LAKE COUNTRY ART GALLERY

FIELDWORK

9/29/2023

September 30 to November 25

Fieldwork
Embodied Practices & the Landscape

Annie Briard
Tara Nicholson
Melany Nugent-Noble
prOphecy sun
Andreas Rutkauskas
Leah Weinstein

The artists explore the intersections of landscape/ climate change, embodied practices, interdisciplinary practice and non-hierarchical collaboration. Investigating the concept of fieldwork within contemporary art as divergent from traditional/western/scientific construct, the artists consider various forms of localization, ranging from the local/regional to the global. Fieldwork can involve bringing evidence back from distant locales, or it can take place on the grounds of the exhibition site.
Guiding questions for the exhibition include: what does fieldwork look like within contemporary art? What role does site play in the notion of fieldwork? Considering the significance of postcolonial discourse- as guests on this land- how do we maintain respectful protocol as artists working on the land and what does this mean to our individual art practices?

Moored

7/21/2023

Lylse Barmby
Jane Everett
Lilly Thorne

July 22nd to September 24th

Moored

The Lake Country Art Gallery presents its summer exhibition, Moored, featuring an installation of artworks by the Davis Road Collective. Comprising three women artists, Jane Everett, Lilly Thorne, and Lysle Barmby, the collective unites their creative skills from various western cities, driven by a shared concern for the encroachments of industry and recreation on the pristine interior of BC.

As the delicate balance of lakes and forests faces escalating threats from clear-cutting, the pine beetle epidemic, and a paradoxical form of 'recreation' that clashes with the very environment it aims to appreciate, the Davis Road Collective explores these pressing issues through their unique artistic expressions. Through a harmonious blend of photography, drawing, and textiles, this exhibition invites viewers to deeply contemplate their impact on the natural world.

"The concepts and conversations explored in the Moored exhibition unfold right here in Lake Country. We proudly boast about the area's natural beauty, yet a leisurely stroll along the lakeshore in Okanagan Centre exposes an uninterrupted string of moored boats cluttering the water...This is precisely why we cherish the presence of artists among us, as they possess the power to reveal our true essence and shed light on our ever-evolving nature. They serve as reminders of beauty while simultaneously sounding the alarm. Few question the substantial allocation of tax dollars toward road maintenance and the accommodation of more cars. But where does this lead us? What does the future hold?"
Wanda Lock, Curator

CATTYWAMPUS

6/22/2023

Gallery Members Pop-up Exhibition

June 25 to July 16

Cattywampus

an imaginary fierce wild animal...

Community and Gallery members have submitted over seventy artworks that capture their own furry feline beast for this exhibition.

SPECIAL EVENT Cat-themes arts gala SUNDAY 25th June 11am-3pm
Looking for something interesting and fun to do this Sunday? Come on out to Lake Country Art Gallery for a fun Cat themed Art Gala and OHS Adoption Event! Cat themed edible art, kittens and cats available for adoption, a photo booth, Bone Appetite vouchers, cat stickers and cat-inspired original artworks by over 60 artists!

THANK you to the Okanagan Humane Society, to all the bakers and makers, to the artists and to our event sponsors Bone Appetite.

Two MFA students from UBC Okanagan present thesis exhibitions side by side in the gallery. May 6 to June 16, 2023

5/3/2023

ZOORKHANEH_Nasim Pirhadi

Extract from Artist Statement (complete statement can be found in gallery brochure)
Nasim Pirhadi's work actively confronts and explores the social instability and how it relates to the ways Iranian women fight for their rights. One response of this confrontation is through a recreation of a zoorkhaneh within a gallery space. A zoorkhaneh is a traditional gym that only men are allowed to enter and participate in, and whose name translates to House of Strength. There is an old belief that women are not purified enough to enter these sacred places, and that the inherent corruption of womanhood makes them undeserving of titles like ‘hero’ or ‘champion’. By recreating a zoorkhaneh in a gallery space, I control and arrange, populated with the reimagined tools that define a new sort of zoorkhaneh. In creating a zoorkhaneh in the gallery space, I challenged the exclusionary practices in zoorkhanehs by creating alternative space where people regardless of their gender can gather and engage in activities that are traditionally associated with these places. This project involves installation, video and photo performances that invite people who enter this environment to explore the cultural significance of these space, work out with the wooden tools and challenge patriarchal norms and values. By the space of zoorkhaneh, I want to challenge dominant narratives and create a more diverse and inclusive cultural landscape.

