Four creative new art exhibits have landed at the McMillan Arts Centre in Parksville.
Interpretations by Joanne Ayley, Aquatika by Sylvie Peltier and Connections by Dawne Brandel will be on display until May 25, while Shelf Memories by Sophia Conway will be at the arts centre for May and June, according to the MAC.
Ayley paints bright and colourful landscapes, wildlife and fun flowers using acrylics. She loves visual drama and contrast so tends to use lots of sharp edges and complimentary colours. From her backyard birdhouses to the fabulous trails, golf courses and ocean and mountain views there is always something that she feels compelled to capture in her art.
She grew up in Quebec and Ontario and her background includes many years as a graphic designer and writer of marketing materials. While working full time, she took numerous courses and studied many different forms of art. When she delved into acrylics she realized she had found her medium.
Aquatika explores the reflective, transparent, and shimmering qualities of water with water lilies as the main subject. Because water can be both a mirror and a window, she is fascinated by the water lily stems seeking the surface, the sky and the trees joining them, the shade of the leaves and the way the subtle movements of the water distort our perception transporting us to another universe.
Peltier has lived in B.C. for over 30 years and has been wielding her brush for the past 10 years under the artist’s name Esspé, the phonetic expression of the initials of her name. Her joyful, abstract works are inspired by the natural world around her.
The paintings in Brandel's exhibition, Connections, centre around her thoughts on connection.
"All these paintings come from my being surrounded by beauty in my life," Brandel said. The landscape, especially trees and water, fill me with such healing energy. It has been a challenging few years dealing with grief and surrounding myself with beauty is like a healing balm. We move through this life quickly and when I contemplate on what brings me joy, it’s always about love and beauty. Whether it’s your home, a vase of flowers or a walk in nature, these things are all connected energy, just as we all are."
Shelf Memories is the first photo series by Irish poet and photographer Sophia Conway. It is nostalgic and documents the place of books within human relationships.
“Within the book cover lies a handwritten note from which we catch a brief yet intimate insight into the bond between people; the moments shared and milestones celebrated through the giving of a carefully selected book," Conway said. "No matter how meaningful they once were, the books are eventually outgrown and succumb to thrift store and community library shelves where they are found and photographed."
