​The Cowichan Public Art Gallery presents:
Wayfinder, the Art of Will Julsing
in the Upper Gallery Nov 7 - March 28, 2026.

Bernice Woollam and her "bill of sale". Photo by Al Brunet

Untitled. (11 Figures) Oil on canvas, triptych, each panel 40x30 in, ND

Visitors to Wayfinder the Art of Will Julsing will discover a visual treasure chest newly opened to public view. The solo exhibition contains 47 out of 75 paintings from the Will Julsing estate, recently donated to the Cowichan Public Art Gallery by his widow Bernice Woollam. Woollam, approaching 90, describes herself as delighted and honoured to have Julsing’s work preserved in a public art gallery. “There is magnificence in the depth of his work,” she says, “which is now available for all to experience.” For Woollam it’s a time of mixed emotions: happy to see the paintings expertly displayed - while missing the companionship of Will's artwork in her own home.

Untitled. (Reflections) Oil on canvas, 36x48 in, ND

The Initiate, Oil on canvas, 48x60 in, ND

Untitled. (Sky Light) Oil on canvas, 48x60 in, ND

In the newly-renovated Upper Gallery, Julsing’s oil paintings chronicle his 35-year career as a practicing artist. A wealth of wonderment and tall tales awaits visitors. Julsing’s richly-coloured, expansive canvases feature eerie landscapes and mysterious structures. There are stormy seas, hovered over by multi-hued apocalyptic skies. Some paintings are populated with jaunty elongated beings, in multi-coloured robes, confident and enigmatic. Others feature travellers in perilous situations, swept along between sea and sky or perched precariously on the cusp of transformation.
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Untitled. (Tidal Walkers Two) Oil on canvas, diptych, each panel 36x48 in, ND

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​Julsing was born in 1942 in Groningen, Holland during the Nazi occupation. His boyhood was spent near the ocean in northern Holland, his imagination fed by the folk lore of nearby Frisian Islands. From local fishers and sailors, he heard legends of tidal walkers, nautical adventures and heroic rescues. As the gifted youth moved towards adulthood, he gravitated toward the arts, studying in art academies from 1959-1964. A flexible artist, Julsing succeeded in both the design and fine art realms. For example, in 1965 he received a Fine Art Award from Artibus Academy as well as joining an International Designers Group based in Amsterdam.

In 1966, his paintings traveled around Europe in a group show of Netherland artists. Perhaps this set his travel bug in motion as Julsing left Holland in 1967, bound for Canada. After travelling around North America for a year, he settled on Vancouver Island. His first solo show was in Victoria in 1970. From 1970 to 2005, the artist participated in many solo and group shows across Canada, venturing as well to Seattle, Los Angeles and Tacoma, Washington.
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Untitled. (Golden Dawn) Oil on canvas, 42x42 inches framed, 1993

Untitled. (Tidal Walkers One) Oil on canvas with paper overlay, (30x 40 in)

Untitled. (White Horse) Oil on canvas, 30x24 inches framed.

Anne Brunet and Kori Kelloway co-curated the exhibition. Both women are involved in the local arts community and Anne is a board member of the Cowichan Public Art Gallery (CPAG). In the spring of 2025 negotiations began to arrange the cataloguing, transfer and storage of the Will Julsing collection at CPAG. Woollam’s property, called The Hawthorn, held close to 100 pieces, some still in Julsing’s studio on the acreage near Glenora. Brunet recalls the busy time: “There was a lot of back and forth and visits with Bernice,” she says, “while things got sorted out and settled.”

At the same time, planning for the Wayfinder exhibition was underway, adding to pressure to complete the Upper Gallery renovations by November 7, 2025. The CPAG board worked decisively to incorporate Julsing’s artwork into their permanent collection because it aligns with their mandate, notes Brunet. Founded in 2017, the Cowichan Public Art Gallery Society is a volunteer-run organization that seeks to build a world-class art gallery in Duncan. Their vision includes making the Duncan area a cultural destination through hosting local, national and international artists of distinction.

Untitled. (Odonata Series) Oil on canvas, 47x37inches framed, 1997

Untitled. (Suspended) Oil on board, 36x50 inches framed, 1986

Untitled. (Transforming) Oil on canvas, 48x36, 1992

While working toward their future-gallery goals, the Cowichan Gallery has a year-round exhibition schedule. Concurrent with Wayfinder is an exhibition on the Lower Level titled: Bearing Witness: Art of Jeannette Sirois, running Nov 28 - Feb 28, 2026.
Community support is crucial to the success of CPAG. Please visit the website to learn how to donate, become a member and support the gallery through volunteer opportunities.

Cowichan Public Art Gallery, 126 Ingram Street, Duncan V9L 1P1. (Photos by Chris Bone)
Website here;  Email: [email protected]
Upper Gallery hosts Wayfinder, Nov 7 - March 28, 2026.  Hours: Thursday - Saturday, 10:00-4:00.
Lower Gallery hosts Jeannette Sirois, Nov 28 - Feb 28, 2026.  Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00-4:00

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