reviewvancouver: The Culture Blast

Mary Jo Hughes, the Chief Curator of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria presented a curatorial talk on the life and works of Sybil Andrews. Ms Andrews was an artist and linocut printmaker. The event was well advertised since the gallery was packed to capacity. The exhibition included engravings, linocuts, a watercolor and a drypoint. Andrews’ first Linocut was the Concert Hall, a clever impressionism of rows of theatre chairs and swirling architecture of a Concert Hall. I particularly liked the depth of red that Andrews attained in many of her works especially one of her later works call the “Dance of the Birds” done in 1975. She knew how to use negative space to the fullest and she had an unusual view point in many of her works. Andrews wasn’t a flower artist although she did do great trees as did Emily Carr. Her skill was purely hands on instead of using a press and she took the oils directly from the tube. Her work was exact and warmly creative. We should hear her name as a great Canadian woman artist more often for she followed right behind Emily Carr to pave the way for women in printmaking.

The Burnaby Art Gallery showed absolute respect for the work by having the lights dimmed just “so” to protect the works. Ms Hughes’s presentation was informative and very well prepared. I would highly recommend art enthusiasts to take in this exhibit and breathe in a bit of Canadian History.

Now outside The Culture Blast was attracting many people as did Sybil Andrews’ works. It was a pleasure to see CircusWest with its many talented performers. There were so many wonderful events organized that I couldn’t cover them all in one review. I would suggest that the next time it comes around to take your whole clan. This was a truly successful event and my compliments to all of you who worked so hard to put it together.

Exhibition dates: February 11 - April 3, 2011