Main Gallery & Cubes
Marilyn Chapman Group Show
Stepping Stones – An Escape into Nature
About the Artwork
Stepping Stones: an escape into nature - “Stepping Stones” offers a tribute to the landscape of Victoria, “The Garden City”. It describes our art journey in relation to pathways through a garden. We liken the creative process to a walk along stepping stones leading to a place for quiet reflection on the beauty of nature and the art of living in harmony. The work in this exhibit encompasses our interactions with nature and love for the environment. As painters, we are inspired by nature and seek a Zen-like, meditative state to embrace the experience of the here and now, an escape from the current global turmoil and news of the day.
About the Artists
Marilyn Chapman’s paintings offer a close-up view of nature’s fragile life systems. The garden outside her studio window creeps into the work as light, colours, and textures flow intuitively from the paint through the language of abstraction.
Linda Darby applies acrylic paint to a textured canvas in a spontaneous manner. She uses visible brushstrokes to depict light inspired by nature. Each painting evolves in its own way to invite associations and a sense of place.
Nancy Dolan has a close affinity to nature as a photographer & publisher of a natural history guidebook. Her work exemplifies the need to be connected to the earth as she incorporates natural materials into her diverse body of art.
Liz Wells enjoys painting en plein air. She works with a variety of media, sketching with graphite or charcoal, painting with gouache, watercolour or oils. From these sketches come larger studio paintings, usually in oil.
Free Events
Opening Reception: July 23, 2026 between 5:00 and 7:00pm.
Artist Demonstration
July 25, 2026 between 1:00 and 3:00pm with Liz Wells (painting with Gouache) and Nancy Dolan (mixed media techniques)
Free Hands-On Workshop
August 8, 2026 between 1-3pm with Marilyn Chapman and Linda Darby. Learn techniques to draw and paint in mini sketchbooks that you’ll create. Materials provided.
Websites:
Marilyn Chapman
Nancy Dolan
Liz Wells
Linda Darby
Hallway Case #2
Garth Homer Artworks Program
About the Artwork / Artists:
ArtWorks is an artist development program for emerging and established artists. Participants engage in a supported studio environment where they can refine their artistic skills, experiment with different mediums, and exhibit their work.
Artists spend each day working on their art, experimenting with different mediums, and refining their techniques in a professional supported studio setting. The atmosphere is relaxed yet focused, allowing participants to work at their own pace while receiving hands-on support from staff who are skilled, practicing artists. These mentors provide guidance, demonstrations, and constructive feedback to help artists push their creative boundaries and bring their visions to life. For 2026, the ArtWorks Program will be showcasing a variety of different art in this display case, in partnership with Saanich Community Services and Cedar Hill Recreation Centre.
Website
Cubes & Rear Window Case
Bisia Belina
Little Alters Everywhere
About the Artwork:
“When a complex system is far from equilibrium small islands of coherence have the capacity to shift the entire system to a higher level.” Illya Prigogine, Nobel Prize winner for chemistry.
What began as a personal expression of profound sorrow, despair and confusion as to how to ‘celebrate Canada Day,’ transformed into an ongoing commemorative / memorial. The“Walking Meditations” involved the intentional laying of stones to honor lives that were lost, to face personal and collective shame, despair, and my loss of faith in humanity. Two public installations were created at the Ross Bay cemetery breakwater to honor the discovery of the residential school graves in Kamloops in 2020 from July 1- Sept 15, 2021, and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022.
About the Artist:
Born in Montreal to Polish immigrant parents who survived the aftermath of WWII, Bisia Belina was raised in a home where art was a vital tool for resilience. Her father played piano, and her mother was a poet and painter, instilling in her the value of creative expression for emotional balance.
Website
Cedar Hill Facility Hours
Accessibility: Accessible washrooms, Wheelchair access, Designated handyDART loading zone and disabled parking stalls.
For inquiries related to exhibitions, please contact Shantael Sleight at shantael.sleight@saanich.ca or call 778-584-3756.