The Mystery Spot

Alexis de Chaunac
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February 28 – April 4
Opening Reception: Saturday, February 28, 1:00–3:00 pm

The Mystery Spot is a site-responsive exhibition rooted in the Okanagan landscape, where orchards, agriculture, and seasonal labor shape both economy and perception. As one of Canada’s largest apple-producing regions, the Okanagan becomes not only a backdrop but a conceptual lens: the apple appears as symbol, material memory, and recurring formal structure. Works on paper rendered in ink and acrylic depict abstracted apples, cut, doubled, hollowed, hovering between figuration and geometry.
 
Through repetition, the apple becomes a rhythmic device, a vessel that opens interior and exterior space. Pigment settles into porous surfaces, retaining traces of touch and process, allowing the familiar to be seen anew.
 
Two projected videos extend this inquiry. One reworks the opening scene of Aleksandr Dovzhenko’s Earth, slicing and looping the image of an old man resting on a bed of apples as his community gathers. This scene is reenacted in the gallery space: a communal apple bed illuminated by two car headlights. A second projection, live- streamed from the bed of apples inside the gallery, introduces another body at rest, linking land, memory, and ritual.
 
Together, the exhibition unfolds as a constellation where the quotidian drifts into the poetic, and the “mystery spot” emerges through subtle shifts in perception.
-           Alexis de Chaunac

.... ----. --...     ..- -. ... . - - .-.. . ...     .. -
 
Alexis de Chaunac is a Chicago-based artist whose work explores spirituality, material histories, and the poetic potential of everyday surfaces. His practice is grounded in a sustained attention to the tactile and symbolic life of objects. He received his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and his BA from Sarah Lawrence College. He is the recipient of the Dedalus Foundation Fellowship and a Fundación Jumex grant. He has exhibited nationally and internationally, with projects at Galleria Ramo in Como, Italy, Sargent’s Daughters in New York, and the Carrillo Gil Art Museum in Mexico City. His work has been reviewed in Whitewall Magazine, Whitehot Magazine, and Artsy Editorial. De Chaunac is currently a faculty member at SAIC and was a BOLT resident at the Chicago Artists Coalition, where he recently presented a solo exhibition.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Mystery Spot Mural made in collaboration with Nancy Wilde of Wilde Signs
Apple bed and bin installations made in collaboration with artist Byron Johnston 
Car light installation made in collaboration with artist Paul Lewendon 

Special thank yous to: Sumeet Gill and Farming Karma, Kelowna for the supply of the Ambrosia apples that line the bed; to Connor at OPT for the supplying the turf; and to Bob McCoubrey for the bed structure, apple bin and orchard ladders, alongside their construction; and to Kathy Hale for installing the paper works.

Spring Members Exhibition April 11 - May 11
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heckler
noun heck·​ler
ˈhe-k(ə-)lər
​plural : HECKLERS
​
Those that rudely interrupt with unfriendly statements or questions at the most inconvenient of times, causing distraction, and sometimes even destruction, through doubt. The term is most famously associated with stand up comedians, who, with the right amount of skill and experience, often make the heckler wish they never heckled at all. More on that later...

The heckler can be found far away from the stage. There’s a heckler in every moment when one lacks self-belief. When one isn’t sure if they can cross this or that threshold. When someone, or something stands in the way. The doubt can be external or come from within. Sometimes it has a very literal form. Sometimes it’s a voice. Sometimes it’s a feeling.

It is my belief that everyone has a heckler at some point in their lives. With the imposter syndrome present when starting a new job, moving to a new country and continent, mine is louder than usual right now. I’m not quite sure how I’d express it. Perhaps it’s a smiling face that looks like me but a bit wrong. And it’s singing a song I love, but the high note is butchered every chorus, and I cringe a little every time. And that makes me freeze mid-conversation. But of course I’m the only one that can hear the song. And I’m the only one who knows how it’s meant to be sung.

I invite you to conjure your own heckler into a work of art. It may be fantastical or all too real. A photographic memory of a childhood bully, a faceless boss or an antagonistic colleague, An imaginary friend /enemy/ frenemy. A voice or manifestation that’s every bit as real as anything that those around you can also experience.

The goal is to create a cast of characters that display the complicated spectrum of human anxiety to inhabit the gallery for the duration of the exhibition. A display of hopes, dreams, and the fears and doubts that follow and take on a life of their own. They may be a heckler you have long quietened. An antagonist firmly left in the past. They may be a heckler you are dealing with Right now, one that is difficult to talk about, but may be easier to express than explain.

So, back to that opening definition, and the ingenious ways that greats, from George Carlin to Patti Harrison, have dealt with them. Ultimately, they’ve learned to live with these detractors. When they rear their head (or heads, let your imagination loose), they are prepared. Ready to turn them into inspiration, joy and even into supporters and fans.

