Pamela Thurston: A Personal Phytopia

Pamela Thurston, "Picea's Reach", oil on canvas, 36" x 12", courtesy of Scott Gallery

Alberta artist Pamela Thurston says of this body of work:

Nature is more than simply an “environment”; beyond the myriad forms, textures and colours created by Nature there is soul and the only appropriate response to it is awe. When they are observed closely, with wonder, natural objects seem decidedly otherworldly. The paintings function on several levels:  to express not only my fascination with small details and objects of the plant world and my belief in the value of actually noticing them, but as well, my sense that the veil between here and the sublime is a thin one.

I have titled the paintings to reflect my relation to them, or their significance to me, because I hope not only to elicit a sense of fascination with Nature but also to comment on my experience of living, feeling and sensing that there is more that lies beyond the surface of things.

View Thurston's work in Gallery A of the Visual Arts Alberta Gallery in Edmonton. "A Personal Phytopia" runs concurrently with the textile and collage work found in "Night Drawings and Recent Works" by Jayne Willoughby in Gallery B. These exhibitions will be up in the gallery until June 14, 2014. The Gallery is open from Wed-Fri, 10-4 pm and Sat, 12-4 pm.

Jayne Willoughby: Night Drawings and Recent Works

Jayne Willoughby, "Night Drawing #9", textile, 50" x 33"

At a young age Jayne spent many hours looking out the car window watching objects appear and disappear through the heat waves of summer on the stark landscape of the southern Alberta prairie.  This inspired Jayne to develop a keen interest in the way objects appear in different light settings and how they change visually over time.  A recurring meditation in the mirage-like environment inspired Jayne’s ongoing fascination with broken and distorted line and image.  

This exhibition highlights some of Jayne Willoughby’s international professional success in the past seven years. 

The Night Drawing series began in 2007 after being inspired while playing around with night photography.  After seeing the early Night Drawing textiles, teacher and mentor Nancy Crow invited Jayne to include #14 and #15 into the Color Improvisations Exhibition, which toured Germany, Switzerland, Italy, England, Ireland and the Netherlands for a three and a half year period.  Night Drawing #2, #3 and “Thoughts” have had extensive exhibition exposure in the US and #3 was included in the 2012 Canadian exhibition “Tradition in Transition” in France, curated by Sandra Reford.  “Thoughts” was selected for the prestigious Sightlines Exhibition, one of the Studio Art Quilt Association’s most successful touring exhibitions.  

The recent works in this exhibit are mixed media paper collage, part of an emerging body of work titled ‘The Veil Series’.

View Willoughby's work in Gallery B of the Visual Arts Alberta Gallery in Edmonton. "Night Drawings and Recent Works" runs concurrently with the paintings of "A Personal Phytopia" by Pamela Thurston in Gallery A. These exhibitions will be up in the gallery until June 14, 2014. The Gallery is open from Wed-Fri, 10-4 pm and Sat, 12-4 pm. We will be closed on Saturday, May 17.

Pamela Thurston: A Personal Phytopia

Pamela Thurston, "Burrowed Time", oil on canvas, 28" x 22", courtesy of Scott Gallery

Alberta artist Pamela Thurston says of this body of work:

Nature is more than simply an “environment”; beyond the myriad forms, textures and colours created by Nature there is soul and the only appropriate response to it is awe. When they are observed closely, with wonder, natural objects seem decidedly otherworldly. The paintings function on several levels:  to express not only my fascination with small details and objects of the plant world and my belief in the value of actually noticing them, but as well, my sense that the veil between here and the sublime is a thin one.

I have titled the paintings to reflect my relation to them, or their significance to me, because I hope not only to elicit a sense of fascination with Nature but also to comment on my experience of living, feeling and sensing that there is more that lies beyond the surface of things.

View Thurston's work in Gallery A of the Visual Arts Alberta Gallery in Edmonton. "A Personal Phytopia" runs concurrently with the textile and collage work found in "Night Drawings and Recent Works" by Jayne Willoughby in Gallery B. These exhibitions will be up in the gallery until June 14, 2014. The Gallery is open from Wed-Fri, 10-4 pm and Sat, 12-4 pm.

Jayne Willoughby: NIght Drawings and Recent Works

Jayne Willoughby, "Night Drawing #2", textile, 41" x 59"

At a young age Jayne spent many hours looking out the car window watching objects appear and disappear through the heat waves of summer on the stark landscape of the southern Alberta prairie.  This inspired Jayne to develop a keen interest in the way objects appear in different light settings and how they change visually over time.  A recurring meditation in the mirage-like environment inspired Jayne’s ongoing fascination with broken and distorted line and image.  

