LOCAL GABRIOLA & BC ART • ART SUPPLIES • OVER 60 ARTISTS & ARTISANS
HOURS
MON - SAT 10-4
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Play. Create. Explore.
Free Spirit Studio Gallery & Shop acknowledges with gratitude that we are on the traditional and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. Proud to be representing Indigenous and BIPOC artists & artisans.
- Tue, Sep 10GabriolaSep 10, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – Oct 05, 2024, 4:00 p.m.Gabriola, 590 N Rd, Gabriola, BC V0R 1X3, Canada
Featured
Exhibition
Rootlet
Christi York
Tues Sept 10- Sat Oct 5, 2024​
OPENING RECEPTION | Friday Sept 13 |
6-8pm w/drinks & appies ​​
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Join us for Gabriola's own Christi York and her newest collection of sculptural basketry "Rootlet."
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In Rootlet, artist Christi York chose some of the less obvious materials that can be used in sculptural basketry—bark, roots and winter-bare twigs. York has long been struck by the vulnerability inherent in the act of stripping tree bark. Having high respect for plant-life raises the action into the realm of relatable intimacy, peeling back a protective layer, exposing what’s inside, and then stitching it all back up. Digging for roots can be a similar experience. Bringing what’s been long buried into the light, tenderly washing, drying, and storing for future use. For York, harvesting and preparing plant materials is a sense memory, a ritualistic throwback to earlier times. The relationship forged in these long hours of processing raw material is the first step in the creative journey for her. The material is the muse.
“As I’m working, I think about my maternal grandmother and her affinity for cross stitch kits. What would she think about working with bark, roots and leaves? Would she be horrified, or would she delight in the messy freedom?” - Christi York
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Flirting with textile art, York takes inspiration partly from the “visible mending” movement and the history of domestic handicrafts. Torn tree bark is salvaged and stitched back together. Some pieces incorporate hand-felted local wool and flax, alongside unsystematic embroidery stitches in a reference and contrast to her grandmother’s tidy work. The material has memory—often drying under tension and straining at the stitches. Metaphors abound.
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All are welcome!
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Featured Collection
Free Spirit Gallery Studio & Shop is a unique art gallery and store located on Gabriola Island. Our mission is to showcase the work of local Gabriola and BC artists. We take pride in offering a wide selection of unique artwork, ranging from paintings to sculptures and everything in between.
We are now offering our exclusive collection of artwork for sale online. We invite you to come explore our gallery and shop and experience the beauty of our local art. Shipping is available Internationally, so you can bring the beauty of Gabriola Island straight to your door.