I Died as a Mineral_Heraa Khan

Artist Statement
Through my artistic practice, I delve into the natural world and our connection to it. The unbridled desire of humans to succeed and advance has disrupted the essential tenet of coexistence between the realms of humanity and the natural world, causing an imbalance that has led to ecological catastrophes and environmental calamities. Using Indo-Persian miniature painting methods that originated in the 16th century as a starting point, my artistic practice involves re-envisioning these techniques with modern imagery and cross-cultural concerns to subvert conventional expectations. My work repurposes accounts of calamities and past events into significant and relatable visuals, blending the cultures of both the East and the West. I explore ideas expressed by Jalaluddin Rumi and Jeanette Armstrong in their poetry that advocate the importance of balance and equality of all living forms as a way to move forward towards a more harmonious and sustainable future. By combining Eastern traditional painting techniques of using handmade materials such as wasli (paper), qalam (brush), and
paints made from North American indigenous knowledge of natural pigments (Beam paints), with contemporary environmental concerns, the artwork conveys a multifaceted and intricate significance.

the Mother(load)

3/9/2023

March 11th Open House celebration of our Gallery Members concluded with an Annual General Meeting at 3pm.

Gallery Members along with Guest Artist Angelina Rosa responding to the themes and questions that were presented in the last exhibition State(s) of Being, and continue the conversation by diving into the subject of motherhood and the creative process.

Whether an artists and a mother, a child of an artist, or an observer, this exhibition asks members to reflect on the challenges, joys and clichés associated with motherhood and the role of an artist.

Forty Nine artists responded to the theme - thank you to the following Gallery Members for taking part in this exhibition:
Alice Pallett; Alison Beaumont; Amber Powell; Amy Bradshaw; Angela Hansen; Angelina Rosa; Anke Sabo;
Carley Rangen; Carney Oudendag; Caron Smed; Ceren McKay; Courts Champion; Denise Patrick;
Destanne Norris; Devon L Muhlert; Erin Scott; Eveline Wallace; Faye Eden; Heather Burton; Jacqueline Rieger;
Jill Meredith; JG Touchstone; Judith Hamilton; Joyful ArtHouse Kids; Karen Stewart; Kate Brown;
Kelsie Balehowsky; Kerry McLeod; Lisa Figueroa; Lynette Stebner; Margaret Kyle; Marlene McPherson;
Maureen Kaczkowski; Michelle Droettboom; Olya Krasavina; Pamela Cinnamon; Paulette Deyholes;
Pippa Dean-Veerman; Rena Warren + Larkin Dunn Warren; Rhonda Giesbrecht; Roberta Sutherland;
Roxana Meaney; Sara Wiens; Stefanie Denz; Suzanne Chavarie; Tess Letailleur; Tim Vant; Yolanda Robinson

See the responses from local school students on a recent gallery tour
- click - RESPONDING - or navigate to the ARTWORDS page, where you will also find the
Bree Apperley essay on State(s) of Being, writing about the challenges of pursuing an art career as a woman and as a mother.

State(s) of Being

12/27/2022

Janine Hall,
Joice M. Hall,
Lindsay Lorraine,
Mary Smith McCulloch,
Rhonda Neufeld

January 7th to March 5th

In a CBC radio interview with Mary Pratt some years ago, Pratt tells the interviewer about the struggle between motherhood and being an artist. She describes making healthy meals for her children, watching them lovingly as they eat the food she prepared just for them, and simultaneously wishing them to hurry and finish so she could continue painting at the kitchen table.

This tug between being a mother and an artist is rarely discussed in art and society. Filmmaker Pamela Tanner Boll made a documentary released in 2008 titled, Who does she think she is? Boll follows five women who reject society's pressure to choose between motherhood and professional artistic practice. Economics, responsibility, family, independence, creative drive, and social norms add to the larger conversation of women's representation in the male-dominated art world.

the State(s) of Being features the work of career artists Janine Hall, Joice Hall, Lindsay Lorraine, Rhonda Neufeld, and Mary Smith McCulloch.
These five artists have a professional art practice while still fulfilling the challenges, responsibilities and joys (and sometimes not so much joy) of motherhood. This exhibition makes time and space to support and reinforce the role of women artists and asks why to this day, women are still underrepresented in the art world.

