The Reach – ROSALIE LUYMES STUDIO

Last October I answered an open call sent out by the Abbotsford Hospice Society in conjunction with the Abbotsford Arts Council and The Reach Gallery Museum. The email asked for artists to propose a work of art for the walls of the new Holmberg House, Abbotsford’s first residential hospice facility. The theme for the project was “Oxygen for the Soul”. The following description was what I submitted in my application:

The theme “oxygen for the soul” spoke to me immediately. It conjured up images of a coastal landscape—a place of refreshing and rejuvenation. Being near the ocean engulfs the senses: the cool breezes that dance across the skin; the scent of seaweed in the briny air; the rhythmic waves lapping against the shore; and the expansive sky with ever-changing clouds. This is what I hope to capture—a painting that transports the viewer to the sea, evoking memories both familiar and peaceful.

A few months after I applied to be one of the thirty selected Fraser Valley artists, I received an email notifying me that I was accepted! Once I picked up my allotted canvas, I set to work on my painting. After much planning and searching through my reference photos, I had a clear vision of what I wanted the painting to look like. This made the process that much more enjoyable–knowing what I wanted to achieve but still allowing for the painting to develop organically within these parameters.

Now that the painting is submitted to be framed by House of Fine Art, I can breathe a sigh of relief that it’s now out of my hands. I am so looking forward to seeing everyone else’s interpretation of the theme and getting a chance to view the works on display at the Kariton Gallery and at The Reach.