Excellent Frameworks in Duncan is hosting a solo exhibition by artist Cheryl Painter for the month of July.
“This collection of local landscapes will be sure to make a Cowichan-loving heart sing with recognizable scenes,” says a press release for the show.
Painter grew up in the Cowichan Valley, but moved away for a number of years. It was only when she moved back to the valley as an adult that she truly came to appreciate the beauty of the place.
Trained as a graphic designer, she painted full time in North Vancouver where she joined and eventually became the president of the North Shore Artists’ Guild, according to the release. As she became more prolific, her work could be seen in various juried exhibitions such as the Ferry Building Gallery in West Vancouver.
“Seeking a change of pace, Cheryl and her family moved back home to Cowichan where she and her husband opened and operated Chocolate Pearl, an artisanal chocolate shop located in Downtown Duncan,” said the release. “As successful as that venture became, Cheryl decided to step back from chocolate making to focus on her true passion, painting.
“She paints to share the joy she feels in these places. Sometimes quiet spaces, places to walk and slow down — places that allow you to breathe. There is something new each season, even with the very familiar.”
Painter is inspired by the Group of Seven, who also depicted Canadian landscapes.
“Cheryl uses her graphic design training when it comes to composition, color, pattern and texture. Even though the images are based on real places, she edits with her own personal perspective, so the viewer will focus on what was important to her at that time,” said the release.
“This show will take you through all seasons to places you may know and a few you may not in this wonderful paradise called Cowichan.”
The gallery is located at 115 Kenneth St., Duncan.
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Watercolours and fine cabinetry combine for the next show at the Cowichan Valley Arts Council Annex in Duncan
Called From Forest to Furniture the show runs from July 5-26. The artists, woodworker Paul McCuish from Ladysmith and painter Caroline Morrison from Nanaimo, prove that retirement can offer a chance to take skills to a higher level, says a press release for the exhibit.
“McCuish did not get serious about woodworking until he retired from teaching seven years ago,” said the press release. “He taught every level from kindergarten to Grade 12 in the Bahamas, Haida Gwaii and Nova Scotia as well as the Cowichan Valley — but he never taught shop classes. Since then, he has earned commissions and awards for his tables, boxes and cabinets, using patterned woods such as European beech, spalted maple, arbutus and sapele.”
“He is completely self taught, taking his inspiration books such as James Krenov’s A Cabinet Maker’s Notebook and social historian Lewis Mumford’s Technics and Civilization,” the release said. “His other influences were early 20th-century California architects Charles and Henry Greene, and UK designer Ed Barnsley. That got him excited about doing more with wood than pounding nails into it.”
Caroline Morrison was born in the UK and trained as an artist and fashion designer at The London College of Fashion, Art, & Design in the 1970s before moving to Nanaimo.
Although she has trained in other mediums such as oils, acrylics and watercolours, her main medium now is watercolour.
She retired from her career as an elementary school teacher in 2015, and now she devotes herself full-time to art, teaching watercolour painting to adults and working on her own projects and commissions, the release said.
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Get ready to check out some Art in the Park in Shawnigan Lake on Sunday, July 17.
The Cowichan Valley Regional District is hosting the event at Elsie Miles Field from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free.
Artists will be displaying their art, and the community is invited to enjoy the afternoon in the park with art, food and music. There will also be a hands-on opportunity for children to create their own artwork, according to a press release for the event.
Tables for artists are $15.
