South Van art show brings creative play to rainy days

 Reported by Mathilda De Villiers

Local artist displayed their work made of recycled materials at Metro Theatre Centre last week.

Coordinator and artist Tracy-Lynn Chernaske was inspired to showcase local female artists’ “under one roof,” in an event free to the public in response to the lack of arts in the community.

The Metro Theatre was established more than 55 years ago. In 1962 a dilapidated movie house was turned into a live theatre. 

Finding inspiration from recycled materials

For the first time, the focus of the show was 2D and 3D art that has been previously used or reused. The name of the show was Artful Theatre — Reclaiming, Reworking & Revisiting.

As an artist for  more than 16 years, Chernaske said she knows how much artists’ materials go to waste.

“We get halfway through a can of paint or a sheet of wood and it may get saved to get used for another show or put on the shelf for two years,” said Chernaske.

Healing through art

Keita Thomas is one of the 10 female artists  Chernaske brought together for the show. She said she finds  quiet times in the evenings to create her art.

She uses her background in metaphysics and strong spiritual practices to draw inspiration for her art work.

“For me it’s really the perfect way to heal emotionally,” Thomas said.

Hayley Crichton, a Vancouver resident of South African heritage, said she found inspiration to create her recycled art through her hatred of cloudy, rainy days. 

Crichton created a series of fabric clouds made from mostly thrifted materials and beads. 

“I’m trying to combat the grey,” Crichton said.

Attendee Laura-Ann Chong, an acrobat for Cirque du Soleil said she enjoyed learning that art can have an impact in various ways. 

“I think the event is a really ideal place for people to showcase their art and show that art can take many different forms.”