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In-Den-Tation

By Scott Gilles

Artistic Statement:

To me a ‘home’ suggests a place to sleep, rest, play, eat, a place to care for and have companionship with others and a place to store precious objects. In this depiction of home, a family of foxes enjoys a sunny afternoon at the mouth of their den. One kit sleeps while another plays, a mother looks up in combination of concern and amusement and a father relaxes before the evening hunt. Although foxes probably do not share our interest in decorating, it’s fun to imagine the den brightened with foxglove flowers, beds made more comfortable with foxtail grass and perhaps a precious object stored on a conk shelf. What would a fox consider to be a precious object to be kept safe in the den? I’ll leave that to the viewer to speculate. By anthropomorphizing animal’s homes, it might help us to have more empathy for them and encourage us to do a better job of sharing the world with them.

Hear more about this sculpture from the artist:

Location:

Oak Bay Ave at Monterey Ave

Biography:

Scott Gillies is a multidisciplinary artist living in Victoria, BC. Drawing, painting, 3D chalk art, animation, sculpture, photography, and filmmaking are some of his favorite art forms. Scott’s artwork is often whimsical and surreal but grounded in the beauty of the natural world. Using his artistic abilities for his livelihood, Scott operates an animation, illustration and video production company called Azara Effect Productions. Currently, Scott is the president of the Vancouver Island Sculptors Guild and continues to be inspired by the abundance of natural beauty that Vancouver Island has to offer.

Location:

Oak Bay Avenue at Monterey Avenue

For Sale Cost:

$15,000

Sponsor:

Mike and Rebecca Miller

Lullaby Antenna for a Blue Planet

By Jason Gress

Artistic Statement:

No matter what your personal notion of home might be, there is one indisputable idea of home that is universal; planet earth as home to all living beings.
In a time when Old Blue is getting more angry and agitated with our stewardship, our scraping, digging, poking and burning, Lullaby Antenna For A Blue Planet represents the gesture of broadcasting a soothing signal to our home planet.

We have hundreds of radio antennae broadcasting a constant signal out into the universe in hopes of communicating with other life out there….

This sculpture imagines an antenna of sorts aimed at a closer target, with a goal of channeling the viewers personal gratitude for the planet and sending out a soothing lullaby 24/7 for our first home, last home, and only home.

Biography:

Jason Gress is a Nanaimo Based artist who maintains an object based sculptural practice. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (honours with distinction) from the University of Victoria, (2003) and Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan (2005). His artistic practice involves sculptural objects of varying materials from fabric to wood to stone, and range in scale from miniature to large scale public works. Most recently, Jason has added painting to his artistic explorations. His research interest involve many aspects of popular culture, consumer culture, nostalgia, and kitsch, and almost always contain an element of humour.

Jason has recently completed two large scale public sculptures and has exhibited in public galleries and artist run centres across Canada. He grew up in Saskatoon in the early 70’s and 80’s and has always had a knack for building things. Jason has been teaching Visual Art at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo BC, since 2006.

Location:

Haynes Park

For Sale Cost:

$5,000

Sponsor:

Marc Owen-Flood Personal Real Estate Corporation | Newport Realty Ltd

Sleeping Beauty

By Ken Meyer

Artistic Statement:

Sleeping Beauty depicts a large male Steller Sea Lion. These wonderful creatures tend to forage across massive distances, yet they mate and give birth at traditional “rookeries” that they return to each year. Caught in a moment of peaceful slumber, Sleeping Beauty is Home.

Unfortunately, the Steller Sea Lion’s home is in trouble. Where the Eastern population has enjoyed a healthy recovery over the past several years, the Western stock is still struggling and is listed as endangered. Suspected causes of their population decline point to overfishing of their prey, human caused injury / fatalities and climate change.

We all live with sea lions in our communal Home. They are seen along the shores of Vancouver Island feeding on the salmon returning to our local rivers. Each of us shares the responsibility for their care and needs to do what we can to ensure their survival for generations to come.

Learn more at www.fisheries.noaa.gov

Biography:

Raised in Chicago drawing in his sketchbooks, Ken Meyer moved to Tucson, Arizona to pursue 350 days of sunshine per year and a BFA at the University of Arizona. In 1998 he relocated to Vancouver, Canada to experience six months of rain a year and study animation at the Vancouver Film school. Since then, he has worked creating award winning, high quality digital imagery for the feature film, television, web, and gaming industries.

Ken set out on his sculpture practice designing character maquettes in the development process of his animated short films. From here he developed mold making, casting, and metal fabrication skills which opened the door to a myriad of sculptural media. Ken’s current works focus on endangered animals realized in bronze, concrete, stoneware, steel, and wood.

Ken currently lives on Vancouver Island splitting his time between working in animation, producing fine art, and exploring the Canadian wilderness.

