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Burnaby Art Gallery features Sylvia Tait

An acclaimed West Coast artist is featured in the next show at the Burnaby Art Gallery. Journey, a survey of works on paper by Sylvia Tait, opens Nov. 16 and runs until Jan. 7.
Burnaby Now

An acclaimed West Coast artist is featured in the next show at the Burnaby Art Gallery.

Journey, a survey of works on paper by Sylvia Tait, opens Nov. 16 and runs until Jan. 7.

The exhibition, curated by Ellen van Eijnsbergen and Robin Laurence, includes ink drawings, digital drawings, prints, acrylic paintings, collages, posters and ephemera. Tait is largely recognized as an abstractionist and a colourist, but the exhibition will also include a selection of figurative works, with a focus on friends, family and the cultural community.

Everyone is invited to join the artist, curators and gallery staff at the opening reception on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

Tait is an established Canadian painter, born in Montreal, who graduated from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in 1953. She has travelled extensively throughout Europe, the U.S., Canada and Mexico, including stints living in Mexico and in Spain, and has lived in Vancouver since 1968.

Her longstanding relationship with the Burnaby Art Gallery began when she participated in the Fifth Burnaby Print Show in 1969.

Throughout her career, she has explored a wide range of disciplines, including sculpture, printmaking, painting, illustration, design and drawing. It’s her works on paper – beginning with early sketches and leading to painted works fresh from her studio – that are featured in this new show.

“In the artist’s early drawings, we gain a glimpse into her personal life; sketches of family and friends, places she has visited and studio scenes fill dozens of sketchbooks over many years,” a press release says. “Her habit of journalling through sketching and drawing has resulted in a rich diary of Tait’s early years as an artist and young mother in Montreal.”

After her move to B.C., she continued to document her life through art. As she explored printmaking, sculpture and painting, she shifted from realism to abstraction.

“Her more recent works continue to reference themes that have resonated in her work throughout her life,” the release says.

Tait’s solo show winds up the Burnaby Art Gallery’s 50th anniversary year – a year in which the gallery has considered the large number of people who have contributed to its life.

“Artists, foremost, have played a pivotal role through contributions to exhibitions, publications, educational programs and the development of our permanent collection,” the release says. “Sylvia Tait is no exception.

Burnaby Art Gallery is at 6344 Deer Lake Ave. See www.burnabyartgallery.ca for more details.

 

SPECIAL EVENTS

The gallery is hosting a number of special events in connection with the Sylvia Tait exhibition. Among them:

Opening reception - Nov. 16, 7 to 9 p.m.: It’s free, and everyone is welcome. The evening will featured opening remarks and a reception with Tait in attendance, with live music by classical guitarist Hanh Nguyen.

In the BAG Family Sundays – Nov. 19 and Dec. 17, 1 to 4 p.m.: This free, drop-in program is for all ages. Visit the gallery and then get into the studio for family-friendly art projects.

Tea and Tour – Nov. 21, 2 to 3:30 p.m.: This 55-plus event includes a guided tour of Journey, followed by tea and treats in the Fireside Room. It costs $7.50. Call 604-297-4422 to register (barcode 456206).

Curator’s tour – Nov. 26, 2 p.m.: This free tour, open to everyone, is led by Robin Laurence and Ellen van Eijnsbergen, and the artist will be in attendance. Tea will be served in the Fireside Room after the tour.