Diana Palmer, AFCA, was born in Armstrong, BC, and raised on a farm in a remote area with no near neighbours, no telephone, and no electricity, which left her lots of time as a child to hone her drawing skills. Encouraged by her family, she drew pictures of the plants, wildlife and landscapes that surrounded her and eventually this childhood pastime grew into a passion for art.

After graduation from Vernon Senior Secondary, Palmer moved to Vancouver to pursue a post-secondary education in Visual Arts. She studied Fine Art at Langara College, Conceptual Art at Simon Fraser University and Graphic Design and Commercial Illustration at Capilano College.

Palmer paints mainly in acrylic, her subject matter varying; landscapes, wildlife, florals and still lifes. Recently she has been focused mainly on her Glass Landscape series (large wine glasses reflecting local landscapes). She joined the Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) in 2004 and was awarded Associate (AFCA) level status in 2015. She is a member of both the Central Okanagan and South Okanagan Chapters of the FCA.

Primarily self taught, Emily Fitzowich is an avid painter, working in both photorealism and in stylized painting; currently residing in Penticton, BC. Growing up spending her summers road-tripping and travelling through British Columbia and Alberta, the landscapes she spent so much time exploring with her family have captured her attention and heart since a young age. Summers were spent on beaches and mountain hikes, and winters on the slopes. Even the wet and rainy springs were dedicated to looking at tidal pools along the coast. Today she continues to adventure throughout Western Canada, capturing even more inspiration along her journeys. Her vibrant paintings capture the joy, whimsy and excitement of the mountains she experienced as a child and and as she continues on that legacy today.

Glenn Churchill, “CHURCH”, has lived in Penticton for 6 years. Originally from Ontario, he left the hustle-and-bustle behind and found a new home with a new pace of life. Church describes his new life as easy going and the right speed. He is a stay at home dad with his daughter Rosi and lives a life full of love and community. Surrounded by talent and amazing friendships, Church is motivated to create and contribute.

His inspirations stem from his ’71 Volkswagen bus, nature, and hockey. Church lives by the motto that the windshield will always be bigger than the rear-view-mirror. He is always translating awe from his windshield to his art.

My name is Jennifer Robinson and I am a small business owner here in Penticton. My whole life I have dabbled in the world of art and enjoy trying new things from jewelry making, lino, to painting. I have a need to feed my creative side as I find it challenges me as well provides me with much relaxation and solitude.

When I was a child, I was told to stick to sports as I couldn’t stay in the lines when colouring. I thought I didn’t have a creative bone in my body which led me to a career in the corporate world conforming to others' expectations: I felt stifled, under pressure and unfulfilled.

Mid-life, I took the plunge and switched careers. I discovered abstract art: it immediately brought me in touch with my creative side and the joy of ‘freedom to experiment’ with no defined outcomes.

I have exhibited in group and solo shows in Metro Vancouver and the Okanagan. My works have been sold to collectors in the US and Canada. I create colourful paintings in my studio in Summerland since we relocated from the Vancouver area in 2020.

I currently volunteer with Summerland Arts Council as a Gallery Committee Member and just stepped down from 2 years as a SCAC Board Director. I initiated the collaboration between SCAC and Summerland District Credit Union where we exhibit local artist on a rotating basis and organize the Artists in the Gallery weeks.

I presently have a number of artworks on display in the Summerland Gift Gallery, as well in Legacy Den and Picture This in Penticton.

Jolene Mackie is an artist living and working in Kelowna BC. Since graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Emily Carr University in 2009, Jolene has pursued art making professionally with a focus on the medium of oil painting. Jolene has exhibited her work widely throughout the Okanagan Valley and British Columbia, and has work in private collections around the world. Jolene finds inspiration in simple, fleeting moments: a unique quality of light, the shape of shadows, and the living palettes that colour our daily existence. Her work blends fascination with the world around us and the whimsy of human imagination into wholly unique visual experiences.

Megan Traicheff was born and raised in Penticton, BC. She established an early interest in art, selling her first work at the age of four and having her first gallery show at the age of eight at Tumbleweed Gallery in Penticton. The show gave her her first real insight into the world of the artist. Since then, she has focused on becoming a quality artist learning all she can about the arts.

Megan graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Science, Major in Biology degree. This background has fueled her passion to share the beauty of the natural world through her art with a particular interest in our feathered friends.

Most of her study has come from her father, a professional artist, and at the hands of artist friends who have stayed at the Traicheff household over the years. She has also studied art at the Okanagan Summer School of the Arts.

