What makes our art gallery extra² special?

Established in 1992 on Salt Spring Island by the forever Benevolent Dictator,  Matt Steffich (left) 1958-2020.

Representing artists of the highest level, hosting notable shows for Norval Morrisseau, Abraham Anghik Ruben's masterful soapstone carvings, wildlife artist Robert Bateman and sole Canadian representatives of Kinetic wind sculpture artist Lyman Whitaker.

The coolest ongoing Rock and Roll Art exhibition of original vintage concert posters from the Fillmore West and Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco as well as rock concert photography by Dee Lippingwell, and iconic Bob Masse collectable concert posters.

Free Appraisal services and biannual home grown Antiques Roadshow themed event: "What's it Worth?"

An exclusive evening inside Parker Street Studios with one of Vancouver’s most beloved contemporary painters.

Each November, Vancouver’s Eastside Culture Crawl transforms the city’s East End into a vibrant maze of open studios, creative workshops, artist talks, and behind-the-scenes explorations. This year marks the 29th annual Crawl, a celebration of visual arts that draws tens of thousands of art lovers to the iconic neighbourhoods surrounding Strathcona, Clark Drive, and the Waterfront.

But before the crowds arrive, before the weekend buzz fills the four floors of Parker Street Studios, Canadian artist David Wilson is offering something exceptionally rare:

A quiet, private collector preview of his newest body of work.

And we’re inviting you inside.

This year we decided that it was time for another makeover, and the flooring had become the elephant in the room. Employing our, “Go big or go home” philosophy, we decided that the carpet had to go.

If you ask around the gallery who’s idea it was originally to make
the leap to laminate, you will find it a point of prickly contention. Hint: It was Matt, because he’s the boss.

Finishing a painting is not like finishing a horse race. Usually no one, including the artist, knows for sure if its finished. There are no lords and ladies in fine dress to congratulate you, no big wreaths of flowers, no gold cup. Creating a painting is a lonely pursuit right to the end.

So with all this internalizing and loneliness how does an artist know if they have truly finished a work

“Discoveries is about shapes and rhythms, people and places, anything that I thought might make a surprising photograph. My hope is that these discoveries will cause the viewer to pause a moment to contemplate the visual richness of the world around us.

While I freely added filters and textures when I felt they enhanced the mood or created a more painterly experience, all of the images are from actual photographs of real scenes that happened to catch my curious eye."

There is a certain stigma around the artist's model, also known as a life model.

Of all the jobs one can do nude it is surprisingly modest. The working relationship is completely dependant on trust. An artists working with a model has their reputation to consider, should their conduct be less than professional it could ruin their chances of ever working with another model, and alienate them from their community.

This responsibility falls on the shoulders of the model as well, their conduct must be equally impeachable.

Daily self-portrait project by painter Danica Lundy, completed in one hour sittings.

In this article we will take a look at the artist's self-portrait to understand why it is an important discipline and exercise.

When you see someone drawing, painting, and sculpting their own image over and over again it can look like bizarre act of navel gazing.

Art in a corporate setting is used to reflect the corporate culture and what is unique about that particular company.

During the Second World War the Canadian Government partnered with the graphic design company Sampson and Matthews to produce art that would promote and brand Canada to the world. The project proved to be one of the most valuable morale boosters of the Second World War. The prints were distributed in military posts around the world. One of largest publicly sponsored art project in Canadian history.

In​ ​this​ ​article​ ​we​ ​will​ ​discuss​ ​first,​ ​why​ ​the​ ​study​ ​of​ ​art​ ​and​ ​art​ ​history​ ​is​ ​important​ ​to​ ​art appreciation;secondly​ ​we​ ​will​ ​look​ ​into​ ​several​ ​modes​ ​of​ ​study​ ​and​ ​lastly​ ​we​ ​share​ ​our​ ​“short list”​ ​of​ ​favorite​ ​books​ ​and​ ​media​ ​to​ ​get​ ​one​ ​started​ ​on​ ​these​ ​subjects. 

Why​ ​is​ ​the​ ​study​ ​of​ ​art​ ​important​ ​to​ ​art​ ​appreciation?