Canadian consciousness, from this stump forward.
Roland Rihela – Orca SpiritI believe in the beauty, strength, and spirituality of nature as represented by the orca. They are top predators, an endangered species feeding on an endangered species, the chinook salmon. They were never meant to be put into captivity or to be Blackfish but to be born free and die free. Like the kermode Spirit Bear and all forest creatures, their spirits live on. Their spirits are our spirits. Their future, our future.
Katina Giesbrecht – Land Studies: An interpretation of Canadian GeographyThis monotype college represents the six basic geographic regions of Canada: Canadian Cordillera, Arctic, Prairies, Lowlands, Appalachians and Canadian Shield. I tried to distill the regions down to what I considered their simplest characteristics then set them against a monotype backdrop of blue to represent our oceans, rivers and lakes. The dark lines running through the piece point to the interconnections in our land: people to the land, people to the water and people to each other. This great land is the stage from which our Canadian stories are told.
YoungHwa Cha-Hach – Lake FrontColour is what first captures my attention. I remember colours rather than shape, content, or anything else and I strive to recreate them until I’m satisfied. on paper, the medium of poster-colour gives me a great deal of freedom and allows me to experiment, which is a welcome break to me after working a more traditional landscape or still life.
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ARTISTS’ STATEMEnTSCATEGoRy 4 – 3-D WoRkS & fIBRE ARTS
Elizabeth Carefoot – Can of WormsImmigration has its problems - new faces, new beliefs, new types of worship. Some people have said “If Canada lets THEM in, we’ll be opening a Can of Worms!” But look around and see people of all colours and creeds living and working together. We get along just fine. “Canada’s immigration policy is a role model for every country.” – The Economist, february 2017. HAPPy 150th CAnADA!
Kathleen Gait – Canadian GateIt is difficult to write a short statement because most of what I am feeling is between the lines. Trust and freedom tie us together… humour helps!
Alanna Edwards – Mi’kma’kiSubverting the Canada 150 logo by replacing its maple leaf with the Mi’kmaq first nations petroglyph for l’nu, I am instead celebrating our continued existence on Mi’kma’ki since time immemorial. L’nu is what the Mi’kmaq call ourselves and Mi’kma’ki is our land and territory encompassing the Maritimes, parts of Quebec, and Maine. Msit no’kmaq.
ARTISTS’ STATEMEnTSCATEGoRy 5 – PHoToGRAPHy & nEW MEDIA
Ketty Zhang – True ColoursTrue Colours is a contemplation on my experience as a “1.5 generation,” a person who immigrates to a new country during adolescence. from the initial cultural shock and language barrier, to a long period of identity crisis and the eventual self-acceptance, moving to Canada at age 14 posed many personal challenges but enabled me to know myself at the same time. As experience and knowledge accumulate with time, so does my self-understanding. nonetheless, it is a never-ending process as my day-to-day life continues to shape who I am.
George Omorean – Mountie at the DoorWhile Journey through the barrens of newfoundland, I Caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a figure at the door of an empty-looking cabin. I went back- and sure enough, the red serge coloured house had the image of a Mountie painted on its door. The absence of traffic on Highway 13 allowed me time appreciating the scene’s composition—the
ARTISTS’ STATEMEnTSCATEGoRy 3 – DRAWInG, 2-D MIxED MEDIA &
PRInTMAkInG
Tracie Stewart – A Shift of TidesEmerging - of Water - Thru WaterWe flow thru life as we embody this Element and honour our connection. We follow the Tides.I feel my muscles strain as I remember the pull of the paddle.With a mighty force we swim against the Current.
Erin Shavaun Mulcahy – Of Placeof place is an artist book that has developed out of a collection of research that I have gathered about the theme of “place. It is composed from copies of my original research as well as written reflections (that I wrote while I re-visited several locations that had an impact on my life) and also pencil drawings that I traced from old family photographs. The book can be thought of as an ongoing archive because the binding is not permanent so new research and reflections can be included over time. While in the process of working on this project, I attempted to re-connect with my roots and find out more about where I come from and how certain places may have shaped me into the person I have become today.
Les McKinnon – An On look at 150 Years of Canadian Federal GovernmentsIn 2015, with Canada’s 150th year celebration coming into focus, I was inspired to return to Canadian themes. My collage, “An on look at 150 years of Canadian federal governments” is from this series. It shows in visual form the distribution of political power from confederation to the present.
Jorma Kujala – Prayer FlagsPrayer flags have a long and varied history, carrying prayers, mantras, and good wishes (and therefore goodwill and compassion) by the wind to the surroundings. In a similar vein, this mixed media work (using predominantly manipulated and collaged newspaper clippings and acrylic medium to create a series of nearly identical fluttering flags), asks for hope, good fortune and compassion for the seemingly unreachable goal of property ownership in the Lower Mainland’s booming real estate market.
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line of the road, the vivid building, the porch and the sky—all in harmony, accented by the apparent incongruity of a smiling Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer.
