Elizabeth Evans, one of the Eleven Equal Artists, highlights key environmental issues at the Power of Paint art exhibition, Aug. 15 to 17 at Sechelt’s Seaside Centre.
Evans’ Pizzly Bear and the Monarch Butterfly painting depicts a topsy-turvy world of plants and animals seemingly out of place. The artist asks, “Why cacti and monarch butterflies in the Arctic?” These images challenge viewers to consider what is actually happening in the natural world.
So, what is a pizzly bear?
“It’s a hybrid cross between a polar bear and a grizzly bear. Grizzly bears venturing north, due to climate change, create pizzlies,” Evans said.
Her painting’s bear shadows represent hope — the combination of two species as a means of survival. The shadows also caution the potential loss of purebred species. Evens’ answer to “Why the butterfly?” is that “the monarch butterfly fights for survival because they’re losing their Mexican habitat and milkweed [the only plant their larvae eats] from agricultural herbicides. The prognosis isn’t good — their population is shrinking rapidly.”
Evans and her fellow artists cannot wait to unveil their group collaborative artwork and new T-shirts at Power of Paint. Proceeds from their sales fund the Eleven Equal Artists Visual Arts Bursary, enabling young artists on the Coast to further their education. The Eleven Equal Artists benefit from our community, so they strongly believe in giving back to our community.
“We are 11 artists, each with our own distinct energy and direction, but together we represent an artistic energy fueled by the community in which we live,” said artist Morley Baker.
The artists displaying new works from the Eleven Equal Artists will include: Morley Baker, Josefa Fritz Barham, Todd Clark, Elizabeth Evans, Greta Grunow Guzek, Carol LaFave, Kim LaFave, Ian MacLeod, Cindy Riach, Nadina Tandy and Marleen Vermeulen.
The opening reception is Friday, Aug. 15, from 5 to 9 p.m. with the show open to the public on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
See more at elevenequalartists.com.
