Valerie Rogers has always been an artist, and she’s always loved wildlife, so it’s not a surprise that her two passions are united in her first solo show at the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre this month.
“It’s all about wildlife. It’s about the creatures I love and the details that make them so special,” she said at the opening on Friday, June 3.
Rogers’ show, titled The Wildlife, opened in the main gallery alongside three other exhibits — Jason Keerak’s Abandoned, Sue Davies’ Horsing Around and the ArtStarts Honey Bee Project.
“I try to give a peaceful insight into their lives,” said Rogers, who lives in Salmon Arm. “I want to show them as they are, but without the distance, to make a conversation, to make a connection.”
Her paintings come from her own wildlife encounters. There’s several grizzly bears, a raccoon washing his hands, a flock of killdeer and many more.
“I’m always looking for the experience first, then I want to share it,” she said.
Photo: Jason Keerak's exhibit Abandoned is on display in the Sophie Atkinson gallery.
In the Sophie Atkinson gallery, photographer Jason Keerak displays a selection of photos of abandoned buildings. They were mostly photographed in southern Saskatchewan, where his mother lives.
“In southern Saskatchewan, there’s so many stories there,” he said. “That’s what really intrigues me.”
The exhibit includes photos of the interior and exterior of buildings. Keerak said he was attracted to the theme both due to the mystery and his fandom of the apocalypse.
“You walk into a room like this and you can almost visualize the bed and the dresser,” he said. “At some point people were sleeping in there. Where did they go?"
Photo: Sue Davies has published a book of her horse paintings.
In the next side gallery, painter Sue Davies displays her series of 26 horses — one for each letter of the alphabet. It’s a project that’s been years in the making, but really went into production earlier this year.
She is publishing a children’s book based on the paintings. “I like the colours. A lot of children have books where the pictures are really simple,” she said. “When I was a kid I really liked those beautiful pictures. I wanted children to have pictures that are a bit more realistic and complex.”
Photo: Makenna Gallon points to her painting from the ArtStarts Honey Bee Project exhibit.
Finally, the ArtStarts Honey Bee Project features art work by local elementary school students. The project is a collaboration between the schools and local artists Davies and Tina Lindegaard.
All four exhibits are on display at the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre until Thursday, June 30. Visit the RVAS website for hours.