About the Exhibit
Like many creatives, I share a deep love of Interior Design, an aesthetic practice that goes hand-in-hand with art curation. With pleasure, and just a little bit of fun, I have curated a group series of nostalgic Interiors and contemporary Still Life paintings by TGCA artists Arden Rose, Janice Beaudoin and Sal Wiltshire.
Arden Rose’s elegant, whimsical Interiors, inspired by a two-week residency in Orquevaux, France, took her on an exploration on canvas of 19th c. of historical interiors of a bygone era. She captures the palpable sense of whimsy and luxury that characterized these historical spaces.
Janice Beaudoin’s minimalistic Still Life paintings are a modern take on a classical genre evolving from ancient funerary art in Egypt to a distinct 17th c. genre in the Netherlands. She observes the natural and built world, incorporating abstract shapes and symbolic representation of everyday objects.
Sal Wiltshire’s oil paintings render the feeling of a room and how the details stay with you long after you have left it. She creates images that appear monochromatic and shadowy, yet bright and full as you take in the details. Fluid brushwork, texture, light and shadow give Sal’s paintings a dream-like quality.
Each painting has been thoughtfully selected and speaks to the whimsical or nostalgic essence of the theme. I hope you appreciate this exhibit as much as I enjoyed curating it.
Meet Arden Rose
Arden Rose is full-time Victoria, British Columbia-based artist. After completing her MBA and following a successful career in the technology sector, Rose decided to follow her true passion and dedicate herself to her art practice. Today, Rose calls Victoria, British Columbia her home, where she finds endless inspiration in the stunning natural landscapes that surround her.
Arden is an exhibiting member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and the owner of Fairfield Art Studio in Victoria. She has been an Artist in Residence in numerous locations in Victoria, and she recently returned from a second artists’ residency in France. Arden’s paintings are held in private and corporate collections, and she is a galleried artist with the Tofino Gallery of Contemporary Art.
“After a two-week residency in Orquevaux, France in 2024, I became thoroughly enchanted with elegant, historic interiors. My artwork embarks on a whimsical exploration of the enchanting elegance found within 19th-century interiors, where each room dances with tales of opulence and refinement. Delving beyond mere representation, I aim to infuse my pieces with a touch of magic, inviting viewers to step into the fantastical realm of Victorian parlors, Rococo drawing rooms, and neoclassical salons.
Through a playful interplay of light, color, and composition, I strive to capture the palpable sense of whimsy and luxury that characterized these historical spaces. Each brushstroke serves as an invitation to imagine oneself amidst the splendor of a bygone era.”
Meet Janice Beaudoin
Janice Beaudoin is a full-time Canadian artist living and working in beautiful British Columbia. With a career background in media and interior design, she took a deep dive into the world of art over a decade ago and never looked back. Janice’s years in applied arts taught her the importance of value and the visual power of line, form, colour and composition. These design fundamentals have naturally informed her work as an artist.
In addition to formal art training from Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Janice has mentored and workshopped with a number of recognized artist-educators in Canada and the US. She is represented by two Canadian galleries, including the Tofino Gallery of Contemporary Art, and her work has been exhibited throughout North America. Janice’s work is held in private collections throughout Canada, the US, Europe, the UK and Asia.
“In my observations of the natural and built world, abstract shapes often fuse themselves with figurative elements, showing themselves in unintentional and unexpected ways. Intriguing layers and textures in my work offer up a raw, tactile quality to the viewer. Truly, I allow my materials to direct my work and each and every canvas takes me on a journey – a joyride really – where neither of us knows the final destination until we arrive. It’s this exciting and mysterious process that drives me to further explore and develop my visual language. Led by my curiosity and visually influenced by great contemporary artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, Nicolas De Stael, Amy Sillman and Chuta Kimura, I work to synthesize those influences to create art that is fresh and uniquely my own.”
Meet Sal Wiltshire
Sal Wiltshire is a teacher and artist living on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people, splitting her time between what is commonly known as Hornby Island and Salt Spring Island.
An artist from the beginning, observing the world around her and creating artwork as a process of reflection is something that has always felt natural for Sal. After some time away from art — during which she pursued two degrees in History and a degree in Education — Sal has come back to painting. She works primarily with oils on wood surfaces, in both plein air and in the studio. Sal is a galleried artist whose work has been shown in the juried Sooke Fine Arts Show and she is represented by the Tofino Gallery of Contemporary Art exclusively on Vancouver Island.
“I paint landscapes and interior scenes, working primarily with oils and wood. I choose to paint on wood because I like how it holds the integrity of the paint, and how clearly the paint is able to show the gesture that laid it there. This allows me to speak through my mark-making with honesty, in a way that is true to both myself and to the moment I am trying to capture. I see my ability to paint as a privilege, a way to communicate something that does not exist within the confines of language. I am interested in the non-human, and the ways in which the spaces we inhabit or pass through shape us, and are shaped
by us.”
