Mezzanine Wall Gallery
Shelley Hordiyuk
May 22 – June 24. 2024
About the Artwork
Abstracted images inspired by nature, scenes in acrylic and mixed media. Expiring Flowers - While still growing flowers are full of promise; they burst forth from a bud and actualize their full potential. It is at this time, when many consider them at their most beautiful, that we might pick them. 
We put them in an arrangement when they are fresh and strong, and watch them slowly fade away. We accelerate their death.
About the Artist:
Shelley retired to become an art student in 2017 and has completed courses in photography, sculpture, life drawing and painting. She first called herself an artist in 2018 when she embarked on “Unreal Birds”; a series of beautifully outrageous bird-like portraits inspired by chickens.
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Window Gallery
Natasha van Netten
SUPERPOD // WHALEFALL Counting the Southern Residents
May 22 – June 24. 2024
About the Artwork:
SUPERPOD (the suspended orcas) depicts the current population of Southern Resident killer whales, currently 73. This unique group of orca have been a small population since numbers were first recorded in 1976—fluctuating between 70 and 99 members. These sculptures show the population composition divided into three categories: adult males, adult females and juveniles. The delicacy of the forms echo this populations’ fragility and highlights the value and importance of each individual within the group. This is the eighth public installation of SUPERPOD. Each time it is displayed it is altered to reflect the changing Southern Resident population - sometimes this requires removing individuals, replacing calves with adults and/or adding new calves.
WHALEFALL (the orcas below) accounts for each Southern Resident member that has been identified and documented as deceased since research began. It currently contains 145 individual sculptures: 42 adult males, 49 adult females and 54 juveniles. Each sculpture has been submerged in seawater to allow rust to form and corrode the steel. Unlike the suspended orcas above, these sculptures are piled and woven together in a twisted and crumbling monument. 
This collection acknowledges members such as Granny (J2) who lived an estimated 105 years. Unlike SUPERPOD, this installation will only grow over time as more members are added. The term ‘whalefall’ is used to describe deceased cetaceans when they sink to the sea floor. There, they provide vibrant ecosystems, sustaining an array of life for many years.
About the Artist:
Natasha van Netten is a Canadian visual artist based in Victoria, British Columbia. Her practice focuses on whales, marine sciences and cetology (the study of whales, dolphins and porpoises). As a multi-disciplinary artist, Natasha uses a variety of mediums such as oil paint, ink, seawater and metal to conceptually explore scientific information. Her art practice is strongly influenced by growing up along the BC coast and by her experiences at sea as crew on a sailing vessel.
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Second Floor Wall Gallery
Ron Chartier
May 22 – June 24. 2024
About the Artist:
My artwork began when I
was 5 or 6 years old. I started drawing pictures of people
and later used wax crayons to create sceneries. I was always drawing or colouring. Now,
I used oils on canvas to paint landscapes, seascapes, ships and boats. I recently started to dabble with portraits. I use oil paints, and 95% of my work is scenic and mostly of the gorge area. I have displayed my art for at least 10 years at the Gorge On Art on Canada Day, and really enjoy talking to the spectators about my art.
Accessibility: Accessible washrooms, Wheelchair access, and disabled parking stalls.
For inquiries related to exhibitions, please contact Shantael Sleight at shantael.sleight@saanich.ca 778-584-3756.