Springtime Pop-Up Art Show by Braid St Studios

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Focus by Deb Chaney (24” x 24”)

As my current exhibit with Sarah Graeme is underway, it feels like a good time to mention an earlier exhibit from back in the spring. The Braid St Studios Pop Up Art Show took place in April at The Gallery at Queen’s Park in New Westminster. (For those not familiar with the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, “New West” is in the centre of the Greater Vancouver area).

A Resilient Co-Working Space for the Art Community

Before moving to Gabriola Island (and joining its incredible art community!) I was fortunate enough to be part of another wonderful art community. Braid St Studios was located in a 12,000-square-foot industrial heritage building in New Westminster. With a large gallery, event space, and over 70 artists working in 46 studios, it was the largest collaborative art studio outside of Vancouver. 

The founder, owner, and artist behind 100 Braid St Studios is a phenomenal woman named Susan Greig. Her vision for a supportive arts community where visitors could see (and be inspired by) working studio artists was realized in Braid St Studios, which she describes as “an incubator for artists in transition [and] established artists” focused on achieving major career goals.

However, as with almost everywhere, when the pandemic hit, everything shut down. Then on top of that, the developers who owned the warehouse decided to tear it down in order to pursue the Lower Mainland’s favourite pastime – condo development.

Fortunately, Susan didn’t let a global pandemic and the forces of gentrification stand in her way. She’s already established a small gallery in Port Coquitlam and has been creating an online platform to support artists while continuing to look for larger spaces where she can continue hosting art shows, open mic and poetry nights, and other events.

The studio hosts artists working in a wide range of diverse media, which has grown even more diverse since moving online. As Susan posted in June:

“In our original brick and mortar studio, we had resident artists who worked in: oil & acrylic painters, artists who worked in resin, all kinds of textiles, reclaimed wood, charcoal, mixed media, jewellery & metalsmithing, digital art and photography. There were puppet makers, sculptors, musicians, performance artists, writers, acapella singers, songwriters and more.”

In addition to providing studio space for artists, 100 Braid St Studios fosters creativity in numerous ways. These include mentorship, a lecture series on professional development, exposure for artists, social events, fine art classes, and more. For more info on all the ways in which they support artists and the local community at large, check out the studio’s About Us page.

The Braid St Studios Pop-Up Art Show

The Braid St Studios Pop Up Art Show was held April 22-24, 2022 at The Gallery at Queen’s Park, which is operated by The Arts Council of New Westminster. 

The show’s 3 featured artists were Susan, Michael King, and Iris Mes Low. Other artists included me, Melissa Burgher, Tony Durke, Steven Elford, Omanie Elias, Fran Friesen, Unky Kim, William Liao, Dizz McGruber, Monica Moscoso, and Judy Villett.

One of Susan’s Instagram posts from the event sums up not only the ethos behind Braid St Studios but also the importance of art and a sense of community:

“So many people have come in to visit and the support from the broader New West community has brought me to tears many times. There have been stories I’ve never heard before-about relationships and friendships that have developed because of our arts community and there have been stories of the many struggles we’ve all had thru COVID. I’ve been reminded time and again of the core purpose of Braid St since its inception-to help artists live lives of courage in harmony with their values…to chart their own unique path, to support them to grow, to provide a warm and nurturing space.”

My Artwork in the Pop-Up Art Show

Susan kindly featured one of my paintings at the show. The painting is called Focus and is conceptually about how important focus is to healing and mental wellness. 

It’s a 24” x 24” acrylic on canvas and the original is for sale through Van Dop Gallery. You can find this painting (and others) in the online gallery, then click the link at the bottom of the page to email the gallerist, Trudy Van Dop.

You can see Focus and many other pieces on display in photos from the exhibit in the slideshow below.

Prints and Other Original Artwork for Sale

Prints of Focus as well as a much larger collection of my artwork – both originals and prints – are for sale online at Saatchi Art.

Saatchi Art has a range of options to fit your individual preferences and needs. You can choose to have your prints on paper or canvas, and most are available in 4 sizes to fit any room. There is also an option to have it framed in white, black, or natural wood.

The “View In A Room” image gives you an idea of its size and lets you see what it looks like on a wall.