Top 10 Vancouver Art Galleries

 

1. Vancouver Art Gallery

The Vancouver Art Gallery was established in 1931 and to this day is still one the most well respected galleries in North America. Open 7 days a week, this gallery explores the impacts of imagery through design, architecture, and visual culture. As a not-for-profit institution, the Vancouver Art Gallery believes in building community, engaging the world in creativity, and sharing perspectives with special attention to First Nations artists as well as Asia Pacific art. Their current exhibit features artwork such as mixed-media, sculptures, paintings, textiles and installation by artists including Yoko Ono, Jan Wade, Sandeep Johal, as well as Edith Heath and Emily Carr. Future exhibits will also include multimedia installations by Keith Langergraber.

Find them at:

Vancouver Art Gallery 

750 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2H7

(604) 662 4700

2. Centre A: Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art 

The Centre A: Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art has been committed to showcasing the artistic perspectives of the Asian/Asian-diasporic community since 1999. The exhibits feature provocative and stimulating conversations regarding migrant experiences. Through art, Centre A has found a way to play an active role in the local contemporary community in regards to broadening cultural engagement. Their current exhibition includes a multimedia installation by artist Sona Safaei-Sooreh, as well as multiple ongoing exhibitions year round.

Find them at:

Centre A | Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art 

268 Keefer St Unit 205, Vancouver, BC V6A 1X5

(604) 683 8326

3. Western Front

The non profit artist run centre known as Western Front was established in 1973 by a group of 8 artists who collectively purchased, curated, and ran the institution. Together they created a multidisciplinary society of arts for the local and international art community. Presently, Western Front exhibits many art mediums such as music, visual art, performance, media art, and literature while also offering artists in residency programs. Current and upcoming events include works by artists Sriwhana Spong, Tiffany Ayalik, and the Toque Craft Fair. 

Find them at:

WESTERN FRONT 

303 E 8th Ave E, Vancouver, BC V5T 1S1

(604) 876 9343 

4. The Polygon Gallery

The Polygon Gallery believes that art should be accessible to all which leads to their multi lingual exhibition tours, talks, and outreach programs featured in English, Farsi, Spanish, French, and Mandarin, all of which is by donation. With a commitment to diversity, the gallery exhibits many photographers and related media outside of the Eurocentric lens, and instead a reflection of the community, especially in relation to Indigenous peoples. Aside from promoting emerging Vancouver artists over the last few decades, the Polygon Gallery provides an interactive environment for young people interested in learning about the arts. The current exhibition features Dina Goldstein’s OG Punk collection, as well as the upcoming Steven Shearer solo exhibition.

Find them at:

The Polygon Gallery 

101 Carrie Cates Ct, North Vancouver, BC V7M 3J4

(604) 986 1351

5. Arts Off Main Gallery

Since 2003 Arts Off Main has been a collective art gallery come to life by a group of seven artists. Prior to this the space had been a cafe. Now Arts Off Main is a space for the group of artists to sell and showcase their works, as well as offer consignment for other artists. The gallery features a variety of mediums and talents, with many artists coming and going over the year, so always expect to see something new each visit! Their current exhibitions feature Elana Sigal’s Hidden Beauty, as well as Jan Rankin’s Moral Letters. As well, the gallery features permanent artist partners Gary Nay, Tom Antil, Lee Sanger, Eileen Mosca, Norma Jean Mccallan, Natalie Way, Cindy-Wynne Kolding, and more featured artists!

Find them at:

ARTS OFF MAIN GALLERY - Arts Off Main Gallery | Vancouver | BC 

1704 Charles St, Vancouver, BC V5L 2T6

(604) 876 2785

6. Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery 

Located at the University of British Columbia, this gallery contains over 5,000 artworks in relation to contemporary art. The Belkin Art Gallery seeks international perspectives, research mandates, and a goal for civil society. Since 1948 the Belkin Art Gallery has promoted discussions revolving around contemporary art issues, histories, curatings, and criticisms. Their current exhibition Drift: Art and Dark Matter is presented by a group of four artists, as well as an upcoming exhibition Laiwan: Traces, Erasures, Resists.