Alana Williams – Continuing Legacies of the Calgary StampedeThis photograph depicts the branded shoulder of one of the Calgary Stampede’s premier bucking mares, “Stampede Warrior.” She is helping continue a Canadian legacy that belongs to the Stampede as a foundational female in the Born to Buck Program. The iconic “CS” on her shoulder represents more than just a brand, it is the symbol of the largest rodeo in Canada, which is often referred to as the “Greatest outdoor Show on Earth.” It is a Canadian tradition that began in 1912 which continues the celebration of how Canada, and particularly the West was settled. It is a continuation of a proud Canadian legacy.
Mandeep Wirk – Canadian Valueson my way to the vancouver Art Gallery, I encountered these Welcome Refugees! demonstrators, demanding that the Harper government repeal exclusionary refugee policies and return Canada to its former role of a humanitarian country that accepts refugees. They were chanting “Welcome Refugees!” and the atmosphere was highly charged with a deep sense of emotional outrage, as the world had just seen the very tragic photograph of the drowned 3-year old Syrian boy Alan kurdi’s lifeless body face down in the sand on a Turkish beach. This vancouver march was part of a cross-country mobilization and also a world-wide call in support of refugees and migrants. Stephen Harper’s hard-hearted Conservative government was eventually ousted by Justin Trudeau’s compassionate Liberal Party who moved quickly to bring Syrian refugees to Canada and resettle them here.
Thank you to all the artists who participated and submitted work for the Arts 2017 exhibition. Each piece was carefully considered and assessed in order to narrow down to the final thoughtful and imaginative selections presented here.
We recognize the efforts and courage it requires for all of the artists who made and submitted their work to this selection process. Making our selections from the pool of submissions received was very challenging, and involved much discussion and debate. We evaluated the submitted works on a number of criteria, including: innovative approach to form and material use; clearly communicated intention or idea within the artwork; sensitivity to the subject matter; presentation (including finishing and framing); narrative originality and technical skill.
With this year’s Arts juried exhibition, artists were invited to submit work that responded to the themes of the environment, diversity, youth, and reconciliation. Many artists engaged directly with the invitation, by creating work that addressed these themes in creative and original ways.
While many submissions engaged with the themes, many did not. We tried as jurors to assess the larger effort of the artists and artworks to reflect on Canada, with all of its complexities, achievements, challenges and opportunities at this particular moment when the nation marks its 150th year. We believe that while we reflect on Canada’s current birthday, it is incumbent upon us as artists and art audiences to consider and think about the much longer social and cultural history that Canada resides within and often obscures.
In the end, this exhibition is made possible through the initiative and direction of the Arts Council of Surrey. Their staff and members organize and serve on the committee, volunteer to receive and return artwork, and support the adjudication process. We thank everyone who came together to make this exhibition possible and devoted their time and efforts to supporting art in the community.
Gabriela Aceves Sepúlveda | Jordan Strom | Lisa Chen
JURoRS’ STATEMEnT
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oUR JURoRS
Lisa Chen
Lisa Chen is a dual Canadian / Taiwanese citizen who now resides and works in Surrey. She holds a BfA from Milwaukee Institue of Art and Design with double majors in Sculpture and Integrated Studio Arts. She is a multidisciplinary artist and arts advocate who enjoys the process of exploration and experimentation. Her work has been exhibited in Canada and the US.
Gabriela Aceves Sepúlveda
Gabriela Aceves Sepúlveda is an Assistant Professor at the School of Interactive Arts and Technology at Simon fraser University where she directs cMAS, an interdisciplinary research and media creation studio. As a media artist and cultural historian, her work bridges the histories of art, media, and technology with Latin American, gender and women studies, and art and design practice. Her video and sculptural installations have been exhibited in Canada, Mexico, france, India and Chile. Most recently, her interactive video installation Remediating Mamá Pina was exhibited at the 5th Computer Art Congress in Paris.
Jordan Strom
Since 2009, Jordan Strom has worked as Curator of Exhibitions and Collections at the Surrey Art Gallery. Recent exhibitions include Mimetic Workshop: Kelly Lycan and Fiona Ackerman (2016) and Nep Sidhu: Shadows in the Major Seventh (2016), and the sound art group exhibitions Sonorous Kingdom (2014) and Sound/Tract (2013). from 2004 to 2008, Jordan was co-editor of Fillip magazine. He holds an M.A. in Critical and Curatorial Studies from the University of British Columbia’s Department of Art History, visual Art and Theory.
SPonSoRS/ACknoWLEDGMEnTS
The Arts Council of Surrey gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the British Columbia Arts
Council.
Surrey Art Gallery13750 88th Avenue, Surrey, BC
v3W 3L1www.surrey.ca/artgallery
13530 72nd Avenue, Surrey, BCv3T 4x8604.594.2700info@artscouncilofsurrey.cawww.artscouncilofsurrey.ca
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