UPDATE: Federation of Canadian Artists Nanaimo chapter Spring Art Showcase has been cancelled.
PREVIOUSLY POSTED: Members of the Nanaimo chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists are welcoming spring with a new exhibition.
From now until April 12, 156 paintings by 44 artists are on display online as part of FCA Nanaimo’s Spring Art Showcase. The works vary in style and subject matter but many feature nature imagery reminiscent of the season.
“A lot of people thought because it was a spring show that it should be flowers or they felt like putting that type of work together,” said Trudy Broadley, FCA Nanaimo president and art show chair. “And maybe everybody just felt like it was time for a renewal, in a sense. Getting back painting.”
Broadley said she’s impressed by the exhibition’s quality and variety, especially since by her observation FCA Nanaimo members haven’t been as active during the pandemic.
“A lot of people just haven’t been painting or weren’t painting last year,” she said. “They just didn’t feel like doing it. I don’t know if there was a lot of depression going around or what but anyway we ended up getting a really good turnout.”
Before COVID-19, FCA Nanaimo didn’t display much of their work online, Broadley said. Even on the group’s website she said they would only post “the odd thing if anyone had something to brag about.”
They starting presenting seasonal shows virtually last year and with help from FCA headquarters in Vancouver the group’s 2020 Fine Art Show was also held online. Broadley said that’s the plan for this year’s Fine Art Show as well.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty around it right now and so we decided for 2021 we would have another online show,” she said. “And that takes away all the worry, all the ifs. We can just go ahead and organize it and we’ve had luck with online shows.”
Broadley said FCA Nanaimo membership have “embraced” the move to online exhibitions. She said it was “uplifting” to see a variety of work sold during last year’s Fine Art Show and in the future the group plans to continue offering their work virtually.
“Our members are quite pleased that we’re doing it and when it all gets back to normal and we’re having our in-person shows the feeling is that we’d like to continue with the online as well,” Broadley said.
WHAT’S ON … The Nanaimo chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists presents its Spring Art Showcase from now until April 12 at www.nanaimofca.com/gallery.
RELATED: Nanaimo Fine Art Show to be held online due to COVID-19
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