A Hidden Gem in Dunbar: Discovering Mónica Reyes Gallery

While visiting Vancouver in May, I had one of those wonderful little unexpected moments that remind me why I love wandering and staying open to surprise.

I was driving back from an outing when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a gallery I had somehow never noticed before. Tucked quietly into the Dunbar neighbourhood, it almost felt hidden away—understated, elegant, and quietly calling me in.

So naturally… I pulled the car over immediately.

As luck would have it, the gallery was just closing. But gallerist Mónica Reyes graciously stayed open for a few extra moments and warmly invited me in to enjoy the current exhibition. Those small acts of generosity and openness always stay with me.

The Exhibition

Stepping into the gallery, I took in the exhibit of Vancouver artist Julia Soderholm, whose work I found incredibly refreshing.

The paintings feel deeply rooted in observation of the natural world while remaining abstract and intuitive. Colour, gesture, movement, atmosphere, and memory all seem to coexist within the work. I especially loved the way certain pieces evoked landscape without ever becoming literal—moments of sky, water, trees, light, and distance all hinted at through layered marks and luminous colour relationships.

There’s a looseness and confidence in Julia’s paintings that I really appreciated. The work feels alive. Spacious. Unforced.

A few paintings in particular pulled me in—especially the larger works with saturated blues, greens, violets, and soft chartreuse passages that seemed to vibrate against one another. The paintings carried that beautiful balance between structure and intuition that I’m always so drawn to in abstract painting.

I also loved the scale and simplicity of the gallery itself. Clean white walls, beautiful natural light, and enough breathing room for the paintings to really speak.

If you’re in Vancouver and love contemporary abstract art, I highly recommend stopping in.

Exhibition Details

The day comes with a colour
Paintings by Julia Soderholm
May 14 – June 27, 2026

About the Artist Currently on Exhibit

Julia Soderholm is a Vancouver-based painter currently completing her MFA at Emily Carr University. Her work explores abstraction and landscape through layered paint, gesture, memory, and colour. The paintings invite viewers into a kind of re-enchantment with the natural world — something I could absolutely feel while standing in the gallery.

Gallery Information

Mónica Reyes Gallery
2895 West 33rd Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6N 2G3
604-339-2096
Instagram: @monicareyesgallery

Gallery Hours
Wed–Sat 11 AM–3 PM