Cowichan Valley Fine Arts Show features emerging and established artists

Cowichan Valley Fine Arts Show features emerging and established artists

Published 5:45 am Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Art lovers will want to make their way down to the Cowichan Valley Art Council’s annex galley inside the Cowichan Community Centre for its 56th edition of the annual Cowichan Valley Fine Arts Show, featuring both emerging and established artists working in the realms of paint, sculpture, jewelry, furniture, photography and more until May 30.

“We’re incredibly proud to present it,” said CVAC Executive Director Morgan Brayton. “It’s a special exhibition that really showcases the depth, range and quality of artistic talent in the Cowichan Valley. Each year, it reminds us just how ridiculously creative this community is.”

With no shortage of divine art to delight the eye, there can only be one award given for Best in Show. This year that honour, and $500 prize, went to Kaye Smillie for her powerful acrylic work titled Delight & Despair, which not only draws the viewer in, but asks something of them.

“It confronts you with emotions and questions that aren’t always easy to sit with, challenging us to consider our response to homelessness,” said Brayton. “Do we see people, or have they become invisible? Do we look away because the issue feels too big to face? It’s the kind of piece that stays with you.”

“It’s always so gratifying to be given an award from your peers for what you have created, or achieved,” said Smillie. “Homelessness is a problem that’s hard to ignore; we all see these poor, unhappy, desperate souls every day, and everywhere. This idea for a painting first came to me when I was watching the Duncan summer parade and saw a homeless fellow pushing his grocery cart, head down and oblivious to the crowd. It was a total juxtaposition; the colour, the fun, the joy of the crowds and the sorrow and despair of the homeless man.”

“I felt that we have become so used to seeing the homeless that we no longer really see them…they have become invisible. Perhaps we don’t want to see them because we feel helpless and uncomfortable with this huge societal problem.”

All award prizes are funded by CVAC through the generous support of their donors with the exception of the $500 Excellent Frameworks Choice Award, sponsored by Excellent Frameworks, which went to Jill Waterfall for her painting titled Stony Hill Rock.

Worth $250, the honour of the Award of Excellence went to both Calvin Burgess for his painting titled Inherited Toxins, and to Barbara Pedersen for hers titled Buttercup. All awards were made possible by businesses and individuals who contributed directly to the Fine Arts Show; donors of $100 or more are recognized on CVAC’s Patron of the Arts wall.

This year’s Jurors included Davida Kidd who has an extensive background in print media, trained visual artist and Excellent Frameworks owner Suzan Kostiuck, and local professional artist Mitchell Villa. The three each selected their favourite for the Juror’s Choice award worth $100. Their top pics were The Weight by Jon Gugin, Hanging By A Thread by Lesley Turner, and Porpoise Bay by Margo Waichari.

“They use a structured evaluation process with scoring across concept, composition, technical skill, uniqueness and overall impact,” said Brayton. “So, the work that rises to the top really stands out on multiple levels.”

Art lovers can vote for what stands out most to them with the People’s Choice Award. With ballots at the gallery entrance, folks can vote until the end of the month, and the artwork with the most votes is the victor. For more on the Fine Arts Show visit cowichanvalleyartscouncil.ca.

“I hope people leave feeling proud of the incredible talent that we have here in the valley,” said Brayton. “This region has one of the highest concentrations of artists per capita in Canada, and this show definitely proves that. I also hope people leave thinking, ‘Wow, that was very very cool, I should go look at art more often.’ Our galleries are free, welcoming, and open year-round, so we’re here whenever someone decides they want more of that feeling.”