Lynden Beesley

Lynden Beesley has made the Okanagan her home. Gradually Lynden’s new work has evolved to include the flora and fauna of this verdant valley. Her European identity with its myth and folkloric backdrop is now interlaced with imagery which includes her Canadian habitat and values. Lynden continues to work in Bronze Sculpture and limited edition Hand Pulled Prints.

Judy Burns

My influence for this year’s body of work is nature.  Some work is abstracted so one sees only part of an image. I would like to create a new experience for the viewer.  In some cases the images are an oblique representation of a much grander scheme.  All of the pieces are from places visited, however in reality, could be found in our own back yards.

Val Eibner

My Journey into Light, Color, Motion, Reflection and Mystery is propelled by using Glass as the vehicle. Sounds a bit complex, but fusing glass allows all of these factors to be present at any one time. It is a feast of choice for the artist to be able to manipulate and create an artwork that features so many sensory effects.   My new fused pieces will be a Tribute to the Group of Seven's Art; and through this study, it has allowed me to focus attention on their interpretation of color and movement in the Canadian landscape.

Kenna Graff

Kenna loves to experiment: In her new work especially created for the ARS LONGA 2009 exhibition, she is applying acrylic paint to her exclusive, designed, wood bases. The 6' pillars have her revisiting some of her favorite themes and subjects adding a 3-d twist to her painted stories and expressions. Kenna's free standing sculptures with their upright sensibility relate well to trees in a forest but applying her organic, stylized imagery and coloured atmosphere is also a new excitement for the artist.

Angelika Jaeger

For me art is a way to express what is going on inside of us as individuals. The result of my inner work can than be viewed by the audience at their discretion and is open for them to start a relationship with the piece. I feel in this moment my work is done and I offer to the world what I am willing to share.
My most enjoyable moments are to watch the viewer getting involved in their story of the piece that was created by somebody unknown to them.
 I shall continue my creative process with curiosity as my guide.

Life is a journey and not a destination.  This thought seems to come easily to my mind and I invite you to experience some of the steps in my journey.

Deborah Wilson                                    
Sculptor, Jade Artist

Jade!
It all started in 1973 with an Alberta based company that mined and exported some of our best quality jade in the 60’s and 70s. They set up a carving studio with 3 experienced carvers who trained apprentices to produce work that reflected our culture and our times. The top pieces were exhibited across Canada and the US. The response was very positive; jade was a new sculptural medium for us in this country. This was where I got my start as did 30 others. Most of us were keen recruits from the Vancouver School of Art and ready for the challenge of carving this incredibly tough but stunningly beautiful stone. I went from that early and formative experience to join others who also wanted to continue with "hard stone carving".
In the early 80’s, life offered an opportunity to move to the Okanagan where an independent life style as an artist, living on the land, came to be.
Unlike many jade carvers that I show with now, my foundation is sculpture, my main concern is form! The scale I have worked in goes from 2 tonnes to 2 grams. Monumental work in marble & granite has been the focus in the last decade. Smaller pieces will continue to be of interest, it is a way to try exotic stone from around the world.
Jade! The “Stone of Heaven” continues to bring wonder and adventure into my life; traveling to participate in events that celebrate jade, and meeting interesting people who have a passion for carving and collecting alike.
 It is where it all started; it is the place I return to.

deborahwilson.bc.ca