Find them at:

Home Page - Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery 

1825 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2

(604) 822 2759

7. Contemporary Art Gallery

This independent non profit gallery is one of the leading spaces for contemporary art in Canada. With artists featured from Canada and around the world, the CAG produces not only exhibitions but also residencies, outreach, learning, off-site projects, events, publications, and community engagement programs. With an emphasis on education, the CAG produces talks, workshops, youth programs, and multilingual guided tours. 

Find them at:

Contemporary Art Gallery - Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver 

555 Nelson St, Vancouver, BC V6B 6R5

(604) 681 2700

8. Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery

With a purpose of internationally showcasing the First Nations, Inuit, and Plains peoples cultural art, the Coastal Peoples Fine Art Gallery has been successfully supporting Indigenous artists since 1996. The diverse artists exhibited at the gallery showcase their mythic stories through culturally expressive artworks made both traditionally and contemporarily. With a wide collection of art such as jewelry, glasswork, sculptures, textiles, paintings, carvings, and much more! The current exhibit features Corrine Hunt’s Kapiguxw’id / Gathering, which includes a multi media display of the artist's reimagined cultural heritage. 

Find them at:

Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery: Northwest Coast Native Art Gallery 

332 Water St Unit 200, Vancouver, BC V6B 1B6

(604) 684 9222

9. Monte Clark Gallery

The Monte Clark Gallery has been located in the cultural landscape of Vancouer since 1992. This hidden industrial gallery features both emerging and established artists of Canadian and International backgrounds. With exhibitions featuring drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, installation, and video. The gallery believes in community cultural involvement as well as committing to diversity amongst its artists of any stage in their career. The current exhibition features Vancouver local photographer Stephen Waddell’s Made/Unmade, which highlights the mundane yet is influenced by the theatrics of classical European portraiture. 

Find them at:

Home - Monte Clark 

53 Dunlevy Ave, Vancouver, BC V6A 3A3

(604) 730 5000

10. Catriona Jeffries

Since 1994, the Catriona Jeffries Gallery has presented contemporary art through post conceptual art practices emerged within Vancouver and the relationships of these practices with international artists. Catriona Jeffries is a well known respected gallery that continues to curate projects within a historical trajectory. The current exhibition Some Number of Things by Raymond Boisjoly captures odd sequences of language in textual works using prints, vinyl, and aluminum to form multiple narratives.

Find them at:

Catriona Jeffries 

950 E Cordova St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1M6

(604) 736 1554

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Here at KeenArt Media, we believe in supporting our local art community by showcasing local artists on our website and helping them sell their artworks to a wider audience. As well as share our favourite art galleries, as shown above! KeenArt Media is proud to help enrich the art world in any way possible, especially by providing products that will help every artist at any stage create their works!

 

    To find out more about local artists: Vancouver On Canvas- Local Artists Directory  

    To find out more about our art products: Vancouver Canvas Photo Prints, Custom Made Picture Frames & Plaque Mounts, Face Mounting Prints On PlexiGlass

Vancouver's East Side Culture Crawl

                                             

For the past 25 years Vancouver's Eastside Arts Society has hosted the Eastside Culture Crawl. This event has artists from Vancouver’s Eastside open up their studio doors to the public. These both emerging and internationally recognized artists share their crafts which include painting, jewelry, photography, pottery, weaving, glassblowing, furniture making, and sculpting. Aside from just opening their studio doors to showcase their work, these artists also contribute workshops, talks, and demonstrations. This contemporary event inspires both an appreciation and deeper understanding of the artwork produced by the featured artists. 

