Winds of Time by Linda Lindsay

Location: King George Terrace lookout 

Artistic statement:

Theme: Confluence. 

The "Winds of Time" and the Salish Sea have brought together an extraordinary confluence of peoples with nature. 

The large female figure, rising from the Salish Sea, personifies the beautiful spirit of this place with its unstoppable elements of wind and time. With her knowing smile she seems to say that she has seen it all, and knows what is to come! 

We are given a window into the world of the First Nations who have resided on these shores since time immemorial and their reverence for nature. The speaker at the bow of the dugout seeks permission (metaphorically) to come into the territory of the orcas, while the sailboat on the opposite side carries a family who are in awe of their power and grace. All have an affinity... but connect differently. 

The sea surrounding her with its abundance of life, gives us a reminder of our incredible natural world and the need to find a genuine confluence in this wonderful place where we have all come together. 

“Winds of Time” is cast in bronze for its timeless beauty and durability. It took 10 months of designing, sculpting, and then casting Winds of Time in bronze. 

Biography:

Linda Lindsay began her creative journey in California with the encouragement of her artistic family. While studying art at university, she began sculpting the human figure and a lifelong passion was born! Over the years, by sculpting for thousands of hours from life-models, taking additional courses, and studying anatomy while modeling écorché figures she has refined her skills. With great determination to represent the truest sense of the human spirit and beautiful figurative forms, she creates each of her terracotta and bronze sculptures.

With resolve to pass these skills on to others, she earned her teaching credentials while living in California. Qualifying to teach art, at both high school and college levels, she began helping adults of all ages develop their artistic talents.

In 1993 she married a Canadian, and moved to Victoria, British Columbia where she and her husband raised a family. She teaches sculpture in Canada and internationally and is well known as an inspirational instructor who empowers her students with knowledge and skill.

Having lived in both great countries, and through her travels to Africa, Europe and Australasia, her love of humanity, often expressed through its indigenous peoples, has increased in depth, and her understanding of what binds us all finds its way into her sculptures.

Linda’s commissioned and interpretive works can be found in collections across North America.

Linda Lindsay's website lindalindsaysculpture.com

Details: 
Year Unveiled: 2019
 

Jelly by Nathan Smith

Location: 2527 Estevan Ave. (Estevan Village)

Description 

A fluid combination of Fiberglass and steel, a 6ft tall Jellyfish in motion. 

Artwork Statement 

One of the most magical beings inhabiting the Salish Sea is the Jelly fish. Found all over the worlds’ ocean, the local varieties of Moon Jelly, Water Jelly and Lion’s Mane have been swimming in the confluence since time immemorial. These free-swimming marine animals are amongst the most extraordinary animals on Earth with an evolutionary history stretching back for hundreds of millions of years. 

In this sculpture, the artist aims to capture the fluid movement and weightlessness of the species.

Biography

Artist Nathan Smith started working with metal in 2003, and in 2007, launched his own business Sunsmith Design. His works are diverse ranging from custom commissions in the Nelson Area, to large-scale public art installations throughout British Columbia and Alberta. Known for his sculptural sundials, he was commissioned by the Calgary Zoo and the City of Summerland to create one a of a kind public art armillary style sundials.

His sculptures have featured four years running in Castlegar Sculpture Walk. His piece V Formation was awarded 1st place for the Artistic Merit Award and 2nd place for The People’s Choice in 2015. He has recently completed a contract with the City of Nelson to create an 80 ft artistic railing called Mountains and Clouds located along the waterfront.

Smith is inspired by nature and beautiful design, blending modern metalwork with curves and flair. He finds joy in the creative process of designing and fabricating original art.

Nathan Smith's website www.sunsmithdesign.com

Details
Medium: Fiber glass, Steel
Year unveiled: 2019

Portal by Heather Passmore

Location:  Willows Beach walkway in Oak Bay.  On Esplanade near Thorpe Place/Esplanade intersection. 

Description

Steel-framed sculpture comprised of discarded ropes obtained from a third generation local log salvor. The artist removed log dogs from multi-coloured pick-up lines and then spliced a selection of these short 3-ply nylon and polysteel ropes together over two base layers obtained from one large continuous piece of tow-line.

