It isn’t looking a lot like Christmas outside with warm weather and no snow but that has not stopped the Westland Gallery from mounting their Christmas Show this year. Running from December 8th to 24th, the gallery has assembled a grouping of smaller works by artists that regularly exhibit there and a few new artists as well. If the Santa in your house has an appreciation for the arts, he should consider filling his sack with a few of these colourful canvases.
“Here at Westland Gallery we have put together a varied and delightful collection of work by fifteen different artists. Our annual Christmas show has something for every art lover, collector and for those who are just starting their collection,“ states Karen Stewart, gallery owner.
Donna Andreychuk’s stylized landscapes and flowers delight the eye with their vibrant use of colour. Jamie Jardine has a number of smaller oil landscapes in the show such as French River Scene 1 and 2, on the main floor but go upstairs and take a look at his larger work, Thompson Falls, Armour Ontario. It is worth the stair climb. Although this painting is not technically part of this show, Karen Stewart says that she is happy to include it, as well as other larger works to be found in the Apartment space. More of the smaller works from the Holiday Show can be found here as well.
The high realism of Rudy Sparkuhl’s painting style is seen in a canvas entitled, Christmas at the Mall, in keeping with the Christmas spirit. His other small works are hard to tell from photographs in their exquisite detail, whether representing a red motorcycle, store fronts or a simple gourd.
The difficult medium of encaustic using wax as a binder for the pigment accounts for the very different look of the work by artist Olga Cooper such as Wild Flowers, and her small treed landscapes.
Geoff Farnsworth creates a different reality in the work Pink Twin Psyche, inviting you in to explore and providing a contrast in theme form many of the other works.
The surprise Christmas treat, similar to opening your stocking on Christmas morning and finding your favourite candy, is the extension of the Andrew Lewis Pop up Poster Sale. Born in London, Lewis has won awards for his work all over the world. His colourful, fun and thoughtful designs range from theatre posters to one entitled Paris, which was created in January 2015 for the Charlie Hebdo Exhibition in that city. Fun to look at and delightful to own, they would make wonderful gifts…even if it is a gift to oneself.
With no snow to shovel, no need for boots and no cold front to keep you home by the fire, plan to put a little colour in your holiday and set out for the Westland Gallery in Wortley Village.
Cheryl Jennings is a local artist, freelance writer and retired high school teacher.
