MAY’d on Gabriola—A Celebration of Creativity, Community & Connection

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MAY’d organizers out front the Gabriola Theatre Centre

There’s something truly special about coming together to celebrate creativity—not just as individuals, but as a community.

This May long weekend, I’m so happy to be participating in MAY’d on Gabriola, a vibrant, island-wide event that brings together artists, artisans, performers, and makers in a beautiful expression of what it means to create.

From soap to songs, painting to performance, this event spans 40 venues across Gabriola Island and showcases the work of over 60 creatives, each offering something unique, heartfelt, and made with care.

A Community Effort—With Deep Gratitude

MAY’d on Gabriola organizers in the Gabriola Theatre Centre, a main hub during the event

Events like this don’t just happen—they are created through the time, energy, and dedication of people who care deeply about art, community, and connection.

A heartfelt thank you to the organizing team:

  • Jasmine Howes, Artistic Director, Gabriola Theatre Centre

  • Cindy-Sue Rabinovitch, artist, teacher, and Integrative Chakra Therapy® Healer

  • Corinne Flaws, artist and photographer

  • Laura Egin, arts administrator

Your vision, effort, and generosity are what make this event possible. It’s a beautiful thing to witness and be part of.

Where You’ll Find My Work

The distinctive Gabriola Theatre Centre. Photo credit: Stephanie Artuso

I’ll be exhibiting my work at the Gabriola Theatre Centre, one of the central gathering spaces for the event.

This venue is more than just a location—it’s a hub of activity throughout the weekend, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as performances, food trucks, and community gatherings.

I feel especially grateful to Jasmine Howes for her kindness and generosity in welcoming my work into this space. It’s an honour to be part of what is unfolding here.

The Work I’ll Be Sharing

For this exhibition, I’ll be sharing new paintings from my Love Is Love Series.

This body of work explores the quiet balance between individuality and connection—how we exist as our own unique selves while also being deeply in relationship with one another.

Each piece is created through an intuitive, layered process, building and revealing over time. The work is grounded in my ongoing exploration of art as a practice of presence, healing, and well-being.

Experiencing these pieces in person offers a completely different feeling — one that’s difficult to translate through a screen.

What to Expect Over the Weekend

MAY’d on Gabriola is a full weekend experience, with something happening across the island.

Event Hours

Saturday May 16 & Sunday May 17, 2026
10:00 AM–4:00 PM

Special Events at Gabriola Theatre Centre

Opening Night—Friday May 15 at 5:30 PM
Citizen Chen Performance—Friday at 7:30 PM
Vaudeville Dress Rehearsal—Saturday at 7:30 PM
Vaudeville Performance—Sunday at 3:00 PM
Closing Celebration—Sunday at 7:00 PM

Whether you spend a few hours or the whole weekend, there’s an incredible sense of discovery, creativity, and connection woven throughout.

Plan Your Visit

If you’re planning to attend the event, you can explore all participating venues and artists at maydgabriola.ca.

A Personal Invitation

There’s something really meaningful about seeing art in person—standing in front of it, feeling it, taking it in without distraction.

If you feel called, I would love for you to come by the Gabriola Theatre Centre, experience the work, and be part of this beautiful weekend.

Visiting Artist in Residence: Micah Goldstein at the Kasahara Gabriola Trust

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Deb Chaney and Micah Goldstein at Deb’s studio — Gabriola Island.

There are many extraordinary things about living on Gabriola Island, affectionately known as the Isle of the Arts.

For me, this place truly feels like home. I moved here during the pandemic, seeking a landscape where nature, community, and creativity could coexist in a meaningful way. Gabriola offered exactly that—beautiful beaches for hiking, the ocean always nearby, and an incredibly vibrant community of artists.

Sometimes, though, the island offers even more than you could think to ask for.

Kasahara Gabriola Trust Artist Residency

A few years ago, I learned about the Kasahara Gabriola Trust Artist Residency, hosted by the Gabriola Arts Council. The program welcomes artists from around the world to live and work on Gabriola Island, sharing their creative practices and ideas with the community while developing their own work in a quiet and inspiring setting. You can learn more about the residency at the Gabriola Arts Council.

