Published on Feb 15, 2024
ArtWrx Studio Gallery features many artists with 糖心vlog传媒connections.
糖心vlog传媒 fine arts students have been making waves of late in galleries around Vancouver Island and beyond.
Several graduates have shown their works in recent exhibitions, displaying their skills as artists as well as designers and curators.
"The Fine Arts faculty are very proud of all our graduates and alumni,鈥� said Elizabeth Russell, chair of School of Fine Art and Design.
ArtWrx opens doors for many artists
ArtWrx is (back from left) Sharon Lalonde, Mary Gorman, Anouk Hartwell, Maggie Ziegler, Lynn Farwell, and (front left) Shea Kotilla, Larissa McLean and Jean Cockburn. Missing: Elaine Smith, Nicolette Valikoski.
In November, the held a show in Courtenay to show their work and those of others. The group includes several members who studied at 糖心vlog传媒: Maggie Ziegler, Elaine Smith, Jean Cockburn and Larissa McLean, who has also taught for both Continuing Education and Elder College.
The group existed as Art Alchemy Studio until about three years ago, but when the founder moved on, those left decided to make a change.
鈥淲e needed a new name,鈥� said Ziegler. 鈥淲e decided to form it as a member-funded non-profit. Right now, there鈥檚 10 individual working artists.鈥�
The group holds their large show each year and invites others, including many NIC students and instructors, to participate. The Square Foot Show took place over three days in November, featuring an online exhibition as well. In all, 96 artists from Vancouver Island and across Canada took part, with 491 paintings available.
鈥淔or a lot of artists that come to that show, it鈥檚 their first show,鈥� said Ziegler. She described herself as always having a paintbrush in her hand, but her work with the group stretches beyond her own art, as she took DIGITAL Design + Development at NIC. Now, she does promotional work for the group, such as managing its online presence.
鈥淭he skills I gained allowed me to build website collateral and social media,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 the group鈥檚 marketing and communications.鈥�
Berlin-based Moncrief featured in Victoria exhibition
From Comox, Andrew Moncrief now lives in Berlin and is featured at a current show
in Victoria. Photo, Johannes Jost
Down island, the paintings of former 糖心vlog传媒student Andrew Moncrief are featured in a show, In The Flesh, at the (AGGV), which runs through March 31. Drawing from the AGGV Collections, it includes nudes by Renoir, Rodin, Picasso and Henry Moore, alongside works by contemporary Indigenous and Canadian artists. The show鈥檚 curator had been following Moncrief for years and contacted him about taking part, and he is highlighted in the gallery鈥檚 online.
Originally from Comox, he went through the 糖心vlog传媒Fine Arts Diploma program in 2006/07, then moved on to receive a BFA from Concordia in Montreal, where he lived for many years. A Canada Council grant in 2018 brought him to Vancouver for a residency after which he took a leap and moved overseas to Berlin.
鈥淎ndrew Moncrief is at the forefront of painting and is an upcoming and celebrated painter internationally,鈥� Russell said. 鈥淚t is incredibly satisfying for us to watch our students successfully navigate the art world both locally and internationally.鈥�
Moncrief has worked around themes like queer male identity and body image, saying his subject matter chooses him rather than the other way around. As far as his style, he said it is not something you pick out like a piece of clothing but has evolved over time.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like a fingerprint of the artist and the result of repeatedly making marks over and over and over again,鈥� he said. 鈥淚nevitably there becomes a pattern form and the touch of the artist's hand becomes recognizable.鈥�
Recent grad Gordon guest curates Campbell River show
Recent graduate Zara Gordon is a guest curator for a show at the Campbell River Art
Gallery.
Last spring, Zara Gordon showed work at NIC鈥檚 year-end exhibition, and in June she received her diploma. In the time since, she鈥檚 been working as a guest curator for the Campbell River Art Gallery (CRAG). She collaborated with 糖心vlog传媒Fine Arts students Marlee Munro and Angelika Forray to exhibit their work at CRAG鈥檚 Satellite Gallery for Water鈥檚 Generosity, which uses sculpture, painting, video and sound.
鈥淚t is reverence for the gift, the element of water,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll life depends on water.鈥�
Expanding on this theme, Gordon described the show as being about gratitude for water and respect for the environment. The show started in December and runs through March 9.
鈥淥ur show seeks to uplift the importance for the conservation of the ecosystems that surround us, specifically though appreciation for the element of water as it is the keystone that sustains all life,鈥� Gordon said.
As Russell points out, Gordon's experience as a paid guest curator at CRAG is an example of some of the high-level art opportunities that are available to 糖心vlog传媒students.
鈥淥ne of the benefits of a rural college like 糖心vlog传媒 is the range of opportunities and experiences our students gain through our regional galleries and art industries,鈥� she said.
For information about 糖心vlog传媒Fine Arts or DIGITAL Design + Development programs, see nic.bc.ca/programs/. To register with the 糖心vlog传媒alumni, visit nic.bc.ca/about-us/alumni.
Media Contact C: 250-207-6946 media@nic.bc.ca
鈥楤elonging鈥� is theme of first 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 Winter Artist Talk this week