A Look At The Special Books Behind My Drishti Paintings

/

I would like to take this opportunity to mention the books that I read in support of my own healing journey and for guidance and inspiration in creating the Drishti Paintings.

Something truly special about this exhibit–that I've never experienced before–is the opportunity to show some of what goes on behind the scenes in these amazing glass cases that Emilia Douglas Gallery provided. 

I think that this is a really cool add-on to the exhibit because you can look at the paintings, then you get to see these behind the scenes details, such as tools, books and notes that went into creating the show.

I am surrounded by people who love and support me (12” x 16” x 2”), Mixed media on wood panel, framed by Deb Chaney. Please Email the artist info@debchaney.com to purchase original. Prints available

If you’ve been following my posts, you may recall that I went to an artist talk last year that made a strong impact on me. The artist said that when you see a painting, it's really just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many decisions and moments and ideas and layers that go into the final artwork. It's the same with research and there is so much that went into this series. It’s such a wonderful feeling and opportunity that I get to share this with you and viewers at the exhibit. 

In one of the glass cases at the exhibit, I have added a selection of books that I feel were foundational and instrumental in my understanding of well-being. These featured books, and many more I did not exhibit at the gallery, guided me on my quest to understand how to consciously create my own well-being.

Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom

The first book is one that was given to me by my first mentor when I was 18. It’s called Women's Bodies, Women’s Wisdom by Dr. Christiane Northrup, and when I first received it I was surprised by how big it was. But I just started reading it and it was revolutionary for me at the time.

This was in the early 2000s and, looking back, I think the key thing I got out of that book was realizing the connection between the connection between the mind and the body. What I thought or felt could be the root cause of something occuring in my body and if I were to change that thought–it would support my body’s healing.

Books by Caroline Myss

I then moved on to reading quite a lot of work by Dr. Caroline Myss, such as Anatomy of the Spirit, which is included in the glass case. A book that’s not on display, which I highly recommend, is her book Why People Don’t Heal and How They Can. It is essential reading for anyone in search of their own well-being.

The book explained how everything is energy and that it’s all stored in the body–in your etheric system and chakras. When you have experiences, if you don't heal or clear them, they're either supporting or hindering you in some way. And your body keeps a record, like it’s this big energetic bank account. However, you have sovereignty over this account, which means the more conscious you become of this energy system, the more you can develop and consciously become well.

Dr. Carolyn Myss is such an important contributor to the world of energy medicine. She's really an incredible author and guide for people, so I highly recommend her work.

The Code to Joy

The next book is from a course I was taking, and it's The Code to Joy by Dr. George Pratt. The book planted the seed for my decision to paint 7 paintings.

This book is about learning how to reprogram yourself for well-being. The author says that through his studies and observations, he recognizes that people who are unwell typically possess certain belief patterns or thinking patterns. They share an outlook pertaining to wellness, which he followed with a list of common proclamations. Things like “I don't feel safe in the world” or “I'm not worthy” or “I can't do this”. These were the exact opposite of the powerful positive affirmations that you see in my exhibit.

I was reading his lists of thought patterns and thought–Oh, my God!–if you flip them around, they’re directly related to the energy centres. If you embrace and create a belief system that’s the opposite of this negative outlook, it’s a path to well-being.

With this in mind, I went online and quickly learned that this is nothing new and a commonly held belief among healers. But to me it was revolutionary! This is why and how the decision for 7 paintings, 7 affirmations, and 7 colours focused on 7 chakras came about.

Books by Anodea Judith

There are 2 books by Anodea Judith, Eastern Body, Western Mind and Wheels of Life, that offer everything you could possibly want to know about your chakras. They served as a guideline for each chakra as I planned each painting. (They were also a bit of a rabbit hole that I had to force myself to put aside and do some painting!)

The Flower of Life

The last books included in the display at my exhibit are the 2 volumes of The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life by Drunvalo Melchizedek. If you’ve been following my blog posts or getting my newsletter, you know that these books have been a great influence on this series. 