Last year, I had the honour of joining the residency committee as a volunteer. What struck me most was the extraordinary generosity behind the program. Many members of the committee offer their time simply because they believe in the importance of supporting artists and cultural exchange.

Artists are welcomed with a small gathering when they arrive, and during their stay they share their work with the community through workshops, talks, and an exhibition at the Gabriola Arts & Heritage Centre.

The Legacy Behind the Residency

The residency exists because of the remarkable vision of Toshiko Kasahara.

More than fifty years ago, Toshiko came to Gabriola Island almost by accident. She later built a beautiful oceanfront home here at the age of eighty. She loved the island deeply—the ocean, the people, and especially the arts.

Her spirit was adventurous and bold. She loved music, conversation, and connection. The home she built now serves as the Kasahara House, where visiting artists stay during their residency.

Today, her gift continues to bring creative voices from around the world to Gabriola, enriching the island’s artistic community.

Current Artist in Residence: Micah Goldstein

Visiting from Montreal, Micah W. Goldstein is the current artist in residence.

Micah’s interdisciplinary practice explores the intersection of printmaking, animation, memory, and place. Her work often focuses on intimate, reflective moments—hands interacting with objects, feet touching the ground, or the quiet awareness of moving through a space.

By placing the viewer very close to the subject, she transforms even small objects into entire worlds.

Her artistic process is deeply tactile and meditative. Micah experiments with ways of recreating digital effects through entirely analogue techniques—using tracing paper, lightboxes, layered transparencies, and shadow shapes to mimic movements such as pans or crossfades.

These ritualistic methods emphasize the act of making. Through layering, repetition, and careful attention to process, she builds dense visual environments that invite viewers to slow down and experience a moment of presence — what she describes as the feeling of being “here”.

Micah also recently shared the creative process behind one of her short films during an artist talk on Gabriola Island. The film has so far been shown in Ontario and Montreal through a student festival, and she continues submitting it to festivals internationally.

Her ability to explain both the conceptual and technical aspects of her work was incredibly illuminating—particularly for those of us without a background in film or animation.

Workshop with the Gabriola Community

icah Goldstein presenting animation fundamentals and production management slides at Gabriola Arts residency

Micah presenting the fundamentals of animation and frame sequencing during her community workshop.

During her residency, Micah also led a hands-on workshop for the Gabriola community, sharing techniques from her animation and printmaking practice.

Participants learned how animation is built frame by frame and how careful sequencing creates the illusion of movement.

The workshop allowed artists and community members to experiment with the same careful processes Micah uses in her own practice.

Inside the Creative Process

Micah’s process involves layering images, experimenting with transparency, and building motion frame by frame.

Her studio setup during the residency included a camera rig positioned above the work surface, allowing each drawing or paper layer to be captured precisely.

The result is a slow, attentive workflow — one that values presence and physical interaction with materials.

A Personal Studio Visit

Recently, Micah visited my studio here on Gabriola Island. We shared tea and cookies while talking about our practices, artist residencies around the world, and the evolving landscape of contemporary art.

Our conversation ranged from the Vienna Biennale (which she may be participating in), to creative process, to the personal journeys that shape an artist’s work.

It was one of those beautiful exchanges that reminds you why artistic community matters.

Micah is a thoughtful and courageous young artist — someone who is clearly stepping into the world with curiosity, intelligence, and heart. I feel incredibly grateful that our paths crossed.

Gratitude

Programs like the Kasahara Gabriola Trust Artist Residency remind us how powerful artistic exchange can be. Artists arrive from different places and disciplines, bringing with them new ideas, perspectives, and conversations that enrich the entire community.

Micah, thank you for sharing your work, your curiosity, and your presence with our island. It has been a privilege to meet you, and I look forward to following your journey and everything you create in the years ahead.