Megan first started painting with acrylics and then turned to watercolour while studying with Bruce Crawford at his Summerland, BC studio. She has become comfortable with various forms of original printmaking and has now turned her focus towards watercolour as well as polychromos pencil, a stable and permanent medium with which she can achieve a beautiful effect when drawing the wildlife she is so passionate about.

Megan's career in the arts has been rising rapidly and she has been invited to a number of shows throughout the US and Canada. She has shown at: Tumbleweed Gallery, Penticton, BC - Osoyoos Public Art Gallery, Osoyoos, BC - Leir House Art Centre, Penticton, BC - Red Rooster Winery Gallery, Penticton, BC - Western Reflections, Richland, WA - Spokane Western Art Show, Spokane, WA - Studio 419, Penticton, BC - Art Gallery of the South Okanagan, Penticton, BC - Old Hotel Gallery, Othello, WA - Festival of America Show, Coulee Dam, WA - Western & Native Art Show, Omak, WA - Western Heritage Show, Great Falls, MT, Lake Country Artwalk, Lake Country, BC.

Her work has also been included in the book "Artists of the West".

Her artwork and photography can be found in private and corporate collections in Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, England and Ireland. She also has work in the private collection of animation director and academy award nominee Randal Dutra

Melissa Dinwoodie is a visual artist living in the Okanagan Valley. Since graduating with her BFA from UBCO in 2001, Melissa has been a practicing her art for over 20 years, in cities that include Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver.

She specializes in acrylic & mixed media painting, as well as illustration. Creating layers and depth with color and texture is the abstract ‘play’ that Melissa loves. Focusing on figurative and portrait art, she is fascinated with the connection between the viewer and the subject matter. Her belief is that art can be the communication between people that ignites conversations, relationships, education and growth.

Moozhan Ahmadzadegan is an emerging artist based on the unceded and traditional territory of the syilx Okanagan people, commonly known as the Okanagan. He received a BFA from the University of British Columbia Okanagan with a Major in Visual Arts and a Minor in Art History and Visual Culture in 2019. His work has been exhibited in artist-run centres and public art galleries such as the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art, the fifty fifty arts collective, and the Kelowna Art Gallery. In 2021 he was awarded the BC Arts Council Early Career Development grant under the mentorship of Tania Willard. In 2023 he received the Research and Creation: Explore and Create grant from Canada Council for the Arts, and an Individual Arts Awards: Visual Arts grant from BC Arts Council. Moozhan is also co-founder of the Laundry Room Collective; an artist-run collective that works to provide accessible arts and culture programming, support emerging artists, and foster diversity and inclusion in an effort to meaningfully contribute to his community.

Encouraged to further her art education, Peggy attended VCC Langara in Vancouver and received a diploma in the fine arts. After moving to the Okanagan with her husband in 1989, she continued to participate in numerous juried shows throughout the lower mainland as well as the Okanagan Valley

Peggy works primarily in acrylic paint on canvas. As a picture framers by trade, she constructs and stretches her own canvases which provides the freedom to explore unconventional canvas sizes and combinations.

Peggy is proud to be the owner and operator of Picture This custom framing and gallery in Penticton. Not only does her work immerse her in a wide variety of fine art, it challenges her to be creative, and provides her with the opportunity to meet with other artists on a daily basis.

Arianne Tubman is an emerging artist, based in Kelowna. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of British Columbia. She is primarily a photographer, but also creates paintings, illustrations, and print works. Her artistic practice tackles a range of subjects but is always guided by an interest in human experiences.

Arianne’s piece- “Embers in the Dim- varied Thrush at Dawn,” is inspired by Arianne’s love for biology and ornithology. As Arianne says- art is my profession, but biology is my passion. If I had done what my parents wanted, I would have pursued ornithology instead of arts in university But here I am, an artist and bird enthusiast. This piece celebrates a lesser-known bird native to the Okanagan. The first time I spotted one of these birds, I had been walking home from the grocery store in the evening. In the dim blue of twilight, I saw a bright orange dot moving around in the branches above me. I was struck by this little bird's vibrant, flame-like orange feathers. In this painting wanted to recreate the feeling I experienced during that first impression. To have the intense first light of dawn cutting through the foliage to reveal a hidden gem. Through this work, I hope you can gain an appreciation for the Varied Thrush and admire it as much as I do.