This exhibition highlights some of Jayne Willoughby’s international professional success in the past seven years. 

The Night Drawing series began in 2007 after being inspired while playing around with night photography.  After seeing the early Night Drawing textiles, teacher and mentor Nancy Crow invited Jayne to include #14 and #15 into the Color Improvisations Exhibition, which toured Germany, Switzerland, Italy, England, Ireland and the Netherlands for a three and a half year period.  Night Drawing #2, #3 and “Thoughts” have had extensive exhibition exposure in the US and #3 was included in the 2012 Canadian exhibition “Tradition in Transition” in France, curated by Sandra Reford.  “Thoughts” was selected for the prestigious Sightlines Exhibition, one of the Studio Art Quilt Association’s most successful touring exhibitions.  

The recent works in this exhibit are mixed media paper collage, part of an emerging body of work titled ‘The Veil Series’.

View Willoughby's work in Gallery B of the Visual Arts Alberta Gallery in Edmonton. "Night Drawings and Recent Works" runs concurrently with the paintings of "A Personal Phytopia" by Pamela Thurston in Gallery A. These exhibitions will be up in the gallery until June 14, 2014. The Gallery is open from Wed-Fri, 10-4 pm and Sat, 12-4 pm. We will be closed on Saturday, May 17.

Pamela Thurston: A Personal Phytopia

Pamela Thurston, "Little Gorm", oil on board, 15" x 15", courtesy of Scott Gallery

Alberta artist Pamela Thurston says of this body of work:

Nature is more than simply an “environment”; beyond the myriad forms, textures and colours created by Nature there is soul and the only appropriate response to it is awe. When they are observed closely, with wonder, natural objects seem decidedly otherworldly. The paintings function on several levels:  to express not only my fascination with small details and objects of the plant world and my belief in the value of actually noticing them, but as well, my sense that the veil between here and the sublime is a thin one.

I have titled the paintings to reflect my relation to them, or their significance to me, because I hope not only to elicit a sense of fascination with Nature but also to comment on my experience of living, feeling and sensing that there is more that lies beyond the surface of things.

View Thurston's work in Gallery A of the Visual Arts Alberta Gallery in Edmonton. "A Personal Phytopia" runs concurrently with the textile and collage work found in "Night Drawings and Recent Works" by Jayne Willoughby in Gallery B. These exhibitions will be up in the gallery until June 14, 2014. The Gallery is open from Wed-Fri, 10-4 pm and Sat, 12-4 pm. 

Jayne Willoughby: Night Drawings and Recent Works

Jayne Willoughby, "Thoughts 4/5", mixed media textile, 8" x 8"

At a young age Jayne spent many hours looking out the car window watching objects appear and disappear through the heat waves of summer on the stark landscape of the southern Alberta prairie.  This inspired Jayne to develop a keen interest in the way objects appear in different light settings and how they change visually over time.  A recurring meditation in the mirage-like environment inspired Jayne’s ongoing fascination with broken and distorted line and image.  

This exhibition highlights some of Jayne Willoughby’s international professional success in the past seven years. 

The Night Drawing series began in 2007 after being inspired while playing around with night photography.  After seeing the early Night Drawing textiles, teacher and mentor Nancy Crow invited Jayne to include #14 and #15 into the Color Improvisations Exhibition, which toured Germany, Switzerland, Italy, England, Ireland and the Netherlands for a three and a half year period.  Night Drawing #2, #3 and “Thoughts” have had extensive exhibition exposure in the US and #3 was included in the 2012 Canadian exhibition “Tradition in Transition” in France, curated by Sandra Reford.  “Thoughts” was selected for the prestigious Sightlines Exhibition, one of the Studio Art Quilt Association’s most successful touring exhibitions.  

The recent works in this exhibit are mixed media paper collage, part of an emerging body of work titled ‘The Veil Series’.

View Willoughby's work in Gallery B of the Visual Arts Alberta Gallery in Edmonton. "Night Drawings and Recent Works" runs concurrently with the paintings of "A Personal Phytopia" by Pamela Thurston in Gallery A. These exhibitions will be up in the gallery until June 14, 2014. The Gallery is open from Wed-Fri, 10-4 pm and Sat, 12-4 pm. We will be closed on Saturday, May 17.