For those who missed her residency exhibition, here is a look at the Expanded Overlays showcase:

Expanded overlays was an exploration of works relating to animation, printmaking, and time created during the Kasahara Gabriola Trust Artist Residency. Artist-in-residence Micah Goldstein shared some of the work she's been developing while on the island, as well as a short under-camera animation demonstration using paint on glass. Micah's work was displayed both as individual frames and as full animated sequences.

Learn More

Visit Micah Goldstein’s Website to explore more of her animation and printmaking projects.
The Kasahara Gabriola Trust Artist Residency–learn more about the residency program and past visiting artists on the Gabriola Arts Council website.
Follow Micah on Instagram for behind-the-scenes look at her latest analogue explorations.

Illuminate: Champions for Change—Art, Connection, and Mental Well-Being

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There are moments in life when something arrives that feels deeply aligned—where your personal journey, your creative work, and a greater purpose all meet in the same space.

Being part of Illuminate: Champions for Change is one of those moments for me.

On April 30th, at Arts Umbrella on Granville Island, this special fundraising evening will bring together community leaders, organizations, and supporters who are committed to improving mental health and addressing loneliness in our communities. Hosted by Bit Happier in collaboration with the Stigma-Free Mental Health Society, the event is focused on something that touches all of us—connection, well-being, and the courage to speak openly about mental health.

 
Tickets
Auction
 

This cause is not abstract to me.

There was a time in my life when my mental health was at its lowest point. It was a period marked by deep struggle, and ultimately, it was through creativity—through making art—that I found my way back to myself. Art became a place of grounding, of expression, and of healing when I needed it most.

That is why supporting this event feels so important.

Bit Happier is doing meaningful work in the space of mental wellness, using creativity, technology, and community to address loneliness and help people feel more connected. Alongside them, the Stigma-Free Mental Health Society continues to create real impact across Canada, especially through their work with youth and education programs that reduce stigma and open up conversations.

Together, this evening is about more than fundraising—it is about bringing people together to illuminate what is possible when we care for one another.

As part of the event, I’ve donated an original painting to the silent auction:

Playdate in the City II, 20" x 20" x 1.5", acrylic and mixed media on canvas, from the Love is Love series, © Deb Chaney 2026

This piece explores connection in a very human way.

Each square within the grid began to feel like a person to me—distinct, contained, yet always in relationship with those around it. Some connect, some hold space, some move closer, some pull away. It reflects the subtle ways we influence each other while still maintaining our own sense of self.

At its core, this painting is about what it means to love authentically—to stay open, to connect, and to be in relationship without losing yourself in the process.

It is something I am still learning.

If this work speaks to you, I invite you to take part in the silent auction or attend the event. Your presence and your support contribute directly to initiatives that are helping people feel less alone in the world.

Because at the end of the day, that’s what this is about.

Connection.

Compassion.

And creating spaces where people can feel seen, supported, and well.

For more information on the evening's schedule and location, please visit my Events page.

An Abstract Vision Exhibition at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts

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I’m pleased to share that my painting from the Love Is Love series has been selected for the exhibition An Abstract Vision at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts in California, running April 4 through May 30, 2026.

An opening reception will be held on April 11, 2026 from 4–6 PM. I am deeply grateful to curators Susan Sweet and Victoria Schandler for the opportunity to include my work in this exhibition.

The Work

The painting selected for this exhibition is a key piece from my Love Is Love series. These works are a visual exploration of interconnectedness—how we maintain our individual identity while being part of a larger whole.

Loving Our Earth IV, 16” x 16” x 1.5” Acrylic and mixed media on Canvas, © Deb Chaney

Using a structured grid of squares as a foundation, I layer color relationships and intuitive, gestural marks and texture to build a complex surface. Each square is intended to stand on its own, yet its character is constantly shifting based on the textures and colors of its neighbors. This interplay serves as a metaphor for our own lives: we are distinct individuals, yet we are perpetually shaped by the community and environment—the colours and textures—surrounding us.

