In celebration of local artists, and in the grand tradition established by the 1863 Salon rejecting the juried process, Salt Spring Gallery of Fine Art in collaboration with SSNAP is proud to present works by Southern Gulf Island artists whose works were not included in the finalist groups of SSNAP in a completely non-juried show.  

This Salon des Refusés will take place at Salt Spring Gallery from September 26 - October 15, running concurrently with the PAS and SSNAP exhibitions.  There will be an opening reception on Friday, September 26, 5-7pm.

Participants: Southern Gulf Island artists not included in the PAS and SSNAP shows will automatically be offered participation in the Salon de Refusés, and will be accepted on a first come, first served basis, until the exhibition space is at capacity.  Salt Spring Gallery, in its sole discretion, determines when capacity has been achieved. Snapp participants have received the invitation via e-mail to indicate their desire to participate in the Salon des Refusés. 

In 1863, artwork rejected by jury of the French Academy of Fine Arts in Paris was showcased in the first Salon des Refusés.  This groundbreaking event introduced the public to the emerging avant-garde in painting and created a new line of thinking about what deserved to be seen, and not seen, in the public sphere.  Notable works by Eduard Manet, James Whistler, and Gustave Courbet were included in the exhibition.  “Salon des Refusés” is now used to denote any art exhibition devoted to the display of works rejected by a juried art show.

Although much has changed in the art world since the 19th century, the norms according to which artists are selected for exhibits are still largely defined by curators and juries.

Prize: One prize of a 3-week solo show at Salt Spring Gallery - at a date to be established in 2026 -
will be awarded to one participating artist.  The recipient of this prize will be determined by a representative of SSNAP and the members of Salt Spring Gallery and will be announced on the closing date of the Salon des Refusés.

Stay tune for more info..

Stay tune for more info

Staytuned for more info..

Stay tune for more info..

Sisters Carrying Water
Patricia Rose Williams and Sherry Leigh Williams
March 21 - April 9, 2025
Opening Reception: March 21, 5-7pm

Sherry Leigh Williams and Patricia Rose Williams  are not only sisters but also storytellers embodying a shared journey. This guest artist show delves into themes of translating and remembering, while deeply honoring ancestral history and blood memory.

Sherry's name, “She Who Carries Water for The Brown Bear Clan,” is a gift reflecting her Métis heritage—a lineage woven with French, Irish, Welsh, and profound Indigenous ties. 

The sisters' ancestral journey speaks of resilience in the face of shifting landscapes and relentless displacement. The Williams sisters reflect on these trials, accentuating the struggle for identity and belonging amidst disenfranchisement and the forced assimilation endured by their ancestors in residential schools.

Amidst such trials, beauty endured. Their cultural legacy flourished in the intricate floral art now emblematic of their people.

In conveying these stories, "Sisters Carrying Water" becomes more than an exhibit; it's an ongoing dialogue. The artists assert that true "Truth and Reconciliation" transcends acknowledgment alone—it demands the telling of untold stories, the recording of histories, and the reclamation of both rights and lands. This exhibition invites reflection on ancestry and the ongoing struggle for agency while celebrating the beauty that persists through shared histories.

I Have Been a Thousand Different Women
By the She Said Collective
Feb 28 - March 19, 2025
Opening Reception: Friday Feb 28, 5-7pm

This is the twelfth year that a group of women have come together to exhibit a show based on a theme. Each year the women choose a theme to work from in the medium of their choice, each expressing their own vision of that theme. Past shows by She Said Collective have included: This Is Who I Am, Unwritten Unspoken Unheard, This is A Love Story, and the theme that started it all:  Pieces of Her Story.

Over the years, members from the original group have continued participating but others have moved on, either physically or finding a different focus such as school. Each year another woman asks if they can be part of the next show, and the Collective continues.

This year the theme is from a piece of poetry by Emory Hall entitled: I Have Been A Thousand Different Women. The members of the She Said Collective always hope that their work inspires others to perhaps pick up that paint brush, marker or pencil crayon and explore their own creativity. We hope that you will enjoy the 2025 show.

Small Works
By the Members of Salt Spring Gallery
Nov 29 - Dec 21, 2024
Opening Reception Friday Dec 6, 5- 8pm

Throughout each year, the members of Salt Spring Gallery co-create and maintain a vibrant environment where new works are regularly featured by members and guest artists. The gallery is a valued gathering place where the local community and island visitors can always look forward to finding inspiration and meaningful artwork that enhances the quality of life.

In the spirit of the season upon us, and with holidays around the corner, the gallery will host a collection of small works by the members. This will be the final show before the gallery’s annual winter hibernation. 

Small works often invite the viewer to draw nearer, making this exhibit a perfect way to step into an intimate and reflective time of year in the Northwest.

A special reception will be held in participation with the downtown Ganges Winter Wander.

Impressions 9
Annual Exhibit of Works by SSI Printmakers
Nov 8 - 27, 2024
Opening Reception Sat Nov 9, 5-7pm

Salt Spring Island Printmakers began in 2012 as a small group of dedicated printmakers who planned to meet together once a month to “play” with printmaking.

The Printmakers held their first exhibit “First Impressions” at the SSI Public Library in 2016. Since then, annual “Impressions” exhibits have been held on Salt Spring.

In 2022 the group officially became SSI Printmakers Society, which includes over 60 members. The same year, they also opened up a new studio in the SIMS building where the members share studio space, network with one another, and host workshops.

As with previous exhibits, “Impressions 9” showcases the wide variety of printmaking techniques employed by members, including their traditional mini prints category and 3D works.

Artifacts
Michael Gooblar
Sept 27 - Oct 16
Opening Reception: Friday Sept 27, 5-7pm

After a lengthy hiatus from exhibiting, artist Michael Gooblar re-emerges with photographic documents resulting from a seven year archaeological exploration of contemporary artifacts of the Great Rift Valley of Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Artifacts
Nothing is discarded in the Universe, it transforms. Michael Gooblar invites us tthrough photographic archeological explorations to witness and feel the obsolete and its journey normally hidden from the human eye.

In a world where fast speed and endless search for more and more, this exhibit offers a space to slow down and get aquainted with the life that continues its journey without us; enjoy the textures, the edgy  compositions emulating the seemingly random.