Pamela Thurston: A Personal Phytopia

Pamela Thurston, "Slipstream", oil on canvas, 37" x 37", courtesy of Scott Gallery

Alberta artist Pamela Thurston says of this body of work:

Nature is more than simply an “environment”; beyond the myriad forms, textures and colours created by Nature there is soul and the only appropriate response to it is awe. When they are observed closely, with wonder, natural objects seem decidedly otherworldly. The paintings function on several levels:  to express not only my fascination with small details and objects of the plant world and my belief in the value of actually noticing them, but as well, my sense that the veil between here and the sublime is a thin one.

I have titled the paintings to reflect my relation to them, or their significance to me, because I hope not only to elicit a sense of fascination with Nature but also to comment on my experience of living, feeling and sensing that there is more that lies beyond the surface of things.

View Thurston's work in Gallery A of the Visual Arts Alberta Gallery in Edmonton. "A Personal Phytopia" runs concurrently with the textile and collage work found in "Night Drawings and Recent Works" by Jayne Willoughby in Gallery B. These exhibitions will be up in the gallery until June 14, 2014. The Gallery is open from Wed-Fri, 10-4 pm and Sat, 12-4 pm. We will be closed on Saturday, May 17.

Jayne Willoughby: Night Drawings and Recent Works

Jayne Willoughby, "Night Drawing #15", mixed media textile, 86" x 84"

At a young age Jayne spent many hours looking out the car window watching objects appear and disappear through the heat waves of summer on the stark landscape of the southern Alberta prairie.  This inspired Jayne to develop a keen interest in the way objects appear in different light settings and how they change visually over time.  A recurring meditation in the mirage-like environment inspired Jayne’s ongoing fascination with broken and distorted line and image.  

This exhibition highlights some of Jayne Willoughby’s international professional success in the past seven years. 

The Night Drawing series began in 2007 after being inspired while playing around with night photography.  After seeing the early Night Drawing textiles, teacher and mentor Nancy Crow invited Jayne to include #14 and #15 into the Color Improvisations Exhibition, which toured Germany, Switzerland, Italy, England, Ireland and the Netherlands for a three and a half year period.  Night Drawing #2, #3 and “Thoughts” have had extensive exhibition exposure in the US and #3 was included in the 2012 Canadian exhibition “Tradition in Transition” in France, curated by Sandra Reford.  “Thoughts” was selected for the prestigious Sightlines Exhibition, one of the Studio Art Quilt Association’s most successful touring exhibitions.  

The recent works in this exhibit are mixed media paper collage, part of an emerging body of work titled ‘The Veil Series’.

View Willoughby's work in Gallery B of the Visual Arts Alberta Gallery in Edmonton. "Night Drawings and Recent Works" runs concurrently with the paintings of "A Personal Phytopia" by Pamela Thurston in Gallery A. These exhibitions will be up in the gallery until June 14, 2014. The Gallery is open from Wed-Fri, 10-4 pm and Sat, 12-4 pm. We will be closed on Saturday, May 17.

Pamela Thurston: A Personal Phytopia

Pamela Thurston, "Private Dancer", oil on canvas, 36" x 36", courtesy of Scott Gallery

Alberta artist Pamela Thurston says of this body of work:

Nature is more than simply an “environment”; beyond the myriad forms, textures and colours created by Nature there is soul and the only appropriate response to it is awe. When they are observed closely, with wonder, natural objects seem decidedly otherworldly. The paintings function on several levels:  to express not only my fascination with small details and objects of the plant world and my belief in the value of actually noticing them, but as well, my sense that the veil between here and the sublime is a thin one.

I have titled the paintings to reflect my relation to them, or their significance to me, because I hope not only to elicit a sense of fascination with Nature but also to comment on my experience of living, feeling and sensing that there is more that lies beyond the surface of things.

View Thurston's work in Gallery A of the Visual Arts Alberta Gallery in Edmonton. "A Personal Phytopia" runs concurrently with the textile and collage work found in "Night Drawings and Recent Works" by Jayne Willoughby in Gallery B. These exhibitions will be up in the gallery until June 14, 2014. The Gallery is open from Wed-Fri, 10-4 pm and Sat, 12-4 pm. We will be closed on Saturday, May 17.

