While cats and dogs may be our most familiar furry friends, an exhibition at West Vancouver’s Silk Purse Arts Centre invites people to go beyond the everyday and explore the world of those animals often overlooked.
Presented by the West Vancouver Community Arts Council, Animalia features expressive animal portraits by four accomplished North Shore artists: Peyman Hajian, Cory Kinney, Sharka Leigh, and Kathleen McCormick. It opened on June 26 and will run through July 21.
“I think that everyone can connect with animals on some level because they’re such a big part of our lives, whether we have them as pets, use them on a dairy or chicken farm, eat them, or simply enjoy watching them in nature,” said Steven Snider, West Vancouver Community Arts Council spokesperson. “Even if we don’t like bugs, have never been to a farm, or aren’t familiar with certain birds, we still know enough about them to form some kind of connection.”
The theme for the show emerged only after the council put out an open call for artists.
“This year, it was just kind of serendipitous that four artists, all focusing on animals and wildlife, submitted their work. Their talent and diverse styles promised an interesting show for viewers,” Snider said.
Among the pieces showcased, Cory Kinney’s large-scale, bold acrylic paintings stand out as a testament to the often-overlooked beauty of insects. He chose the subject after a visit to the Natural History Museum in London, England, where he and his daughter had the opportunity to explore the historical collections sent back by renowned naturalists such as Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace.
“As kids, we have a real fascination with the macro. We’re down close to the ground and look at these things, but as we grow up, we tend to forget about them and ignore them. Yet, as Charles Darwin said, ‘it is endless forms most beautiful,’ and there are all these wonderful shapes, structures, and colours in biological life if we’re willing to take the time to look at it,” he said. “I make my works colourful, appealing, and almost graphic in a comic book nature, which tends to be my style.”
The exhibition also features the work of Sharka Leigh, a North Vancouver-based visual artist who is renowned for her unique compositions and detailed style. Leigh has a fondness for painting cows inspired by their affectionate bonds with humans and other animals.
“They’re lovely animals, like big dogs. Their personalities, charm, and charisma – just the whole package. They have such a strong presence in their personality,” she said, adding they can’t help but make people smile. “Someone might walk into my studio or at an event grumpy but will come out with a smile on their face and just go, ‘Wow.’”
Leigh visits local dairy farms frequently to take reference photos and meet her subjects. She has nine big, hyper-realistic portraits of cows and three miniatures of them in the exhibition.
“Those little guys take just as long as the big ones,” she said.”
The exhibition also features the debut North Shore showcase of Iranian-born Peyman Hajian, a seasoned artist and art instructor. Prior to his immigration to Canada five years ago, he primarily focused on wood carving and marquetry. Thanks to his love for nature and the nearby ocean, Hajian has now turned to the natural beauty of his new home, crafting artwork from locally sourced driftwood. He then incorporates traditional Persian symbols and colours into his works.
“During my breaks, I like to visit the shoreline in search of driftwood. These pieces of wood speak to me, each one carrying its own unique message,” he said. “The contrast between the rough and soft textures of the materials and how we, human beings, make life difficult for wildlife serves as a source of artistic motivation for me.”
Kinney said he hopes visitors to the gallery come away with a stronger appreciation for handmade art in a digital age.
“In this age of artificial intelligence, which can easily create artwork in 30 seconds flat, it’s crucial to support local artists. Don’t just buy a print somewhere. Go and buy original artwork. It’s important because it makes your home beautiful, enriches the soul, and keeps us artists painting and creating,” Kinney said.
Fatemeh Falah is an intern reporter with the North Shore News. She can be contacted at [email protected].
