Three new art exhibits are on the way to the McMillan Arts Centre in Parksville.
Works by Linda Greig, Marina Wright and Jim Sears will be on display starting March 4, according to a news release by the MAC.
Bloom! by Greig will be located in the MAC's Concert Gallery.
She paints mostly in acrylic, sometimes watercolour or pastel, and often embellishes with torn paper, fabric, yarn and other “found” materials, according to her artist statement. One of Greig's favourite places is her garden.
"Many of my paintings are inspired by rambling, colourful gardens or vases overflowing with bright blooms," Greig said. "I love to walk in the forest and by the ocean. Lately, some of my paintings have celebrated the forest and sea."
Her art is intuitive, with no detailed plan and no preliminary drawing. She may begin with an idea, some lines or marks, or a combination of colours.
"I put them on the canvas, see what emerges, and respond to it," Greig said. "I often add unique embellishments. After years of working within a strict timetable, I find that I deeply appreciate the freedom of simply spending time reacting to a painting as it progresses."
Previously she owned a book store, worked as a teacher-librarian and French Immersion teacher, reviewed books, and taught future teacher-librarians at UBC.
Marina Wright's exhibition Towards will be in the Nemeth Gallery.
Wright paints using acrylics. Her favourite subjects to paint involve places she has visited, particularly those to which she has consistently returned throughout her life — the local beaches and forests of Vancouver Island.
She holds a degree in biological sciences and is always keen to expand her knowledge of local ecology. She holds a deep appreciation for the species and natural landscapes of her home and enjoys showcasing them in her paintings. Painting is a quiet passion for Wright and the potential to improve and explore more subject matter is a huge motivator.
"As I’ve been painting this series, I’ve been reflecting on the value and joy of friendship," Wright said in her exhibition description. "A close friend of mine, Jill Chernecki passed away from cancer in September. We enjoyed a lot of our ~30 years together at the places in these paintings. This new series is dedicated to the special places in our lives and all of the wonderful memories shared there with friends."
Jim Sears resumed travelling again after the pandemic and his trips to Ireland (2022) and Hawaii (2023) inspired his exhibition Back Travelling which will be in the Oceanside Gallery soon.
"In the past years we have travelled extensively in Europe as well as trips to the Maritimes and Yukon," Sears said in his artist statement. "Many of our trips were walking tours in the UK, Spain and Portugal. With the start of travelling we look back at our memories and past experiences."
The exhibit looks at those trips in an effort to capture the essence of those places in pictures. Sears included some pictures of more local scenes as well as some sketches.
The exhibit looks back in time at his travels through Ireland, Scotland, England, Spain and Portugal. The pieces are a mix of pen and ink with watercolour wash as well as mix medium of ink, watercolour and coloured pencil.
"I have started experimenting in combinations of watercolour, ink and coloured pencil to create the feel and the effect that is different from pure watercolour or pure coloured pencil," Sears said. "The combination of watercolour and coloured pencil produces a combination of detail and transparency that enhances the finished painting."
The three exhibitions will be on display at the MAC (133 McMillan St) until March 30.
An opening reception is planned for March 8 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