Jayne Willoughby: Night Drawing and Recent Works

Jayne Willoughby, "Thoughts", 73" x 82", mixed media textile

At a young age Jayne spent many hours looking out the car window watching objects appear and disappear through the heat waves of summer on the stark landscape of the southern Alberta prairie.  This inspired Jayne to develop a keen interest in the way objects appear in different light settings and how they change visually over time.  A recurring meditation in the mirage-like environment inspired Jayne’s ongoing fascination with broken and distorted line and image.  

This exhibition highlights some of Jayne Willoughby’s international professional success in the past seven years. 

The Night Drawing series began in 2007 after being inspired while playing around with night photography.  After seeing the early Night Drawing textiles, teacher and mentor Nancy Crow invited Jayne to include #14 and #15 into the Color Improvisations Exhibition, which toured Germany, Switzerland, Italy, England, Ireland and the Netherlands for a three and a half year period.  Night Drawing #2, #3 and “Thoughts” have had extensive exhibition exposure in the US and #3 was included in the 2012 Canadian exhibition “Tradition in Transition” in France, curated by Sandra Reford.  “Thoughts” was selected for the prestigious Sightlines Exhibition, one of the Studio Art Quilt Association’s most successful touring exhibitions.  

The recent works in this exhibit are mixed media paper collage, part of an emerging body of work titled ‘The Veil Series’.

View Willoughby's work in Gallery B of the Visual Arts Alberta Gallery in Edmonton. "Night Drawings and Recent Works" runs concurrently with the paintings of "A Personal Phytopia" by Pamela Thurston in Gallery A. These exhibitions will be up in the gallery until June 14, 2014. The Gallery is open from Wed-Fri, 10-4 pm and Sat, 12-4 pm. We will be closed on Saturday, May 17.

Pamela Thurston: A Personal Phytopia

Pamela Thurston, "Thing of Wonder", oil on canvas, 20" x 20", Courtesy of Scott Gallery

Alberta artist Pamela Thurston says of this body of work:

Nature is more than simply an “environment”; beyond the myriad forms, textures and colours created by Nature there is soul and the only appropriate response to it is awe. When they are observed closely, with wonder, natural objects seem decidedly otherworldly. The paintings function on several levels:  to express not only my fascination with small details and objects of the plant world and my belief in the value of actually noticing them, but as well, my sense that the veil between here and the sublime is a thin one.

I have titled the paintings to reflect my relation to them, or their significance to me, because I hope not only to elicit a sense of fascination with Nature but also to comment on my experience of living, feeling and sensing that there is more that lies beyond the surface of things.

View Thurston's work in Gallery A of the Visual Arts Alberta Gallery in Edmonton. "A Personal Phytopia" runs concurrently with the textile and collage work found in "Night Drawings and Recent Works" by Jayne Willoughby in Gallery B. These exhibitions will be up in the gallery until June 14, 2014. The Gallery is open from Wed-Fri, 10-4 pm and Sat, 12-4 pm. We will be closed on Saturday, May 17.

Pamela Thurston and Jayne Willoughby

In Gallery A: A Personal Phytopia: Paintings by Pamela Thurston

Thurston’s oil paintings reflect the “surreal nature of Nature”. Her intent, to imbue the subject matter with a presence and a sense of mystery beyond their physical forms, is realized in these extraordinary works.

Thurston says: Nature is more than simply an “environment”; beyond the myriad forms, textures, and colours created by Nature there is soul and the only appropriate response to it is awe. When they are observed closely, with wonder, natural objects seem decidedly otherworldly. The paintings function on several levels: to express not only my fascination with small details and objects of the plant world and my belief in the value of actually noticing them, but as well, my sense that the veil between here and the sublime is a thin one.

I have titled the paintings to reflect my relation to them, or their significance to me, because I hope not only to elicit a sense of fascination with Nature but also to comment on my experience of living, feeling and sensing that there is more that lies beyond the surface of things.

In Gallery B: Night Drawings and Recent Works by Jayne Willoughby

Willoughby, a mixed media and textile artist, has a life-long fascination of how objects appear in space. These expressive drawings and large fibre works focus on projecting an illusion of movement through the use of layered color, line and materials.

The Night Drawing Series (2007-2010) in this exhibit are mixed media textile works which have returned home after five years on tour in several prestigious exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe (Germany, Switzerland, Italy, England, Ireland, Netherlands and France). The recent works in this exhibit are mixed media collage, part of an emerging body of work called ‘The Veil Series’.

Join us for the Opening Reception on Thursday, May 8 from 7-9:30 pm.