This year, the Crawl will have over 80 artists throughout a multi-venue salon style exhibition. With the work being shown at the Firehall Arts Centre, Alternative Creations, the Pendulum Gallery, the Herschel Infinity Room, and an online option called the Cultch. Exhibitions such as Surfacing, and Hush Now Sleeper. We Will Meet Again will be featured at multiple locations as well as plenty of artist talks and demonstrations.

This year's artists include multi-disciplined artist Lee James Abbott, mixed media painter Sorour Abdollahi, painter Fiona Ackerman, illustrator Polly Almond, shoemaker Amy Slosky, as well as artists with developmental disabilities at the Alternatives Gallery and Studio. Artist Talks include Material Matters: Engaging with Nature, Histories in the Making: From Research to Artwork, and Making for a Living: A Peek Inside the Business Side. These talks touch on topics such as using materials from your everyday surroundings, how to make a living creating art, and the process of making art while understanding its social history. 

From 1994, when the first Eastside Culture Crawl took place, only four artists participated. Over the years, these numbers have grown to host over 500 artists with over 45,000 visitors per event in recent years! With more sponsors, and studios participating, the Eastside Culture Crawl has made a name for itself and its community. Featuring artists of many disciplines who also host talks and demonstrations, both in person and online. Make sure to check out the Eastside Culture Crawl this November to show your appreciation for your local artists!

The Crawl is held on both November 12-14 and November 18-21, with weekdays being held from 5-10pm, and weekends being held from 11am-6pm.

• Firehall Arts Centre  

• Alternative Creations

• Pendulum Gallery

• Herschel Infinity Room

• The Cultch

Eastside Culture Crawl - A Visual Arts, Design, & Crafts Festival

For more articles like this visit: Vancouver on Canvas 

To find out more about local artists in your area and how to purchase their work visit: Vancouver Online galleries & artworks, Photos Art Print Art Posters Canvas Art & Framed Art Pictures- Prints Plus Posters

Celebrating 20 Years of Picture Framing Services!

    In the year 2002, the printing and picture framing company known as KeenArt Media came into existence. The company was established as a small family business focusing on retail services such as custom framing and photography. After the business began to grow however, KeenArt Media expanded into services such as print making. The sole operated warehouse is located in Burnaby, British Columbia and ships all across North America, throughout Canada and the United States of America.

About us - Vancouver Fine art print & Giclee On Canvas Prints

    As the framing services offered at KeenArt Media have been around for 20 years now, the company has found a way to perfect the art of a picture frame. Offering nearly every style one could think of, from Modern to Farmhouse to Simple to Elegant. As well as all the varying colours and types of frames. Such as Shadowbox, Canvas Floater, and Classic. Our frame collection has nearly 1000 options of wood and metal mouldings to choose from!

Picture Frames & Custom Online Framing

    A Canvas Floater Frame creates the illusion that the canvas is “floating” inside the frame, hence the name. This is done by allowing the stretched canvas to sit on the inside lip of the frame. This sleek style will allow you to view the entirety of your artwork, with nothing covered by the frame. These frames are perfect for showing off your original artworks or if the edges of your canvas have important details! We offer floater frames in a variety of styles including Stair Step, Tapered, L Shape, Shutter Floaters, and Metal Floaters. Our floater frames come in a variety of colours ranging from neutrals such as black, silver, and white, all the way to vibrant shades of blue, red, gold and more! 

GE461, 2⅜ Deep Canvas Floater (Above)

   

Canvas Floater Frames - Custom-made Canvas floating picture framing Wood & Metal Frames, Frames for Canvas

    A Shadow Box Frame is used to enclose an object in a three dimensional frame to create a unique preserved display. The frames we offer have a depth that ranges from 1 to 2.75 inches in height. Our frames come in a simple flat profile with a variety of colour options to best suit your display. The classic colours are offered in black, silver, gold, and wood shades, that way your frame will never go out of style! 

