Arts Council of Surrey presents

Arts 2017reflections on canada

Surrey Art GAlleryJune 23−August 26

ARTS 2017 is the latest iteration of the annual ARTS Series created together by the Surrey Art Gallery and the Arts Council of Surrey for local and province-wide artists to exhibit their work. This juried exhibition gives artists of varying levels of experience from across BC the opportunity to display their work. Unlike previous years where the exhibitions had an open theme, this year the exhibition asked the artists to ruminate on the topic of what Canada means to them and reflect those thoughts in their work.

All the works from the artists took interesting and unique approaches to the theme. Ranging from representations of Canada’s vast geography that so shapes the Canadian perspective to individual’s snapshots of the minutia of Canadian life. Through the diversity of this exhibition, the multicultural and expansive nature of both the land of Canada and the people of Canada are beautifully represented.

The strongest message of this exhibition is one of communication. Through the differing approaches to the theme a dialogue can be seen between the works, discussing what it is to be Canadian, what it meant to be Canadian throughout history, and where the artists see Canadian culture and ideas in the future. The perspectives of artists from all age ranges were expressed in this dialogue as works from experienced artists and those fresh to the field, both young and mature, are displayed.

Lastly, I wish to express my gratitude for the Surrey Art Gallery for their continued collaboration with this event; the jurors Jordan Strom, Lisa A. Chen, and Gabriela Aceves-Sepúlveda; the ARTS 2017 volunteer committee Carol Girardi, Ria Tinney, Jordan Strom, Rhys Edwards, and Donna Schipfel; and of course, all the artists who devoted themselves to the process of creating a piece of work for this event.

Carol GirardiPresidentArts Council of Surrey

ARTS CoUnCIL of SURREyPRESIDEnT’S PERSPECTIvE

ARTS 2017 CoMMITTEE

Brian foremanCarol Girardi Jordan Strom

Donna SchipfelRia Tinney

Rhys Edwards

ARTS CoUnCIL of SURREy REPRESEnTATIvES

Carol Girardi, PresidentMaxine Howchin, vice President

Cathy James, Treasurer

The Arts Council of Surrey and the Surrey Art Gallery have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this

catalogue. We cannot be held responsible for any errors or ommissions.

If you are interested in acquiring one of the works available for sale, please contact the

Arts Council of Surrey at 604-594-2700.

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Arts 2017Category 1 – Painting – Works on Canvas ........................... 6

Category 2 – Painting – Works on Paper.............................. 8

Category 3 – Drawing, 2-D Mixed Media & Printmaking .... 10

Category 4 – 3-D Works & fibre Arts ................................. 12

Category 5 – Photography & new Media............................ 14

Artists’ Statements .............................................................. 16

Jurors’ Statement ................................................................ 21

our Jurors ........................................................................... 22

Sponsors/acknowledgments............................................... 23

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ARTS 2017 – ExHIBITIon EnTRIES By CATEGoRy

