Tofino’s Gallery of Contemporary Art is buzzing in celebration of West Coast creativity.
The gallery is currently hosting a juried exhibit entitled West Coast Visions featuring the works of 26 artists from Tofino, Ty-Histanis and Ucluelet, including painting, sculpture, photography and ceramics.
The exhibit opened with a reception on Oct. 5, welcoming artists, supporters and art lovers into the space, which has been filled with 38 pieces representing the theme: Essential Elements (physical, emotional, spiritual) of West Coast Life.
“The artists have responded with their works that reflect what their experience of West Coast living is and it’s remarkable,” gallery owner Leah McDiarmid told the Westerly News at the opening event.
“Arts are an essential fabric of the community. It brings communities together through all aspects. Nothing builds community like bringing artists together because we all speak a language that is conveyed through artists’ practice. It provides for just a wonderful sense of community and tremendous narrative about lived experiences.”
McDiarmid is on the Tofino Art Council board and said she was excited to propose the idea of hosting a juried art show of local artists.
“It has been a tremendous experience and outpouring of remarkably talented artists with a very wonderful range of mediums,” she said. “We have such a range of talented artists in our respective communities and it seems that there are not a lot of physical spaces where artists can gather together.”
Tofino Arts Council boardmember Lee McNamee told the Westerly at the opening that supporting and appreciating the local art community is immensely valuable, as is providing spaces for artists to showcase their work.
“There’s not as many spaces for artists to show their work and to make a profit and a living as an artist. Becoming a gallery owner and creating space to hang art is a really financially challenging thing on the West Coast with the market and the rates of the commercial spaces that are available,” he said.
“To have a great gallery opportunity like this for a bunch of artists, some who are showing for their first time in an exhibit, really helps highlight the art culture of the West Coast and gives the spotlight to the creatives who are here, but are sometimes unseen because of the lack of space for them to show their work.”
Nuu-chah-nulth artist Patricia Gus told the Westerly she was delighted to see the community exposure the exhibit is bringing to local artists like herself.
“It’s very important to be able to put artists’ names to faces and be able to connect with the art gallery, with the art council and with other artists, especially being in a small community,” she said, adding her art is inspired by her grandmother.
“It’s important to me to represent who I am and to represent my grandmother. My grandmother was a Nuu-chah-nulth artist. She was a residential school survivor and it’s important for me to honour her memory.”
Montserrat Villalvazo basked in the opportunity to meet other artists and experience the different mediums they chose to share their thoughts on West Coast life.
“It is a lovely night…You see all the beautiful pieces of art, but you also get to meet the artists and have a chat with them and learn about their creative process and what their vision was of the work they have on exhibition,” she said.
“It’s very important, especially nowadays, to have something like art unite people. Art is a beautiful way of getting people together and showing different ways of life. And, for artists like myself, who imported from other places that have the fortune to be here to express our gratitude of being here in this beautiful place.”
West Coast Visions will run until Oct. 19 and more information can be found at www.tofinogalleryofcontemporaryart.com.
Don’t miss out on reading the latest local, provincial and national news. Join our community and receive daily news alerts & breaking news, right to your inbox: www.westerlynews.ca/newsletters.
READ MORE: Provocative art installation challenges bottled water buyers in Tofino
READ MORE: Artist captures magical movements of Tofino and Ucluelet
READ MORE: New gallery promises engaging experience in Tofino