Past and Present

Gulf of Georgia Cannery Past and Present, an exhibit of artwork from the members of the Canadian Artists Society, will take place at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery from July 1st to 31st.

Research into the Gulf of Georgia Cannery’s history revealed that it was built in 1894 and was dubbed the “Monster Cannery”, packing more than 2.5 million cans of salmon. The cannery also brings in a diverse mix of workers from First Nations, Chinese, Japanese and European descent. Its work force has deep roots linked to the West Coast fishing industry, in particular the fishing community in Steveston. The exhibit is based on this framework with the intent to capture the glorious past of Gulf of Georgia Cannery and its present status in British Columbia.

“We should be a tourist in our own backyard” says Teresa. “Not too many Vancouverites know where Gulf of Georgia Cannery is – a designated National Historic site in Canada. Hopefully through this exhibit, more awareness and support will be shown towards the cannery”.

As part of this project, the artists in collaboration with teachers have held workshops with school children from Richmond, Mission, and Abbotsford to create artwork about the Cannery. The original goal was to have 40 paintings from the students. “We never expect to receive such an overwhelming response”, says Danny. The call went out and over 120 students’ paintings were received. A bird whispered to the artists that grandparents are keen to support their grandchildren by purchasing the paintings and also donate part of the proceeds to a good cause. Posters are in the works by Gulf of Georgia Society and these will be distributed to Tourism Richmond.

Inside the cannery there will be two ballot boxes: “People’s Choice Award” for artists and “Children’s Choice Award” for children’s paintings. Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favourite paintings. Lucky winners will be announced and receive surprise gifts after the event. All the artworks exhibited are for sale. The Canadian Artists Society is donating 9 paintings for a silent auction that will be held for the duration of the exhibit. Proceeds from the auction will go to support the Cannery’s education programs. Online bidding may also be available, please check gulfofgeorgiacannery.com.

The Canadian Artists Society comprises ten Vancouver artists who work in oil, acrylic and watercolour. Some have received numerous art awards and recognitions, others are aspiring and emerging artists who often gather together to paint either in a studio setting or plein-air.

The artists in this group are Danny Chen, Associate Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, Hilda Chen, Teresa S.W. Chow, Annie Tsai, and Terry Wong who are all Active Members of the Federation of Canadian Artists. Others are Linda Burchill, Peter Daniels, Peter Wong, and Kent Wong.

The Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site of Canada is operated by the non-profit Gulf of Georgia Cannery Society, on behalf of Parks Canada. It is located at 12138 Fourth Avenue, Richmond (Steveston Village). Visit www.gulfofgeorgiacannery.com to learn more.