CATEGoRy 1PAInTInG – WoRkS on CAnvAS

PLACInG ARTISTS CATEGoRy 1

Title of Work

Home

Canada-Great forever

Straight outta fleetwood

valley Wind

High noon

The Leader

Tar Sands, northern Alberta

A vital Link

Untitled 150

one

Commercial Drive

I Am Catnadian

Canada’s Drumyard

Saltspring Beaver

oh, Canada: A family Portrait

Title of Work

Tar Sands, northern Alberta

Straight outta fleetwood

Commercial Drive

I Am Catnadian

Price

875

3500

300

750

850

nfS

450

675

650

5000

1800

2500

1200

650

nfS

Artist

Hazel Breitkreutz

victor Bulik

Cayley Carson

Sidi Chen

Joanne Dennis

nino Dobrosavljevic

Tom Douglas

Louise Harding

Tracy Hetherington

Lorena krause

Chito Maravilla

Tristan Miller

Taslim Samji

Meghan Spence

Raymund valerio

Name

Tom Douglas

Cayley Carlson

Chito Maravilla

Tristan Miller

1st

2nd

3rd

HM

Medium

Acrylic

oil

oil

Acrylic

Acrylic

oil

Acrylic

Acrylic

Acrylic and Ink

Acrylic Impasto

Acrylic

Acrylic

Mixed media

Acrylic

oil

12

3

HM6

Medium

Watercolour

Poster colour

Watercolour

Acrylic

Watercolour

Monotype

Acrylic

Watercolour

Watercolour

Acrylic

Watercolour

Acrylic

Watercolour and Ink

oil pastel

Acrylic

Acrylic

Watercolour

Mixed Media Watercolour

Acrylic

CATEGoRy 2PAInTInG – WoRkS on PAPER

PLACInG ARTISTS CATEGoRy 2Title of Work

Untitled 150

orca Spirit

Land Studies: An Interpetation of Canadian Geography

Lake front

Name

Tracy Hetherington

Roland Rihela

katina Giesbrecht

youngHwa Cha-Hach

1st

2nd

3rd

HM

Title of Work

Tug Boat Island

Lake front

Glorious and free

freedom

Past Meets Present

Land Studies: An interpretation of Canadian Geography

The Gatherings

Coast-Side Hedonism

freedom

Reconciliation

Down to Generations

natural Dolphin views

Growing Extraordinary Together freedom of Individuality

orca Spirit

Protect the Lynx

A Day to Remember

Where Heavy Lifting Starts

Pride

Snapshot

Price

100

1000

75

200

70

300

50

80

45

75

95

30

480

250

1200

30

50

200

120

30

Artist

florence Carlsen

youngHwa Cha-Hach

Carolina Christ-o’Brien

Martha Edades

Dania Ghandi

katina Giesbrecht

Josephine Jansen

victor keohavong

Aqsa khan

Eileen Matthew

Morris Meriwether

Alyzza nicholas Sarah Power

Ariel Ricafort

Roland Rihela

Jordan Sailor

Sim Christel

Lesley Tannen

Jamie Torrebadell

vivian Tran

1

2

3

HM

8 9

Medium

Scratchboard

Mixed Media

Mixed Media

Mixed Media

Artist book

Mixed Media

Mixed Watermedia

Colored pencil

Title of Work

Scratching out Canada

Bhumi Devi

Prayer flags

An op Look at 150 years of Canadian federal Governments

of place

Proud Shoal Tower kingdom

A Shift of Tides

Sun Setting on the Polar Bears of Churchill

Price

318

250

950

250

nfS

nfS

1200

800

Artist

Chandni Ambwani

Sandeep Johal

Jorma kujala

Les Mckinnon

Erin Shavaun Mulcahy

Pan Carol

Tracie Stewart

Margaret Strickland

CATEGoRy 3DRAWInG, 2-D MIxED MEDIA & PRInTMAkInG

PLACInG ARTISTS CATEGoRy 3

Title of Work

A Shift of Tides

of place

An op Look at 150 years of Canadian federal Governments

Prayer flags

Name

Tracie Stewart

Erin Shavaun Mulcahy

Les Mckinnon

Jorma kujala

1st

2nd

3rd

HM

1 2

3

HM

10 11

Medium

Pottery

fibre Arts

Beadwork

Sticks, cut and stripped by beavers, and other found items

Mixed Media

Hand-blown glass

Title of Work

Bird’s Eye view

Can of Worms

Mi’kma’ki

Canadian Gate

A Bright future

Sea floral Series

Price

275

400

nfS

nfS

300

1600

Artist

Giovanna Cameron

Elizabeth Carefoot

Alanna Edwards

kathleen Gaitt

nina Mudny

Robert Gary Parkes

CATEGoRy 43-D WoRkS & fIBRE ARTS

PLACInG ARTISTS CATEGoRy 4

Title of Work

Can of Worms

Canadian Gate

Mi’kma’ki

Name

Elizabeth Carefoot

kathleen Gaitt

Alanna Edwards

1st

2nd

3rd

1

2

3

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CATEGoRy 5PHoToGRAPHy & nEW MEDIA

