Isalos Fine Art

Sorry if you've stopped by to see us at the gallery, but we're in British Columbia for a bit. As usual, we like to check-out what art we can find. In Tofino, on the west coast of Vancouver island, we visited a couple of galleries, including some that showed native masks and such.

Most notably, we went to Eagle Aerie Gallery, which features the artwork of Roy Henry Vickers. From the street, one sees only the carved facade of a longhouse with a small entrance leading into a dark, rough-hewn sanctuary. The artwork floats in the dark, lit brilliantly by adjustable spots, giving it the feeling it is lit from behind.

Though medium or process was never stated, we were apparently looking at serigraphs (prints made from a process akin to silkscreening). Most of the work was inspired by the  area (which is overwhelmingly gorgeous) and by native myths and symbols. We were there just in time to see Vickers' annual solstice print, which this year features a surfer on a beach behind the veil of a snowstorm - one of my favorites.

The newer pieces are priced in the $300 to $500 range, in editions of 100. Prints from the older, sold-out editions on consignment were priced in the low thousands, while the single original painting was priced in the low thirty-thousand dollar range. No sales staff spoke to us until we stepped into the back room, where the various kinds of reproductions, calendars, books and notecards are displayed.

Anything to take back to Isalos? I'd love to get some of those adjustable spotlights. And maybe we'll cover our front windows with big carvings from our local culture... semi-abstract tire tracks maybe?

Have a nice Christmas.