Contemporary Group Exhibition: “Let the Summer Begin” June 16-29, 2022

The new contemporary group exhibition at the Petley Jones Gallery displays West Coast artists, who can testify to the slow start to the summer season. Wishing the warmth would come, we’ve invited seven contemporary artists to generate our own energy.

The contemporary group exhibition features Thomas Anfield, Marie Becker, John Horton, Michael Hermesh, Duncan Regehr, Ann Vandervelde and Blake Ward.

Thomas Anfield, in celebration of his monkey retrospective at the Art Gallery of the Grand Praire, is displaying the last of the Monkey Drinking Series, “Monkey’s Drinking”, originally shown at the Petley Jones Gallery.

Michael Hermesh is showing two bronze sculptures that are new to our gallery. The ever witty and critical pieces juxtapose the weighty medium of the bronze with Hermesh’s light-hearted commentary. 

Marie Becker is producing many works this summer in preparation for her fall solo exhibition. Two of these new works included in this contemporary group exhibition are, “Hockney Shares His Pool” and “Human Race”.

Duncan Regehr’s work continues to reflect upon our lives, and our journeys, as a series of connected episodes. The activities of daily life are not generally recognized as being important to the path of destiny, however, when we experience an impactful moment.

Marine artist, John Horton, exhibits the tranquil and serene painting, “Solitude.” For those who have cruised the Pacific north coast, nothing can be more soothing than anchoring alone midst the grandeur of mountains and forests as they meet the sea. Here in the Misty Fjords of Alaska, you can almost hear the silence.

For Ann Vandervelde, a Seattle-based abstract artist, the challenge of abstract work is to accept that a composition is never quite done, that it has the capacity to evolve and change and be understood separate from that initial vision. We’ve brought in four works of Vandervelde that seem to harmonize with each other as if paintings could sing in colour and shape.

Inspired by grace and symmetry, Blake Ward’s work reappears in the gallery for the first time since his solo exhibition in December. Enchanted by the souls within our bodies, he explores an irresistible alchemy of sensuality and sentiment.