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New art show opens Jan. 5 at Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery

Ladysmith-area artists will interpret the meaning of sanctuary during the Sanctuaries art show at the Waterfront Gallery.
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Ladysmith artist Leona Petrak works on a painting for the January art show

Sanctuaries can be something different to different people.

And this month, local area artists will share their interpretations of sanctuaries during the January art show at the Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery.

"Each year, we put out to our membership and the people who run the gallery for ideas, and that was one of the ideas that really intrigued us because sanctuaries mean so much to different people," said Kathy Holmes, president of the Ladysmith and District Arts Council. "It can be a birdhouse, a shrine, political sanctuary; a sanctuary can be a garden. Although it sounds sometimes like a restricted point of view, it's quite a broad point of view. Then, it's up to the artist to take that and play with it."

The opening gala for Sanctuaries will take place Sat, Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. at the Waterfront Gallery. The guest speakers will be glass artists Jo Ludwig and Peggy Brackett, who run KilnArt Glass Studio in Crofton.

"I love the idea of having a glass artist because glass is like a canvas, but it can be a decorative piece or a useful piece, and it can also be transparent or non-transparent," said Holmes. "I'm excited about having these people because they haven't given a talk, and that's intriguing."

At his studio, Ludwig makes fine craft glass vessels, most known for his TOBs (Things of Beauty). He also makes architectural glass panels and lighting fixtures. Brackett makes fine, precisely executed, craft jewelry, stained and fused glass panels and lamp-worked glass beads.

Holmes thinks Ludwig's bowls and vessels are beautiful.

"They're gorgeous with a lot of colour and a lot of edge to them," she said.

Throughout the year, each show at the Ladysmith Waterfront Art Gallery has an opening gala that features guest speakers, and Holmes feels this speaker series offers a lot to the gallery.

"Doing the speaker series throughout the year with all the openings adds a different dimension," she said. "We usually have refreshments and food and a lot of conversation between the artists and guests, but the speaker series adds an element of education. Artists like talking to other artists. It's kind of fun to hear what another artist has to say."

Sanctuaries runs at the Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery at 610 Oyster Bay Dr. from Jan. 5-27.





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