2022 Under 200: Year-End Fundraising Exhibition

11/29/2022

2022 UNDER 200

December 3rd - 21st

with Front of the Line early access December 2nd

Exhibition and fundraising sale of original art by gallery members

LC Art Gallery member artists were invited to participate in the Lake Country Art Gallery’s largest show of the year!

Watch for your favourite artists or discover some new works to gift add to your collection.

Access new and original artworks by:
Alice Pallett, Alison Beaumont, Allana Weston, Angela Hansen, Angelika M Offenwanger, Anke Sabo, Ann Willsie, Anne Gidluck, Asahna Hughes, Audrey Peat, Blair Dunlop, Carney Oudendag, Carol Zuckerman, Cheryl Turner, Danielle Erickson, Denise Patrick, Dianne Postman, Dianne Schnieders, Don Makela, Elaine Hatch, Eveline Wallace, Fried Martin, Graciela Blancarte, Heather Burton, Isabella Ford, Judy Hamilton, Kali Koshey, Kara Barkved, Kathryn Ross, Kathy Hale, Kayleigh Mace, Kerry MacLeod, Leanne Spanza, Linley McKennna, Lisa Hewitt, Liz Earl, Lynette Stebner, Margaret Kyle, Marlene McPherson, Maud Besson, Maureen Lejbak, Melissa Dinwoodie, Michelle Droettboom, Minnie Klashinsky, Moozhan Ahmadzadegan, Nancy Archer, Olya Krasavina, Paul Lewendon, Paulette Deyholos, Ramona Hoeft, Robert Guenette, Sarah Parsons, Shannon Wylie, Sharlene McNeill, Sheila Tansey, Shelley Johnson, Susan Yost, Tia Maria Soroskie, Tina Siddiqui, Valerie Thompson, Valerie Fortey

open to the public from Saturday December 3rd continuing six days per week Tuesdays through Sundays from 9am to 4pm

December 2nd from 6pm - Front of the Line:
Early access and VIP treatment through ticket entry - tickets available now!

December 10th - find us in the foyer of George Elliot Secondary School where we'll provide everything you need to print your own gift wrap paper

December 17th 4pm-8pm - Night Market: Winter Artisan Market

For more information about special features that will take place as part of the Under 200 Exhibition 2022, stay tuned and check for our newsletters in your email inbox.

Annual Fundraising Goal: Event ticket sales plus 30% of art sales help to support exhibitions & programs at the Lake Country Art Gallery and Art House while 70% of art sales support your favourite local artists.

We Meet Again

9/26/2022

We Meet Again

an exhibition of works by Jim Kalnin, alongside works by these twenty one artists and former students of Jim's:

Roseanne Bennett; Lee Claremont; Glenn Clark; Carin Covin; Rob Fee; Caitlin Ffrench; Bev Gordon; Natasha Harvey; Lois Huey-Heck; Judith Jurica; Kerry MacLeod; Christian Nicolay; Shauna Oddleifson; Amber Powell; Crystal Przybille; Sarah Ronald; Joanne Sale; Charles Scholl; Tia-Maria Soroskie; Rena Warren; Ingrid Mann-Willis

Roots & Gardens

9/4/2022

Roots & Gardens
Black Liquorice Studio Pop-Up Exhibition

September 10th to 24th

Featuring the work of eight Okanagan-based artists:

Cassandra Adjetey, Moozhan Ahmadzadegan, Hana Hamaguchi, Maura Tamez, Xiaoxuan Huang, Lady Dia, Trophy Ewila and Meg Yamamoto.

While diverse in subject and medium, their work investigates the way an exploration of our roots and intersections of identity informs and creates our sense of home—home as a material reality: soil, stone, tree, flowers budding into fruit and life—a garden of relations that is placed in the imagination.

Roots&Gardens invites viewers to consider the ways we make home for ourselves—while occupying Syilx Land and the ways we invite or exclude others from doing the same.

