Detail: Partial circle placement, print-based collage, 24x18 in, 2019.

​Beauty of Waste

An Exhibition of collages by Agnes Ananichuk at the Gage Gallery Arts Collective

June 25 - July 13, 2019. ​​​Opening reception: Sunday June 30, 1:30 - 4:00

It is with great sadness that I share the news of Agnes' passing on June 10, 2021 from cancer.
​Her spirit lives on through her remarkable artworks and the warm memories of family and friends.

On most days for the past twenty years, Agnes Ananichuk heads into her home studio. There she rummages through envelopes filled with small pieces of paper, like a miner searching for gold. Her treasures are paper scraps that come in different colours, shapes and dimensions. “When I was in art school,” she says, “I often found the discarded materials more interesting than the art piece.” This artist is a saver and sees potential beauty in the waste material from her print-making process. Her collection holds strips of high quality Rives and Arches paper, many with patterns, speckles and designs. Another favourite is Japanese washi paper, a wondrous plant fibre, both soft and strong.

Not according to the plan, print-based collage, 24x20 in, 2019.

Reflections, print-based collage, 18x12 in, 2018.

At her studio desk, Ananichuk shakes out a few precious scraps and begins to sort. She looks carefully at the area to be worked on, then decides which colours and shapes would best build up the pattern. With a ruler and blade she begins to cut up paper into many different shapes. This precise cutting goes on for several hours. Tomorrow, she will glue down the tiny pieces. Each scrap of paper finds a home sealed into place with water-soluble archival glue. These steps are repeated until the area is filled. When the artwork is completed, a coating of acrylic medium prevents fading from ultra violet light.
​Trees on the right, took the artist three weeks to complete.

Geometry in black and white, print-based collage, 18x12 in, 2017.

Partial circle placement, print-based collage, 24x18 in, 2019.

Looking at the original artworks from a distance, they don’t appear to be traditional collages. The colour combinations and harmonics are subtle and varied, more like layers of coloured pencils or finely wrought acrylic paint. Friend and colleague Victoria Edgarr agrees, noting that “Agnes gives us visual surprises which we must decipher.” Edgarr has worked with Ananichuk for 20 years at Ground Zero Printmaking. She appreciates her colleague’s “infinite patience, tenacity and attention to detail.” Victoria Edgarr and her partner Alain Costas founded Ground Zero Printmaker’s Society in 1989. Their successful studio in Chinatown hosts many classes and exhibitions. At Look 2019 Edgarr won awards for both Printmaking and Poetry. ​

Envelope containing treasures

Agnes Ananichuk hooking with strips of rice paper.

Edgarr finds her colleague’s macro/micro approach to artmaking quite fascinating. Printmaking generates lots of waste materials, Edgarr explains, from artist proofs or imperfects on high quality rag paper. Agnes takes these full size discards and dissects them into paper fragments. Then she reassembles the fragments into a totally new artwork. “But whatever she does,” says Edgarr, “there is always a sense of pattern, repetition and communication through patterns.” Edgarr notes the quality of the work becomes a celebration, as value is shown in the labour expended.

Since graduating from the diploma program at the Victoria College of Art in 2000, the artist has participated in many group exhibitions. In 2014, she received the Colin Graham Award for Innovative Art at Sidney Fine Arts Show. Her upcoming show at Gage Gallery is her second solo since joining the artist run centre in 2017. “I thought Gage Gallery would be a good opportunity for me to show regularly,” she says, “and build my reputation.” She appreciates the peer support found in group shows, regular meetings, and friendly critique sessions. The artist run collective celebrates its five year anniversary in August, and is renewing their lease. This marks a great achievement for the hardworking group of volunteers who offer a professional and supportive environment to 18 members.

Centre: Trees on the right, 19x5 in, print-based collage, rice papers, acrylic paint, colour pencil, 2018. Right and left images show details.

Detail: Trees on the right,

Agnes Ananichuk has Ukrainian heritage and grew up in Brantford, Ontario. She doesn’t recall a lot of creative projects happening in their Baptist household. “A new rag rug would appear in the kitchen from time to time,” she says. In Teacher told me... she responds to a childhood memory of being told to colour inside the lines. Her elder brother was assigned to monitor her progress. At high school, she excelled more at large scale creative projects (parade floats) than academics. However, she continued on with a successful post-secondary education at various institutions. Throughout, Ananichuk kept her creative juices flowing with a mix of stamp collages, drawing and cartooning projects.

There are many happy places, print-based collage, 28x22 in, 2016.

Shrinking world of a septuagenarian, print-based collage, 28x22 in, 2017.

Agnes and her husband are both in their early seventies. Recently, they down-sized and moved to a condo in Rockland.
In Shrinking world…the artist maps out the Saanich peninsula in a jaunty striped pattern that includes the Salish Sea. “Over the years I’ve watched other family members age,” she says, “and notice they become less mobile and adventurous.” Now the couple are glad to stay closer to home, with fewer road trips, still appreciating the lovely parameters of their shrinking world.

​In There are many happy places the artist sees her own life journey. She is reminded of cheerful times by the bright configuration of shapes, colours and intersections. “It’s been a good life and I am content.” Her advice to other artists who might be struggling is: “Be patient and the ideas will come. Having an idea is the first step, using your mind and body to bring the ideas to fruition takes stamina and sometimes courage.”

Teacher said I had to learn to colour within the lines, print-based collage on cradle board, 24x20 in, 2016.

Twenty-four hour cycle, print-based collage, 24x24 in, 2016.

​Agnes Ananichuk welcomes interest in her artwork. She can be reached at [email protected]

Gage Gallery Arts Collective, 2031 Oak Bay Ave, Victoria, 250 592-2760
Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 5pm.

Agnes dazzled her admirers at the ​​​opening reception on Sunday June 30. Show continues until July 13. 

​​​Web Design, Photos and Content by Kate Cino
Arts writer published in Focus, Yam and Boulevard. 
History in Art degree and Public Relations certificate from 
​the University of Victoria
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