Lift
Joy Through the Lens of Young Emerging Artists
April 26 - June 12, 2022
Gallery Hours
Tuesday - Saturday | 10am - 3pm
Admission is free.
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
Thomas Haney Secondary
Pitt Meadows Secondary
Garibaldi Secondary
Maple Ridge Christian School
Westview Secondary
Samuel Robertson Technical Secondary
To encourage and support the artistic aspirations of young emerging artists in the community, and working with art educators locally, The ACT Art Gallery presents a bi-annual juried exhibition of works by Secondary School students.
This year, as part of the year-long activities celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Arts Council, this exhibition explores how the arts can transform a community and ‘lift up’ peoples’ lives, contributing to the public good.
Lift showcases over fifty young artists who were given the challenge of creating an uplifting image, exploring their own imaginative creativity and envisioning how their work could uplift viewers.
Beyond the theme of the exhibition, the young artists were given the freedom to choose their own subject matter, medium, creative process, and size of their piece. As a result, the exhibition boasts a wide range of media, including painted canvases, collage, pen and ink, graphite, digital work as well as ceramic pieces. Many of these artists began working on their pieces in September 2021.
The ACT Arts Centre Gallery congratulates these young artists and encourages their continual pursuit of artistic excellence. Their achievements celebrate a legacy and a future for the arts that demonstrates how civic commitment, public focus, and artistic engagement continue to be buoyant forces, elevating a ‘place’ into a community.
Web page lead artwork by Sally Yoon.
Quotes | uPLIFTING ARTWORK IN THE ARTISTS’ OWN WORDS
“When the sun is shinning through the window, and sunflowers are flourishing, everything seems so calm and full of vitality. I hope it brings people positive energy, sunshine and happiness.” – Emily Xiong, Maple Ridge Christian School, “Morning”
“Birds and an array of bright colours portray a tone of happiness.” – Marie Abromova, Maple Ridge Christian School, “Beauty”
“Unable to visit my family in Korea, or see my baby cousin for the first time, I was able to capture his pure joy and innocence in this painting.” – Tiffany Kim, Maple Ridge Christian School, “Robin”
“My work is nature oriented, with bright and uplifting colours. As an abstract, I hope people feel both uneasy and at peace, creating a space for questions and conversations.” – Brielle Walker, Maple Ridge Christian School, “New Lens”
“Seeing people coming together to take care of the environment and our community brings lots of joy.” – Talia Barber, Maple Ridge Christian School, “Environmental Enthusiast” [and “Nebula”]
“This is a nice quiet place to be, to make you feel calm place and want to go there.” – Connor Riley, Maple Ridge Christian School, "Calming Beach"
“Aiming for a peaceful feeling, the bright yet calm colours are uplifting.” Viviana Robinson, Maple Ridge Christian School, "Fountain" [and "Pour Art"]
“I stepped out of my comfort zone to capture uplifting flowers and something with a lot of colour, texture, and size.” – Zeke Kroeker, Maple Ridge Christian School, N/A
“Sunsets and flowers create happiness and are reminders of something from a fairy-tale storybook.” – Brynn Morrison, Maple Ridge Christian School, “Rapunzel’s Tower”
“I wanted to inspire people, share the word of God, and let people to know that we all have guardian angels looking over us.” – Jessica Stirling, Maple Ridge Christian School, “Faith in Disguise”
“This self-portrait reminds me of my wonderful childhood, growing up in China, at about five years old. Creating art is very calming and inspiring for me.” – Amy Xu, Maple Ridge Christian School, “Me”
“My work is based on the fun, colourful feelings I associate with childhood memories. During the pandemic, I had almost forgotten the importance if happy memories, and wanted to memorialize them. I hope others are inspired to make more of their own.” – Faith Petti, Thomas Haney Secondary School, “Refuge”
“Shoes are uplifting in that they push you to move forward and do what’s possible.” – Keira Lindsay, Thomas Haney Secondary School, “My Dearest Shoes”
“I was inspired to create this astronaut being lifted by planets as a symbol of myself, in the way that the universe lifts and guides me. I hope others perceive it as uplifting.” – Magee Paine, Samuel Robertson Technical Secondary, “Taking Flight”
“I wanted to recreate that feeling of awe and wonder, looking up at the building on my visit to Kinkaku-ji, that uplifting view of the world.” – Layla BaObaid, Pitt Meadows Secondary, “Reflection”
“The joy of summer in British Columbia, here, near our cabin, is uplifting. I hope it is a reminder to take a moment out of our busy lives and get lost in this forest, a forest that is comforting and brightens your day.” – Jordyn Ellis, Pitt Meadows Secondary, “We’ll be alright”
“Peggy’s Cover, Nova Scotia was my muse for connecting with Nature. The open expansive sky, the inviting, weathered dock, and harlequin canoes uplift the onlooker’s soul by providing a cushion for the eyes to rest.” – Sophia Barker-Voisine, Westview Secondary School, “Roseate Waters”
The final day of the LIFT exhibition will be Sunday, June 12.
But wait! There’s more! Visit The ACT that day to take in the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Arts Council’s 50th Anniversary Birthday Bash, between 1:00PM and 5:15PM, featuring free performances and take-home art projects!
