Tagged: art

"A happy accident, and a stroke of luck" is how Meghan Paterson describes her ending up in Refuge Cove, BC - a tiny community in the heart of the Desolation Sound area of the Inside Passage (a place consisting of approximately 20 families in the warmer months, dropping to a population of about 12 residents during the colder season located about 150km northwest of Vancouver).

Last summer Meghan accepted a summer painting residency in Refuge Cove - in exchange for the residency she was to help set up a community gallery for the local artists and creatives. Setting forth with no expectations, or plans on what she was to paint, she became inspired by the people and the places within the community. Meghan began developing ideas and painting what she saw: new, old friends with faces full of character, signage and typography of the surrounding area, and some of the inspiring locations found along the waterfront.

We've written about Still Life Friends & Family on our blog before, but Meghan is next-level Still Life Family. An old friend, travel partner, business liaison, drinking buddy, and this past June one of Kim's beautiful bridesmaids, there are few people we love more than Ms Meghan Paterson. This weekend as we set up Still Life For Her Meghan came over from Vancouver and brought with her stacks of paintings she developed during her time in Refuge Cove, helping us set up and ready the store for Saturday's opening and fill the brick walls with colour as she hung her incredible works of art. We couldn't be happier to have a piece of Meghan with us in Still Life For Her, and invite everyone to come down and view her paintings (as they last - they are for sale and we are all eager to see them sell). Much love and many thanks to Meghan for all her work this weekend.

back in august still life friend nic vandergugten showed & sold some of his limited edition johnson street bridge linocuts at the store and this holiday season we were lucky to have nic paint our holiday window display for the second year in a row. matt & kim's vision of a rustic log cabin holiday combined with nic's painting to result in our favorite still life holiday window display yet.

come by the shop to check it all out for yourself - from the pair of 1950s vintage norwegian skis, to the canadian blankets, chairs & antlers, the window is a warm invitation into still life's holiday 2010 collection. be sure to add still life on facebook for continual updates on what's new at the store, and visit more of nic vandergugten's other works on his blog, here.

we hope to see all of our still life friends & family at the store tonight at 6:00pm for the 2010 johnson street holiday food drive.

jordan grew up with his good friend nic vandergugten in and around victoria, bc. as they worked together and graduated together they went through it all (including broken ankles, tables & hearts and a burger joint mass exodus) through it all was nic's dedication to his creativity and more specifically his arts.

this weekend at still life we are proud to have on display one of nic vandergugten's most recent works. his labour of love this summer was a series of linocuts capturing the structure, beauty & resonance of the johnson street bridge (visable from the front steps of still life). already having been featured around town at the fort street cafe, buon amici and bean around the world, we're happy to have one of the beautiful limited edition prints behind the counter at still life.

while you're downtown over the holiday weekend, stop by and see what nic's produced and have a fantastic bc day long weekend!

you can see more of nic's work here and contact him at nicvandergugten@hotmail.com