GA326, ¾ Contemporary Gold (Left)

https://www.canadaoncanvas.com/include/shadow_boxes_frames.php

    The Classic Picture Frames are all custom made and come in over a 1000 styles! The frames are made with both wood and metal, and can be as small as 4”x4” up to as large as 96”x72”. These classic frames are perfect for art prints or photography. As well, you can order a frame on its own or fitted with a print! Our frames come in many styles in shades of black, silver, gold, natural wood, and colour! With many frame options available in simple flat profiles, to beveled edges, embellished details, or interesting textures, all so you can find the perfect fit for your art and your home! 

GB864, 1¼ Antique Silver W/BEA (Right)

Picture Frames & Custom Online Framing

  We offer Stretcher Bar Frames that come pre assembled or unassembled depending on your preferences. These wooden frames are milled from clear finger jointed Pine and come in a large selection of sizes. Pre assembled Stretcher Bars are used to mount, or stretch, a canvas onto the wooden frame structure. For larger canvases, a thicker frame is recommended as it provides a more stable and durable structure. Unassembled stretcher bar frames come in limited sizes and feature a tongue and groove attaching system. These bars come with rounded back edges to reduce friction as well as give the fabric a tighter draw.

 Stretching Wooden frames for Canvas Gallery Wrap and oil paintings

    Have you ever wondered how exactly to choose your frame? From what colours go best with your artwork to which style suits your home best, the process can seem daunting at first. It can seem a bit overwhelming at first, but once you understand a simple colour theory, it'll be a piece of cake! There are three basic colour theories to choose from; Complimentary, Monochromatic, and Analogous. A complimentary colour scheme is opposite colours; ex. If your artwork consists of cool colours such as blues then a bright orange frame would make all the blue shades pop! A monochromatic colour scheme consists of different shades of the same colour; ex. If your artwork consists of mainly purple colours, then a purple frame would also match. An analogous colour scheme would be all the same tones, warm vs cold colours; ex. If your artwork consists of warm colours then your frame can also be a warm colour and that can consist of any shade from pink to yellow! Another great option is to stick with neutral shades of black, white, silver, or gold, all of which go with virtually any art. These simple frames go especially well with black and white artwork and create a modern and timeless feel. Lastly, a safe choice that will go with all artwork and create a rustic and classic appeal, is a natural wood frame of any tone which will suit all artworks! At the end of the day, styles vary according to the individual and no matter what you will know best what will suit your home and your artwork!

    Aside from the actual frame itself, there are many accessories that can go along (and are recommended) with the picture frame. Items such as matboards, linen liners, and plexiglass can all be included within a picture frame. A matboard sits between the frame and the artwork, and is made up of thick cardboard-like paper. It makes up a border around the artwork inside of the frame to create a look of completeness. The matboard is also used to separate the artwork from the plexiglass and create breathing room. A linen liner is fabric covered moulding placed within the chosen picture frame. A liner is not a completed frame therefore cannot be used on its own, however its usage replaces that of a matboard and does not require any plexiglass. Our linens come in a variety of thicknesses as well as differing shades of whites and blacks, with and without gold accent lips. Plexiglass is a long lasting material used to protect the artwork as well as create a “finished” look. The benefits of our transparent plexiglass is that it is a stronger material and is less likely to be damaged than regular glass. Our plexiglass comes pre-cut, and installed or ready to be installed.

All About Matboards

 

Linen Liner Picture Frames

Pre-cut Plexiglass - Art Supplies, Fine Art Materials & Picture Frames For The Visual Arts

 

    Figuring out the proper size frame for your artwork can be a bit confusing at times, however we’re here to help! There are three main things to consider when measuring a frame; measuring the artwork for a picture frame, measuring a frame for the artwork, and measuring a stretched canvas. As well as whether or not your frame will include a matboard. If measuring artwork for a frame, you will need to measure the exact width and length of the artwork. If the artwork has a border on it that you do not want to include, then you will have to do some trimming and measure the amount of artwork you want to be displayed. If measuring a frame for the artwork, you will measure straight across the back side of the frame, both width and length. If measuring a canvas, you will measure across the edge of the canvas; both width, length and depth.