Video based submissions are also encouraged. Film / animation / sound pieces will occupy our cInema.

I’m excited to hear the stories behind your hecklers if you feel comfortable to share. I encourage you to experiment across forms in bringing them to life. I look forward to meeting them all.

​​Interested in participating? CONTACT Curator Josh Willdigg

16th Annual Under 200 Exhibition & Fundraising Sale

December 4th – 21st , 2025 
Six days per week 9am-6pm
with preview evening December 3rd

The Lake Country Art Gallery’s largest exhibition of the year returns! Featuring 70 member artists with over 600 original works, this beloved annual show is the perfect opportunity to find meaningful, affordable art for seasonal giving—or to add a new treasure to your own collection.
The Under 200 Exhibition showcases small, one-of-a-kind artworks by Okanagan artists and artisans, alongside a curated selection of handcrafted gifts. A range of prices to suit all budgets, with most pieces priced under $200, the gallery is transformed into a vibrant holiday marketplace of creativity and community.

NEW Features this year include:

• Christmas Gift Art Bazaar, highlighting handmade jewelry, glassware, ceramics, woodcraft, fibre arts, and more.
• WISH Keepers: Alternative Santa event, a place to safely share your hopes and wishes
• Community Song: gathering around a fire for carols singing and marshmallow roast

 
Artists Featured in This Year’s Exhibition:
Alice Pallett, Alicja Rosnowski, Angelika Offenwanger, Angela Hansen, Ann Willsie,  Anne Gidluck, Barb Bell,  Beverley Gordon, Brenda Alguire, Carney Oudendag, Carol Zuckerman, Chantel Thederahn, Charilze Bailey, Cheryl Turner, Chris Arlidge, Christy Schollen, Debby Merkel, Delora Lalande, Diane Blakeley, Diane Nelson, Dianne Postman, Emily Geen, Faye Eden, Frieda Martin, Gail Hourigan, Greg Trumbley, Harry Tonn, Heidi Champagne, Heidi Maskell, Heidi Samida, Janet Stein, Joan Norkum, Jolene Mackie, Judy Strykiwsky, Judy Hamilton, Karen Murray, Karen Stewart, Kathryn Ross, Kathy Short, Kathy Hale, Kel Taylor, Kelly Swallow, Lorraine Betts, Lynette Stebner, Lynn Trib, Margaret Kyle, Marla Wilson, Marlene McPherson, Maryam Hosseinzadeh, Maureen Lejbak, Melissa Dinwoodie, Michelle Droettboom, Nancy Collins, Nickie Burditt, Paul Lewendon, Paula Charter, Paulette Deysholos, Ria Hakker, Robert Guenette, Sephorah Hild, SC Jean, Sean Kerrigan, Shauna Oddleifson, Shelley Johnson, Stephanie Takagi, Tanya Pauls, Tess Letailleur, Tina Siddiqui, Valerie Thompson,  Zaph Vouladakis
 
Join us for this festive season tradition and discover art worth giving.
 
Your purchases support local artists and the gallery:
70% of every sale goes directly to artists and makers, while 30% supports LCAG exhibitions and programs for the coming year.
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Lighthouse Keeping
September 13th to 28th, 2025

Opening Reception:
Saturday, September 13th, 1:00pm to 3:00pm

The title Lighthouse Keeping draws its inspiration from Stevie Nicks’ song The Lighthouse (September 2024). In a recent interview, Nicks reflected on her surprise at having to write a protest song at this stage in her life. As Margaret Atwood has written, “A voice is a human gift; it should be cherished and used. Powerlessness and silence go together.” Her words remind us that where women’s voices are devalued, progress can falter, and vigilance remains essential.

The next exhibition at Lake Country Art Gallery is Lighthouse Keeping and gathers artists whose work guides and sustains the voices of women in a world where those voices must still fight to be heard. Some guide us through the quiet rhythms of beauty, the language of composition, and the poetry of the everyday. Each work carries its own weight, inviting viewers to enter freely, linger and wonder. In this way, the exhibition itself becomes a lighthouse, illuminating paths for reflection, dialogue, and the ongoing care of women’s voices in the arts.
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Artists:
Bree Apperley, Alison Beaumont, Rosanne Bennett, Rose Braun, Faith Bye, Lee Claremont, Carin Covin, Pippa Dean-Veerman, Jen Dyck, Jessie Emilie, Jane Everett, Joanne Gervais, Elly Hajdu, Kathy Hale, Janine Hall, Joice M. Hall, Fern Helfand, Deirdre Hofer, aj jaeger, Judith Jurica, Lindsay Kirker, Margaret Kyle, Lindsay Lorraine, Kerry MacLeod, Mary Smith McCulloch, Liane McLaren, Ortansa Moraru, Rhonda Neufeld, Kate Nicholson, Destanne Norris, Julie Oakes, Shauna Oddleifson, Katherine Pickering, Nasim Pirhadi, Amber Powell, Rachel Prins, Angelina Rosa, Kel Taylor, Victoria Verge, Rena Warren

Connor Charlesworth and Rod Charlesworth
July 12th to September 7th, 2025

Opening Reception:
Saturday, July 12th, 1:00pm to 3:00pm

A collaborative exhibition by Connor Charlesworth and Rod Charlesworth. The exhibition brings together old and new work in drawing, painting, and installation to consider themes of landscape, memory, presence, transitivity, poetry, and painting itself.

