While artists are known for working in solitary, a new exhibit on the West Shore is encouraging them to join forces to create unique pieces of art.
As part of Collaborations, a new exhibit on now at the Coast Collective Gallery and Art Centre, artists come up with creative ways of blending styles and media to create unique and imaginative collaborative works of art.
“It’s the first time we’ve done something like this,” said Coast Collective gallery general manager Jessica Stein. “The idea was that every piece had to be a collaboration … Our artists went out and teamed up in a variety of ways. We have a potter working with a blacksmith, just all sorts of really neat things.”
Forty artists in a combination of teams created 28 pieces of art using various mediums, which are currently on display. The exhibit includes a a piece by a daughter who took a photograph, and her mother who did a painting based on the photograph which are displayed side by side, as well as a granddaughter who completed a pencil drawing, which her grandmother then painted over with water colours.
Sooke artist Linda Anderson paired with Langford artist and friend Elaine Hughes to combine their passion for watercolours. The duo decided to paint an image of the iconic Moss Lady in Victoria’s Beacon Hill Park.
Anderson drew the image, and both painted the images separately – Anderson in winter colours and Hughes in summer colours.
Then they combined them in a collage-style painting and varnished it for the two pieces titled “Midsummer Dawn” and “Midwinter Dusk.” The entire process took about two to three weeks to complete.
Anderson, who also worked on three other pieces with various artists for the exhibit, said working in collaboration with others was “exhilarating.”
“Our work as artists is often done solitary when you’re working on your own, so it’s really fun to work with another artist,” she said.
“You have to bounce ideas back and forth. It expands your own boundaries, and way of thinking and interpreting a piece of art.”
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Stein hopes the exhibit will inspire artists and residents alike.
“I hope that the artists take away new inspiration, having had a chance to work with somebody and work in a way outside of their usual process and comfort zone,” she said. “I hope that visitors come and are inspired by the beautiful and surprising things we’re able to create by working together.”
Collaborations is on at the gallery (103-318 Wale Rd.) until Aug. 19. The gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about the exhibit visit coastcollective.ca.
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kendra.wong@goldstream