PLACInG ARTISTS CATEGoRy 5

Medium

Mixed Media

Photography

Photography

Photography

C-print

Title of Work

Memo

Mountie at the Door

Continuing Legacies of the Calgary Stampede

Canadian values

True Colours

Price

250

300

550

nfS

1300

Artist

Susan Howe

George omorean

Alana Williams

Mandeep Wirk

ketty Zhang

Title of Work

True Colours

Mountie at the Door

Continuing Legacies of the Calgary Stampede

Canadian values

Name

ketty Zhang

George omorean

Alana Williams

Mandeep Wirk

1st

2nd

3rd

HM

1

2

3

HM

14 15

ARTISTS’ STATEMEnTSCATEGoRy 1 – PAInTInG – WoRkS on CAnvAS

Tom Douglas – Tar Sands, Northern AlbertaA reminder that not all is perfect in our nation.

Cayley Carson – Straight Outta FleetwoodI celebrate humanity in my work through exploring the position of opposing the voyeur, demonstrating the satisfaction of indulgence, the flaunting moment of exhibition that people often demonstrate—guilty, honest, yet empowering. The sensuality of the sloppy, dripping paint and hurried mark—making speak to this sense, exuded in bright, glowing colour. I do this in a way that neither adheres to the representational object—often, the figure—or the expressionistic mark, using oil and pastels to create a ravenous conversation between refined line work and loose paint that exists as its nature dictates.

Chito Maravilla – Commercial DriveIs a vibrant place. It can also just be a statement. They say it’s the people that shape the place. I say it’s vice versa. What’s on your head?

Tristan Miller – I Am CatnadianI feel that with the current world climate, there has been a great deal of stress placed upon the appreciation and embracing of other cultures! I believe it’s important to remember the simplistic joy in exploring other culture, and taking part in the rich myriad of experiences they have to offer.

ARTISTS’ STATEMEnTSCATEGoRy 2 – PAInTInG – WoRkS on PAPER

Tracy Hetherington – untitled 150I use a crow to lift the teapot lid who we think we are as a national collective. A stump suggests the colonial behaviors we perpetuate, but also the potential we have for healing and nurturing an expanding inclusive Canadian consciousness, from this stump forward.

Roland Rihela – Orca SpiritI believe in the beauty, strength, and spirituality of nature as represented by the orca. They are top predators, an endangered species feeding on an endangered species, the chinook salmon. They were never meant to be put into captivity or to be Blackfish but to be born free and die free. Like the kermode Spirit Bear and all forest creatures, their spirits live on. Their spirits are our spirits. Their future, our future.

Katina Giesbrecht – Land Studies: An interpretation of Canadian GeographyThis monotype college represents the six basic geographic regions of Canada: Canadian Cordillera, Arctic, Prairies, Lowlands, Appalachians and Canadian Shield. I tried to distill the regions down to what I considered their simplest characteristics then set them against a monotype backdrop of blue to represent our oceans, rivers and lakes. The dark lines running through the piece point to the interconnections in our land: people to the land, people to the water and people to each other. This great land is the stage from which our Canadian stories are told.

YoungHwa Cha-Hach – Lake FrontColour is what first captures my attention. I remember colours rather than shape, content, or anything else and I strive to recreate them until I’m satisfied. on paper, the medium of poster-colour gives me a great deal of freedom and allows me to experiment, which is a welcome break to me after working a more traditional landscape or still life.

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ARTISTS’ STATEMEnTSCATEGoRy 4 – 3-D WoRkS & fIBRE ARTS

Elizabeth Carefoot – Can of WormsImmigration has its problems - new faces, new beliefs, new types of worship. Some people have said “If Canada lets THEM in, we’ll be opening a Can of Worms!” But look around and see people of all colours and creeds living and working together. We get along just fine. “Canada’s immigration policy is a role model for every country.” – The Economist, february 2017. HAPPy 150th CAnADA!

Kathleen Gait – Canadian GateIt is difficult to write a short statement because most of what I am feeling is between the lines. Trust and freedom tie us together… humour helps!