Artist Demo & Talk:
Wednesday, August 27th, 6:30pm to 8:00pm
​Open to the public and free or by donation

About the Artists: 

Connor was born in Kelowna in 1992. Much of his childhood was spent in his father’s studio making things. His father instilled in him a love for colour, experimenting, and working outdoors. He received his MFA from the University of Victoria in 2018 with a specialization in painting, and his BFA from the University of British Columbia in 2015 majoring in visual arts and minoring in art history and visual culture. He has taught drawing and painting at the University of Victoria, Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, and most recently at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan Campus. Connor’s recent exhibitions include Arche-Fossil (ARTSCO, 2023) and The Distance of the Sun (Kelowna Community Theatre, 2023). In 2022 and 2023, with the financial support of the University of British Columbia’s Sessional Conference Fund, Connor took part in a studio mentorship program with the artist Enrique Martinez Celaya out of his Los Angeles studio. He continues to maintain an active studio practice in Kelowna with primary interests in philosophy, language, and land based inquiries.

Rod was born in northern British Columbia in the town of Terrace in 1955. When he was seven, his family moved to the Okanagan where he spent much of his time growing up fishing in Mill Creek, riding horses, and drawing. In the 70s, Rod studied visual art at Okanagan College. During his time there, he learned from the likes of Jack Shadbolt, Molly Lamb Bobak, and Murray Johnson. While the diploma program was small, it opened up his perspective to the diverse possibilities in the visual arts. In the 80s, Rod worked in various different fields including construction and sign painting. In the summer of 1987 while working in Yellowknife as a picture framer, he was immediately drawn into the wild and rugged terrain of the area. While there, he spent much of his time drawing and painting outdoors, on the land. This became his preferred method for gathering reference to make paintings because of its immediacy and proximity to nature. He has traveled and painted outdoors in various places including the maritimes, the Caribbean, and on the Pacific island of Haida Gwaii. Rod has exhibited commercially across Canada and is included in various collections including The Kelowna Art Gallery, The University of British Columbia, and the Fairmont Hotel Group. He continues to maintain an active studio practice in Kelowna.
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On the left: Artist Rod Charlesworth On the right: Artist Connor Charlesworth ​

Tara Yadollahi  presents: Be In My Chador

Robin Hodgson presents: Half Life

May 24th to July 6th


Opening Reception: Saturday, May 24th from 1 to 3pm


Tara Yadollahi, Be in My Chador 
“Self-censorship lives in our body language, in the clothes we choose, and in the silent decisions we make every day. It transcends boundaries and physical forms, quietly shaping how we present ourselves to the world. I began to wonder how much of our expression is truly our own and how much is subtly influenced by the gaze of others. Clothing becomes both a shield and a language, a personal dance between form and freedom, between self and expectation.”
 
Robin Hodgson, Half Life
The new paintings selected for Half Life, echoes the (2023) convergence point where I had lived the same amount of time able-body as I had disabled. The work confronts physical ability using technical devices to overcome these challenges. Despite the physical barriers or mental tolls of navigating a world that wasn’t built for wheelchairs, there is a beauty in the resilience and a comedy in the struggle. I believe this to be a universal truth for all life, and aim to emphasize this in my new body of work.
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Paths that Ghosts Follow 

Featuring the work of Daniela Cinel O'Fee and My Name Is Scot, Paths That Ghosts Follow explores existential liminality—the feeling of being caught between presence and absence, between identity and dissolution. Drawing on themes of authenticity, identity, and freedom, this exhibition questions what it means to exist in a world that often erodes the individual, leaving only traces, echoes, and specters of the self.

Daniela Cinel O'Fee’s work navigates the tension between displacement and adaptation. After her early life Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Victoria, her late-career studies in sculpture at Thompson Rivers University have expanded her technologies to include wood bending, obsolete media, decommissioned musical instruments, field recording, extended piano techniques, and graphic scores.

My Name Is Scot is a Vancouver-based artist interested in the material residues, manufactured meanings, and emotional by-products of our late capitalist age.

Exhibition Details:
•              Exhibition Title: Paths that Ghosts Follow
•              Artists: Daniela Cinel O’Fee and My Name Is Scot
•              Dates: March 8th to April 27th
•              Opening Reception: Saturday, March 8th, from 1 to 3 pm​