Inside the Studio

These works emerged through a layered and intuitive process. In the studio, color relationships evolve as marks are added and removed, allowing the emerging textures to guide the direction of the piece. This process is as vital as the final image. For me, painting is a way of entering a state of presence—a space where the act of creation becomes a path toward clarity and well-being.

The Exhibition

An Abstract Vision highlights the expressive power of abstraction and the many ways artists use colour, gesture, and material to communicate ideas that lie beyond words.

The selected painting will be available for purchase through the gallery during the exhibition dates. If you find yourself in Northern California this spring, I encourage you to visit the exhibition. More details about the show can be found at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts.

Start with Art - Exhibition at Seymour Art Gallery

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I’m delighted to share that ten of my paintings have been selected for the Start with Art exhibition at Seymour Art Gallery this spring in Deep Cove.

Curated by Vanessa Black, Start with Art is a special annual exhibition that encourages young people to experience and collect art—featuring work that connects naturally with younger audiences through playfulness, curiosity, and visual storytelling.

For this exhibition I am showing a group of paintings from my Love Is Love series.

All We Need Is Love, 10" x 10" x 2" framed, acrylic and mixed media on canvas © Deb Chaney 2026

This body of work explores connection and individuality through a simple grid structure of colour and layered materials. Each square within the painting becomes its own moment—influenced by the colours around it but still holding its own identity. Together, the squares form a unified field of colour and energy.

These paintings are created slowly through a process of layering acrylic paint and mixed media materials. I often incorporate tactile elements such as sand, pastel, coffee, and pencil. Each layer adds subtle shifts in texture and density, allowing the surface to feel alive and expressive.

At the centre of several works in the series is a simple hand-drawn heart. It is intentionally uncomplicated—a quiet reminder that love, kindness, and connection remain universal experiences across generations.

For the exhibition, the gallery installs the artwork at a “kids-eye-view”. This creates a welcoming environment where young people can encounter art directly and intuitively. At the same time, the exhibition invites adults to reconnect with something equally meaningful: the inner child that responds naturally to colour, curiosity, and creativity.

Exhibition Reception

You are warmly invited to join us for the exhibition reception in Deep Cove.

Sunday, April 12, 2–4 PM
Seymour Art Gallery
4360 Gallant Avenue 
Deep Cove, North Vancouver

The exhibition runs March 24–May 2, 2026.

Gallery Hours
Tue–Sun 11 AM–5 PM

More information can be found on the gallery’s Exhibitions page.

A New Chapter for the Love Is Love Series

The Love Is Love paintings included in this exhibition are part of a new body of work exploring colour, emotional resonance, and connection.

Each piece is small in scale but layered with materials and process. Together they form a playful and expressive visual language that invites viewers to slow down, notice the details, and experience colour in a personal way.

If you are in the Vancouver area this spring, I hope you’ll stop by and experience the exhibition in person.

Intangible Experiences: Honouring Abstract Painter Gwen Tooth

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This March, Propeller Art Gallery in Toronto is hosting a group art exhibit to pay tribute to the late Canadian painter Gwen Tooth (1945–2025). To celebrate Gwen’s talent for expressive, experimental painting, the Intangible Experiences exhibition explores how abstract art communicates what is not easily done with words.

The featured artists created their pieces in the spirit of intuitive layered abstraction—an exploratory process that reflects Gwen’s own belief that painting evolves through curiosity, play, and attentive observation. I’m honoured to be part of this diverse event, which presents a selection of Gwen’s paintings alongside over 175 pieces from 128 artists.

A Tribute to Gwen Tooth

A long-time member of the Propeller collective (2013–2025), Gwen Tooth was known for her deep commitment to experimentation. Working primarily in acrylic and mixed media, she explored gesture and colour to evoke the sensations of nature—particularly the power and rhythm of water.

Gwen described her paintings as being “as much outer landscapes as the inner scapes of my mind and soul.” Her work often emerged through an intuitive process of layering materials, allowing each piece to evolve organically. You can learn more about her legacy on the gallery’s In Memoriam Tribute and the artist’s website.

