The 7th annual Integrate Arts Festival 2013, happened August 23 & 24 in downtown Victoria. Director Kaitlyn Webb Patience thanks the hard-working creative team who organized the spectacular event. From left: Amber Petersen, Kaitlyn Webb Patience, Jennifer Paquet, Zahra Stark, Amy McKinstry, Erica Bloom. “We’re happy if each person finds one new gallery or source of inspiration,” says Kaitlyn.
The festive event connected arts enthusiasts with local galleries, artist run centres, venues and happenings.
A book fair at the public library and photo workshop at The Bateman Centre enlivened the Saturday events.
Some of the participating galleries are holding over their exhibitions, so be sure and visit.
There are many more venues not included in this webpage. See www.integratearts.ca for details.
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Special guest at opening.
Opening ceremonies took place Friday August 23 6:00-7:30PM in Market Square. Enthusiastic crowds enjoyed pizza and beer, live music and “special guests” before heading out to the official art crawl 7:30-10:30PM.
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Pizza, beer and good cheer
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Polychrome Fine Arts was delighted to be included in the Official Art Crawl hosted by Integrate. www.polychromefinearts.com. Owned and operated by artists Mary Patterson and Shawn Shepherd,
the commercial art gallery exhibits contemporary work by twenty one artists.
Mary and Shawn display "Stormcloud".
Mary Patterson describes her work “Stormcloud” as second in a series of works about clouds. “I am fascinated by clouds,” she says, “their mustering, ever-changing energy and colouration." Mary receives much inspiration at the hardware store, “looking at this and that”. The artist constructed "Stormcloud" by building a wooden armature, then rasping it into a rounded shape. "Stormcloud’s" silvery exterior is visually intriguing: the armature is encased with an aluminum oven liner and studded with roofing nails - its base emits a “rain” of nails. |
Shawn holding "Border & Lines #8" Oil, 2013
Shawn Shepherd’s painting career spans two decades of intensely focused work. His recent solo show called Border & Lines plays with the notion of picture planes and borders. The structural grid patterns in the artworks are built with repetitive brush strokes of thickly applied paint. Meditative and precise, the impasto brushwork creates relief, making paintings “imbued with the pure joy of colour and texture”. The grid pattern represents the web of social constraints and surveillance we experience in modern culture, explains Shawn. The act of painting pushes through these boundaries with unrestrained exuberance and freedom of expression. |
Mary Jo Hughes is Director of UVic’s Art Collections and The Legacy Art Gallery.
"Core Samples: Visual Arts Faculty 1966-1986" continues until October 26, 2013.
The Legacy Gallery is UVic’s primary gallery space and a teaching facility.
http://uvac.uvic.ca
Efren Quiroz from exhibit-v.ca outside Legacy Gallery with “Grandmother’s Legacy” a knitting installation.
At right, Mary Jo Hughes on Baden’s sculpture called Hudson Street Beet (1984). Mowry Baden and Roland Brener were key players in the conceptual art movement that blossomed at UVic between 1966-1986. Thirteen artists and faculty members are showcased in the Visual Arts Faculty exhibition on until October 26, 2013. “Mowry Baden is still active and producing art,” says Mary Jo, “and we are delighted by the strong turnout at his August 24 public lecture.”
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Mary Jo Hughes rides Mowry Baden's sculpture
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Owner Thomas Stark, Out of the Mist Gallery.
The gallery offers an eclectic collection of antique and contemporary art and artifacts
from Indigenous peoples around the world. www.outofthemistgallery.com
An important 18th century Coast Salish figural spoon with a wolf image.
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“We are always on the lookout for special collectables,” he says, “and each piece has a story to tell.”
Thomas featured his collection of ceremonial spoons and ladles for the Integrate Arts Festival.
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19th century Haida goat and sheep horn feast spoon.
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KITTYKARAOKE at Xchanges Gallery www.xchangesgallery.org
This exhibition officially opens on Friday, Sept 6th, 7:00 PM, and ends on Sept 29, 2013
Gallery Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 12 to 4 pm
Karen Hibbard is a practicing artist, and Fine Art instructor at Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek. While living in Victoria, she often jogged through the grounds of Government House, noticing the volunteer gardeners at work. Her exhibition called “KITTYKARAOKE” honours the seniors who create community while contributing to a “green” urban environment.
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The visual imagery includes a variety of subject matter, making reference to life cycles and rebirth after 50. The short film illuminates various gardening sequences with grace and humour. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUwh_wCR9qs. www.karenhibbard.com |
The Robert Bateman Centre is located on the second floor of the palatial Steamship Terminal in the inner harbour. The gallery displays 111 original paintings by the famous wildlife painter and conservationist.
Christine Woychesko (left) and Mia Watkins
Christine Woychesko, Operations Manager of the Bateman Foundation (left) with Mia Watkins, Communications and Marketing Assistant stand with painting "Gol Kopje - Lion Family" (2013).
“Since opening to the public on May 25, we’ve hosted many people from around the world,” says Christine. Christine was delighted with the super turnout both Friday and Saturday during the Integrate festival.The centre wants to be involved with local events and festivals, as well as educate and inspire children and adults. Justin Love, president of Limbic Media
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"Rockface Descent - Leopard" (1999)
During the Integrate Arts Festival, Francis Litman, a local photographer and environmentalist, gave workshops to visitors. Admission was free during the Friday night art crawl.
The above painting called "Rockface Descent - Leopard" (1999) is one of Christine’s favourite artworks. She likes the abstract elements in the painting, and notes that Bateman investigated abstraction early in his career. E.R. Gott stencils a floral pattern on Langley Street.
ERGott (his brushname) usually makes art on canvases. With special permission from Jim Munro, owner of the building, he is stenciling a floral pattern on the stucco wall on Langley Street. Festival director
Kaitlyn Webb Patience admires the evolving artwork. |
Tanya Doody (left) with Kate Cino at Open Space.
Open Space hosted Tanya Doody’s performance Moment + Memento on Friday night. Circular discs of clay pressed between two outstetched hands, turned
a simple handshake into an impressive encounter. |
Theresa Slater with "Portrait with Chalice"
Theresa Slater stands with her acrylic painting “Portrait with Chalice”.
The subject of the painting is a friend and mentor of the artist, a woman in her 80’s. Theresa is currently pursuing a degree in Philosophy at UVic and studied at the Kootenay School of the Arts in Nelson. She is one of several dynamic contemporary artists on view at Madrona Gallery until August 30. |
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