ABOUT BLACK LIQUORICE STUDIO
Black Liquorice Studio is the growing BIPOC artist collective. With this inaugural exhibit, as with future activities, Black Liquorice Studio aims to provide a platform for underrepresented artists in the Okanagan; create opportunities for those artists to build professional relationships with other artists and arts organizations; to foster the development of new ideas and approaches in art and artists' working lives.

PRINCIPLES of ENCLOSURE

7/17/2022

PRINCIPLES OF ENCLOSURE

July 24rd to September 3rd

Gambletron, Johnny Forever Nawracaj, Zev Tiefenbach

Principles of Enclosure is an exhibition that brings together three artists whose works converge around the precarity of the contemporary built environment.

Functional obsolescence increasingly defines much of the current architectural landscape in so-called Canada, with new builds arising at mushrooming speeds and lightweight materials enabling easy teardown. The real estate boom has seen whole hillsides spring suburban developments while postwar stone bungalows in denser urban areas are torn down and replaced with large, boxy drywall structures decoratively clad in stone veneer barely belying the newbuild's susceptibility to fast decay.

Through this exhibition, Tiefenbach, Nawracaj and Gambletron are leaning into the vacillating sense of alienation and familiarly brought on by the residential build environment. Teifenbach's photographs of local dwelling spaces, construction sites, and material decay dialogue with Forever Nawracaj's digital collage pairing ubiquitous construction materials with equally cheaply-made objects, such as wigs, made to construct and signify gendered identity. Meanwhile, Gambletron's sound installation acts as a sonic and material counterpart to the hung work.
Each artist's work invites audiences to consider the social and environmental implications of constructed space. With the current massive inflation of the housing market and the rash of new developments springing up throughout the Okanagan valley, this collaborative exhibition is pertinent to the local social context.

Johnny Forever Nawracaj is a nonbinary Polish-born artist exploring themes of loss, labour, and identity through video, performance, installation, and digital collage. Experimental narrative given through text, image, and the manipulation of objects drives the artist's work toward interrogations of social norms, the creation of myth, and the ubiquity of technologies taken for granted in late-capitalist urban environments. Foregrounding the liminal, Johnny Forever settles in flux between concepts, between technologies, and between identities.
Forever's work is characterized by bold physicality and a demeanor that vacillates between playfulness and frustration. A former drag-queen who now supports their artistic practice doing home renovation work, the artist often makes use of queer femme tropes in surrealist combination with contemporary construction materials. Their work draws attention to the construction of identity as well as the precarity of the built environment. Forever's strange combinations of wigs and stilettos with steel wall studs and drywall or classical collanges become metaphors for vulnerability of structures both physical and theoretical.

Gambletron is a nonbinary sound artist and performer who has been working with radio for the past decade. They don't simply make sound works for radio, but rather use the radio medium itself to build installations for performance as well as stand-alone sculptural pieces. Using short-range FM radio transmitters, the artist transmits their original soundscapes through various installations built from radios and situated in environments selected for their acoustic qualities. Gambletron views the radio medium as a vast expanse of potential for building modular sound systems that can be stacked, hung, swung or moved in and out of interesting acoustic space to augment live performance. As well as providing aesthetic interest, antique and vintage radios produce uniquely coloured sound- a haunting sound, pierced through with that characteristic crackling evocative of radio's powerful history. Gambletron is fascinated with the history of the radio platform as a tool for community building and political resistance. It is a technology that resonates in the collective memory of many communities, shaping time and transforming shared space.

zev tiefenbach is a social realist photographer whose practice explores the relationship between the physicality of place and the narratives that construct and are formed by the spaces we inhabit. tiefenbach is particularly interested in exploring the landscape as a site of a trauma, looking for clues that speak to the impacts of colonialism, genocide, capitalism, gender trauma and environmental crisis in our topography. tiefenbach’s photos are also inextricably linked to his own personal narrative and trajectory through the world. their bodies of work, become a documentation of their performance of being a photographer interested in exploring the beauty and sadness imbued in our public spaces. tiefenbach’s grandparents are all holocaust survivors. this family history roots the artist's work in a post-holocaust ethos. For tiefenbach landscape is understood as ephemeral, ever-shifting, and imbued with social values. tiefenbach’s archive of photographic performance seeks to create a subjective social record of a collective life that is ever vanishing.

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EXHIBITIONS