Salmon Symphony: It's the river that unites us!
The artists in the May group exhibition at the Gallery have interpreted the theme “Salmon Symphony: It’s the river that unites us!" in three very different but visually stunning and complementary media: painting (Niki Cherewyk), printing (Meg Hobson), and raku pottery (Michaela Kafer).
The exhibition is just one of a month-long series of cultural events taking place as part of the “Salmon Symphony” community celebration taking place in Smithers throughout May, with over a hundred musicians, composers, artists, writers, researchers, and organizers taking part in a host of exciting art and cultural festivities themed in honour of the salmon cycle. Watch out for posters and emails advertising individual events!
The show runs from May 3rd to May 28th. Meet the artists at our opening reception on Thursday, May 5th, from 7-9pm. Everyone is welcome - admission is free and refreshments are provided.
Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 12—4pm.
Michaela will be running a two-day raku pottery workshop on May 14th and May 28th. Places are limited. Contact the Gallery for more information, or register through the Town of Smithers Office.
MEET THE ARTISTS
Niki Cherewyk was born in BC and raised in Jasper, Alberta. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two young children. Niki completed art history, painting, and life drawing courses at Grant McEwan College and the Alberta College of Arts, and went on to teach children's art classes in Calgary. In 2009 she started 'Creative Sprouts', a home-based children's art studio in Smithers. Her preferred medium is watercolour and acrylic, but she also works in oils and mixed media. Niki’s inspiration is nature, and most of her paintings are from one or more photographs combined. Her style has changed over the years from detailed black and white portraits to an abstract naturalism.
Niki feels honoured to be a part of this project and is excited to be contributing a visual element to the May “Salmon Symphony” celebration. She acquired an interest in salmon after looking over the Morice Canyon bridge in July 2009. The chinook run was in full swing and hundreds of fish were pooled together, getting ready to attempt what seemed like an impossible obstacle. Lao Tzu describes it best; “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” Niki’s 2011 collection follows the flow of water from Salmon Glacier to the ocean, and incorporates the different species that depend on the salmon run each year. She would like her viewers to feel the important, silent presence of the wild.
Meg Hobson has lived rurally in Smithers for many years, but is originally from Australia where she grew up and studied printmaking and horticulture. She spends most of her time raising her four children and a multitude of animals and gardens, as well as running an organic wood-fired bakery. With the help of some wonderful friends she has started printmaking again...
In Meg’s artist statement she says that, “Having a sense of where you are from is an integral part of being - salmon return to the place where they are born to die. It’s beautiful and simple with an immense unknown journey in-between. I can only hope my life is like that of the salmon…”.
Michaela Kafer has been a part of the Smithers community for 17 years, raising her family. Having always been interested in the arts community, she has worked to participate and support the arts on different levels. She loves to be a part of community-inspired events such as the “Salmon Symphony”. Michel has explored clay for the past 20 years and has cobbled together an education and understanding of the medium through workshops, attending Mechosin Summer Art School, and trial and error. Mostly making functional pottery in both stoneware and porcelain, she welcomes the challenges that come with creating meaningful work for a group and themed show. Group shows have always encouraged her to push the limits of her comfort zone. This makes for many failures and wonderful discoveries, and of course new knowledge.
Raku pottery is the latest thing in new challenges for Michel. The firing is the mystique of raku. Raku is a centuries-old process which originally developed in 16th Century Japan. It is a perfect combination of earth, fire, air, and water. Fired ceramics are pulled hot from the kiln and placed into a combustible material such as sawdust and covered - the resulting flames produce a reduction atmosphere by burning the oxygen, the amount of oxygen affecting the results of the glazes. The pots are then plunged into a cool water-bath for rapid cooling to “freeze” the effects, pulling metallic colors from copper glazes or crackling and deeply contrasting carbon-coloured effects, never creating the same effect twice. It is the unpredictability of the results that make raku so fascinating.