Featured Artwork: Loving Our Earth — I

Loving Our Earth – I emerged through an intuitive process of layering marks, colour, and texture within a subtle grid structure that gently holds the composition together. The painting invites viewers into a playful visual space where transparency, gesture, and rhythm interact across the surface.

Rather than depicting a literal subject, the work explores an emotional response to the natural world—the sense of connection, vitality, and creative possibility that arises through attentive presence. Each layer reveals traces of the painting’s evolution, allowing viewers to sense both movement and stillness within the surface.

This approach reflects the spirit of intuitive abstraction that artists like Gwen Tooth championed: allowing materials, colour, and process to guide the work toward something felt rather than strictly defined.

Price: $450

Collectors may inquire directly at info@debchaney.com or contact the gallery.

Exhibition Details

🏢 Propeller Art Gallery (in-person)
🗓️ March 25–April 12, 2026
📍 30 Abell Street, Toronto, ON
🕒 Wed to Sat: 1–5:30 PM | Sun: 12–4 PM or by appointment

🍷 Opening Reception
🗓️ Saturday, March 28, 2026
⌚ 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
🖼️ 3:00 PM: Presentation honouring Gwen Tooth

🗣️ Artist Talks
🗓️ Sunday, April 12, 2026
⌚ 2:00 PM

🌐 Online Exhibition
🗓️ March 25–May 25, 2026
🔗 propellerartgallery.com/intangible

View Online Exhibit

Contact Propeller Art Gallery
propellerartgallery.com
416-504-7142 | info@propellerartgallery.com

AI and Art Licensing Workshops for Artists — Isle of the Arts Festival

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This April I will be teaching two professional development workshops for artists during the 2026 Isle of the Arts Festival on Gabriola Island. These sessions are designed for artists who want practical tools to strengthen the business side of their creative practice.

One workshop explores how artificial intelligence can support an art business, while the other focuses on licensing artwork as a way to generate additional income streams. These sessions are ideal for artists who are ready to move beyond simply making art and begin building a more sustainable professional practice.

Both workshops will be held at the Gabriola Arts & Heritage Centre (GAHC) at 476 South Road, Gabriola. 

How to Use AI in Support of Your Art Business

Friday April 10th | 1:30–4:30 PM

You will learn how to use AI as a supportive assistant in your art business, with live demonstrations showing tools for outreach, opportunity research, and proposal or grant support.

BRING: Your chosen implements for note-taking.

GAHC (476 South Rd) | $25 | 12 spots | 18+

Register Now

Licensing Your Art: Turning Images into Income

Saturday April 11th | 1:30–4:30 PM

Learn how to find opportunities to license your unique artwork and create new income streams. We’ll discuss what images work well for licensing and why. Follow along step by step as we create an online submission for a potential licensing partnership, and leave with clear next steps to begin licensing your art.

BRING: A laptop and 6–10 JPG images of your artwork. A notebook and pen are optional for taking notes.

GAHC (476 South Rd) | $25 | 20 spots | 18+

Register Now

About the Isle of the Arts Festival

The Isle of the Arts Festival is celebrating its 16th year on Gabriola Island, offering nearly 30 workshops and events across many creative disciplines including painting, fibre arts, music, storytelling, dance, pottery, cooking, and professional development.

This year’s theme, “Weaving a Story”, explores how creativity connects people across time, place, and culture.

Learn more about the festival at Arts Gabriola.

Canada Council for the Arts Grant Supports Deb Chaney’s Professional Development

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Deb Chaney is proud to share the receipt of a Canada Council for the Arts grant supporting professional development and continued growth as a working artist. This recognition represents an important milestone and provides valuable support for expanding knowledge of the global professional art landscape.

As a contemporary Canadian artist working in mixed media abstract painting, Chaney continues to invest in deepening both the creative and professional aspects of her practice. This funding supports participation in a specialized professional development program designed to help artists better understand and navigate the international art world.

The training focuses on key areas such as gallery relationships, professional positioning, and the structure of the global art market—knowledge that helps artists build sustainable careers and expand opportunities for their work.