Alanna Edwards – Mi’kma’kiSubverting the Canada 150 logo by replacing its maple leaf with the Mi’kmaq first nations petroglyph for l’nu, I am instead celebrating our continued existence on Mi’kma’ki since time immemorial. L’nu is what the Mi’kmaq call ourselves and Mi’kma’ki is our land and territory encompassing the Maritimes, parts of Quebec, and Maine. Msit no’kmaq.

ARTISTS’ STATEMEnTSCATEGoRy 5 – PHoToGRAPHy & nEW MEDIA

Ketty Zhang – True ColoursTrue Colours is a contemplation on my experience as a “1.5 generation,” a person who immigrates to a new country during adolescence. from the initial cultural shock and language barrier, to a long period of identity crisis and the eventual self-acceptance, moving to Canada at age 14 posed many personal challenges but enabled me to know myself at the same time. As experience and knowledge accumulate with time, so does my self-understanding. nonetheless, it is a never-ending process as my day-to-day life continues to shape who I am.

George Omorean – Mountie at the DoorWhile Journey through the barrens of newfoundland, I Caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a figure at the door of an empty-looking cabin. I went back- and sure enough, the red serge coloured house had the image of a Mountie painted on its door. The absence of traffic on Highway 13 allowed me time appreciating the scene’s composition—the

ARTISTS’ STATEMEnTSCATEGoRy 3 – DRAWInG, 2-D MIxED MEDIA &

PRInTMAkInG

Tracie Stewart – A Shift of TidesEmerging - of Water - Thru WaterWe flow thru life as we embody this Element and honour our connection. We follow the Tides.I feel my muscles strain as I remember the pull of the paddle.With a mighty force we swim against the Current.

Erin Shavaun Mulcahy – Of Placeof place is an artist book that has developed out of a collection of research that I have gathered about the theme of “place. It is composed from copies of my original research as well as written reflections (that I wrote while I re-visited several locations that had an impact on my life) and also pencil drawings that I traced from old family photographs. The book can be thought of as an ongoing archive because the binding is not permanent so new research and reflections can be included over time. While in the process of working on this project, I attempted to re-connect with my roots and find out more about where I come from and how certain places may have shaped me into the person I have become today.

Les McKinnon – An On look at 150 Years of Canadian Federal GovernmentsIn 2015, with Canada’s 150th year celebration coming into focus, I was inspired to return to Canadian themes. My collage, “An on look at 150 years of Canadian federal governments” is from this series. It shows in visual form the distribution of political power from confederation to the present.

Jorma Kujala – Prayer FlagsPrayer flags have a long and varied history, carrying prayers, mantras, and good wishes (and therefore goodwill and compassion) by the wind to the surroundings. In a similar vein, this mixed media work (using predominantly manipulated and collaged newspaper clippings and acrylic medium to create a series of nearly identical fluttering flags), asks for hope, good fortune and compassion for the seemingly unreachable goal of property ownership in the Lower Mainland’s booming real estate market.

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line of the road, the vivid building, the porch and the sky—all in harmony, accented by the apparent incongruity of a smiling Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer.

Alana Williams – Continuing Legacies of the Calgary StampedeThis photograph depicts the branded shoulder of one of the Calgary Stampede’s premier bucking mares, “Stampede Warrior.” She is helping continue a Canadian legacy that belongs to the Stampede as a foundational female in the Born to Buck Program. The iconic “CS” on her shoulder represents more than just a brand, it is the symbol of the largest rodeo in Canada, which is often referred to as the “Greatest outdoor Show on Earth.” It is a Canadian tradition that began in 1912 which continues the celebration of how Canada, and particularly the West was settled. It is a continuation of a proud Canadian legacy.

