May’s exhibit is Transdimensionality: What Moves You? — a collaborative exhibit between members of the public and members of the Sculptors’ Association of Alberta. People contributed photographs the sculptors then interpreted into their own three-dimensional works. Participating sculptors include Carroll Charest, Yiyi Datar, Tania Garner-Tomas, Jennifer Lang, Beverly Oliwa, Wanda Resek, Susanne Scheers, Ellie Shuster, Keith Turnbull, Lisa Wilkinson, and Robert Woodbury. Opening reception is from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Thurs., May 5, as part of the first in the summer ArtWalk series. Artists will be in attendance. Until Saturday, May 28.
25 Sir Winston Churchill Ave. 780-460-5990 and vasa-art.com
Art Gallery of St. Albert
High Energy 27 makes its triumphant in-person return after a two-year hiatus. The annual high school art student show features more than 100 works by students from Bellerose Composite High School, École Alexandre-Taché, École Secondaire Paul Kane High School, St. Albert Catholic High School, and Outreach High School. Opening reception is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 5, as part of the first in the summer ArtWalk series. Artists will be in attendance. In-person tour with curator Emily Baker is at noon on Thursday, May 12 and Tuesday, May 24. A virtual tour with curator Emily Baker will take place at noon on Thursday, May 26. Until Saturday, June 4.
Raven’s Tales is artist Rick Wolcott’s take on four tales featuring the ever-charismatic trickster and teacher Raven for the new exhibit in the Feature Staircase Gallery. Each carving shares a different aspect of Raven and his influence on the world. Until Saturday, May 7.
Kanawêyimêw (She Takes Care of Them) is the incoming exhibit by Cree and Métis artist Michelle Sound. Her work is based on her family history from the Wapsewsipi/Swan River First Nation on Canada’s west coast, the unceded and ancestral home territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-Waututh peoples. She has two bodies of work to show. Chapan Snares Rabbits (consisting of 14 rabbit fur drums) will be on display on the stairs, while the photographic series called nimama hates fish by worked in the cannery will be on display in the vault.
The regular Art in the Library monthly art display of works by members of the St. Albert Painters Guild is on hiatus for the ArtWalk season. Members of the St. Albert Photography Club will have works on display for May instead. Until Tuesday, May 31.
5 St. Anne St. (in St. Albert Place). 780-459-1530; sapl.ca
St. Albert Seniors Association
The St. Albert Photography Club has a rotating selection of artistic photographs on display in the foyer area of Red Willow Place. The latest exhibit of works will be up until Tuesday, May 3.
Colour Scheme is a rotating monthly online art gallery featuring selected works by students of Bellerose, Paul Kane, and St. Albert Catholic high schools. Each month of the school year, several pieces from each school will be highlighted on The Gazette’s website at www.stalberttoday.ca on the last Saturday of the month. The most recent exhibit focusing on heliotrope was posted on Saturday, April 30.
ArtWalk is returning for another summer of the city’s newest and best visual art, with different artists each month. The event takes place inside and outside on the first Thursdays of each month: May 5, June 2, July 7, Aug. 4, and Sept. 1. Locations include the St. Albert Public Library; WARES in St. Albert Place; the Musée Héritage Museum; Art Gallery of St. Albert; VASA (Visual Arts Studio Association); the Bookstore on Perron; La Crema Caffe; and the Big Lake Artists Studio. Supporting venues include Confections Cake Co; Divine & Free Wellness and Medical Spa; Inspired Home Interiors; Turkish Coffee House; and XO & Mane Boutique. An Outdoor Artist Market on the plaza of St. Albert Place will feature Alison Lockert, Tim Osborne, Eunju Park, Bethany Turner, Sarah Hudson, Brian Doran, BHATOG, Suzanne Foss, Shelley Blandford, Julie Hage, Frances Pelletier, Robin Good, Jim Kelcher, Marlon MacMillan, Val Manchuk, Brent Bromilow, Richard Smith, Ryan Oulton, Jennye Blain, and Alana Squair. artwalkstalbert.com
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.
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.