Location:

Oak Bay Avenue at Hampshire Road

For Sale Cost:

$14,500

Sponsor:

Oak Bay Marine Group

Birth of the World

By Denis Kleine

Artistic Statement:

Birth of the World is a sculpture I conceived many years ago and just recently scaled it up and re-worked the form. It is my interpretations of the World and Moon being formed out of the cosmos. Open to interpretation, is it abstract or is it considered realistic? I hope one views this sculpture with an open mind and sees the mystery and beauty of our world and our existence.

Bronze, edition of 5

Biography:

Denis Kleine is a professional sculptor residing in Nelson, BC., Canada. Denis graduated with a BFA from David Thompson University Centre in Nelson. Denis works predominantly in stone and bronze and has shown extensively Nationally and Internationally. He has several Public Commissions in various cities within BC and Alberta such as White Rock, Kelowna, Trail, Castlegar, Penticton, Nelson, Jaunita, and Vegreville. He also has a permanent stone sculpture in Czechia.

His sculptures are housed in permanent collections such as: The Kelowna Art Gallery, Pushor, Mitchel, Montgomery & Co., Kelowna, BC, Kootenay Lake Hospital, Mountain Lakes Senior Centre, Nelson, BC., and Selkirk College, Castlegar, BC. He is currently represented by Hambleton Gallery in Kelowna, BC.

Denis also travels extensively around the world participating in projects and festivals working in snow, ice, and sand. He has received many awards from these various competitions.

Location:

Oak Bay Public Library Garden/Causton’s Green at Hampshire Road.

For Sale Cost:

$18,000

Sponsor:

Oak Bay Pharmasave

Home Is Where Family Is

By Tanya Bub

Artistic Statement:

A home doesn't need to have four walls or even a roof. It is a place where we can be ourselves, spend time with those we love and feel safe.

This family of driftwood cougars makes their home in a tree, reminding us that we share space with the nature that surrounds us. The tree, their home, is pulled into the sculpture to encourage people to stop and notice how lovely and even astounding a simple tree can be, if we just take the time to stop and look.

Biography:

Tanya Bub is an eco-artist who creates sculptures of animals and people from found wood and recycled materials. A signature feature of her work is making inanimate objects appear to be so alive that is it almost impossible to resist the feeling that there is a living being present.
Her pieces borrow energy from the elements out of which they are comprised, be it the life force in a piece of driftwood, the text and images from magazine clippings incorporated into her sculptural collages, or recycled plastics that speak of modern consumerism.

Location:

Estavan Village - Tree

For Sale Cost:

$9,000

Sponsor:

Barclay’s Fine Jewellers | The Zieglers

Shelter

By Peter Vogelaar

Artistic Statement:

This year’s theme of ‘Home” had me thinking of many aspects of what makes a home. It made me think of birds creating a new one each year, in a great variety of conditions. In my piece I am trying to convey the delicate organic world of the birds inside an increasingly man-made world.

The initial view suggests a mechanical globe, but upon closer inspection, one sees that a robin has created a lovely home inside. With the use of glass mosaic and some jade leaves I wanted to contrast the mechanical steel structure. I also had some fun including domestic implements in her nest construction.

Biography:

Participating in the Castlegar Sculpture walk for the past 10 years, he has been making more permanent sculptures in recent years incorporating metal, concrete and mosaic into his work. In 2021 and 2022, Peter was a recipient of the Castlegar People’s Choice Awards.

His murals, bronzes, concrete and mixed media works can be found in public and private art collections in Fort St John, Castlegar and Creston.

Peter currently resides in Winlaw BC.

Location:

Oak Bay Avenue at Hampshire Road

For Sale Cost:

$7,800

Sponsor:

Oak Bay Tourism

Dreamy Blue Bear

By Geemon Xin Meng

Artistic Statement:

Dreamy Blue Bear is a playful piece that reflects the calmness of the west coast. It appears fulfilled and at ease, its friendly figure welcoming the viewer to imagine life in peaceful coexistence with the natural world. For the bear and the viewer, home is the environment around us: where life flourishes when the surrounding fauna and flora do too.

Biography:

Born in 1968 in Inner Mongolia, Geemon immigrated to Toronto, Canada as a distinguished artist in 2004. He has exhibited his works in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, and China, among other countries. Geemon became a member of the Sculptors Society of Canada in 2006 and founded the Vancouver Sculpture Studio in Vancouver in 2012.

Geemon taught sculpture for 6 years to more than 100 students from more than 10 countries. He became an elected member of the National Sculpture Society (USA) in 2018. That same year, he began construction on a 10 year long project to build an international sculpture program and sculpture garden in Washington State, USA. Geemon is currently working on a group of 40 life sized figures in a sculpture titled "Moment".

He currently resides in Vancouver, Canada.