Continued professional development ensures that collectors, curators, and institutions encounter work that reflects both artistic depth and a strong understanding of the evolving professional art ecosystem.

Inside Deb Chaney’s studio during the development of recent mixed-media abstract paintings.

About The Canada Council for the Arts

The Canada Council for the Arts plays a vital role in our cultural landscape. It has been a driving force in the arts, consistently demonstrating the social and economic importance of sustained investment in the arts.

The Canada Council for the Arts mandate is to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. Through its grants, services, prizes, initiatives, and payments, the Canada Council supports a dynamic and diverse arts and literary scene. These activities generate a meaningful cultural, social and economic impact for over 2,000 communities in all parts of the country and beyond. The investments and leadership of the Council help advance public engagement in the arts from coast to coast to coast while also contributing to the international recognition of artists and arts organizations from Canada.

With French-speaking audiences across the country in English-speaking regions, the Canada Council for the Arts offers support in both official languages.

Special thanks to Diana Cave, Grant Officer at the Canada Council for the Arts, whose guidance and encouragement throughout the process were incredibly helpful. Her support made navigating the application process clear, supportive, and accessible.

Support from the Canada Council for the Arts strengthens the foundation for continued artistic growth and the creation of new work for collectors, galleries, and institutions in the years ahead.

Black & white logo for Canada Council for the Arts
 

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

You can find out more about Canada Council for the Arts on X (Twitter) at @CanadaCouncil and under the #BringingTheArtsToLife hashtag.

Deb Chaney's Painting Selected for Saatchi Art's "New This Week"

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A sitting area is infused with energy by Red Red Wine, 8" x 8" Acrylic on Canvas © Deb Chaney Prints Available on Saatchi Gallery

I'm thrilled to share that my original abstract painting Red Red Wine has been chosen for Saatchi Art's New This Week collection. This ongoing feature highlights original contemporary artwork for collectors, with 100 works selected each week by Rebecca Wilson, Chief Curator.

I'd like to thank Will Hardy, Saatchi Art Advisory & Assistant Curator, for selecting this piece. Having work recognized on a platform trusted by serious art collectors worldwide, means a great deal.

🎨 View the New This Week Collection on Saatchi Art

About the painting

Red Red Wine is an 8" × 8" original acrylic and mixed media painting on canvas. Small in scale but bold in presence, it works beautifully as a standalone collector piece or within a curated wall grouping. The painting is also available as a large-scale reproduction print for collectors interested in a larger format.

Red Red Wine, 8" x 8" Acrylic on Canvas © Deb Chaney Prints Available on Saatchi Gallery

About the Love Is Love Series

Red Red Wine belongs to my Love Is Love series—a collection of mixed media paintings built through a rhythmic grid of colour-filled squares. Created from a place of ease and playful creative flow, each artwork explores the pleasure found in bringing many small parts into a relationship—like a visual game where chaos slowly finds its own order.

Using layers of acrylic paint, gel mediums, pencil, spray paint, pastels, gelatos, coffee, cotton fabric, and paint pens, the surfaces hold both energy and warmth. Each square carries its own mood and movement, while together they form a vibrant, connected whole. The process is intuitive and relaxing, allowing colour, texture, and pattern to guide the way.

Occasionally, a simple heart appears as a quiet gesture of love and inclusion—a reminder of the joy that initiated the series—though many works rely solely on colour and structure. These paintings are playful and exuberant, inviting lightness, presence, and delight through bold colour. The result is an uplifting body of work designed to bring warmth and visual energy into a home or collection.

Collect the Original or a Print

The recognition of being featured in New This Week is a reminder of why I continue to develop my body of work. I hope Red Red Wine finds the right collector and the right wall.

The painting is available now through Saatchi Art as an original painting or as a large-scale reproduction print. If you've been considering adding an original Canadian artwork to your collection, this is a good moment to do so.

