Northern BC communities connected through new Two Rivers Art Gallery exhibit

New work from five different Northern BC artists, who go by the name of Fantastic5point0, is being showcased at the Two Rivers Art Gallery.

Artists from Prince Rupert, Quick, Smithers, and Prince George will have their paintings showcased in the Arterial exhibit, which was made to depict a vibrant picture of Northern BC.

Roxanne Heroux-Boulay, Digital Marketing Coordinator & Graphic Designer at Two Rivers Gallery says the paintings in the Arterial exhibit will be showcased until September 19th.

“The main theme of the exhibition is sort of connection and the highway that connects them all is sort of the artery that connects them. So there is sort of a reoccurring very faint image within all of the artwork that makes a line that connects them all as well,” she explained.

Every painting also has a demarcation, 4.5 inches from the bottom, that connects them.

Heroux-Boulay says prior to the pandemic, the artists would often meet up to create artwork together, but their separation from the pandemic inspired them to create work that depicts the importance of human connection.

Fantastic5point0 consists of Lynn Cociani and Suzo Hickey from Prince Rupert, Sarah Northcott from Smithers, Michelle Gazely from Quick and Mo Hamilton of Prince George.

The idea for Arterial, which consists of a range of portraits, abstract and landscape paintings, came from a second meeting in Smithers in the spring of 2019.

“This show, Arterial, is very dear to me. In times where we’ve all been isolated from each other, coming together like this to exhibit around a theme of connection has been a really meaningful experience,” said Cociani.

Cociani adds the exhibit also showcases the group’s longstanding friendship.

“The show feels like a lovely metaphor for our friendship, and it’s significant that our final show is in Prince George, which is the terminus of the artery, the highway that connects us. And I love that our paintings can hang out together even if we can’t!”