Fourteen new works by Coast artist Greta Guzek illuminate the Westwind Gallery in Gibson's Landing - the largest-ever presentation of Guzek's acrylic landscapes in any venue.
Kicking off with an opening reception Saturday, Feb. 7, from 4 to 7 p.m., the show continues until Feb. 29.
After 15 years as a graphic designer, Guzek plunged into painting full time 10 years ago.
"It was sort of an evolution - I did a lot of silk-screening as a designer," said Guzek, whose posters created for various Coast events quickly became collectors' items. "Printmaking is so technical, and you are limited in what you can do, whereas painting allows more freedom to work larger and more expressively. The clarity of acrylic colours and the range of colours allow me to mold and fine-tune the image to whatever degree I want." Guzek's images are focused on Coastal landscapes, which she loves. "The real juice of the painting is the energy behind it, the colour and design and energy of the place," she said. "I just use the tree or boat in the landscape to reach that energy."
Using arbutus trees in particular to convey a spirit of place, Guzek said it's not the tree she loves so much as the rust, the line, the curliness and jaggedness. Striving to communicate the feelings evoked by her experience of each scene, her recent work has evolved towards the abstract. The rusty colour and line of the arbutus are frequently represented in the works, although the tree itself may not be in the picture at all. "I find myself in a place that suits me 100 per cent, and that total compatibility with my environment leads to a joyful interpretation of where I am," Guzek added. "Everywhere I look, I find this excitement. I need to convey that to the viewers of my paintings." Guzek explains that with each painting she creates a specific language for this wonderment.
"I feel, and I need people to enjoy and interact with it," she said. "Art opens avenues of conversation, between the artist and the community and among the people in the community."
That communication is at the heart of her work, and she notes that it can be difficult for a gallery to achieve a friendly, open, welcoming and inclusive atmosphere while maintaining a uniformly high standard.
"Westwind Gallery has found the magic combination," Guzek enthused. The entire show is on display at the Westwind website, www.westwindgallery.net, but viewers should be aware that photographs cannot capture the depth of colour and nuance of line that are hallmarks of Guzek's work.
