FireWild
to
Salmon Arm Art Gallery 70 Hudson Ave NE (PO Box 1181), Salmon Arm, British Columbia V1E 4P6
Patti Smith, "Fire Wild," 2022
Opening on Saturday, July 9, 2022 with a reception between 11am and 1pm
Following last year’s heat dome and wildfire emergencies, many artists are drawn to express the fear that came from those days of heavy smoke and evacuation orders. Displaced families, whole communities burning to the ground, and the carcinogenic blanket of smoke that fell upon this province are part of this story. This exhibition is an opportunity to show the many faces of wildfires, as a natural part of the forest cycle and as a direct result of the climate crisis. From the Salmon Arm area, featured artists are painters Lisa Figueroa, Kathy Atkins and Patricia L. Smith, installation artist Myrna Button, photographers Vanessa Skotnitsky and Lucy Grainger, and digital artist Maria Thomas. Painters Carol Schlosar from Sicamous, Manuela Koller from Kelowna and Liz Toohey-Weise from Vancouver, as well as installation artist Lyn Richards from Kamloops represent other parts of the province where wildfires have had significant impact.
FireWild features the work of Maria Thomas, a digital artist participating in the 2022 Marie Manson Virtual Artist Residency. Maria’s art-making processes will be shared on the Salmon Arm Arts Centre’s social media feeds throughout the exhibition, demonstrating the collaboration with the curatorial team at the Art Gallery and Secwepemc knowledge-keeper Louis Thomas.
The Coffee Break and Artist Talk is on Thursday, July 21 at 2pm, with locally roasted organic coffee and fresh-baked cookies. Everyone is welcome to attend. This exhibition is generously sponsored by Mt. Ida Nursery. The Art Gallery is grateful to its sponsors and supporters to help provide a safe gathering place for visitors to interact and consider important social and environmental issues.