This next exhibition features three self-taught artists, all female, showing their love for the animal kingdom.  They are Michelle Ibaraki, Shima Itabashi, and Joan Marr.

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Michelle Ibaraki 

medium: Coloured pencil illustration

"Doing artwork has been so rewarding to me... and has been a great coping strategy... as I have mentalhealth and addiction issues it allows me to get lost and focus on a positive activity. Then throughout 2020 todeal with the extreme changes in society and as I live alone loneliness has been a huge factor I branchedmy artwork to other mediums such graphite and charcoal pencils.... another love is soft pastels. Being ableto "zone out" and focus on such a healthy activity to deal with the stress of the challenges going on insociety and to use as a coping strategy to help with my mental health in general is so rewarding."

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Shima Itabashi

medium: Felting / wool

Born and raised in Japan, Shima moved to Canada 2003.

"I have always enjoyed creating things with my hands using my imaginations. Living Canada gave me moreopportunity to explore my creativities. I started making creatures with clay in 2004 and I really enjoyedseeing peoples happy face when they saw my work. I taught myself how to felt in 2007 and then shiftedmore and more to using wool rather than clay. I love the result of softness and warmth with wool. Oncefelted, the piece speaks to me. It’s a great feeling to give life to fluffy wool." 

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Joan Marr

medium: Ceramics / clay

"I want people to know that I am a blind artist, I only have the full use of one hand, I like to laugh, and I havea great sense of humour.

I grew up in Prince George and I lost my sight when I was in my early twenties. My mother really encouragedme to keep busy and to work with my hands. I knit and crochet and I learned basket weaving and Braillethrough the CNIB. I began working with clay when a friend suggested I try it. Working with clay makes mefeel wonderful! I work very carefully by touch and I like how the clay is very soft and delicate. I recentlystarted sculpting animals out of clay. I started creating pigs because it was Chinese New Year."