Custom-made art - HOW TO MEASURE YOUR ARTWORK

    Over the last twenty years, KeenArt Media has been providing exceptional services in regards to their ever evolving picture framing business. From mastering the art of custom made frames to helping all their individual clients pick the perfect frame for their art! KeenArt Media’s wide range of frames; including Shadow Boxes, Canvas Floaters, and Classic Frames, are available in over a thousand different colours and styles! Celebrate twenty years of picture frames with us here at KeenArt Media and become a picture frame lover just like us.

For more information: https://www.vancouveroncanvas.com/

Happy Family Day

Happy Family Day everyone! Although it looks too cold to take a walk along English Bay, we hope you have a great time with all your friends and loved ones today!




Looking for a family photo to hang on that wall? Whether it's professionally photographed or a selfie from your cellphone camera, at VancouverOnCanvas we can print full, large size canvases of your favorite family photos. Visit here for more details!

KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)
www.VancouverOnCanvas.com 
Working Hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday 

Artwork Displaying Methods: Which one should you choose? (Part 3)

We have gone over dry mounting, plaque mounting and plexiface mounts in the previous two sets in this series. Each method has its pros and cons in terms of: usage, look and feel and shelf life. I think these aforementioned methods are the most widely available, most popular and commonly known mounting methods.

We have recently started selling wooden panels on our website and they can be used for various art projects. I've seen a lot of different D.I.Y projects online using wooden blocks  which includes photos being mounted and displayed on wood. 

The natural wood material can make a space feel warm and cozy. It is also very durable and goes well with many spaces. Photo wood block mounts can be hung on a wall or stacked on a table.

The most common photo block mounts I've seen online have a rustic aesthetic to it. The wood usually shows through the print or the print is cut in a way to incorporate some of the wood texture into it. 

At Vancouver On Canvas, we not only sell the wood blocks but we also have mounting services (as of now it is by request only). Unlike the most typical wooden mounts I've seen online, that have a matte finish or protected with mod podge, we apply a coat of epoxy resin on the print to give it a glossy finish. This helps to enhance the colours and give the print dimension. 

The resin has a glass appearance but it is less fragile and it is frameless. Unlike plexiface mounts, the wooden panel has depth to it. The piece looks weighted and paired with the exposed wood grain it helps add depth to any space or brighten up a dark room.

Wooden photo panels are long lasting and work well in homes or personal spaces. If you're interested in buying a wood block or getting a wood block with resin visit VancouverOnCanvas.com to order yours today. 

Resolution and Image Quality: What is it, what does it mean and why does it matter?

Happy New Year everyone! I know I am really late, I can't believe it's almost the end of  January, but I'm back for a new blog post. Hopefully, I can write more blogs now that the holiday rush is over.

I felt like this topic needed some attention because it pretty much determines if a print will work or not. I'm talking about image resolution. Now that most people have access to a camera, people are able to print their own photos instead of finding a photo. It allows them to personalize their space or a gift.

In December, I met a photographer and he wanted to know what my most frequently asked question was from customers. I said every and anything related to image resolution. Most people have heard the terms related to resolution but don't really understand why it matters and what it means.

I think the most common understanding of resolution is that it determines the image's quality. People see it as: high resolution = excellent image quality. This is true to an extent, because there many factors that affect the image quality that are related and not related to the resolution. I've had a few people ask me if I can "add more pixels" into their photo or make their photo a higher resolution (increase the DPI). I think the confusion comes from not knowing exactly what these words mean and why I want to write this post to clear up any misunderstandings.

 The photographer I met told me that I could simply explain it like inflating a balloon:

 As it expands, the text  becomes blurry, distorted and pixelated. The deflated balloon represents a high resolution image. The inflated balloon represents the image once it has gone past it's maximum threshold. The more you expand it the lower the resolution is. Why does this happen if my original image is considered high resolution?