Location:

McNeill Bay

For Sale Cost:

$12,000

Sponsor:

Vis-à-Vis

Horaltic Pose - Cormorant

By Erick James

Artistic Statement:

What is a home?

My home is a nest, a place to be safe, warm, and loved. A safe haven, a safe harbour, a safe zone amid turmoil. A place to remove the protective mask, a place to leave the hand sanitizer by the door, a place to drop your guard.

The Horaltic Pose is used to rid certain birds of parasites; feather mites, ticks, and other ectoparasites. It is theorized the pose is a way for cormorants to dry off after a nourishing dip in the ocean. The radiation from the sun and the wind from a sea breeze do the trick. Cleansing oneself, one’s home.

Visiting our waterways to cleanse my own soul. Standing with my face into the sun and wind; eyes closed, arms outstretched. My own Horaltic pose. Safe, serene, and home.

Hear more about this sculpture from the artist:

Biography:

As a biologist and artist my pieces convey the wonders of the natural world. I have a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of British Columbia and an Honours Metal Certificate from the Kootenay School of the Arts at Selkirk College. I have worked and studied in labs for more than 20 years and still find wonder there. It is this curiosity and excitement for the natural world that I bring to my art. In larger-than-life metal microbes, metal origami birds, scanning electron micrographs in gilded frames, and framed fixed specimen slides. The invisible are made visible, the often seen are reexamined.

Location:

Oak Bay Avenue at Mitchell Street

For Sale Cost:

$12,000

Sponsor:

REMAX

Prestige Picture Framing Etcetera | District of Oak Bay

Family

By Paul Reimer

Artistic Statement:

Home, for me, is not a place or a possession. Home is the people I love and who love me. The people who care for me and give me safe harbour through all of life’s storms.

In material and form, my hand-forged steel sculpture, Family represents the strong connections of family and the joy it brings to our lives. With the support of family, we can take chances and reach higher, knowing someone is there to catch us when we fall.

Hear more about this sculpture from the artist:

Biography:

At the age of 15, Paul began his blacksmithing apprenticeship at the Kootenay Forge under the mentorship of John Smith. When Paul was 20 years old, he became the head blacksmith at Fort Steele Heritage Town, just outside of Cranbrook, BC. In 2001, at the age of 26, Paul began his own blacksmithing business with six employees.

Today, Paul lives with his wife and two children in Cranbrook. Family and community involvement are the most important elements of Paul’s life. Through his early public art projects, he was able to facilitate substantial positive changes in the way that people in Cranbrook relate to their community and to each other. He has since, been able to bring that same spirit of community building with public art projects to many other cities.

Location:

Lokier Park

For Sale Cost:

$15,000

Sponsor:

2022-23 Exhibition

2022 Arts Alive Sculptures:

The theme for Arts Alive 2022/2023 was Kinship.

To Stand as One - Samantha Dickie
Natural Connections - Andrea Fritz
Copper Finch - Erick James
Pushed to the Edge - Ken Meyer
Vordr - Frances Semple
Metamorphosis - Peter Vogelaar

Downloadable Brochure and Map (pdf)

To Stand as One

By Samantha Dickie

Artistic Statement:

To Stand as One is rooted in the experience of birth, death and kinship: connections that defy time and space. The physicality of building in large-scale, and carving intuitive patterns is a cathartic process: imbedding a lifeline into the clay that pulls beauty out of sorrow and isolation. To Stand as One embodies something grounding, a kinship to the earth, where there is a sense of calmness and universality that connects our individual selves to something much larger than us. Kinship makes us feel expansive, where even if we stand as one, we are not alone.

Biography:

Samantha Dickie received her BA in Women’s Studies and Native Studies, followed by her Diploma in Craft and Design in Ceramics. She has attended artist residencies in China, Yukon, and Alberta. Her minimalist abstract sculpture and architecturally-scaled, multi-component installations have been exhibited in solo and group shows across Canada. She has been the recipient of multiple national and provincial grants, and local awards, and has been the subject of numerous articles and reviews. Her work can be found in permanent collections across North America, at Madrona Gallery in Victoria, BC and at her studio by appointment.

Location:

Oak Bay Public Library Garden at Hampshire Rd.

For Sale Cost:

$6,500

Sponsor:

Vis-à-Vis

Natural Connections

By Andrea Fritz

Artistic Statement:

This sculpture may just look like four pieces of painted wood. However, it depicts four ecosystems on the wood from each ecosystem. The wood planks are harvested through sustainable methods. These ecosystems are found on the West Coast of Canada each are threatened in different ways. These trees and the plants and animals that they support are important to the health of our entire province. The Garry oak ecosystem has connections between the small plants, pollinators, large visitors, and the oak trees themselves. The Maple ecosystem is found near water and helps to immensely improve the soil health of the area and are an important space for animals to forage and pass through. Pacific Yew habitats produce edible berries and are great spaces for wild ginger and queen-cup bed lily to grow. This tree’s wood has also been used to make many wooden objects historically including masks, bowls, spoons and paddles. You can see a wildfire on our Douglas fir wood as fire is an important and necessary part of many of the ecosystems in BC. Older trees thick bark protects them from the fire that helps refresh the area around that stand of trees.

