Gallery Farm Market

The Gallery Gift Shop at Chemainus Theatre Festival is one of the best shopping experiences around. This special place is known by visitors and locals as a wonderful spot to find quality artwork, gifts and more. Whether you are perusing during intermission, or shopping the wonderful boutiques of Chemainus, it is easy to find a special treasure.

If you have not been in the gift shop lately, there is a new addition to the existing 100+ works of local BC artisans: the Gallery Farm Market. You will find an assortment of delectable goodies from local suppliers – a great way to support the theatre and Vancouver Island’s finest farms.

In particular, Yellow Point Cranberries resides just north of Chemainus – beyond the delicious, classic cranberry sauce, there are jellies, mustard, and chutney. These make a great addition to any table the next time you are entertaining.

For the foodies in your life, there is ‘Old School Coffee Salt’ – this unique blend pairs espresso with local sea salt to add flavour anytime, whether as a rub for grilled meat or being sprinkled onto desserts or baking. There are other salt blends, olive oil, honey, salmon, and maple syrup. Stop by soon to see new additions and visit the rest of the gift shop to see the ever-changing assortment of items that have made the Gallery Gift Shop one of the best stops in Chemainus for shopping!

By |October 15th, 2018|Categories: The Gallery Gift Shop|0 Comments

Steve Coffey at Chemainus Theatre

Chemainus Theatre is a constantly changing space. The stage changes, of course, to take us to different places and times through the magic of the sets, costumes, and stories. This year it has been a pub in Dublin, an historic recording studio, a convenience store in Toronto, and now a high school. The menu in the Playbill Dining Room evolves to reflect the current production and the seasonal foods sourced from farms on Vancouver Island. The walls throughout the theatre, gift shop, and lobbies are constantly changing as well. During every show, there is a new art exhibit creating a novel experience for patrons as they wander the lobby during intermission.

Coming up for the second half of summer, Chemainus Theatre is welcoming Steve Coffey. His work evokes the changing, wide-open prairie skies, with dark swirls of clouds or bright colour-filled vistas, his paintings draw you in. We encourage you to take your time viewing his works, as the light and textures of Coffey’s paintings will draw you in. For inspiration, he uses a technique he calls “Memory Polaroids,” drawing from his past and present day. In an article in Galleries West Magazine Coffey states: “As far back as I can remember I’ve been a sky watcher. It’s such a kaleidoscope of colour.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve Coffey will be here for an artist meet and greet on Wednesday July 18th between 5 and 6 pm his work will be on display throughout the Chemainus Theatre until September 1st. For more information on his work please visit the Gallery Gift Shop website.

December 2017 Artists in the Theatre

A Vancouver Island expressionist oil painter, a former NHL goalie, and a talented husband and wife duo will be featured in the Chemainus Theatre lobby and Gallery Gift Shop during the run of ‘Cornwalls’ All-Inclusive Cancun Christmas’.

The Cornwall Family are true Canadians and the art you can explore throughout the theatre will be too. Richard Brodeur played for seven seasons as a goalie for the Vancouver Canucks and is now exploring his greater Canuck identity through his art. By utilizing oils, acrylics, and watercolours to create abstract paintings as well as images of ‘Canadiana’– fishing villages in Haida Gwaii, lakes and orchards of the Okanagan, and ports and coves of Nova Scotia.

Brian Scott has a well-recognized style on Vancouver Island and beyond. His use of colour is well-known – wild and wonderful mixes of fanciful, fun and exciting hues that bring the west coast fishing boats, architecture and tumbledown buildings of our beloved coastal British Columbia into a new perspective.

Garry and Bly Kaye are a husband and wife set of talented artists living on Saltspring Island. Garry is a third-generation Islander and Bly hails from the countryside of Quebec. Garry prefers painting and works twists the often overlooked mass of impenetrable underbrush to focus on the intricate detail yet subtle beauty the island has revealed to him. Bly is currently immersed in an exploration of the effects of layering hand painted archival tissue papers fairly painstakingly onto canvas to form landscape images.

Come see this impressive display at the Chemainus Theatre beginning on Opening Night, November 17th.

By |November 12th, 2017|Categories: The Gallery Gift Shop|0 Comments

The Gallery Gift Shop

If you have ever perused through the ‘Gallery Gift Shop’ in the lobby of the Chemainus Theatre before a show or during intermission you know there is no shortage of selection. You have probably even been tempted to buy something. It’s easy to see why.

For many of our patrons the high number of local artists who are featured is what makes the Gallery such a unique gift shop. Jewelry, pottery, woodwork, and toys are just a few of the items that support the talented artisans of the Cowichan Valley. The Gallery is owned and operated by the Chemainus Theatre Festival Society and all proceeds from Gallery sales support the work of the society. It’s a great way to have your shopping dollars make a positive impact in your community.

