New art exhibition in Castlegar
By Contributor
Inspiring Minds Fine Art is pleased to present an exhibition of new paintings by Mirja Vahala and her students, opening on Nov. 27 and continuing November 28 and 29th.
Vahala’s love for the natural world come together in this exhibition of landscape paintings: mountains of solid rock soaring to the sky, the quietness of a riverside chair that awaits its owner, the weight of cumulus clouds hanging in the sky. Her impressionistic scenes are frozen in a moment, making visible the beauty and power of nature. We sense the underlying messages that nature patiently waits
for us to discover.
Ideas for Vahala’s landscape paintings come to her from our common well of human experiences: how we relate to time, to change, and to mortality. Walking with her dogs in the West Kootenay outdoors, she sees stories in the surrounding landscape. Lightning strikes a tree and she thinks about how a forest needs fire to flourish, just as we need hardship to become our best beings. In her imagination, Vahala sees the tree, struck by lightning, transforming into birds. With this image in her mind, she is inspired to paint.
Vahala is also passionate about encouraging others to pursue their artistic dreams through her teaching and by displaying artists’ work.
“I’m excited about this exhibition, as I believe its important to show our artwork and bring the arts to our local community,” said Vahala. “Also, this show provides a venue for my art associates to show their work and celebrate their accomplishments.”
Vahala has lived in Castlegar for three years. During that time, she has established Inspiring Minds Fine Art, has displayed her artwork at Windborne B&B, at the Kootenay Gallery, Rouge Gallery and Creative Edge Gallery. She has taught hundreds of students via Selkirk College and Inspiring Minds Fine Art over the past seven years.
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