Biography:

Andrea Fritz is a Coast Salish artist and author from the Lyackson First Nation of the Hul’qumi’num speaking Peoples on the West Coast of Canada. Andrea strives to express her people’s history and all our futures using her art. She focuses on animals and scenes of the West Coast of Canada and our intricate relationships with them. Andrea works in the mediums of acrylic on canvas/wood, serigraph, vector art, and multimedia. She has had numerous shows of her work including at Eagle Feather Gallery and the Place Gallery. Andrea has participated in community-based art pieces throughout Victoria.

Location:

Cadboro Bay Road at Estevan Avenue

For Sale Cost:

$10,000

Sponsor:

Oak Bay Tourism

Copper Finch

By Erick James

Artistic Statement:

The pandemic has shown me kinship is more important than ever. I have never felt more alone than these last 2 years. With spring comes hope. The first blooms of the snowdrops and the crocuses, the arrival of migratory birds. In the depth of winter, local songbirds at the feeders have kept me company; Chestnut-backed chickadees, bush-tits, dark-eyed juncos, and spotted towhees all vying for a spot at the suet cake. A visit from a northern flicker. The birds sing, dive, and flit in spite of the politicalization and polarization of mask mandates and vaccines. Kinship is about keeping everyone safe.

Simply, my copper finch is the quiet anticipation of hope.

Biography:

Location:

McNeill Bay

For Sale Cost:

$3,000

Sponsor:

REMAX

Pushed to the Edge

By Ken Meyer

Artistic Statement:

Kinship is, by definition, “a sharing of characteristics or origins”. Where one could limit this to something exclusively human, I feel that it extends to each element of our natural world. We share this planet with every living, breathing organism and they in turn with us. Every decision we make, as humans, ripples out to our surroundings with incredible impact. We indeed have a kinship with all the inhabitants of the Earth.

Our relationship with the Woodland Caribou is indicative of this relationship. Their numbers have been declining due to habitat loss caused, in part, by human activity. Forest harvesting, oil and gas extraction, and road developments fragment their habitat. Forest fires and climate change shifts their distribution. Illegal poaching reduces their numbers. Caribou are in trouble.

Pushed to the Edge gives a voice to these creatures who are being left behind. I seek to honour their fragile existence through this piece by sharing a respect for their beauty, creating awareness of their plight, and encouraging action to ensure their safety. Therefore, 20% of the proceeds from the sale of Pushed to the Edge will go towards caribou conservation.

Together we can protect our kin.

Biography:

Raised in Chicago drawing in his sketchbooks, Ken moved to Tucson, AZ to pursue 350 days of sunshine per year and a BFA at the University of Arizona. In 1998 he moved to Vancouver to experience six months of rain a year and study character animation at the Vancouver Film school. He then started his career in visual effects, founded Jackrabbit Pictures, and put down permanent roots in BC.

Ken set out on his sculpture practice creating clay character maquettes in the development process of his animated short films. From here he developed mold making, casting, and metal fabrication skills which opened the door to a myriad of sculptural media. Ken’s current works are in bronze, concrete, stoneware, steel, and wood.

Ken currently lives in Maple Bay on Vancouver Island, Canada splitting his time between working as an animator for the feature film industry, producing fine artwork, and exploring the Canadian wilderness.

Location:

Hampshire Road at Oak Bay

For Sale Cost:

$6,500

Sponsor:

Barclay’s Fine Jewellers | Prestige Picture Framing Etcetera

Vordr

By Frances Semple

Artistic Statement:

Kinship, for me, is a feeling. It is very ambiguous and constantly shifting as we move through our lives and redefine our relationships. Families and friends come and go but the memories and associations made remain and contribute to who we are as a whole.

In Norse mythology the name Vordr is given to the Warden Souls that guard over each person from birth to death. They were also known as Kin Spirits that were thought to be past relatives protecting and keeping watch over their kinfolk.

I began Vordr without a complete understanding of what I was making. The body was made in three sections. The idea of these separate forms creating a whole represents the concept that each person is a culmination of many contributing factors that include the family, the self and society. These influences affect who we are and in turn we influence and affect those around us creating a web of social connections.

Biography:

Frances Semple has been a working artist in both sculpture and painting for over 30 years. Her work has been shown internationally and is in collections throughout Canada and the United States.

She began her formal art studies in 1975 at the Ontario College of Art, now OCAD University, focusing on sculpture and mould making. This included an exchange program in Florence Italy and a term studying at Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland. Semple completed her BFA in 2016 at Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

Throughout her art career Semple also worked as a scenic artist in film and theatre. She has traveled extensively including time spent in Abu Dhabi painting murals in a sheik’s palace. In 1989 she moved to the west coast settling in Victoria in 2000.

