Zo毛 Evamy's latest series of watercolour paintings entitled "Following the Sound" reveals an emotional and vivid documentation capturing local history in the corridor. A progression through animated meadows, marshlands and museums, her flowing colour succeeds in arresting Sea to Sky country and the historic logging town of Squamish.
Evamy, who had formal art training London, England, remembers her grandfather as one of her favourite mentors. "He saw a fledgling talent and we spent long hours painting on location together. He taught me the fundamentals of watercolour and opened my eyes to seeing the world in a new light. He is with me today with every watercolour I paint."
The inspiration for this show, Evamy notes, is loosely based on the book Around the Sound by Doreen Armitage. The book shows how development has affected the environment. Evamy says that her expressive nature paintings are frequently in response to that sense of future shift. "Against a backdrop of ancient Coast Mountains and temperate rainforest, I find endless opportunities to study and document the changing landscape around Squamish and the Sea to Sky area. I explore familiar places that have either changed by development, been abandoned or remain untouched by progress; places that are controversial, protected, endangered or that are simply breathtakingly beautiful."
Evamy is excited about how the demand of her art and other related opportunities have encouraged her to tackle larger paintings and new mediums. Her challenge this year has been to translate the spontaneity and expressiveness of watercolour into the more controlled mediums - oil and acrylic.
Evamy believes that visual artists must be responsible for the message they convey both technically and conceptually and seeks to integrate the concept of "Arts and Ecology" into her practice. Collaboration between artists, scientists, government and environmental groups create an interdisciplinary dialogue, which has the potential to challenge and propose solutions to environmental issues such as pollution, waste and loss of natural habitats. She is currently working with Squamish Environmental Society on the group's estuary interpretive sign project.
Evamy's work is on display on the walls of the Foyer Gallery until July 4. For information about Evamy's work, visit www.zoeevamy.com, email [email protected] or phone (604) 898-4322.
In the glass cases, Judy McQuinn presents her new venture into making jewelry - complementing her traditional medium of luminous stained glass lanterns and flowers.
Even in this recent endeavour, her work has clear distinction between components. McQuinn says, "Both the jewelry and the stained glass have a strong visual and emotional reliance on colour and its properties. But the juxtaposition is more in the contrast of textures - smooth with rough, shiny with dull."
In her more recent exploration, McQuinn has discovered that jewelry has given her a fresh and fanciful approach working in more unconventional materials such as "beach glass," copper and found items. "I find the jewelry allows me express my more whimsical side. And working in one medium encourages inspiration in the other."
McQuinn's creative energy for this show began with the Winter Olympics of 2010 and a trip to Nova Scotia and PEI. During that time she gathered a souvenir collection of bits and pieces from across this nation, and these "gems and jewels" became her source of inspiration for pendants, earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Each piece conceptually represents our Canadian diversity of culture and geography. From the vast shores of the east and west coasts, and all that comes between, this is a radiant celebration of Canada.
For more information contact Judy at [email protected] or (604) 898-5902.
An opening reception for the display of Evamy's paintings and Judy McQuinn's work is planned on Tuesday (June 14) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
