Stir Cheat Sheet: 4 artists to check out at Art Vancouver 2026
These are just a few of the highlights at the 10th annual edition of the showcase of Canadian and international artists
Art Vancouver
Art Vancouver 2026 takes place May 28 to 31 at Vancouver Convention Centre East
FOUNDED IN 2015 by Lisa Wolfin, Art Vancouver has become an annual tradition for art collectors and enthusiasts. This year’s edition turns Vancouver Convention Centre East into one big gallery, showcasing contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, murals, interdisciplinary practices, and more from Canadian and international artists.
In addition to the exhibition of works for sale, Art Vancouver includes individual artist talks and panel discussions, plus demonstrations and art classes.
Here are four artists whose work you won’t want to miss.
Erica Marrello, Get Melted
Erica Marrello
They say life imitates art—or is it the other way around? Whatever the case, if there’s one thing that’s equally true in both art and life, it’s that things will get messy. Vancouver multidisciplinary artist Marrello seems to have embraced this idea with her Get Melted project, in which, for a fee, participants are covered in layers of paint, effectively becoming works of art which are then photographed in all their slippery, vibrant—and sometimes fluorescent—glory.
As she noted on her blog, Marrello was inspired by watching the sun set behind a mountain range: “I started to imagine what it would be like if I could pour paint over them and add colour to the natural shapes and ridges. I then realized how similar the curves of the mountains resembled that of a human body and dreamed of putting this dream to reality.”
Marrello also creates acrylic-on-canvas paintings, wearable art, and other, less messy pieces.
By Ruobing Liao
Ruobing Liao
Alternating between oil paintings on canvas and delicate watercolour works on paper, Toronto-based contemporary artist Liao explores both connections and boundaries—between plants and humans as well as dreams and reality.
Liao’s imagery is indeed dreamlike and surreal; forms blur and blend together in unexpected ways. Occasionally, an object is depicted in sharp focus—a spiky thistle or a bit of a face in profile—but more often it’s impossible to tell where one element ends and another begins.
As Liao’s website tells us, “She believes that depicting dreams serves as a vital nourishment for her spiritual realm that supplies her inspirations.”
By Cathy Key
Cathy Key
When you study anthropology, you begin to realize that deep down, we humans are all essentially alike in the ways that really matter. Bolster those studies with movement-based practices such as yoga and ecstatic dance, as British-Canadian contemporary artist Key has done, and the connections take on a deeper, more spiritual dimension.
Key combines collage, acrylic paint, inks, and layered glazing techniques to create large-scale portraits of women that explore the intertwined themes of the divine feminine and humanity’s role as part of a larger living system.
“My paintings express the joy, vulnerability and wonder of being a conscious participant in our natural world,” Key notes on her official website. “In my work, I seek to connect with the wisdom that we are a part of nature, not separate from it. Look closely and you will see plants, algae, corals and fungi play across the skin of my portraits. The effect can be quite psychedelic—not just visually but mentally. I believe that art can be a portal to other dimensions.”
By Jorge Izaza
Jorge Izaza
Mexican-born but based on Salt Spring Island, Izaza is a master woodworker with a knack for creating well-constructed custom furniture pieces.
Where he really shines (pun fully intended) is in his creation of LED table lamps. Each piece is different, highlighting the unique qualities of the material as shaped by Izaza’s hand-carving and etching.
“I enjoy testing the limits of what materials can do, but above all my passion for design and creation comes from the desire to make incredible ideas come to life and share them with the world,” Izaza says. 
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