Semple is represented by Madrona Gallery, Victoria BC.

Location:

Haynes Park on Beach Drive

For Sale Cost:

$5,000

Sponsor:

Oak Bay Marine Group

Metamorphosis

By Peter Vogelaar

Artistic Statement:

Strength and fragility – the monarch butterfly exemplify both. One wingbeat at a time, these tiny creatures prove the connection between here and there, familiar and far. Their mysterious instinct connects generations – it’s all one world in time and space.

What is kinship but acknowledged connections? My combining of Nature’s web with the iconic, maternal, nurturing doll depicts hope for a future in which we care for and appreciate Nature, so that she may continue to shelter and feed us. As well, I acknowledge empathy for the people of Ukraine in the current difficult situation. It is we who have created nations and economies. Surely, with all the wealth and knowledge at our disposal, transformation in this realm should also be possible?

Biography:

An artist for close to 50 years, Victoria born Peter Vogelaar is a master in a variety of mediums. He graduated from the Kootenay School of the Arts in 1976 focusing on sculpture. Over the past two decades he has sculpted in 19 countries, winning world and Olympic championships in sand and snow, he is a respected member of ephemeral artistic community. His murals, bronzes, concrete and mixed media works can be found in public and private art collections in Fort St John, Castlegar and Creston. Peter currently resides in Winlaw BC.

Location:

Oak Bay Avenue at Hampshire Road

For Sale Cost:

$16,000

Sponsor:

Tristan & Michael Ziegler / The Zieglers / Newport Realty & Christies International | Oak Bay Parks, Recreation & Culture

2020-21 Exhibition

The theme for Arts Alive 2020/2021 was “Together.”

2020/21 Arts Alive Sculptures:

Together at the Grove - by Susan Rankin
Fallen Friend - by Steve Milroy
Between Us - by Russell Papp
Transitions - by Angellos Glaros
Parallax Introvert - by Denise Holland
Together - by Neeraj Gupta
Leaf Weathervane - by Doug Taylor
Counterpoise - by Richard Young
We! - by Goetz Schuerholz
Sub Quercu Humana Natura - by Dallas Segno

Downloadable Brochure and Map: ArtsAlive 2020/21 (pdf)

All photos of the 2020/2021 ArtsAlive sculptures by Gregory Varano Photography.

Together at the Grove

By Susan Rankin

Artistic Statement:

Susan Rankin is a Canadian artist who works from her home in Apsley, Ontario. In her 33 year career as a glass artist Susan has drawn her inspiration from the landscape in which she lives. Susan examines how glass has been used historically and transitions form and style with a contemporary feel. Within the Garden Grove series of work, Susan play’s with the idea space and abstraction, through the use of many layers of thin coloured glass elements she creates columns of colour and light. Susan builds the image with light, she has worked with scale to create a presence; they demand that observers engage with them in a more physical and direct way, interwoven with shadow and movement. Susan’s work is widely collected across the U.S. and Canada. @srankinglass

Biography:

Susan Rankin lives and works from her home in Apsley, Ontario. Susan graduated from Sheridan College in 1989. She received a three year artist in residency at the Harbourfront Centre glass studio, in Toronto from 1989 – 91.

In her 33 year career as a glass artist Susan has drawn her inspiration from the landscape in which she lives. As an avid gardener she continues to explore the idea of garden through her vessel and sculptural works, and is well known for her vibrant floral vessels. Susan examines how glass has been used historically and transitions form and style with a contemporary feel.

Hear more about this sculpture from the artist:

Location:

Oak Bay Ave. at Wilmot Pl.

For Sale Cost:

$13,560

Fallen Friend

By Steve Milroy

Artistic statement:

“Fallen Friend” is a sculpture meant to convey the feeling of a cold, wintery day in the backwoods of BC. Snow & ice are used to accentuate the misery & broken hearts of the indigenous group of animals gathered TOGETHER to conduct an impromptu funeral for their recently deceased friend, a giant fir tree that they loved dearly. Man has been in trampling their home space; leaving his destructive mark behind him. The animals, while retaining most of their natural characteristics, have taken on a slightly anthropomorphic look in order to convey their feelings more adequately to their Oak Bay audience. The wildlife huddled TOGETHER and surrounding the tree stump include a bear, moose, deer, beaver, wolf, fox, badger, weasel, rabbit, two mice, as well as a bald eagle, a crow, a blue jay, and an owl with a comforting wing around a sobbing racoon.

