Stir 'Splainer: 3 artists on works at Whistler Contemporary Gallery
Jane Waterous, Jay Kelly, and Judy Cheng share the inspiration behind works out of the resort gallery that represents emerging and established artists
Love by Jane Waterous
WITH COVID-19 HAVING changed the way we live and work, most of us aren’t getting out much. It’s hard to put a positive spin on the pandemic—especially with province-wide restrictions in place. However, it has led to an unexpected and positive outcome for some.
For many visual artists at Whistler Contemporary Gallery, there’s been a noticeable increase in demand for their work.
“We’ve always thought that art brings happiness to the home, and with more and more people spending time at home, we have seen an uptick in sales,” says the gallery’s business manager, Tara Wolters. “Our artists are busier than ever.”
Here are three examples of pieces from the gallery, which represents emerging and established local, national, and international artists, that are enlivening people’s personal spaces.
Love by Jane Waterous (pictured at top)
acrylic on canvas, 36 by 36 inches
While she creates diverse works with acrylic, resin, and neon installation, Waterous is best known for her Gatherings Series, which won her the Solo Artist Award in 2012 at the New York Art Expo. In these pieces, she applies acrylic paint and airbrushing to the canvas to make the figures seem to jump off the surface.
“Everything important in life happens when we gather,” Waterous says. “My Gatherings Series is all about human connection and sharing the love—never more relevant than now.”
To Be Sure, by Jay Kelly.
To Be Sure by Jay Kelly
collage and resin on panel, 40 by 30 inches
A former graphic designer, Kelly shifted his focus to fine art after discovering his signature style of creating life-like portraits and collages out of books, photos, and magazines. From a distance, his works appear as a complete, near photorealistic image; upon closer inspection, you see so many textures and bits of text. By having multiple physical layers, it allows for the pieces to have multiple meanings as well.
“To Be Sure is an image of a black bear I created entirely out of hand-dyed vintage book and magazine pages,” Kelly says. “The meticulously layered collage captures the strength and beauty of nature, while the individually torn and glued bits of paper celebrate the tangible in an increasingly digital world.”
Trail by Judy Cheng
acrylic on canvas, 60 by 60 inches)
Cheng, a Vancouver-based landscape painter, studied under the mentorship of renowned late B.C. artist Gordon Smith, who admired her work.
“During my walk along Lost Lake… peace and tranquility,” she says.
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