Surrey Artswest Society foregrounds fresh local talent at Surrey Art Gallery, to October 13

Group exhibition spans paintings, drawings, ceramic sculptures, and more

Asma Burney, *Inspiration*, 2022, acrylic on canvas.

Surrey Art Gallery presents Surrey Artswest Society to October 13

SURREY ART GALLERY is presenting a new exhibition that celebrates local talent. On display until October 13, Surrey Artswest Society features works by the organization’s members, spanning paintings, drawings, mixed-media works, ceramic sculptures, and more.

The goal is to showcase the diversity of artists’ responses to the world around them. Thematically, the works range from the breathtaking beauty of the natural world and local wildlife to experiences of personal loss and the search for inner peace via artmaking.

Gail Aitchison, *Blue Waterfall*, 2023, acrylic on canvas.

Doris Biddle. *Playing the Blues*, 2022, acrylic on canvas.

Surrey Artswest Society is just one show at the Surrey Art Gallery this summer. Also on offer are Future Memoria, a showcase of works from the venue’s permanent collection that address utopia, dystopia, and the future, on until August 25; and Cheryl Pagurek: Winter Garden, an interactive video collage, on until December 8.

A nonprofit group dedicated to the promotion of local artmaking and education, Surrey Artswest Society supports art-related activities throughout the Fraser Valley, bringing together novice and experienced artists, offering live demonstrations from practising artists, and providing exhibition opportunities such as this one.

Donna Schipfel, *Emotion*, 2023, acrylic ink.

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Gail Johnson

Gail Johnson is cofounder of Stir. She is a Vancouver-based journalist who has earned local and national nominations and awards for her work. She is a certified Gladue Report writer via Indigenous Perspectives Society in partnership with Royal Roads University and is a member of a judging panel for top Vancouver restaurants.

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