Hello friends!

We are excited to be inviting visitors back into our interior exhibition space after an intense week of cleaning up. As you may have heard, a fire was set outside our lower level garage 9 days ago. It happened very early in the morning, before our staff arrived. No one was hurt, and damage was minor thanks to the quick response of the Courtenay Fire Department and City Hall staff.

But even “minor” damage required clean up and attention. SHOP:MADE will be closed until next Thursday, but we are very glad to invite people back into the exhibition space to see and hear VISIBLE LABOUR. 

Our “regular” COVID hours are Thursday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm and we close for statutory holidays. Remember, we also have lots of programming that can be viewed 24-7 from the outdoors.

Read on for details about:

• Last chance to see the final film of the CVAG virtual film series is April 4;
• Virtual net making workshop April 17 hosted by Kristin Nelson (one of the artists in INVISIBLE LABOUR;
• Job posting for summer students, and a Technical Pivot Facilitator.

Stay safe and healthy!

– The CVAG team

VISIBLE LABOUR

The VISIBLE LABOUR exibition includes “Release” by Connie Michele Morey.

March 25 – May 29, 2021

VISIBLE LABOUR  is a convergent program that reveals the ever present-constancy of the work that is going on all around us – through exhibition, outreach projects, offsite and onsite creative residencies and community engagement activities. The program includes:

Visible Labour – exhibition with Deb Dumka + Claire Sanford, Connie Michele Morey, Kristin Nelson.

A Sense of Abandon But Not of Discipline – project by Anne J Steves.

Offsite_Onsite – collaborative research + production residency with Abir Bouhkari, Nisrine Bouhkari, Shelley Vanderbyl and CVAG’s curators.

NET MAKING: AN ONLINE WORKSHIP

SEE + HEAR ART FROM THE OUTDOORS

You can see Deb Dumka’s work (left) and Anne Steves’ work (right) 24-7 from the CVAG plaza. And from 6th street you can also see and hear work from OFFSITE_ONSITE residency in the lower level windows.

During these COVID times we are offering new ways to encounter art. Check out the increased illumination in the CVAG Window Gallery, projections from screens in windows facing the CVAG plaza and 6th street, soundscapes and more.

Please keep a safe social distance from others while viewing this work.

SEE WORK BY GEORGE SAWCHUK IN SHOP:MADE 

SHOP:MADE features a selection of work by the late George Sawchuk

“After 40 years of labour, I had compiled a great many resources that I could now draw upon, but they were all being evaporated. This I thought is not what life is all about; why live and experience a full life and allow it to be buried with you? How nice it would be if we all could leave a small part of ourselves behind.”

…these are the words that George Sawchuk wrote in his journal, as he reflected on the emergence of his art practice. A selection of the late artist’s work is now included with hundreds of other well made things created by regional artists in our SHOP:MADE. You can see it once the the shop re-opens on Thursday, April 8. The shop is open Thursday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm.

HONEYLAND CONCLUDES VIRTUAL FILM SERIES

“Honeyland” is the final film of the CVAG virtual film series

Even though the theaters have been closed, we’ve worked to ensure that audience still have access to great new films. Our virtual film series included five films. The final is HONEYLAND, a wonderful story about Macedonian wild beekeepers.

You have until Sunday, April 4, to purchase your $12 ticket and watch the film in the comfort of your own home.

To see the trailer or buy a ticket, click here.

JOB POSTINGS

Join our dynamic CVAG team

Pending the approval of funding from Canada Summer Jobs and Young Canada Works, we will be hiring Gallery Assistants starting in May. To qualify who must under the age of 30 with a commitment to the arts.

We are also hiring a Technical Pivot Facilitator. This is a 40-week position and requires experience and skill with digital technology and the arts.

For more details about either of this positions, please send an e-mail to director@comoxvalleyartgallery.com

THANK YOU

Image of our garage door following a fire that was set March 25. The photo is taken by Shelley Vanderbyl, an artist who was creating new work directly on the other side of the door.

Our deepest gratitude goes out to the Courtenay Fire Department and the staff at the City of Courtenay for their very quick response to a fire that was set in a garbage can outside our garage door on Simms Alley in the early morning of March 25. Their actions prevented a damage that could have been much worse.

We also want to thank Comox Valley Arts – the Community Arts Council – for providing space for us to store artwork while we were cleaning up.

Belfor Property Restoration and , Oliver’s Power Vacuum and Chimney Sweep have provided us the fast, amazing service as we clean up.

We are also grateful for the outpouring of support we have received from the community. We love operating in this special community!