After spending the spring cultivating its membership, a growing Fort 91原创 Artists Group is prepared to show off its first crop of original artwork for the new season.
The Farms of the Valley exhibit opens FLAG鈥檚 2012 season on Saturday, May 12, with a selection of paintings, sculptures and photos documenting the region鈥檚 rich agricultural history.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a reminder of our roots 鈥� of why 91原创 Township is even here,鈥� said painter Robin Bandenieks who has been a FLAG member since 2006.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a reminder that this should be the country.鈥�
This month鈥檚 farm-related show will be followed by a pair of artist鈥檚 choice exhibitions, explained Bandenieks. These will offer the newest members a chance to show off their individual strengths.
FLAG newcomer Susan Galick 鈥� one of several artists to join the group this spring 鈥� has tended toward urban street views, still life and maritime scenes all painted in a contemporary impressionist style. But her own roots are elsewhere.
鈥淚鈥檓 a total country girl,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been gardening organically for 40 years.鈥�
And, until recently when she moved into a condo at Bedford Landing in Fort 91原创, she鈥檇 always lived someplace where she could bury her fingers in the earth, grow her own flowers and fresh produce and calm her mind.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e painting, you don鈥檛 think about anything else; gardening is the same way,鈥� Galick said.
After her husband of 39 years passed away in 2010, Galick, who began painting in 2004, signed up for lessons at the Neighbourhood Art School in Walnut Grove under the tutelage of former FLAG member Carmel Clare. It was Clare who encouraged Galick to check out the Fort 91原创 group.
Galick plans to contribute a couple of pieces to her first FLAG show 鈥� one of a barn with a rusting roof, and another of an old farm building that is in disrepair and falling down.
After driving all over rural 91原创 and Abbotsford looking for inspiration, she found her agricultural muse, so to speak, while she was going about her daily routine.
鈥淚 was picking up my grandson and I saw this farm across the street. It struck me, just the way the puddles were. I thought, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 the one.鈥欌��
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Alison Philpott鈥檚 search was a bit more deliberate 鈥� taking her directly to her friends鈥� hobby farm, where she鈥檇 planned to sketch their iconic red barn.
When she got there, she discovered the building had been maintained in such pristine condition that it didn鈥檛 actually interest her.
鈥淚t was in too good shape,鈥� said the 91原创 City resident, who relocated from the TriCity area five years ago.
鈥淚 wanted something old and scratched up.鈥�
On the way back to the house, Philpott noticed an old fashioned milk can resting against a stone wall.
鈥淭his churn was just sitting there; no one had noticed it before. I thought, 鈥楾here鈥檚 my character,鈥欌�� she said.
She drew it in graphite pencil, taking pains to reproduce the rusted and dented can as precisely as possible, to give the viewer a sense of what it might feel like to run their fingers over the metal.
It was one of her instructors who told her to look closely at fabric, wood, carpet or trees and to try to determine what it is about the surfaces that tell you before you鈥檝e touched them how they鈥檙e going to feel.
Although she鈥檚 dabbled in paints, Philpott who, like Galick, joined FLAG earlier this spring, found she could only get the level of control she desired from pencils.
鈥淢y aim is photo realism,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚 get lost in the details, I love the details.鈥�
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The Farms of the Valley exhibit will remain on display from May 12 to June 24. The CB Rail gallery, located on the northwest corner of Glover Road and Mavis Avenue in Fort 91原创, is open on weekends and holiday Mondays.
