The large, bright studio at Shadbolt Centre is filled with a gentle buzz of conversation and laughter as artists set up with their paints and paper.
You don't need to ask to know that they all love being here.
But when you do ask what keeps them all coming to these Wednesday morning gatherings, you'll be met with smiles.
"I love them. They're beautiful people."
That's Lily Spence, and the beautiful people in question are the members of the Richard Major Art Group, which has been drawing local artists together for 42 years.
"It's my home away from home," says Spence, who's been a member of the group for about 10 years.
Spence and the other members are currently getting ready for Multiple Visions, a joint exhibition with the members of My Artist's Corner, which opens at the Burnaby Arts Council's Deer Lake Gallery this weekend.
Pat Muss, president of the Richard Major Art Group, is enthusiastic about the show, noting that the exhibition will showcase the versatility of the members - who work in everything from pastel and pencil to oil, acrylics and watercolours, in a huge range of styles.
Members meet weekly to work on art, with guest artists coming in once a month for talks and demonstrations. Occasionally the group also holds longer workshops - a fall workshop in watercolours was highly popular - and members also deliver short demonstrations to share new tips and techniques with the others.
The artists come to the group with a variety of backgrounds, although Muss notes that few have formal training.
Most are seniors - since the group meets on weekday mornings, Muss noted it's appealing to those who don't drive at night - and most are women, with one lone man having been recruited into the ranks.
That man is the affable Gerry Weeks, who was brought along a couple of years ago by longtime member Jean Smith when she met him at the Bonsor seniors' centre open art studio. He found the idea of a working art group appealing.
"I've taken so many painting courses but I thought, what I really need is just to paint," Weeks explains. "I want to be with people who are like-minded."
He likes the exchange of ideas that happens in the group setting, and he notes that it stimulates him to try new things with his art.
Smith has been involved since 1996, making her one of the longest-serving members of the group.
"As you get older, there's a point in your life when you're not going to go out clubbing," she says with a chuckle. "Art is great, because it stimulates the mind. And there's the camaraderie, the like-minded people."
Joyce Swereda, who's been coming to the group for more than a decade, has been involved with art ever since she was an eight-year-old girl in Saskatchewan - when her first-ever painting won a prize at an exhibition.
"I used to just sit at home and paint," says Swereda, who works primarily in oils.
But she's found fulfilment in belonging to the group, getting ideas and encouragement from others.
"This is the nicest group of people," she says. "They're all friendly, everybody gets along with everybody."
Betty Reyklin, another long-serving member who's been part of the group since 1995, agrees.
"It's a really nice group," she says. "I just like to paint and I like to be with people. You exchange ideas. I think it stimulates people to do a little more."
Next to Reyklin is Teresa Florkow, the newest member of the bunch, who just joined in September.
She met Smith during a watercolour class at Cameron Recreation Centre and, since the Shadbolt Centre was close to home for her, decided to check out the group.
"It's one of the best investment I've ever made," she says without hesitation. "I've learned a lot from these ladies."
Art has become very important to her, she notes, because she used to spend a great deal of her time skiing and playing tennis - neither of which she can do anymore.
"It fills a great void in my life right now," she says.
Across the room, quietly working on new ideas for painting on rocks - she's creating paperweights for sale at the upcoming Rhododendron Festival - is Clara Prager, who at the moment holds the title of longest-serving member.
She joined in about 1993, but her interest in art extends back into childhood.
"Ever since I was a little girl, I used to draw houses and things like that," she recalls with a smile.
She's taken lots of art classes over the years and says belonging to this group has encouraged her to try out things she wouldn't normally do on her own.
"I practically live here," she jokes, noting she also likes to spend time in the art studios at the adjacent Mather House working on her sculptures.
The members' work can be seen on the walls of Deer Lake Gallery from April 26 to May 17.
An opening reception for Multiple Visions is set for Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m.
Also on display will be the work of members of My Artist's Corner, a member-driven group that includes artists from around the Lower Mainland who live with mental health issues.
"Both organizations share similar mandates of inclusivity and grassroots community development. They nurture individuals by providing platforms for shared creative experiences," says a press release.
Deer Lake Gallery is at 6584 Deer Lake Ave. It's open Tuesday to Fridays from noon to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays depending on volunteer availability. For more about the exhibit, check out www.burnabyartscouncil.org or email [email protected].
For further information about the Richard Major Art Group, contact Pat Muss by email at [email protected] or by phone at 604-298-1432.