These volumes not only prompted me to choose the Fibonacci sequence as the composition for these paintings, but helped me understand the power and the meaning of this sacred geometry symbol, the flower of life.

Once you go through your own healing journey, you get to a place where you feel okay. You’ve embodied these affirmations, you have good health, and you feel good in the world. When you reach this place, you’re open to the next thing. You’re asking “What’s next?” And I feel like these books are answering this question of what else is out there. And while that’s beyond the scope of this series, these books were instrumental in my getting to know and appreciate sacred geometry.

I hope that you find some inspiration and joy and value in the books I’ve read to support me in creating this series about my well-being.

Show Information

The Drishti Experience – Capturing the Frequency of My Well-Being

Deb Chaney, Solo Exhibit, Amelia Douglas Gallery

November 7, 2025 – January 9, 2025

Seven large scale mixed media abstract paintings by Deb Chaney. Her latest work is inspired by her desire to experience and visually express the frequency of her well-being. This series sheds light on the link between healing mental illness and developing spiritual consciousness.

Location

Amelia Douglas Gallery
Fourth Floor North, Douglas College
700 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3M 5Z5

Gallery Hours
Monday–Friday: 10:00 AM–7:30 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM–4:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Gallery Website

A Drishti Painting Focus: I Am Powerful

/

I Am Powerful by Deb Chaney (4’ x 5’ x 1.5” mixed media on canvas)

The second large painting in my Drishti Paintings series I’d like to discuss in-depth is titled I Am Powerful. This original abstract artwork measures 5’ x 4’ x 1.5” and is part of this series of 7 paintings that each represent a chakra or energy centre.

It is currently on display at Amelia Douglas Gallery at Douglas College in New Westminster until January 2025.

Kim Klein and Friend standing with I Am Powerful (2024) at the exhibit’s opening event.

The colour of personal power

This painting represents the solar plexus chakra, or energy centre, which is the third primary chakra. This chakra is represented by the colour yellow, whose frequency embodies the principles of intellectual power, mental acuity, and awakening. It relates to our digestive system, adrenal glands, and left brain activity.

Yellow stimulates our mental faculties and brings us clarity and an enthusiasm for life. Spiritually it is synergistic with confidence, optimism, and joy.

It is a colour of miracles and magic.

Some affirmations for this energy centre include: “I can achieve anything I set my mind to”, I’m motivated, persistent, and successful”, and “I'm fearless in the pursuit of what sets my soul on fire”. Others are “I hold the key to my own happiness”, “My soul is radiant”, and “I have the confidence to take big leaps”. 

And, of course, “I am powerful.”

The commonality with all of these affirmations and the energy of this area in your body is that it’s really about claiming your personal power. And this is something that (hopefully) we all go through in our lives–a point when we realize our own divinity within.

When you visit the gallery, you’ll notice that the painting’s title I Am Powerful is very large, unlike most artworks on display in other galleries, which typically have a tiny title card beside the bottom corner of the painting. What I’m communicating visually with these big titles below the final paintings on display is that the words are as important as the artwork.

Finding form in the formless

Generally when I make abstract art I focus on getting involved in colours and textures and feeling and integrating layers. It’s never with the aim of the painting actually looking like something. I’m an abstract painter and I’m creating abstract art that is formless.

However, when I look at this painting I see a globe and an earth, and I see light going through it and shooting up to the heavens and down below.

To me this feels like an incredible gesture and message from this painting because these paintings come through me. I didn’t plan this. I don’t have an image or sketch drawn up somewhere with an idea of what I’m going to do. That’s never part of my process.

I simply trust myself when I begin and I add one layer at a time. I have a set of principles (that I’ve been sharing in these posts), but the final image is always a surprise to me. So to end up with this illuminated globe, to me it signifies the power of the collective.

If all of us, as a collective on this planet, decided that we are powerful and that we are divine, and that we choose to focus on the positive in ourselves and others, and we saw our radiance and ourselves in each other, I truly believe that this would transform the planet. That is what I see in this painting.

I Am Powerful supports claiming your divinity, which is something we are all capable of. And it’s possible if you continue to focus on what is good and what is true within yourself; the divinity within you.