Britt Bidlake is a multidisciplinary artist from the Okanagan. She is the founder of Franky Rose- a successful jewelry line that features her unique and intricate designs. In addition to being a talented jewelry maker, Britt is also a painter, whose works can be found in homes across the Okanagan. Her work can also be found in publications such as vanity fair UK, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Reader’s Digest, among others. On top of all this Britt has also become a regular at the Western Canada Fold Festival Circuit- where she showcases her beautiful and unique work to a wider audience.

Britt’s piece, “lightly touched land” represents the singularity of the place we call home. Furthermore, Britt has this to say about her art: There is something sacred about the land in the Okanagan- rolling landscapes, sage brush, dancing skies, deep lakes, and rocky bluffs. The horses that roam about on our “lightly touched land,” are to me such a reminder of this place we call home. The horses in my piece are shown living peacefully with the land, a symbiotic relationship with the Earth and its elements. Further all the colours chosen in this piece are inspired by local plants to really tie this art to this place.

SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOREndrené Shepherd was raised in Kaleden and lives and makes art in Penticton. She is currently an artist in residence at the Leir House Cultural Centre. She sees herself as a storyteller, with her paintings and illustrations transporting the viewer on an emotional journey- revealing truths, fears, or utter blissful fantasy. Endrené loves to play with juxtapositions- whether it be a graffiti billboard in a pristine landscape or a wolf walking down a busy street. With her work she questions who and what belongs where and explores how what we see can enable us to question our right to belong.

Endrené’s piece is entitled “Never at Home, Even When You’re There” and of it she has to say: The foundation of the painting is several maps, which are visible through the layers of paint when viewed closely. Evening summer light glows across the surface of Okanagan Lake, but the viewer is not “there.” Neither literally nor figuratively. We always carry within us nostalgia for the places we have come from and yearning for the places we desire to go. These beautiful human aches haunt us, always sitting just below the surface of our present reality.

Lukas Lundberg is a visual artist from Sweden and residing in Vancouver. He moved to Canada due to his outstanding artistic skills in the visual effects industry. Lukas has over 10 years of experience creating murals, and over 5 years experience creating professional public artwork. He has created artwork for several mural festivals, exhibits, companies, and events. When creating his murals, he mixes brushwork and spray paint to create a unique effect that really highlights his painting’s subject. His paintings are often vibrantly colored portraits of people or wildlife with abstract elements- utilizing high contrast and monotone complimentary colours to emphasize his subject.

Lukas’s piece is part of his series of seafarer portraits. In his own words: these portraits symbolize a navigator in our turbulent times, where an ocean of digital information displaces our direction. The colour palette in these pieces represents the vibrancy that exists between dusk and dawn, combined with my characteristic abstract elements.

Naomi was born in Tenancingo de Degollado in Mexico, and moved to Canada in 2019, settling in Oliver. From an early age she displayed an artistic temperament, and mostly self-taught in the visual arts, however she has worked under and collaborated with artistic masters throughout her career and has through that developed a great appreciation for muralism. Since moving to Canada Naomi has created a plethora of murals. Naomi works mainly in acrylics, pencil, and watercolour although she is always experimenting with new materials. Her work is recognizable for the vivid colours she uses- reds, yellows, blues, violets, blues, and golds- inspired by Klimt and Chagall. Naomi’s work is inspired by her mother who is a writer and storyteller and so with her work Naomi tries to tell diverse stories, like her mother.

Naomi’s mural is entitled “A Place to Stay Forever.” With this piece Naomi has drawn on the history of Indigenous peoples both here and in her home of Mexico who have had their land taken and their blood shed by European colonizers. With this she draws connections to Penticton and how its name is often translated as “a place to stay forever,” a place not only for tourists, but also for many, that is multiculturally rich. Naomi’s mural is brimming with symbolism- incorporating Indigenous symbols from Canada and Mexico.

Neil Erickson is painter who primarily works in acrylics- using his hands, large scrapers, pallet knives, and rigger brushes. Neil takes his inspiration from the extraordinary woodlands found in the Okanagan. When Neil works, he feels a profound connection between body, mind, and spirit and spends days practicing his work in his mind before he commences the painting. When he starts painting, he plunges into it as one would into a pond of cold water, and swims like hell.

The mural that Neil has contributed for our mini mural auction is entitled Tsútswecw Park and inspired by an area near Adams Lake. Neil explains: Adams Lake is where logging chutes and flumes were built in the 1900s to expedite the enormous forest extraction that BC is unfortunately famous for. Much of the forest that was once there has regrown, recapturing its once mighty splendour that Indigenous peoples would have known. With this painting Neil hopes to nourish in our hearts a greater love and respect for the phenomenon we call Mother Nature- especially in these times of unabated resource extraction.

