Area artists invited to exhibit at Goderich Co-op Gallery in April

Mr. Bero, fabric art by Anna Schmitz. Submitted photo.

GODERICH – Area artists are invited to be a part of the annual Exposure at the Goderich Co-op Gallery.

The gallery is accepting original work in any medium to exhibit in April, whether it is for sale or not.

“Whether you have been creating for 30 years or just six months, your work will have its own distinctive character,” said Madeleine Roske, a gallery founding member. “We are always eager to see the work of artists of all levels of ability.”

Entry fee is $10 for the first piece and $5 for each additional work to a maximum of five pieces. To ensure that all artists have an opportunity to display their work, the number of extra large pieces may be limited. All wall art must be securely wired and ready for hanging without brackets.

Mr. Red Eye, driftwood art by Joe Storey. Submitted photo.

Entry forms are available on the gallery’s website or picked up at the gallery Wednesday, March 20 to Saturday, March 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The first day of display will be April 3, with the official opening reception April 6 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The community is invited to the opening, and to view the show during the month of April.

The Seasons of the Maitland Woods continues through March.

Area artists in various media with different styles of creativity also display their work year round at the gallery.

Three-dimensional artists include Joe Storey of Port Albert, Bill Garrow of Goderich, and Anna Schmitz of Londesborough.

Although Garrow has always had a love of drawing and working with wood, it wasn’t until 1983 that he started bird carving. He is

Mr. Blue[jay], wood carving by Bill Garrow. Submitted photo.

mostly self-taught but took courses with Warren Townshend and Hal McGray. He competed in the Central Ontario Wildfowl Carving competition in Kitchener and won Best of Show in the intermediate division. Since then he has taught classes, attended meetings of many carving clubs, and been an active member of the Goderich Co-op Gallery.

Joe Storey’s witty and whimsical driftwood sculptures are his first venture into the art world. Recently retired to a waterfront property, he enjoys exploring the beach and collecting materials for his creations. Often abstract in nature, and used both outdoors and indoors, Storey’s work is open to a wide variety of interpretations.

Anna Schmitz was born in Germany during the worldwide financial depression and helped make new clothes from old, becoming familiar with fabric, thread and yarn. As a teenager, Anna sewed her own clothes, and worked in a fashion house in Paris, at the time becoming a structural engineer and interior designer. Continuing to work in art and textiles, Anna’s work has been displayed in galleries and museums all over Germany. Emigrating to Canada to farm with her husband, she has become an active member of the Co-op gallery, showing mostly her interior and exterior fabric art.

The Goderich Co-op Gallery is located at 54 Courthouse Square, with work on display by active members and guests. Phone (519) 440-0523 or visit online.