Artwork Statement

I created Portal by hand-splicing recycled log salvage ropes which were used locally in the marine timber industry. For passers-by, Portal acts as a lens to view the sea. Portal also functions as an experiential sculpture through which people may sit to view the sea while simultaneously feeling the worn ropes under their hands. The sense of buoyancy and the necessity of finding one's balance while perched on the work is meant to de-centre the viewer through a realization that we are not autonomous agents in complete mastery of our environment, but interconnected to it.

Biography

Heather’s practice incorporates various socio-historically laden materials. For the past fifteen years, she has exhibited extensively across Canada and internationally. She is the recipient of numerous prizes and awards, and her work is held in many official public collections. She holds an MFA from the University of British Columbia, Canada.

Artist’s Website: heatherpassmore.com

Details

Medium: steel frame and re-used log salvage ropes (hand-spliced by the artist)
Dimensions: 90″ x 66″ x 24″
Year unveiled: 2019

Harmony Humpbacks by Daniel Cline

ArtsAlive People’s Choice Award 2019 

Location: Willows Beach, near the entrance at 2895 Beach Drive

Description

Harmony Humpbacks is a representation of a mother humpback whale and her two calves swimming through their world, connected to each other and their environment.

Artwork Statement

These animals live in harmony with their environment and each other, which is a lesson to all of us.

Biography

Daniel Cline is a contemporary sculptor working on Vancouver Island, BC. Cline is a self-taught artist with the knowledge that comes from carving stone daily for over 30 years.

Cline works in stone and bronze to create wildlife, abstract, and figurative works. He chooses subjects that are rooted in traditional techniques and which draw inspiration from the natural world around him. In 2017, Daniel was invited to be the Artist in Residence at BC Marble Products.

Website of Daniel Cline's artwork.

Details

Medium: Local marble
Dimensions: Approximately 3 feet wide
Year Unveiled 2019

Bodhi Frog by Doug Taylor

Location: Willows Beach (Esplanade at Estevan Avenue).

Donated by the Clogg Family for the enjoyment of the community.

Description

Bodhi is a wind-activated weather vane with origins in a centuries-old tradition of Canadian Folk Art making.

Artwork Statement

Bodhi’s mythology has an English twist as he is a descendant of Toad from Toad Hall (Wind in the Willows). Like his great uncle, he shares a fascination with motorcars. And so he happily scans Esplanade from Willows Beach, looking to spot a top-down roadster, of which there are a few in Victoria. Have you ever seen such a radiant Frog? He has arrived at a place of unconflicted bliss.

Biography

Kinetic in nature, Taylor’s public installation sculpture has focused largely on wind, water and solar-powered features. Whimsical, folk-art-inspired elements are often signatures to his work.

Addressing the global challenge of sustainability, his current sculptures are generating capital by selling excess electrical power back to BC Hydro. These energy systems also feature listening stations which help remind us of sounds that are ever-present in the natural world, but which often go unnoticed. The challenge is to integrate ecological, historical, social and aesthetic considerations, contextualizing them into the site-specific values of place.

Website of Doug Taylor's artwork.

Details

Mobile
Medium: The sculpture is fabricated entirely of stainless steel (with the exception being the wheel rims and hemispheres). Custom bearings are non-corrosive.
Year Unveiled 2017

Lunar Transitions by Fred Dobbs

ArtsAlive People’s Choice Award 2017 

Photo credit: Britt Swoveland   

Location: Oak Bay Library & Monterey Recreation Centre, 1442 Monterey Avenue.

Near main building entrance, centered in a seasonal flower bed next to a large Gary Oak tree.

Biography

Fred Dobbs attended Victoria College of Art - Fine Arts and Camosun College - Commercial Art studies and later turned his attention to sculpture by way of the beach. For eight years, Dobbs practiced as a competitive sand sculptor, winning Canadian, US and World Championship titles.  Dobbs continues to work in sand sculpture and also works extensively with concrete and bronze to create his sculptures. His work can be found in Sooke, Langford, Surrey and Saanich.