Robyn Sylvester is an Australian born artist and single mother of three. She surrounds herself with art and creativity and has tried her hand at a plethora of mediums- painting, drawing, and most interestingly- cake sculpting. At a young age Robyn was inspired by her talented sister as well as Australia’s natural beauty. She continues to make art today; in fact she finds that the older she gest the more compelled she is to paint and draw. She works as both a solo artist and as a collaborative artist- working with her children, who inspire her everyday with their childlike view of art and the world.

Pertaining to her mural, Robyn has this to say: Many things inspired my mural- my love of plants and wildlife, specifically birds, of which black cockatoos are my favourite. Black Cockatoos remind me of home- I miss their eerie calls and the way they hang around before a storm. It’s also no coincidence that there are three birds and I have three children. The lady in my mural was inspired by all the beautiful strong women in my life, that help me improve myself and be a better human.

Taylor is a Syilx Okanagan artist from the Osoyoos Indian Band. She uses her art practice to express and explore her identity as an Okanagan woman by using traditional materials and contemporary art practices. Taylor is an interdisciplinary artist engaging with various mediums such as sculpture, painting, digital illustration, beadwork, printmaking, and photography. She is currently in her third year of study at Emily Carr University of Art & Design. Taylor has previously contributed work to the Bill Reid Gallery, the Kelowna Art Gallery, the Osoyoos Art Gallery, and the Michael O’Brian Exhibition Commons

Unfortunately Taylor couldn’t attend in person tonight as she is currently finishing her third year of study at Emily Carr University of Art & Design in Vancouver.

Taylor’s Mural, like a large portion of her art is informed by Okanagan epistemologies. This mural was created to represent the Okanagan captikw (pronounced chap-teek) story of Coyote and Horse, and how Coyote brought Horse to the people. According to Taylor, her pays homage to: the relationship that the Okanagan people have with horses and wild horses in the valley and to my late grandfather Francis Jim Baptiste, who often depicted horses out on the land or in rodeo scenes in his artwork.

Toni Albert was born, raised, and spent most of her life in BC’s Sea to Sky corridor, until she moved to Penticton with her family 2 and a half years ago. Toni has worked in the fine art industry for years and has ample experience in the arts sector. Toni is an avid mountaineer and spends most of her time outdoors- she can be found in alpine forests, dark coastal forests, and anywhere else that is fit for climbing. These places provide quiet and a sense of insignificance, which offers ample opportunity for inspiration to strike. Toni’s art was and continues to be an exploration of the stories we collectively feel compelled to tell- what started as a need to “get it out” in her teens grew into an excitement for creating unique moments of connection with others. Toni mainly works in acrylic and watercolour although occasionally she missies working with stinky oil paints.

Referencing her mural, Toni says this: Gulls are something that Penticton and the Coast have in common- but with different energies. I’ve spent most of my life on the coast. Coastal city gulls are tough and do not care that you spent $16 on fries, they are coming to steal you snacks in the most aggressive way possible. Often these birds are beat up, missing a foot, an eye, a chunk of feathers- but they get by, by fighting for what they feel is theirs- garbage or otherwise. The gulls here have a different energy- they keep to themselves; they don’t mess with tourists and especially not with the geese. They seem more content. I wanted to bring these two gulls together on the Okanagan shores- maybe the city gull went for a trip, maybe he moved here, but for whatever reason he’s here now and you get to create a backstory for him and that’s part of the fun and mystery of it.

Zac Abney is a multidisciplinary environmental artist and developer. He is a traditionally trained artist who also works in digital mediums. He enjoys rebuilding vehicles, renovating his house, creating small robots, painting, and hiking. He is passionate about exploring the relationships between people and the designs and artworks that speak to them, as he believes that artwork is the most effective language for translating emotions- with his work he hopes to help viewers explore this dynamic.

Zac’s piece is entitled: “Remember and Appreciate.” Speaking to his piece, Zac says: I was reflecting on our isolation due to COVID-19. During the pandemic my dad developed a rare form of cancer, and despite the fact that I wanted to be close to him, to reach out and hug him and comfort him, I couldn’t- I had to wait months, watching him deteriorate from a distance. Finally, after months of wearing masks and keeping our distance I was able to wrap my arms around him- which alleviated tremendous amounts of worry, anxiety, and sadness. Happily, my dad is doing better now, and we are on the other side of the worst of Covid, but I wanted to create a reminder of the difficult times we all collectively went through. I also want to thank my friend Gary Sylvester for developing a reference image.