This is where DPI (dots per inch) and PPI (pixels per inch) are introduced and is probably the most confusing part. PPI is actually the term that affects the image's resolution on the screen and quality in a printed format. The word DPI is most commonly used for both terms, but, keep in mind; I will be talking about pixels so when I say DPI I really mean PPI.

So what are pixels? The word pixel stands for picture element, it is what makes up a photo on a screen. Most people would say something is pixelated when they can see the tiny squares that make up the photo. This happens when the photo is magnified so much that you can see each pixel.

So when a person says their image is 300 DPI, they are saying there are 300 pixels for every inch of the image. So if the image is 4x6", then the pixel dimension will be 1200x1800. The more pixels there are, the more sharp the image will be. The larger the image is the more pixels it should have in order to get an excellent print.

So in the case of the balloon, when we inflate it, the text becomes pixelated, blurry and distorted, because pixels cannot be added, they only expand to fit the new space. This is why a 300 DPI image that is 4x6" can only be printed within a certain range before it starts losing image quality. If you wanted to enlarge it to 36x54", with the larger size the pixels will expand and it will be 33 pixels per inch - making the image pixelated.

Resolution is basically all the data from the image which includes: DPI, image dimension, file size and desired print size, to tell us if an image is going to be fine for print. Of course there are software available to "fix" some of these problems. However, it will not be the same as an original high resolution, good quality image.

Many people have access to decent quality consumer cameras or smart phones with good quality cameras, but they still run into problems with the image quality, why?

There can be many factors that can affect the final outcome that has nothing to do with the resolution.  This is why I mentioned that a high resolution image does not always amount to an exceptional print. Here are some reasons why:

The lighting. If you have bad lighting, even with the latest 15 megapixel camera, it is not guaranteed that your photo will be good quality.  There are photo editing software available to fix this but you can't always rely on it. It is better to set the exposure on your camera and use light to your advantage to get a good photo.

For dark photos, if your camera is not powerful enough it will turn out grainy if you try to edit it. This is more common with cell phone cameras because they are not equip for low light settings. Once you lighten the photo you will then need to get rid of the grain but this will just over-process the image and make it low quality.

Overexposed Photo (too much light)

Shaky hand. This has happened to me a number of times. My hands were too shaky when I took a photo and it came out blurry. This usually happens when the  flash is turned off or there is no image stabilizer. It could also be that the screen on cameras and cell phones are very small so the blur isn't noticeable until you view it on the computer.

Digital Zoom. There are two types of zoom: optical and digital. The optical zoom is considered a true zoom and found on cameras and some cell phones. The optical zoom acts like binoculars by drawing in the image to capture a crisp image but it has it's limitations.

 Although most cell phones use digital zoom there are optical zoom attachments that can be purchased for your cell phones. Digital zoom doesn't actually zoom into a photo it crops out the part you want this is why many zoomed in cell phone photos are low quality.

Front Camera. This only applies to cell phones, and it is related to the resolution.  I have had a few customers try to print out photos that they have taken with the front camera. Most front cameras are only 2 megapixels but I am not sure if everyone knows this. The resolution of these photos are only good for screens. Since these photos are usually viewed on the phone, it is not the best way of judging if the photo is high resolution.

Post processing. With photo editing software available for download on phones and computers, most people choose to edit their own photos. This allows them to see exactly how it will look and they get to choose what they like.

For cell phone photos, the combination of a low resolution image and overprocessing will only result in a terrible print (depending on the size). Instagram has many filters that people can use to make their photos more fun and unique but it usually reduces the size of your photo so that it can be uploaded to the server. This is we have a limit to what size your Instagram photos can be printed.

For camera photos, most computers come with free photo editing software like iPhoto for Mac or Windows Photo Gallery for Windows. You need to make sure the output settings will save the image as high resolution.

Well I hope this post was useful in some ways. I tried to explain it as best as I could.

If you have any questions please comment or send an email to us. Please visit us at VancouverOnCanvas.com to start printing!