Saturday, Jan 11th: 'Now & Then' Gallery Unveiling

About the Event

'Now & Then' explores the past, present, nostalgia and presence. It welcomes reflection upon individual and communal experiences of the past and looks towards the future. This gallery features the work of Kira Hunt, Patricia Zentilli, Eoshanelle Francisco, Robin Good, Jani Galarneau, Colette Bachand, Jan Xu, Silhee Jin, Kelly Perl, Agatha Chacinski and Kirra Kent.

Throughout the evening guests will have the opportunity to roam the space and view the gallery, followed by an Artist Panel where artist will share stories about their work and creative process.

Meet the Artists:

Kelly Perl

Kelly Perl is an acrylic artist from Pigeon Lake, Alberta now living in Edmonton. Kelly earned a diploma in fashion merchandising and has studied fine arts. She currently balances a full-time job in retail management while further developing her artistic portfolio. Kelly's personal style is contemporary abstract art and is self-described as “maximalist and colorful,” focusing on exploring texture and unconventional colour combinations.

Colette Bachand

Colette Bachand is new to Edmonton's Art scene. First debuting at Edmonton's International Cat Festival, Colette has maintained the playfulness and joy seen in cat themed art. Cats are wonderfully and humorously mysterious, which Colette hopes to capture in her paint strokes. Before presenting herself as an artist,  Colette has dedicated nearly a decade to her profession as an art teacher, inspiring grades K - 12. She continues to teach and her artwork often reflects the ebbs and flows based on classroom units.

Eoshanelle Francisco

Eoshanelle is a visual artist based in Treaty 6 (Edmonton). Growing up, she always had a love for art. For her, it is a reminder to look above, behind, and beyond. She likes to experiment with different materials, styles, and mediums like acrylic, oil, and digital. Currently, she paints on wooden tiles to have the ability to move around pieces and give new meaning to ordinary things. She aspires to capture the beauty of nature in her artwork and create pieces that will resonate with people from all walks of life. Her work has been showcased at the 'Art from the Unknown' exhibition and displayed at the Whyte Avenue Art Walk.

Jan Xu

Jan started to study drawing and illustration a couple of years ago. She draws creative inspiration from daily life—the fleeting moments, mundane objects seen too often, and the whimsical imaginations of children—all provide material and impetus for her creations. Additionally, her works often reflect influences from both Eastern and Western cultural backgrounds, as well as the reverence for great artists and nature. Currently, all her works are hand-painted in watercolor.

Kirra Kent

Kirra Kent is an experimental artist, scientific illustrator and arachnologist. Her work focuses on the smaller pieces of our natural world – small scale, often overlooked landscapes, and the residents of those places. Recently, the focal goal in her work is to use materials that would otherwise be textile waste whenever possible, as the natural world is already challenged by our generation of discarded material on such a massive scale. These works are created primarily with gouache, watercolour, and use acrylic primer as supports.  Her scientific background is reflected in her detailed oriented and biologically informed approach to rendering subject matter.

Robin Good

Robin Good is a fine artist known for her vibrant animal portraits. Based in Edmonton, Robin's expressive acrylic paintings are inspired by animals and created with bright, complementary colours, never using black. After leaving a creatively-crushing job in 2021, she pursued freelancing full-time, transforming personal struggles into captivating, humorous artworks that bring joy and healing. 

Agatha Chacinski

Agatha Lidia Chacinski, a first-generation citizen of Canada, was born 1986 in Beaver Hills House (Edmonton), on Treaty Six Territory. Despite Agatha’s love of the arts starting at age four, her career led her into psychology. Realizing she missed a vital component of practicing art in her life, she returned to her passion in 2017, pursuing a career as a self-taught artist. 

Agatha is a mixed media artist, working in watercolour, acrylic, gouache, ink, coloured pencil, linoleum printmaking, and digital illustration. 

Silhee Jin

Sillustrer is a visual illustrator known for her vibrant illustrations that explore themes of everyday moments and personal expression. With an educational background in art & design from Paris, France, she uses a unique blend of traditional and digital techniques to combine abstract and realistic elements to tell captivating stories. Drawing inspiration from her surroundings, Sillustrer creates pieces that invite connection and life. Through her Instagram (@s.illustrer), she shares her creative journey and showcases art that resonates with a growing community of art lovers and enthusiasts.

Host or Publisher Felice Noir