Living with Meaningful Art: The North Vancouver Arts Rental Program

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A sitting area is elevated by the diptych Loving What Is I & II. 36" x 48" x 1.5" mixed media and acrylics on canvas, © Deb Chaney Prints available on Saatchi Gallery.

I’m thrilled to share that I’ve been selected and accepted into the Art Rental Program at North Vancouver Arts.

Loving What is I, 36" x 48" x 1.5" mixed media and acrylics on canvas, © Deb Chaney Prints Available on Saatchi Gallery.

Loving What is II, 36" x 48" x 1.5" mixed media and acrylics on canvas, © Deb Chaney PRints Available on Saatchi Gallery.

The program’s new artwork will be showcased this March in a salon-style exhibition in the CityScape Community ArtSpace. The original diptych paintings of Loving What is I and Loving What is II will soon be available to rent through the program.

How Does the Art Rental Program Work?

The program offers a sophisticated opportunity to enjoy contemporary artwork in a home or office, allowing collectors to experience how a piece influences the grounding and consciousness of a space before making a permanent acquisition.

The rental fee is based on the professional valuation of the painting. Collectors are billed on a monthly basis, providing a flexible pathway to curate a meaningful environment until they decide to purchase the work or explore a new selection.

Visit the official North Vancouver Arts website for the best way to plan your visit.

Outside and inside the CityScape Community ArtSpace by North Vancouver Arts (@northvanarts)

About the CityScape Community ArtSpace

This contemporary art space is owned by the City of North Vancouver, while North Vancouver Arts oversees its programming and day-to-day management.

With eight diverse exhibitions each year, they showcase a thought-provoking mix of local and international artists. The spacious, high-ceilinged gallery is designed to accommodate dynamic installations, including large-scale sculptures, textiles, and digital projections.

About North Vancouver Arts

Founded in 1969, North Vancouver Arts is a grassroots non-profit dedicated to building healthy, inclusive communities by supporting artists of all disciplines and bridging cultures through the arts. With 100 dedicated volunteers and 400+ members, their mandate is to empower both emerging and professional artists, while bridging cultures and building a healthy, strong community through the arts.

Website: northvanarts.ca
Address: 335 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, BC
Phone: 604.988.6844
Email: info@northvanarts.ca
Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Saturday: 11 AM – 5 PM | Tuesday by Apponitment

Helpful links
North Vancouver Art Rental
Art Rental Show
How to Rent & Buy Art

Romantica at Nova Gallery: A Celebration of Love, Art & Community

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Featured Work: Love Is Bright Pink, 16" x 16" x 1.5" acrylics and mixed media on canvas, Love is Love Series, © Deb Chaney 2026

This February, Nova Gallery on Gabriola Island invites you to step into a world of romance, creativity, and expressive beauty with Romantica, a vibrant group exhibition opening Friday, February 13, 2026.

Timed with Valentine’s season, Romantica explores love in its many forms — romantic, playful, sensual, emotional, and celebratory. The exhibition brings together artists working across mediums, including painting, jewellery, and handmade wearable art, all responding to the theme in their own way.

I’m excited to be showing brand new work from my Love Is Love series in this exhibition. These paintings continue my exploration of colour, structure, and joy through square grid formations — visual expressions of harmony, inclusion, and emotional resonance. Each piece is created with the intention of inviting warmth, openness, and a sense of celebration into the viewer’s experience.

About the Opening Night

📍 Nova Gallery
575 North Road, Gabriola Island, BC

🗓️ Friday, February 13, 2026
⌚ 7:00 PM
🍷 Cash bar
🎩 Dress-up encouraged (17th–18th Century European-inspired or anything romantic!)

The exhibition runs until March 15, offering plenty of opportunity to experience the work beyond opening night.

Three views of Love Is Bright Pink, 16" x 16" x 1.5" acrylics and mixed media on canvas, Love is Love Series, © Deb Chaney 2026

Romantica is a celebration — of love, creativity, and community. Whether you’re an art lover, a collector, or simply curious, this exhibition invites you to experience how artists interpret one of humanity’s most enduring themes.

Looking forward to seeing you at the opening!