Sixth Street Pop-Up + Gallery will be displaying art by the New West 7 next weekend, something gallery owner and original creator of the group Trudy Van Dop is most excited about.
“It’s a first. Because my gallery is in my home, here in New Westminster, and this is in downtown, it opens it up to all the downtown people who may be uncomfortable or shy about coming into my gallery,” she told the Record.
The New West 7 (a term coined by Van Dop to reference the famous Canadian group of painters, the Group of Seven) was created a couple years ago and is made up of internationally celebrated artists who work and live in the Royal City. They are Angela Au Hemphill, Jim Walsh, Teressa L. Bernard, Jerry McLaughlin, Gabor Gasztonyi, Lanta Meng and Leslie Poole.
Many will recognize Gasztonyi for his A Room in the City portfolio, an anthology of photos taken in the living quarters of residents of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Then there’s Poole, known for his paintings, drawings and prints, all which elicit deeply felt emotions. Hemphill, meanwhile, is widely known for her portrayals of the unique heritage homes and neighbourhoods of New West.
“Each has their own unique style,” Van Dop said. “When people own a piece of their work, they also feel proud to have one.”
She added another goal of the New West 7 is to showcase that New Westminster residents do in fact collect art – pieces that don’t have to be flown from overseas, but can be found right here in town.
The exhibit at Sixth Street Pop-Up + Gallery, located at 42 Sixth St., runs from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. After Nov. 1, the exhibition will move back to its original home in the Van Dop Gallery.
For more, visit www.VanDopGallery.com.