It’s no secret the Holiday season is just around the corner and there are a lot of great gift ideas to fit any budget at the Gallery. For children, we have something for all ages – from locally made baby-booties up to puzzles that feature Canadian artists. For the fashionista on your shopping list, there are jewelry, scarfs, clothing, and accessories for every style sensibility. There really is something for all tastes from steam-punk to rustic.  A detail of a stained glass box may catch your eye or perhaps you find a treasure for that person on your shopping list who is impossible to buy for, woodworking, prints, clocks, or a mug to hold their favourite tea. The Gallery is a beautiful shop for a joyous shopping experience.

The best part is that you don’t have to wait until Intermission the next time you are here for a show. Come by anytime, our hours are listed below. Take your time, notice the details of the handcrafted items, and never hesitate to treat yourself too.

Monday            9:30 – 4:30
Tuesday            9:30 – 4:30
Wednesday      9:30 – 7:30
Thursday         9:30 – 7:30
Friday              9:30 – 8:00
Saturday         9:30 – 8:00
Sunday           11:00 – 4:30

By |November 4th, 2017|Categories: The Gallery Gift Shop|0 Comments

Current Exhibition: October 13 to November 4

Philip Mix

October 13 – November 4

About Philip

Philip Mix was born in Edmonton Alberta in 1955. He received his Bachelor of Arts in painting from the Alberta College of Art, Calgary in1980. His paintings have shown in several Canadian galleries and abroad including London, Israel and Cyprus. He operated a conservation studio, Fine Art Restoration, in Victoria B.C. from 1986 to 2011. During that time he was a member of the Pacific Conservation Group, and Canadian Conservation Associates. Now retired from paintings conservation, he lives in a small community on Vancouver Island and devotes all his energy to his family, his studio, and an uncooperative garden.

My paintings are intentionally spare and dispassionate. They are a study in reduction:in economy of line,confined design,select chords of colour and minimized depth of field. My desire is to produce an artwork that is beautiful for its singleness of purity and purpose: the elegance of simplicity. I choose subjects whose form or function lends itself to the discovery of some intrinsic beauty; a beauty that becomes intriguing once the inherent grace of its form has been recognized and captured.

Philip’s Website

Click Here to Visit

By |October 18th, 2017|Categories: The Gallery Gift Shop|0 Comments

IceBear Meet & Greet in the Gallery

Official Opening of IceBear’s

Dreams of a Dreamer Exhibit

Meet IceBear, talk about art on

Friday, July 21st   4 pm – 5:45 pm

Chemainus Theatre Gallery

IceBear exhibition runs July 18 to August 26

            

   About IceBear

IceBear is an Ojibway artist who now lives and works in the Cowichan Valley. An artist all his life, his work runs the gamut from from representational to abstract. He has exhibited across the US, in Austria, and Italy, work has also shown in France, China, and Taiwan. His paintings and sculpture are collected internationally. His traditional, tribal home is Cape Croker, (Chippewas of Nawash) on the shores of Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada, but he now lives and works on Vancouver Island.

The Elders of his people call him a Dreamer, that is, one born to the task of transforming dreams, his own and others, into a visual reality. His work has helped individuals feeling lost, out of place, or disconnected from their roots to find their way home. Some of his paintings carry somewhat autobiographical elements, easily recognizable to other aboriginal people, because certain conditions are common to native people world wide. Other experiences may be familiar to all, being part of the human condition that we all share.

Respect for Mother Earth and all her creatures is omnipresent in my work. Again, this respect is something that all aboriginal people share, and more and more non native people are beginning to realize is important to the continued existence of humans and many other lifeforms on this planet.

IceBear chooses to paint primarily in acrylic, as he likes the vibrancy of the colours and the textural qualities he is able to achieve. but he on occasion also paints in oil or watercolour. Many of his paintings are available as limited edition giclees on canvas, by special order. IceBear sculptures have been created in wood, stone, cast bronze, and a eclectic mix of new high tech sculptural mediums and resins.

 

New Featured Artists!

Rose Cowles, Johnny Lee, Katherine Melanie

Jun 2 – July 17

About Rose Cowles

Rose Cowles paints because she can, and in her opinion there is nothing better than getting messy in the studio, losing track of time, and mucking about with a playful attitude, knowing that her trials and errors will often churn out the most amazing results. Cowles paints what she loves and prays along the way it will eventually all come together and translate a message of sincere joy, hope and gratitude through subject matter, words, colour, and glorious textures. Her passions are varied, however her desire to lift souls in a positive way is constant.

Rose Cowles is a Governor-General Award nominated Artist and has won many awards for both book illustration and and graphic design and has illustrated and painted on a full time basis out of her home based studio in Victoria BC for the past 25 yrs.

