Art

Our Community: New art installation unveiled, collecting socks for those in need

Published

2 years ago

October 30, 2022

Harry Miller

Art installation unveiled in Commercial Alley

The newest addition to the ever-changing outdoor art “gallery” in Victoria’s Commercial Alley is now on display.

Feeling Fuzzy Inside by Eliska Liska, which consists of four panels, was selected after a call for entries from emerging artists and artist teams.

Nichola Reddington, the city’s senior cultural planner, called Liska’s piece “a cheerful meditation on things that bring joy to young people in our community.”

“We invite residents and visitors alike to pop by Commercial Alley when downtown to spend a few minutes connecting with this art, that is free for all to enjoy.”

Artwork has been displayed for the past 10 years in the alley on the west wall of the Youth Empowerment Society building on Yates Street. The outdoor gallery, located between the 500 block of Yates and Bastion Square, showcases a new temporary art installation every year.

Liska is originally from the Czech Republic and spent five years travelling in Europe and Mexico, painting murals as she went. She has a master’s degree in contemporary art and new media from Ostrava University in the Czech Republic, and works in such mediums as painting, pottery, printing and drawing.

Liska, who runs Full Sink Pottery and is an art designer and teacher at the McTavish Academy of Art, says she has a special fondness for public art.

“Creating in public spaces, where art talks to the wider public and also influences the visual side of the city, has always been the most appealing art to me,” she said. “Each of the panels show different activities that have ability to consume us and help us learn who we are and where we stand, as well as simply to make us feel good.”

Former Montessori teacher gets PM’s award for excellence

Former Selkirk Montessori School teacher Amabel De Lara has been given a Prime Minister’s Award for excellence in early childhood education.

De Lara, who was at the school for over 40 years before retiring in June, received a certificate of achievement for what was described as “a career of enriching children’s lives.”

One of her former colleagues said they were inspired to become a Montessori teacher after being in De Lara’s kindergarten class many years ago.

“The amount of effort she put into training, modelling and caring for me is the greatest gift I could have received, and I hope I can be an ‘Amabel’ to someone else one day,” the colleague said.

Collecting socks for those in need

The recent drop in temperatures means it’s time for the Victoria Cool Aid Society’s annual effort to collect 10,000 pairs of socks for people in need.

The campaign, now in its 16th year, brings together Cool Aid, Kia Victoria, La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries and PVH Legwear Canada, the company that makes McGregor socks. Michael Bloomfield and Congregation Emanu-El launched the initiative in 2006.

The goal is to raise $10,000 for 10,000 pairs of warm socks for those who are homeless or in poverty. Socks will be given to 25 organizations in Victoria, Nanaimo and Salt Spring Island to distribute.

Foot-care nurse Miranda Berniaz, who owns Victoria Foot Care and provides services at the Cool Aid Community Health Centre once a week, says warm, dry feet might not be glamorous, but they’re an important part of health care.

“And for people on the streets who spend so much time moving from one place to another with all their belongings, the challenges are even greater, said Berniaz, adding foot problems can be an indicator of other issues, like poor circulation or nerve damage.

“Clean, dry footwear makes all the difference.”

Since it began, the campaign has distributed 122,500 pairs of socks worth $572,500. Cool Aid buys the socks at a deep discount from PVH Legwear Canada, with La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries providing shipping.

Kia Victoria got involved last year, matching every $5 donated up to $5,000. The company will do the same this year, and also store and deliver socks.

The campaign runs until Nov. 30. Funds can be donated online at coolaid.org/socks or by calling Kia Victoria at 250-383-1977.

Grocers Going Beyond drive supports cancer research

Grocers are working with the B.C. Cancer Foundation for a second year to help with cancer research and care on Vancouver Island.

Through Nov. 11, the Grocers Going Beyond Campaign will be raising funds for the Innovation Research Fund, which is part of the foundation’s ongoing Beyond Belief Campaign.

Thrifty Foods, Tru Value Foods, Red Barn Market, Fairway Market and the 49th Parallel Grocery are all taking part.

Go to bccancerfoundation.com/grocers or visit a participating store to find out how to support the campaign.

Thrifty Foods will match donations up to $50,000 during the Grocers Going Beyond Campaign.

More than 6,000 people on the Island will be diagnosed with cancer in 2022.

Young artists vie to be Victoria mayor for a day

The City of Victoria is offering kids 12 and under a chance to be mayor for a day.

Three of the artists from the Victoria Votes 2022 Kids Colouring Contest will be selected at random to serve as mayor for the day, and artwork from the contest will be displayed around city hall in December.

The deadline to enter the colouring contest is Nov. 25.

Early in the new year, the winners will get the chance to learn how local government works and sit down for a pizza lunch with Mayor Marianne Alto, where they can talk about missing middle housing, among other things.

Colouring sheets, which were made available at voting places on election day, can also be picked up at city hall or the Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre. The colouring sheet is also available online at victoria.ca/election.

Finished artwork can be submitted at the Public Service Centre at city hall or the front desk at Crystal Pool, or it can be mailed to Victoria Votes 2022 Kids Colouring Contest, City of Victoria, 1 Centennial Square, Victoria, B.C. V8W 1P6.

Queen Elizabeth’s Fashion Reign wears well in Saanichton

The Saanich Pioneer Society, which operates the Log Cabin Museum in Saanichton, is holding the first in a series of Talk & Tea events Nov. 6, called Queen Elizabeth’s Fashion Reign.

Donna Otto will speak at 2 p.m. on outfits worn by the Queen over the years, and will give background on royal sites in Britain where she saw them displayed.

The museum is also open Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. with demonstrations from spinners and knitters. It is located at 7910 Polo Park Cres., in the park behind Thrifty Foods.

Admission is $5 for members and $7 for non-members.

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Art

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

Published

2 days 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

2 weeks 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.