Mandeep Wirk – Canadian Valueson my way to the vancouver Art Gallery, I encountered these Welcome Refugees! demonstrators, demanding that the Harper government repeal exclusionary refugee policies and return Canada to its former role of a humanitarian country that accepts refugees. They were chanting “Welcome Refugees!” and the atmosphere was highly charged with a deep sense of emotional outrage, as the world had just seen the very tragic photograph of the drowned 3-year old Syrian boy Alan kurdi’s lifeless body face down in the sand on a Turkish beach. This vancouver march was part of a cross-country mobilization and also a world-wide call in support of refugees and migrants. Stephen Harper’s hard-hearted Conservative government was eventually ousted by Justin Trudeau’s compassionate Liberal Party who moved quickly to bring Syrian refugees to Canada and resettle them here.

Thank you to all the artists who participated and submitted work for the Arts 2017 exhibition. Each piece was carefully considered and assessed in order to narrow down to the final thoughtful and imaginative selections presented here.

We recognize the efforts and courage it requires for all of the artists who made and submitted their work to this selection process. Making our selections from the pool of submissions received was very challenging, and involved much discussion and debate. We evaluated the submitted works on a number of criteria, including: innovative approach to form and material use; clearly communicated intention or idea within the artwork; sensitivity to the subject matter; presentation (including finishing and framing); narrative originality and technical skill.

With this year’s Arts juried exhibition, artists were invited to submit work that responded to the themes of the environment, diversity, youth, and reconciliation. Many artists engaged directly with the invitation, by creating work that addressed these themes in creative and original ways.

While many submissions engaged with the themes, many did not. We tried as jurors to assess the larger effort of the artists and artworks to reflect on Canada, with all of its complexities, achievements, challenges and opportunities at this particular moment when the nation marks its 150th year. We believe that while we reflect on Canada’s current birthday, it is incumbent upon us as artists and art audiences to consider and think about the much longer social and cultural history that Canada resides within and often obscures.

In the end, this exhibition is made possible through the initiative and direction of the Arts Council of Surrey. Their staff and members organize and serve on the committee, volunteer to receive and return artwork, and support the adjudication process. We thank everyone who came together to make this exhibition possible and devoted their time and efforts to supporting art in the community.

Gabriela Aceves Sepúlveda | Jordan Strom | Lisa Chen

JURoRS’ STATEMEnT

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oUR JURoRS

Lisa Chen

Lisa Chen is a dual Canadian / Taiwanese citizen who now resides and works in Surrey. She holds a BfA from Milwaukee Institue of Art and Design with double majors in Sculpture and Integrated Studio Arts. She is a multidisciplinary artist and arts advocate who enjoys the process of exploration and experimentation. Her work has been exhibited in Canada and the US.

Gabriela Aceves Sepúlveda

Gabriela Aceves Sepúlveda is an Assistant Professor at the School of Interactive Arts and Technology at Simon fraser University where she directs cMAS, an interdisciplinary research and media creation studio. As a media artist and cultural historian, her work bridges the histories of art, media, and technology with Latin American, gender and women studies, and art and design practice. Her video and sculptural installations have been exhibited in Canada, Mexico, france, India and Chile. Most recently, her interactive video installation Remediating Mamá Pina was exhibited at the 5th Computer Art Congress in Paris.

Jordan Strom

Since 2009, Jordan Strom has worked as Curator of Exhibitions and Collections at the Surrey Art Gallery. Recent exhibitions include Mimetic Workshop: Kelly Lycan and Fiona Ackerman (2016) and Nep Sidhu: Shadows in the Major Seventh (2016), and the sound art group exhibitions Sonorous Kingdom (2014) and Sound/Tract (2013). from 2004 to 2008, Jordan was co-editor of Fillip magazine. He holds an M.A. in Critical and Curatorial Studies from the University of British Columbia’s Department of Art History, visual Art and Theory.

SPonSoRS/ACknoWLEDGMEnTS

The Arts Council of Surrey gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the British Columbia Arts

Council.

Surrey Art Gallery13750 88th Avenue, Surrey, BC

v3W 3L1www.surrey.ca/artgallery

13530 72nd Avenue, Surrey, BCv3T 4x8604.594.2700info@artscouncilofsurrey.cawww.artscouncilofsurrey.ca

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