Young artists featured at Burnaby gallery

Two young artists are joining forces for a new exhibition at Deer Lake Gallery.

Atalanta Shi and David Yao are teaming up for The Natural Gaze + Impressionism, running at the Burnaby Arts Council's gallery from Dec. 8 to 23.

An opening reception is set for Thursday, Dec. 8 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Atalanta, a Burnaby resident and Grade 11 student, has been interested in art since the age of three and has been an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists since she was 14.

Her work has earned her numerous awards - including a national first place in the Royal Canadian Legion's poster contest, a first place in the Peace Pals International Art Awards and Exhibition, a provincial win in a Canadian Heritage Canada Day poster challenge and an international grand prize in the International River of Words Watershed Poetry and Art contest, among others.

"My artwork seeks to express beauty in our daily lives through colour," she said in a press release. "I paint with exciting colours of interesting subjects in hopes that people will appreciate the gift of nature and that if we just look a little harder, we will find great joy in our surroundings."

David started drawing and painting at age eight and was soon introduced to classical painting. He quickly discovered a greater interest in the style of impressionism and is influenced by 19th-century impressionism, bringing emotion to life with elegant and romantic brushwork and colour.

"I want to unpack the emotion and beauty of nature in an artistic form that is not found in reality - to keep the reality as it is, yet with a sense of impressionistic rebirth," he said. "The more I invest myself in the impressionistic style of painting, the more I realize the emotional power it can portray. I want to bring the viewers into the picture, make them emotionally engaged and help them see the world in a different way."

The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

Deer Lake Gallery is at 6584 Deer Lake Ave. Call 604-298-7322 or see www.burnabyartscouncil.org for details.