Biography:

Steve Milroy is a local Victoria artist who has for over 34 years professionally airbrushed motorcycles, cars, boats and buses, produced more than 2000 screen-print designs, completed hundreds of incredible murals, as well as gallery quality oil paintings. He sculpts in concrete, aluminum, steel, fiberglass, epoxy, and bronze. One of his most recent sculptures was unveiled by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their visit to Canada in 2016.
Steve lives with his wife and two grown children in a house he built himself. It resembles a giant oak tree stump that has been featured on TV several times! He is truly an artist of the common folk who loves to produce real wonders that anyone without a university degree in “artist psychoanalysis” can still understand and appreciate.

Location:

Oak Bay Ave. at Hampshire Rd.

For Sale Cost:

$18,000

Between Us

by Russell Papp

Artistic statement:

‘Between Us’ starts at the beginning. Surrounded by the forces of life, celestial bodies wind together, growing skyward, toward each other, and toward resolution. With the hope that through a strong connection to the land, to the ocean, and to each other, we will grow collectively onward, and respectfully together. The single point on which the sculpture is balanced, symbolizes the importance of connection. Tensions and anxieties both repel and attract, putting relationships to the test. The figures’ support of one another represents what is possible: navigating sensitive relationships through changing atmospheres, working together through joy and pain.

Biography:

Location:

Oak Bay Ave (between Hampshire Rd. and Monterey Ave.)

For Sale Cost:

$10,500

Sponsor:

RE/MAX

Transitions

By Angellos Glaros

Artistic statement:

“Dragonflies have flown the earth for 300 million years, dragonflies symbolize our ability to overcome hardship. They can remind us to take the time to reconnect with our own strength, courage and happiness.” ~Author unknown

Dragonflies symbolize courage, strength and happiness. They represent transition as they evolve from eggs into water dwelling nymphs and then transform into flying insects.

In today’s society many people have trouble finding the time to commune with nature. This brings that feeling of being with nature to the viewer.

Biography:

After completing the art programs at Dundas Valley College of Art and the Nova Scotia College of Art, Angellos came to visit the west coast of Canada. Inspired by the mountains, and attracted to the easygoing lifestyle, he moved to Vancouver Island, BC.

The smooth forms of driftwood and sandstone, as well as traditional native artwork, inspired Angellos to explore wood as a sculptural media. Economic pressure, and his desire to improve his marketability, led him to expand his repertoire, first from in the round sculptures, and then on to carved doors and mirrors, and finally to an interest in designing and making furniture.

Angellos has also branched into metal work. The last several years have been spent focusing and refining his metal forging and fabrication skills.

Location:

Hampshire Rd. at Oak Bay Ave.

For Sale Cost:

$18,000

Sponsor:

Newport Property Management

Barclay’s Fine Jewelers

Parallax Introvert

By Denise Holland

Artistic statement:

Parallax Introvert encourages us to contemplate our limited human capacity to comprehend multiple perspectives at once and to open up to broader ways of seeing ourselves and others. The definition of a parallax is “the effect whereby the position or direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions.” Parallax Introvert blurs the binary characterizations of introversion and extroversion allowing us to consider whether we are not just one or the other but rather all of these things together.

Parallax Introvert encourages us to explore the physical sculpture from different viewpoints and contemplate the subjectivity of our perceptions through two absurd poems and the reflective aluminum surface. The cut-outs of the x’s and o’s reference the common ground of love and allow us to see glimpses of the people and landscape on the other side. It is possible we are more together than we are separate?

Biography:

Holland disrupts the meaning of objects, ideas and agency in order to draw attention to multiple viewpoints. She is interested in how our individual belief systems are formed and defended to make sense of the world around us. Holland uses predominantly sculpture and text, often turning ideas literally upside down, inside out and backward, inviting us to contemplate alternative views through playfulness and humour. A settler of European descent, Holland gratefully lives and works on the Unceded Territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Hear more about this sculpture from the artist:

Location:

Monterey Recreation Centre (Monterey Ave.)

For Sale Cost:

$5,000

Sponsor:

Urban Core Ventures

Together

By Neeraj Gupta

Artistic statement:

Super-technology, great as it is, has caused the humanities and the arts of the day forget their true language, that of inner being. the scientific methods seen applied to some of the day’s art works are brilliant, but great love alone is the aim of all art. Art is not titillation, not information, not reduction. Art must somehow or other still have the mysterious power of transcending history, and horizontal time: that alone makes us see things acutely.

Artists must think from the ground up, that is, on all forms of creativities: whether of the arts, the sciences and even the faiths. The so-called 'ugliness' can be beautiful, but far more beautiful is the heart. Art's bent is the truth of life, not the truth of scientific abstractions. For me no glossy synthetic surfaces do, only those that come naturally. Kinetic sculpture can be exciting, but the Neolithic methods are closer to our bone. All lasting art is contemplative and does not pander to our vulgar curiosity. I'm for permanent experiences alone. Through only by craft are these turned into moments of permanent art. In this excitable age, serenity is of the greatest value. The old Indian carvings created a mood of serenity. It is these that make us really breathless. Think of the dancing Shiva in stone! Here is true poetry. So art better not be fugitive.
Good art is not descriptive, but a carrier of culturally distilled emotions. I believe the displacement of the living and the organic from our civilization has gone too far with the development of the machine and machine-like minds. This has led to the dehumanization of art itself. We have become just too regulated and narrow. a disaster for our own humanity. Think of climate change! What folly. Truer artists groom the heart to spiritual health.

