Art

Original art up for sale in new Bright’s Grove gallery fundraiser

Published

1 year ago

July 14, 2023

A new fundraiser opening Saturday will help art owners find homes for pieces they’re ready to let go of, while supporting Gallery in the Grove’s education programs.

Gallery in the Grove is located upstairs at the Bright’s Grove Library. Photo by File photo /The Observer

A new fundraiser opening Saturday will help art owners find homes for pieces they’re ready to let go of, while supporting Gallery in the Grove’s education programs.

The Off Your Wall Fundraiser: A Wall to Wall Affair, is a two-week sale at the art gallery at the Bright’s Grove Library of 95 pieces of original signed art and limited edition signed prints submitted by area collectors.

Prices range from $50 to $500, with the volunteer-run gallery receiving a 40-per-cent commission on sales and the rest going to the original owners.“It’s something we’ve been talking about since pre-COVID,” said Kirsty Kilner-Holmes, with Gallery in the Grove. “This idea has been percolating for years.”

She said the gallery has often been approached by art collectors looking for a new home for original art they own.

“We just thought, ‘let’s try it and see what happens,’” Kilner-Holmes said.

Collectors who may be downsizing, or have other reasons for wanting to pass along pieces, are able to sell them “and support the gallery at the same time,” she said.

“We had no idea what to expect, so we’re very pleased” with the number of pieces entered, Kilner-Holmes said.“There’s a wide variety,” she said. “There are some really neat vintage pieces and some fantastic frames.”

Buyers won’t have to wait until the end of the sale to take their purchases home.

“It’s cash and carry,” Kilner-Holmes said. “Walk out with your art.”

The sale begins Saturday and runs to July 29.

The gallery is open Monday to Thursday, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The gallery that began in 1980 is operated by about 60 volunteers who stage exhibitions through the year, award scholarships to graduating high school art students going on to college and university and provide a free art program to area elementary schools.

Visiting Artists in Local Schools (VALS) sends three professional artists to Grade 6 classrooms for three hours of art instruction designed to meet requirements of the Ontario school curriculum.The gallery funds its programs through commissions on art sales and fundraising.

“The demand is just growing, especially out of COVID,” Kilner-Holmes said.

The program is delivered in 24 local schools.

“The VALS program is just so important,” Kilner-Holmes said. “The teachers just really appreciate that the kids are getting some really incredible professional art instruction.”

The gallery recently received a $2,000 grant from the Catherine Wilson Foundation to buy art supplies for the coming sessions, she said.

Also, the gallery will benefit from the Rotary Club of Bluewaterland’s Art in the Park sale Sept. 9, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in Mike Weir Park in Bright’s Grove.“They are huge supporters of Gallery in the Grove,” Kilner-Holmes said.

Gallery in the Grove, a volunteer-run art gallery in Bright’s Grove, launched Art in the Park four decades ago and built it into a popular fundraiser held in Wildwood Park. After volunteers decided they could no longer host the event, the Rotary Club took it on in 2010 and moved it to the nearby but larger Mike Weir Park.

Gallery volunteers provide children’s activities in a tent at the annual art show.

“They give us a lovely donation after Art in the Park,” Kilner-Holmes said. “It’s a great partnership. We’re thrilled to work with them.”

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Art

A misspelled memorial to the Brontë sisters gets its dots back at last

Published

3 weeks ago

September 26, 2024

Anne Joseph

LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.

More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.

The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.

They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.

“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”

It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.

Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”

Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.

“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.

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Art

Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

Published

1 month ago

September 13, 2024

Harry Miller

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.