The two exhibitions opening on Friday, July 8, by local artists are highly entertaining and visually arresting.
The first, entitled Four Times Four makes Sixteen, is the brainchild of Jackie Pendergast, executive director of the Visual Arts Centre which is home to the gallery. Jackie got the idea from an exhibition of work last year by a group of artists from Salmon Arm known as Lazuline. The artists had all used one image and then interpreted it in their individual styles.
“I thought this was a great idea, and started thinking about how I could use it as a basis for an exhibition,” Jackie said in a statement. “First I got four local photographers, Agathe Bernard, Rob Buchanan, Keri Knapp and Krista Stovel, to select one image from their extensive portfolios. I then challenged sixteen artists to interpret one of the images in any medium of their choice.”
The exhibition will display the four inspirational photographs and the works that were inspired by them. You can see two of the original photographs as well as a couple of the interpretations they inspired.
The second show is called Roots, Stumped, Growth: Fierce Art Project. It began with artist Jo Willems and a course she taught at the Visual Arts Centre entitled, Art of Visual Expression. A dedicated group of students emerged and bonded with Willems over those first seven classes. It grew from there, with the students committing to nine more classes with Willems leading the way. As momentum continued to build, the group set a new goal: The writing of a CKCA grant in order to allow them to create enough exhibition quality work to have an exhibit. This became the final step in the creation of the Fierce Art Project.
The exhibition, Roots, Stumped, Growth, represents the determination, dedication, and personal artistic excellence of this group. The title reflects the qualities the group shares. Roots describes the foundation the group shares to find perfection in creative expression. Stumped, was selected by the group to represent the challenges each member was presented with. And lastly, Growth, is what the group is truly about: Positive critique, the challenge of trying something new, helping one another to find solutions, and working together to achieve more than they thought possible.
These two exhibition will open with a reception on Friday, July 8, from 6 pm until 9 pm. This exhibition will run July 8 – September 2. Here are a few images from the show that that we ho0e you’ll appreciate:
![This photo by Krista Stovel is one of the other photographic images re-interpreted by other local artists. David F. Rooney photo](https://legacy.revelstokecurrent.com//wp-content/uploads/2016/07/online-art-ex-july-08.jpg)
![Here is ceramicist Sandra Flood's take on Krista's photo. The way other visual artists interpreted Krista's image are very eye-catching. David F. Rooney photo](https://legacy.revelstokecurrent.com//wp-content/uploads/2016/07/online-art-ex-july-09.jpg)
![Skaftafel, the Eagle in the Rock, -is part of Vatnajökull National Park in southern Iceland. Photographed by Agathe Bernard htis image was interpreted using other visual media for the Four Times Four makes Sixteen exhibition that opens at the Revelstoke Arts Gallery at 210 Wilson Street, just behind the Days Inn, on Friday, July 8, at 6 pm. David F. Rooney photo](https://legacy.revelstokecurrent.com//wp-content/uploads/2016/07/online-art-ex-july-06.jpg)
![This ceramic by Kath Mather is a very physical take on Agathe's photo. David F. Rooney photo](https://legacy.revelstokecurrent.com//wp-content/uploads/2016/07/online-art-ex-july-07.jpg)
![The ceramic in the foreground is called Regeneration and is by well-known local potter Nancy Geismar. David F. Rooney photo](https://legacy.revelstokecurrent.com//wp-content/uploads/2016/07/online-art-ex-july-03.jpg)
![Jo Willems poses by the display of classroom drawing books and objects her students used in some of their in-class still-life sessions. You can browse through the notebooks and, should you so desire, even crete your drawings in the sketchbooks. Her class' show, Roots, Stumped, Growth: Fierce Art Project, which opens on Friday, July 8. David F. Rooney photo](https://legacy.revelstokecurrent.com//wp-content/uploads/2016/07/online-art-ex-july-05.jpg)
![This small work by Elaine Baird is entitled, Please Do Not Enter, and is one of her two entries in the show Roots, Stumped, Growth: Fierce Art Project. Elaine spent 18 months studying art with Jo Willems. I find her easy and almost-naive work quite endearing. David F. Rooney photo](https://legacy.revelstokecurrent.com//wp-content/uploads/2016/07/online-art-ex-july-01.jpg)
![Debbie Loewen's drawing, The Bridge, is a marvelous take on a local landmark. It is one many works created by the students who spent the last 18 months studying art with Jo Willems. They all entered their work in their class show, Roots, Stumped, Growth: Fierce Art Project. Please click on this image to see a larger version. David F. Rooney photo](https://legacy.revelstokecurrent.com//wp-content/uploads/2016/07/online-art-ex-july-02-v02.jpg)