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Our lives are intrinsically tied to the animals with whom we share this planet. Four North Shore artists explore our varied & sometimes quite personal relationships with everything from birds to bugs to bovines through dynamic wood sculptures, acrylic paintings & graphite drawings.
Peyman Hajian is a West Vancouver wood sculptor who built a distinguished career as an artist and teacher in his hometown of Tehran, Iran. His work combines carving & inlay. Using driftwood, he contrasts textures - smooth, stylized carved birds represent the spirit of nature while the natural rough wood depict humanity's impact. Hajian’s birds signify his journey of embracing new horizons - just as birds fly freely he has found freedom of expression through carving their likeness.
Cory Kinney, originally from Toronto and now based in North Vancouver, infuses his bold acrylic paintings with a pop art comic book aesthetic. Trips with his daughter to entomological collection at the museum revealed the diverse colours, textures and shapes of various bugs, beetles and butterflies. Kinney’s large-scale paintings, inspired by the insect kingdom’s adaptability and resilience to human-caused climate change, offer colourful symbols of hope for the future.
Sharka Leigh is a visual artist from North Vancouver known for her unique compositions and detailed style. While she paints various subjects, her favourite is cows due to the close and affectionate bonds they create with both humans and other animals. Leigh visits local farms to take reference photos & meet her subjects. Each hyper-realistic and charming portrait captures the individual cow’s personality by focusing on their colours, expressive eyes and candid pose.
Kathleen McCormick, a West Vancouver based wildlife artist, works primarily in graphite. An eagle monitor for Lighthouse Park, she has photographed the resident eagles extensively watching for changes in nesting behaviour and human interference. Based upon her photos, McCromick has created a series of detailed graphite drawings of juvenile and adult eagles in motion and at rest, evoking their majesty and highlighting their importance to our ecosystem.
The artwork on display invites us to meet these beautiful & fascinating creatures, & consider our own relationship with the living world around us.
Artists Talk Livestream
Mon. July 8, 7 pm
Join us for an engaging livestream conversation with the artists as they share insights into their inspirations & process, take a tour of the exhibition & answer questions from viewers live.
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