OPEN STUDIO, AUGUST LONG WEEKEND

Saturday- July 31st,  Sunday-August 1st,  Monday-August 2nd

                                                    11 am to 5 pm

KUNAMOKST MURAL

  I was asked last September to produce a panel that would be part of a large mural.

Mural mosaic was to produce this project called, Kunamokst .  

“Unity through Diversity” was the umbrella concept for Mural Mosaic and we were asked to be inspired by the amazing richness and beauty of the life forms of our  coastal habitat.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ”The sea trouts” 12″ x 12″ Acrylic on panel

The larger image was unknown to us and we were given a panel loosely painted to be our guideline.

The final unveiling event and the release of the book is taking place this Sunday June the 20th at the Galiano Inn. An event that promises to be exciting in a wonderful setting. The lieutenant governor will be meeting Galiano artists as well as the many other artists who participated.

You to are invited!!!   For all  details clic on Kunamokst

I thought you might like to see the steps that brought this image to be.

[Show as slideshow]

Here are some thoughts on my chosen subject……

           The gem like quality of a fish freshly out of water has kept me fascinated ever since I can remember. There is something so intriguing about Neptune’s Kingdom.
I enjoyed capturing through layers of glazes, the glistening of their bodies in a fluid environment. Their speckled backs and silvery colors are so very attractive to me.

         Of course their speckles are part of a very successful camouflage, a way of being invisible at a most vulnerable time. They spawn like salmon, on gravel in the shallow waters of a riverbed.

“EYE OF THE MEADOW”

Reconstruction, daily reassembling….. What to save?  What to discard?

                                            Mixed-Media, Acrylic on panel, 36″ x 36″ x 2.75″

This image,”Eye of the Meadow” is part of a series called “Reconstruction”. This series of Mixed-Media panels were shown in Vernon at Gallery Vertigo as part of a group show curated by Judith Jurica. These works explore in a visual form, the realisation of all of my internal cultural influences and hybridity. And, by extension, “Reconstruction” explores the hybridity of  British Columbia and Canada’s multicultural fabric.

I am also  introducing an icon, the  Alpine Daisy, to represent  all that is indigenous as, an integral and constant presence. In “Eye  of the Meadow” I use the Daisy as a lens through which we can observe our part of the world.

Through the Daisy’s lens we can see a wave constructed from the hand of the Green Tara.( This is a recurring icon in my work ) It represents the presence of Asian cultures, Buddhism, the Feminine as well as a gentle, strong, protective force over a landscape reminiscent of the southern Gulf Islands.

An other icon part of this image is the Acanthus leaf. You can see it as a repeat pattern around  the Goddess’s graceful and gentle hand. The Acanthus leaf represents European cultures.

I think of two dimensional work as the live playing field  of aesthetics. Live because the interaction with the viewer is always active.

In this case my presentation with this blog makes it now INTERACTIVE . 

So, please feel inspired to leave your thoughts.

[Show as slideshow]

This is the series: “Reconstruction”.

“Eye of the Meadow”, ” Skeena”, ”Swift Crossing”, “Turtle Island Flora”.

This series is a group of works that are part of a larger series called :

 ”Hybrid Self, Indigenous Heart”.
This larger body of work also includes another series of pieces called:

 ”Integral Vision”.

“Hybrid Self, Indigenous Heart” is  a project in the making.

WINTER SOLSTICE AT THE GALLERY

LATE APRIL AT THE GALLERY

"Swift Crossing" and "Turtle Island Flora"surrounded by smaller works

"Reflections", 5" x 5" acrylic and ink on paper

Last Friday Stephenie, who was on a visit from Banff,  dropped in Island’s Edge Gallery  where I was working for the day. We had a great chat. Stephenie mentioned that she wanted to see these again, so here are the paintings Steph!!!

All the best from the coast.

EARTH DAY’S GLORIOUS MORNING

Our children are arrows into the future....... Kahlil Gibran

Playing with Ziah in our Mt-Pleasant garden, showers of cherry blossom petals are flowing down the pavement on 21st, just like a stream.

Just like a stream flowing, committed to the transformations needed, without haste without rest, we can flow around our own obstacles and gradually wear them down.

EARTH DAY SOON

” Mood Joy ”   19 . 02 . 2010, Mt-Pleasant, Vancouver

WELCOME

“Hybrid Delta Daisy” Acrylic on wooden panel, Diptych, 2 x 12 in. x 12 in.

          What an exciting day it is to begin presenting my work,  stories and  thoughts, whether they be technical, theoretical, or just plain inspired. All this  made possible through the blog. This medium also makes it possible to present you with a documentation of my life  and interests as a visual artist. 

        So bear with us as this project emerges into cyber world and share with us your precious thoughts because, you  can be part of this. And this is what makes the current times amazing, connectivity ……….. 

       The old website is now like and archeological dig.  It is now a resource to dig through and re-present to you the work of the past, in a much more comprehensive and interactive form. These works, as well as current work, will soon be possible to see, as we present you with assorted galleries.  The artwork will also be the subject of new posts on a regular basis.

For now, a heartfelt welcome…….

Francine Renaud

RENEW

Our gallery is celebrating it’s second year.

For our first group show of the year, we have invited all previous and current members to show new work.

This promises to be an exciting event. There is a Buzz in the air!!!!!