Details

Medium: Cast Metal
Dimensions: 50" x 30" (life-size of a raven)
Year Unveiled: 2017

Gardener’s Gown by Bev Petow

Location: Scented Garden, Windsor Park (Newport Ave. at Windsor Rd.) 

Donated in memory of Dr. Margaret Leith by her estate, for the enjoyment of the community.

Description

Hundreds of plasma hand-cut organic shapes individually attached to each other over a rod form, which is removed when complete. The “tulle” skirt is formed from ‘scrunched’ door screen and attached to a welded rod form.

Artwork Statement

This piece (from a series done for the Abkhazi Gardens show in 2016) is a tongue-in-cheek expression combining Peggy Abkhazi’s love of gardening with her enjoyment of the finer things in life. While she was known to “dress down” for work in the garden, in the evenings she might have been seen wandering the paths of her and her husband’s beautiful gardens in a lovely designer jacquard tunic and tulle skirt, martini in hand!

Biography

Bev Petow creates a body of home and garden decorative work with steel as the primary material. Her work appears timeless yet visually enigmatic.  Beverly was born in Barstow, California and graduated with honours with an interdisciplinary BA in Art & Psychology from Marylhurst University, Portland, Oregon.

Her creative outlets include 30 years as owner/designer of Petow Design, graphic design for print media. Since 2009 she has been represented by Douglas Udell Gallery in Vancouver, BC and Edmonton, Alberta, and since Spring 2014 her works can be seen at the Duthie Gallery on Salt Spring Island.

Website of Bev Petow's artwork. 

Details

Medium: Steel with rust patina and aluminum screen
Dimensions: 66” x 36”x 36”
Year Unveiled 2017

Rebirth by David Hunwick

Location: Oak Bay Avenue at Foul Bay Rd 

Description

Rebirth is formed from two ribs cast from the ribcage of a blue whale. They touch at the base and top to form a heart-shaped opening. It was originally part of a commission for the Blue Whale Project, which is now located at the Biodiversity Museum in Vancouver.

Artwork Statement

Rebirth symbolizes new beginnings. The two ribs form a heart-shaped opening and orifice touching gently together at the top and bottom. They create both a window to view from and a portal to invite the viewer to enter.

Biography

David studied sculpture at Ravensbourne College of Art and Design in London, UK. (1981-1985). After graduating, he trained as a teacher of Art and Design. David’s sculptures are currently located in many private and public collections in the UK, Australia, Germany and Canada.

David teaches sculpture at Brentwood College in Mill Bay on Vancouver Island, and continues to sculpt and paint in his studio in James Bay, Victoria. He is the vice-president of the Vancouver Island Sculptors Guild.

Website of David Hunwicks artwork. 

Details

Medium:Fibreglass with a steel armature threaded inside and mounted on a steel base.
Dimensions: 9.5 ft high x 4ft wide x 1ft deep
Year Unveiled: 2015

Salish Sea by Chris Paul

Location: Turkey Head Walkway, across from Oak Bay Marina, 1327 Beach Drive. 
Photo by Britt Swoveland. 

Biography

Chris Paul is a Coast Salish artist who is gaining international acclaim for his limited-edition giclée prints, cedar panels, and glass sculptures.

Born in 1969 on the Tsartlip Reserve near Brentwood Bay, BC, Chris was immersed in Coast Salish art as a child. Before the age of thirty, Chris had completed one year of intensive training at ‘Ksan, the Gitanmaax School of Northwest Coast Art, and had completed a two-year apprenticeship under celebrated Tsimshian artist, Roy Henry Vickers.

In 2007, Chris completed a major commission for the Sidney Pier Hotel and Spa. This project resulted in the creation of three large-scale etched glass panels for the lobby of the hotel, as well as smaller panels placed in each of the hotel’s 55 rooms. Chris has also gained exposure through the hit television series Grey’s Anatomy, in which several his prints have been featured.

Chris’s pieces often reflect flora, fauna and mythologies associated with his culture and his home on Vancouver Island.

Website of Chris Paul's artwork. 

Details

First Nations