Executive Director’s Message

January, 2012

All of us – the Board of Directors, staff and volunteers of the Kelowna Art Gallery would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you, our members and friends, for your continued support of the Gallery and its mission to strengthen visual arts in the community. By presenting a wide range nationally recognized exhibitions, publications, educational programs, and community-based projects, we provide opportunities to be inspired, to learn, to create, and to debate. We couldn’t fulfill this mission without you.

We have a great year ahead of us, as we look forward to a full schedule of ambitious exhibitions and programs. Our major winter exhibition explores the landscape with Lake Country-based artist David Alexander. This survey of Alexander’s paintings, drawings and sketches will provide an important overview of the work of this senior Canadian artist. The exhibition is curated by our own Liz Wylie, and is accompanied by a full-colour book, published for the Gallery by McGill-Queen’s University Press. Following the inaugural showing at the Gallery, the exhibition will tour across the country.

We are delighted to be working with the University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus and the Vernon Public Art Gallery to bring original, contemporary printmaking from North, Central and South America to the Okanagan Valley. The Okanagan Print Triennial 2012 is an impressive collaborative project and will be accompanied by an exhibition catalogue.

Jim Kalnin: Pulse, is a commission for our airport satellite gallery. Located near the departure gates of the Kelowna International Airport (YLW), this beautiful work of art provides an opportunity to contemplate our place in the world as we move on from one city to another city, country or continent.

In the coming year, we hope that you will participate in the artist and curator lectures, roundtable discussions, hands-on workshops and classes that we have planned. Exchanges– both live and digitized – with exhibiting artists is a priority as we explore opportunities to gain meaningful exposure to contemporary art practice. Our growing collaboration with UBCO and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies will enable us to further expand our visiting artists program.

We will strive to continue to present exhibitions and programs that showcase Canadian contemporary art, and celebrate Kelowna as an important center of creativity in the Canadian West. Be sure to subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter, check-out the website, email or give us a call! We are always delighted to hear from you.

All the best,

Nataley
nataley@kelownaartgallery.com