FOYER Gallery Fundraiser 2020
The FOYER Gallery is a contemporary space dedicated to exhibiting excellent
artwork in all media by talented artists in the Sea to Sky corridor and beyond.
Your donation goes to continuing the operations, maintenance and promotions of the gallery, a non-profit space.
In return for your donation, you will also receive:
– A tax receipt for the value of the donation,
– Recognition of your donation in the Gallery,
– Special notice of current and upcoming Gallery shows and artists,
– An entry into a random draw for:
One of 6 pieces of artwork (created by our Foyer volunteers and other artists) and
a one on one 60 min virtual art lesson via video conference by artist and painting instructor Toby Jaxon.
The FOYER Gallery thanks you for your support.
CELEBRATING OUR Foyer Gallery VOLUNTEERS
Toby Jaxon, the curator, is responsible for assembling, cataloguing, managing and presenting/displaying artistic and cultural collections. Behind the scenes, she has three volunteers that regularly attend the installation of the new exhibits.
Jaxon jests, “Even though we’re in the Wild West and we call ourselves the ‘Hanging Crew’ it’s not a death sentence, it’s an execution in art!”, seriously though, “These volunteers are all professional artists in their own right, so having their combined knowledge and creative abilities to discuss layout, coordination, adjacencies and final execution.
The volunteers have experience from a variety of art forms and a passion for staging artwork in a way that creates maximum interest in the exhibition space. Their responsibilities are to assist in reviewing the incoming artwork, plan, and execute the installation of a variety of solo or group exhibitions. I am grateful that my volunteers possess the ability to perform more successfully because as artists they all have well-trained eyes with extensive exhibition skills. Skills that are pretty critical for organizing the art displays. Their competencies, specific knowledge and understanding of art and design makes working with the team super fun.
Each install is an intense 2 to 3-hour session in creative teamwork which is pretty exhilarating. It’s exciting to know that we’ll come up with an excellent aesthetic result, perhaps even better than we could’ve anticipated, which is always the challenge! How can I help but appreciate how they donate their time to support the gallery?”
OUR FOYER GALLERY VOLUNTEER ‘HANGING CREW’
FRAN SOLAR says, “The new library opened in October of 1997— that was when Maureen Painter (the library director at the time) asked me if I’d like to put in some art displays. Little did I know what I was getting into! …and that was before home computers and the internet were really established so everything was done by hand and organized over the phone with mail-in art submissions and imagery on slides. I’ve been volunteering with the Gallery for 20+ years and still love hanging the artwork and meeting the artists who create it. And also having fun with the whole ‘Hanging crew’ once a month!”
Solar is a contemporary Canadian artist who combines traditional textile techniques with unconventional materials to create unique woven sculpture, both free-standing and wall-mounted.
LINDA WAGNER has been volunteering for 13 years at the gallery. She says, “Volunteering at the Foyer keeps me in touch with the local arts community and provides other simulation for my personal art practice. The added bonus is that I really like the crew that I work with!”
Linda Wagner is a master of colour and form. A glowing sunset behind mauve mountains at Quadra Island; a vibrating orb of yellow emerges from the inside of a flower; an orange dog paces an azure arch in a dreamscape: Wagner’s subtle shifts and adjacent couplings of colour burst from chromatic greys in rich and playful exchanges. Wagner uses a vibrantly saturated colour palette to capture macro and micro landscapes, working mainly in oil paint and watercolour. Linda’s imagery depicts the ever-changing scenery of not only coastlines and forests, but of florals and simple still-life arrangements.
KAREN YAREMKEWICH says, “This is my 3rd year volunteering officially at the Gallery for the monthly installations. Previous to that, I have also tried to make myself available to help with hanging any group shows for the Squamish Artwalk, Squamish Visuals, Artisan Gallery and Women’s Day Art Shows. I look forward to my volunteer days at the gallery because of the wealth of knowledge of the artists I work with on the hanging team and the new artists showing in the gallery. I am constantly learning new things about hanging a show, whether it be grouping the pieces in an appealing way, designing the layout of a wall or in a display case, or arranging a variety of artists’ works so the show is cohesive. I love learning about new mediums from the artists showing in the gallery and hearing their stories. I feel good about my contribution to each installation, but also feel like I’ve just taken an art workshop at the end of the day. I’m a textile artist that uses sustainable materials to create wearable art. My newest piece is a Pink Brocade ¾ Length Jacket that began humbly as a set of creamy white cotton brocade curtains that I dyed pink. It has been embellished with vintage embroideries and interesting fabric scraps I have collected.
Squamish ArtWalk is a celebration of visual art and artists in the Squamish region during the entire month of November. This event has been newly programmed later in the fall to seize the holiday shopping spirit. The FOYER Gallery is one of the multiple ArtWalk venues and is presented by the Squamish Arts Council (SAC), a multi-disciplinary arts non-profit that is pursuing goals to increase access and awareness of local arts and culture in Squamish and around our Corridor.
This year the FOYER Gallery is showcasing a variety of artists with a creative cross-section of visual arts disciplines from small and large original paintings, archival prints, fabric collage, upcycled fashion and whimsical clay characters, along with hard and soft weavings!
Oh!…and speaking of soft weavings, this is the first time that weaver Lotte Bond has participated in the Squamish ArtWalk. She incorporates up-cycled denim, cotton cords, fibre scraps, woven knots, draping loops and driftwood into her sometimes organic-shaped art pieces. She says, “I play with various fibres on and off the loom, and enjoy incorporating texture, natural & up-cycled materials, organic shapes, and patterns into my pieces. I lean towards a modern and simple style and draw inspiration from spending time in nature and via my world travels. Although most of my works are wall hangings, I also create other home décor items.”
I asked her why does she do what she does? Her reply, “Practising fibre arts brings me joy, it rejuvenates me, and it keeps me grounded. From creating a design, choosing a colourway, deciding on materials, undergoing the act of weaving and knotting, to ripping things apart and learning from mistakes, I love each step of the process. It is my meditation and my reprieve after a busy day of work and raising three young boys, and especially now during these ambiguous times. I have slowly come to realize that part of my identity is revealed through my work: I attribute my fascination with patterns and design to my architect father, while my simple modern style stems from my Finnish mother. Subconsciously, textiles have surrounded me my entire life with two of my mother’s best friends being prominent weavers. As a child, I remember attending their gallery exhibitions and spying on their looms when we visited their homes. Their works have always been displayed in my parents’ home and I never really took notice of them or appreciated them until I was an adult. I like to think that this all played a part in how I have ended up manifesting this art form. Although I am just embarking on this journey, I look forward to seeing where it will lead me.”
Start your own ArtWalk journey at the Squamish Public Library and then go on to explore select businesses and artists’ studios displaying close to 40 local artists’ work throughout Squamish and Britannia Beach. Look for the ‘I am a Squamish ArtWalk VENUE’ window signs that identify official ArtWalk locations.
For more information: www.squamishartscouncil.com/art-walk-venues/
View Virtual Gallery: