Tucked away in the hallways and lobby of a downtown office building, Gallery 635 is once again bursting with colour as it unveils its newest art exhibition, Petals & Possibilities. This gallery show features dozens of local artists’ works that will remain on display through the middle of the fall.
Located at 635 Victoria Street, Gallery 635 provides an important service to the local Kamloops arts community. The gallery hosts four exhibitions each year, balancing two invited shows by established artists with two juried exhibitions that are open to submissions from anyone.
During the selection process for those open calls for art, the jury never sees an artist’s name or the price of the artwork while making selections. This allows the pieces to be selected on the works, alone.
“We’ve had work by high school students make the grade, and we’ve had work by very well-established artists,” said gallery curator Deb Fong. “The artwork speaks for itself.”
The gallery itself came about almost by accident. Originally, the building owners offered the space to the former Fine Arts program at Thompson Rivers University for a student exhibition. When that partnership came to an end, the owners approached Fong about taking over the space.
Now retired and an artist herself, Fong saw an opportunity to help fill a gap in Kamloops’ arts scene.
“There really were very few places for artists to show their work,” she said. “There hadn’t been a private gallery in Kamloops for many years.”
Fong credits the generosity of building owners Evan Lewis and Dr. Jivin Chahal, saying their support has been a boon to local artists. Because the building owners generously provide the space at no cost, Gallery 635 operates differently from most commercial galleries. Gallery 635 charges just a 10 percent commission, with artists selling directly to buyers after being connected through the gallery.
“I’m not an agent,” Fong explained. “I just connect the artist and the client.”
The current exhibition carries special meaning for Fong. Following the recent passing of well-known Kamloops artist Kelly Perry, Perry’s family asked if several of her pieces could be included in the show. They agreed on one condition: every dollar raised from the sale of those works will go directly to hospice care.
“I spent quite a bit of time with her during the last few months,” said Fong. “It was a privilege to be with her and to show her work here.”
Visitors will find Perry’s work displayed throughout the gallery’s upper floor.
The theme, Petals & Possibilities, was intentionally left open to interpretation. Rather than limiting artists to traditional floral paintings, Fong simply asked that each piece include a petal somewhere within it. The result is a diverse collection featuring everything from representational paintings to abstract works and mixed media.
Later in the fall, the next exhibition will focus on photography, again encouraging artists to interpret the theme in their own way. You can contact the gallery through their socials for more information.
Fong hopes Gallery 635’s model might inspire other local businesses to consider offering display space for artists.
“The generosity of the building owners has really been a boon to artists in Kamloops,” she said.
Petals & Possibilities is on display at Gallery 635, located at 635 Victoria Street, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. Admission is free, and visitors are welcome to drop in throughout the exhibition’s run into mid-fall.