The Interior News
June 29, 2016
Xuyun Zeng
Latest Art Gallery exhibition celebrates the Bulkley Valley
The latest exhibition at the Smithers Art Gallery pays homage to the Bulkley Valley with photography by Leslie Barnwell and oil paintings by Michelle Gazely.
"We just moved here two years ago because it is so beautiful," said Gazely, who moved from Hope to live on acreage here. "I actually didn't realize how how beautiful our road was when we initially looked at the property. It was a clear winter day when we moved and I was shocked at the mountain views from our new road."
Gazely's first ever exhibition, The Wilds of Walcott Road, depicts different facets of her road, ranging from landscapes, wildlife, farm animals and a pair of school buses.
While most paintings are for sale, Gazely is not selling a small square painting of a school bus. She is giving it to Gord Beerdra, the driver of the school bus.
Gazely started painting in January, taking photos and picking her favourites to paint.
"I love the light and clouds here," said Gazely.
Leslie Barnwell's photos focused on flowers grown in her garden.
"I simply love flowers," said Barnwell. "Getting close to them gives me an opportunity to feel that special moment of intimacy with something else, something other than myself. I feel it's a privilege to get that close to anything, just like it's a privilege to get close to another person."
Barnwell took thousands of photos over the past three years and had to pare it down to 44 photos to exhibit.
"It was really hard," said Barnwell. "After doing that first delete, I had to work with each one and then I had to cut it down, cut it down, cut it down. I had tiny little pictures all over my table for weeks and weeks."
The Art Gallery is currently hosting the exhibits until July 16.
June 29, 2016
Xuyun Zeng
Latest Art Gallery exhibition celebrates the Bulkley Valley
The latest exhibition at the Smithers Art Gallery pays homage to the Bulkley Valley with photography by Leslie Barnwell and oil paintings by Michelle Gazely.
"We just moved here two years ago because it is so beautiful," said Gazely, who moved from Hope to live on acreage here. "I actually didn't realize how how beautiful our road was when we initially looked at the property. It was a clear winter day when we moved and I was shocked at the mountain views from our new road."
Gazely's first ever exhibition, The Wilds of Walcott Road, depicts different facets of her road, ranging from landscapes, wildlife, farm animals and a pair of school buses.
While most paintings are for sale, Gazely is not selling a small square painting of a school bus. She is giving it to Gord Beerdra, the driver of the school bus.
Gazely started painting in January, taking photos and picking her favourites to paint.
"I love the light and clouds here," said Gazely.
Leslie Barnwell's photos focused on flowers grown in her garden.
"I simply love flowers," said Barnwell. "Getting close to them gives me an opportunity to feel that special moment of intimacy with something else, something other than myself. I feel it's a privilege to get that close to anything, just like it's a privilege to get close to another person."
Barnwell took thousands of photos over the past three years and had to pare it down to 44 photos to exhibit.
"It was really hard," said Barnwell. "After doing that first delete, I had to work with each one and then I had to cut it down, cut it down, cut it down. I had tiny little pictures all over my table for weeks and weeks."
The Art Gallery is currently hosting the exhibits until July 16.
