The Pearl Ellis Gallery is about to celebrate the new year by showcasing the work of artist and music educator Bonnie Stebbings.
The show entitled Shifts In Perception begins Jan. 29 and will run to Feb. 10. Although the show opens on the 29th, a meet and greet, for the show will be held Feb. 2 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the gallery.
Strong composition, visual texture and bold use of colour are some of the key elements that Stebbings employs in creating works to elicit emotional response from viewers. Her work as an artist is influenced and informed by a background as a professional musician and music educator.
Using music as an inspirational reference she draws on the various textures, rhythms and patterns that flow from an innate visual language and she combines these elements into compositions where colour, shape and line are the primary subjects of interest.
Bonnie's journey with the arts began at an early age. She was encouraged by her mother, who enrolled her in art, music and dance classes.
After high school Bonnie went on to the University of British Columbia to study music. Although this discipline took most of her time, she continued to pursue her love of art by taking night classes, workshops and studying with many fine Canadian and American artists.
The move from Vancouver to Vancouver Island in the early '90s allowed Bonnie more time to study her craft seriously. She enrolled in the Vancouver Island School of Art in Victoria, her sights set on a degree in art.
This was an invaluable experience as it proved to be instrumental in her artistic development giving her the confidence to experiment with different media and push beyond the boundaries of mainstream art.
Her show, Shifts in Perception, is indicative of how her art continues to evolve. In the beginning her subject matter had its roots in realism but then she branched out experimenting in style and medium becoming more immersed in the mystery and emotion of non-objective painting.
The diverse pieces in this show consist of works in oil, acrylic, watercolour, mixed media and collage and will run the gamut of early works of realism to later works of impressionism and abstraction.
The gallery is at 1729 Comox Ave. in Comox. For more information, visit www.pearlellisgallery.com or the gallery's Facebook page.
— Pearl Ellis Gallery