Published:

– Gilbert de la Frogponde” by Jennifer Rae
– Dog Tales” by Jennifer Rae
– I Know An Old Laddie” by Jean Little
– The Queen, The Bear and The Bumblebee” by Dini Petty
– The F Team” by Anne Laurel Carter
– The Mysterious You Series” with Kids Can Press
– The Amazing International Space Station” with Kids Can Press
– Puppies On Board” with Orca Books Publishing
– Science Detectives” with Kids Can Press
(Not all picture books are still in circulation)

Awards:

– Recipient of two Silver Awards for illus. Studio Mag 1990
– Two Alcuin Awards for book cover design 1991 and 1997
– “GDC” Awards for book design and self promotion 1997
– Nominee for Governor-General Award (2000)
– Shortlist: 2003 Silver Birch Award
– Starred selection: Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice 2003
– Starred selection: Red Cedar Book Awards 2002-03
– Shortlist: 2005 Silver Birch Award
– Red Cedar Book Awards 2006
– Red Cedar Book Awards (2) 2008-09
– Peoples Choice award for 2D art in the International Women’s Day Show through the Victoria Arts Council 2017
– Peoples Choice Award and Best in Show through the Victoria Art Councils “LOOK”show for 2D 2017

About Johnny Lee

Honoring the gift I was given, I draw in detail believing anything worth doing well takes patience, commitment and time. I choose realism, because for me it is a lot more challenging than doodling from my imagination. Chosen subjects evolve from memories I have as a boy.

A mother’s story of her ancestry coupled with the impact a grandfather had on this boy still today. The act of illustrating gives me peace, stillness, freedom, sense of accomplishment, purpose and pride. It allows me to exit the conceptual make believe reality of society and enter a place where time, meaning, rules and logic do not exist.

I am humbled of how nature can channel creativity through a body to a page. Drawing is in my nature and may I never take it for granted.

www.wisdomstick.com

About Katherine Melanie

I was born an artist and have developed my skills through various courses and valuable instruction.

My journey began in Winnipeg, Manitoba where I studied still life drawing, calligraphy, sculpture and Life Model drawing at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. I was fourteen years old.

Advertising Art Program at Red River College, where along with various classes I first studied photography. This was 1981, and film cameras were in use then.  Working in a dark room with developer, fixer and water processing and enlarging machines was very exciting.

Art History at University of Manitoba.

I had the pleasure to teach photography at the Stz’uminus College, Ladysmith B.C.

I am a mother of two wonderful children who I draw much inspiration from the past 21 years.

I have had a career in dentistry for over 28 years.

Artists draw attention to details in life that sometimes are overlooked and make beauty out of nothing at all.

I am focusing on three exhibits at this time.  They are all composed of digital photography and are capturing my heart through vision of our valuable elements of life.

                                                        Land         Air        Water

The pieces available in the Chemainus Theatre gallery now are part of my Land and Air series.  Hope you enjoy the journey!

Upcoming Gallery Exhibit: Martin Kaspers, October 7

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About Martin Kaspers

Martin Kaspers became a full time artist in 2000 using photography as his primary medium.

He moved to the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island in 2006 and has his studio there. At his studio he does all his own printing and framing. He also prints for many other artists and helps photographers with adjusting their images.

Presently, he sells his art in galleries across western Canada. Much of his subject matter is the beautiful west coast.

Martin’s Website

Click Here to Visit

Upcoming Gallery Exhibit: Brian Scott, September 9 to 24

Brian Scott – September 9 to 24

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About Brian Scott

Canadian artist Brian Scott is an original oil painter whose name is inextricably linked to colour – wild and wonderful mixes of fanciful, fun and exciting hues that bring the west coast fishing boats, architecture and tumble-down buildings of our beloved coastal British Columbia into a new perspective. Whether you make your home here on Vancouver Island or are a visitor to Canada the fine art originals of Brian Scott will evoke wonderful memories!

Expressionist oil paintings produced on location are this BC artist’s main passion. His emphasis on design and composition, combined with a full spectrum of colour, has become the trademark of his paintings. Brian Scott focuses international attention on Canadian art; his original oil paintings have sold internationally in the U.K., Hong Kong, Germany, Holland, Norway, Switzerland, Australia and the U.S.and in his well-established market here on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

You can view and purchase Brian Scott’s original art, fine art prints, greeting cards, Brian’s books – collections of painting and accompanying stories – and whimsical papier mache sculptures based on his painting. Visit his art gallery studio in Black Creek in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, open most days. Watch for the colourful signs on scenic Hwy. 19A.

Brian’s Website

Click Here to Visit

Current Gallery Exhibition: Sue Coleman

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Sue Coleman

February 20 to April 11, 2014

About Sue

Sue maintains a studio on the shores of Cowichan Bay, Vancouver Island, Canada. She paints a variety of subjects from misty west-coast scenes, wildlife and landscapes, to art that has a strong First Nations influence. Sue actively works to promote environmental awareness and wildlife conservation.

Her work is represented in Limited Edition Reproductions, Art cards, Posters, Plates, and several books which she has both written and illustrated.

More Info

For Sue Coleman’s website Click Here