Following a soft launch last fall, Alpine Echo Gallery fully opened its doors in Revelstoke Friday night to the public and dozens of featured artists from across B.C. and Alberta, adding to a local arts scene said to be growing rapidly.
More than 40 artists from across Western Canada, many of them local to the Interior, are featured in the Arrow Heights gallery's collection, officially launched Jan. 17 by co-owners and local artists Hayley Stewart, Meghan Porath and Zuzana Riha.
"It was a very challenging process because all three of us are artists and none of us have been gallerists before," Riha said, adding that Porath brings lots of gallery curation experience. "That's why we've created this dream team."
Dominik Modlinski, a wilderness painter originally from Poland with more than 30 years of artistry, has various Mexico- and Bolivia-inspired landscape paintings among the gallery's collection. He visited the launch from Nanaimo after being invited to perform a live paint Friday night.
"It's always important to find a really good symbiotic relationship between art dealer and artist," said Modlinski, who's serving as the gallery's artist-in-residence until this next Friday, Jan. 24.
Last summer while passing between Alberta and B.C., Modlinski met Riha and warmly welcomed the opportunity of being featured in her new gallery. With Revelstoke already renowned as a premier skiing destination, he sees the same potential for it as an arts community.
"It has been challenging to choose the pieces from each artist that will complement each other and not compete with each other," Riha added, "and also to curate a variety of pieces in different mediums that are attractive in different styles that are also attractive to different viewers."
Landscape artist Valerie Speer, who joined from Rosebud, Alta., and previously worked with Porath as a gallery curator, was also approached by Riha about a live paint at the gallery's official launch. Though residing more than five hours' drive away, she was eager to come to B.C. and help where she could.
"I think everyone's pretty driven," Speer said of Porath, Riha and Stewart. "I feel like they're going to do well, and I think it's a good addition to what's happening in Revelstoke because we've had the public art gallery and a co-op."
She noted the new gallery will come with learning curbs, namely around which artists are accepted or rejected and also how to attract clientele beyond just Canadians.
"You can't please everybody, but I feel like there's huge potential because so many people are moving into (Revelstoke) and have money to spend on art," she said. "I'm excited for them and I'm excited for us who are involved with it."
Riha, who's spent 30 years in Revelstoke, said its arts scene is growing faster than she ever imagined.
"I think Revelstoke has always been kind of known for extreme sports," she said. "People don't realize the beautiful culture that we have in town as well. There's a lot of talent that we're not really recognizing. Having this gallery is an opportunity to bring a lot of that talent together and really showcase the culture in Revelstoke, as well as the sports."
The gallery has various event ideas budding for the shoulder season and summer, including weekend exhibitions in town and plein-air workshop outings to the wildflower fields in Mount Revelstoke and Glacier national parks.
"Just running and getting our feet on the ground for now," Riha said.