Biography:

Neeraj (born 1969) is an alumni of the School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi.  As an extremely talented public art specialist, he is the President Delhi Art Society. He is an expert of Indian art & aesthetics, folk and village art forms… Not forgetting his love and dedication for the environment.

From 2003 to 2017 he has showcased a number of outstanding solo shows like  "KALYUG", Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi, " KAYAKALP", "THE INNOCENT EYE", "ENDURING STONES DEEP WOODS" ,"HORIZONTAL VERTICALS", "FOLK STRANGERS"  and many more at India Habitat Centre - Visual Arts Gallery, India international centre and forums of cultural exchange at various occasions.

He is the proud winner of Sahitya Kala parishad Award, 28th Annual Art Exhibition, Govt. of  N.C.T.  of Delhi in 2004, Best sculptor award in 77th Annual art Exhibition of AIFACS in 2005, and Lorenzo il Magnifico SILVER award at the XIth  Florence Biennale, Italy in October 2017.

Location:

Oak Bay Ave. (between Monterey Ave. and Oliver St.)

For Sale Cost:

$15,000

Sponsor:

Schibli Stedman King: Chartered Professionals Accountants

Leaf Weathervane

By Doug Taylor

Artistic statement:

My most recent Leaf Weathervane is a metaphor for out fragile environment, it exists as a ‘way finder’… continually repositioning itself to face the oncoming wind. Like water, it follows the course of least resistance.
As metaphor for our environment, I chose to represent the vascular anatomy of the leaf for its potency as a renewable energy system of incredible efficiency. Clearly the ability to photosynthesize water, sunlight and CO2 into stored carbon energy while expiring oxygen to balance the biosphere is a process that enables our survival. The leaf is a biological converter of incredible capacity. It feeds us, it keeps us warm and puts gas in our tank!!

Biography:

I love to build weathervanes, mobiles and kinetic sculptures that reflect the spirit and storyline of a site. The use of wind, water or solar power to animate sculpture recognizes the deeper and eternal powers at play on earth… it helps us reconnect with the elements and stand in awe of them. My installations have also generated their own electricity !
by means of wind and solar energy, thus erasing their own carbon footprint over time.
For example, Seattle Center’s Bird Song Listening Station selected in 2008 by Art In America as one of 19 top international public art works.

It’s taken 30 years of trial and error, but I now produce mobile works of all sizes that require no maintenance… it’s all about achieving graceful movement and self-governing against high winds.

Vancouver installations Khenko and the WindSwimmer are works deeply rooted in the genre of whirligigs our pioneer settlers used to make for their back yards (woodchoppers and wing flappers).
Seattle Center’s Bird Song Listening Station uses wind and solar to generate sound samples of birds, once native to the site. All three works use wind for their motive power and govern themselves by means of uniquely designed engineering.

The function of the repetitive motions in these pieces serves to heighten the existential nature of daily life. The power of repetition is something G.K. Chesterton wrote about in the Everlasting Man when he talked about the beauty of the sun coming up every day - far from being boring, it is the repetitive aspect of this action that makes it so powerful.

Location:

McNeill Bay (Beach Dr. at Transit Rd.)

For Sale Cost:

$10,000

Sponsor:

Marc and Belinda Owen-Flood

Counterpoise

By Richard Young

Artistic statement:

“Sculptures call these things to mind but never describes them.”
– Barbara Hepworth

With an eye to movement, I twist and fold metal to create shapes with vivid colours. This is a representation of how I see the world. My goal is for people to observe the form and to be reminded of how saturated hues and unpredictable contours can reinvigorate the spirit. I am dyslexic, so it has been a challenge to explain concepts in words. Instead, I found a way to express my thoughts in a physical form using sheet metal. I bend and cut the medium to achieve crisp lines and inviting curves that evoke movement and inspire the imagination. My works capture my disorganized thoughts into a static form. The warm and lively colours reflect my optimism. When placed outdoors, the form's medium and vibrancy affirms the joy of diversity. This piece - Counterpoise - aims to show the viewer the benefit of interdependence. I hope it will inspire people to celebrate their connection with others as a path to belonging.

Biography:

Richard Young is an emerging contemporary artist who works with metal, stone, and wood. He is the sole proprietor of Huxter Design. Last year, Richard took a leap. He was looking for a medium through which he could reflect his optimistic view of the world. He began to experiment with sheet metal and found that it allowed him to express his vulnerability without fear of condescension. Richard is an annual contributor to the Cowichan Valley Fine Arts Show. His piece entitled “Fast Fashion” enjoyed an Honourable Mention in 2017, and this year’s piece entitled “Form 1” received a People’s Choice award. Richard exhibited at the 2019 Sooke Fine Arts Show, and he will hold a solo exhibition next spring at Victoria’s Xchanges Gallery. Richard lives in Maple Bay, BC with his three daughters and devoted wife.

Hear more about this sculpture from the artist:

Location:

Haynes Park (on Beach Dr.)

For Sale Cost:

$7,000

Sponsor:

Oak Bay Marine Group

We!

By Goetz Schuerholz

Artistic statement:

The title of the sculpture "WE!" aptly reflects the Zeitgeist of today, which increasingly gives women the long-denied status in society and professional life they rightly demand and deserve. The closely-linked, clearly identifiable group of "WE!" manifests the immense power of females showcasing what women united can do to change society. Mobilizing their power will advance the common good in our community and their proportional representation in our society will be a win-win for everyone, helping to make this a better and more peaceful world.
The chosen material for this powerful sculpture is particularly well suited to show the growing social and economic strength of women. It is about equality, challenge and a long denied recognition whether at work or at home.

Biography:

Creative work has always been center to my life. Dabbling in many aspects of sculpting, drawing, etching, and painting during my teenage years and formal art education in Germany, I have spent many hours ever since pursuing creative work as a hobby. It was not until retiring from my professional international work as conservation ecologist in 2010 that I decided to more seriously focus on painting and sculpting at my inspiring studios in Cowichan Bay and Heidelberg, Germany.

Most of my art work is figurative with subjects taken from nature. I love shaping river rock of any kind, but equally enjoy working with granite, marble and metal. At my winter studio in Germany I paint landscapes and create bronzes. At my Cowichan Bay studio I focus on stone and metal sculptures from small to large and open air painting.

Watch and listen to more about this sculpture from the artist:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCQj455U4Tg

Hear more about this sculpture from the artist:

Location:

Lokier Garden (Estevan Ave. at Musgrave St.)

For Sale Cost:

$8,400

Sponsor:

Oak Bay Tourism

Sub Quercu Humana Natura

By Dallas Segno

Artistic statement:

Sub Quercu Natura Humana is a four sided hinged stainless steel wall that can be formed into a column (as shown in the photo) or unfolded into a wall/divider. The bamboo curtains have been removed since the photo was taken and will not be indlude if this sculpture is purchased.

TOGETHERNESS

The Blacktail Stag and the Painted Turtles; Earth; Nurture; Strength.
The Cottontail Rabbit and the Butterflies; Fire; Humility; Transformation.
The Great Blue Heron and the Salmon; Water; Independence; Rebirth.
The Crow and the Orca; Air; Introspection; Community.

Sub Quercu Natura Humana
Human Nature Under Oak.
People like to separate themselves from nature. It's funny and often disturbing watching them fumble around trying to control it. They think their carefully constructed language will magically lift them from the chaos and into some semblance of paradise. As though saying "that's not natural" will save them from inevitable decay and death. Even in a dead language, nature comes first.

Sub Quercu Natura Humana
Human Nature Under Oak.
We are all in this together, and although they try, it seems evermore unlikely that Silicon Valley’s hoard of geniuses and self-driving drones will ever escape this perfect planet. Every year nature learns new creative ways to deconstruct our so-called waste into the building blocks of new and beautiful natural creations.The pessimism is unyielding and yet, nature knows better. And if we were separate from nature, then nature, unconscious, is infinitely wiser. And of course we find out about it, because we are told. They call this discovery. All of the math in the world is simply natural.

Sub Quercu Natura Humana
Human Nature Under Oak.
On the city's coat of arms, ‘Sub Quercu Felicitas / Happiness Under Oak.’ Oh, how could I contribute to this glorious condition. There is the leaf, the acorn, the animals, with beaks and paws and fins and hands.The oak grows gnarly and immense and yet we never cower beneath. A break from the wind, and shade from the sun. We are happy, aren't we? Nature; human. For those who understand words, we are human; naturally. And in cold hard stainless steel, hopefully, forevermore.

Biography:

What is an artist today? Dallas Segno is a multi-media conceptual artist emerging from Victoria, BC. Music, film, cartoons, wall art, architecture, digital design, there is no limit to Dallas’s reach. Represented by an emoji and 3d printed mask, Dallas Segno challenges how we understand identity in a world where you’ve consented to it being used to sell yourself back to you.

Hear more about this sculpture from the artist:

Location:

Cadboro Bay Rd. at Estevan Ave.

For Sale Cost:

$15,000

Sponsor:

Abstract Developments