Applying the first layer of ‘I am Safe’

Shining through the black

In the image gallery above are some behind-the-scenes photos from the creation of this painting. You may notice in some of the pictures that I started with black. But in the back of my mind, I knew I was painting “I am powerful”, so the dominant colour of yellow would need to be revealed at the end as the focal point.

The challenge creatively with creating a multi-dimensional layered painting like this is that you want to have a dominant colour–such as the yellow shining through as it does in this piece.

But if you mix anything other than white with yellow, it turns into really weird colours. For example, mixing black with yellow gives you green. But if you start mixing other colours, you get muck. So I had to be very careful when adding a new layer and setting the tone and then letting it dry.

As such this painting was truly a test of my own personal power. I was forced to exercise this because after I’d put on a new layer, I had to let it dry completely before I could add something else. I could only do a little bit at a time, so it took many weeks to build up to that final place where we see this beautiful image.

Show Information

The Drishti Experience – Capturing the Frequency of My Well-Being

Deb Chaney, Solo Exhibit, Amelia Douglas Gallery

November 7, 2025 – January 9, 2025

Seven large scale mixed media abstract paintings by Deb Chaney. Her latest work is inspired by her desire to experience and visually express the frequency of her well-being. This series sheds light on the link between healing mental illness and developing spiritual consciousness.

Location

Amelia Douglas Gallery
Fourth Floor North, Douglas College
700 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3M 5Z5

Gallery Hours
Monday–Friday: 10:00 AM–7:30 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM–4:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Gallery Website

A Drishti Painting Focus: I Am Safe

/

Deb Chaney and James Teshima standing with I Am Safe (2024)

The first large painting in my series of Drishti Paintings is called I Am Safe. The original abstract artwork measures 5’ x 4’ x 1.5” and is part of this series of 7 paintings that each represent a chakra or energy centre.

It is currently on display at Amelia Douglas Gallery at Douglas College in New Westminster until January 2025. 

The root of it all

With this first painting we are looking at the root chakra–the base energy that each one of us has at the bottom of our body. When we are healthy in this chakra, we’re rooted in the earth and grounded, making us feel safe and secure. 

We have a sense of peace about being here in the physical world and the title of this painting–I Am Safe–is a powerful affirmation that encapsulates the frequency of well-being in that energy centre.

Conversely, when we are not holding a frequency of well-being in the first chakra, we can have ailments and things in our life can indicate that we’re out of balance in this area.

I Am Safe by Deb Chaney (4’ x 5’ x 1.5”)

The elements of focus

The whole point of each large Drishti painting is having a focus–which is represented by a colour. In this particular painting red is the focal point and the affirmation in the title, I Am Safe, is the focus. That dominant colour and the title affirmation is your drishti (focus).

Focusing on these 3 words may seem incredibly simple, but it’s a truly powerful practice. If you can keep your mind focused on a frequency of “I Am Safe” for 17 seconds, you create an energetic frequency and trajectory, and you’re going to perpetuate more feelings of well-being and safety in your life. You can literally change your vibration and therefore your physical well-being by focusing your thoughts.

Choosing a positive perspective ties into the series as a whole as your mind and your focus are so incredibly powerful. And this applies to each of the paintings in the series. 

Looking at this painting specifically, it has all the elements of a Drishti Painting in that there are 3 main elements that I always aim to incorporate. One is space, which you can see in the use of positive and negative space here. The second is the minty, light blue-green background used to contrast the main colour red so it really stands out. The whole idea is that you’re focused on that red energy.

And third, there’s the sacred geometry of the Flower of Life, which represents connections. 

Finding divine focus in the Fibonacci sequence

If you’ve read my earlier posts, you’ll know that I’ve based the composition of the Drishti Paintings on the Fibonacci sequence. And when I would show up to the canvas with these parameters ready to go, the focal point is like a big surprise.

In all my years of painting I’ve never approached the canvas thinking, “I’m going to paint a heart.” But when I stepped back from this painting, I realized I was looking at a physical heart. A real human heart. And when you map it out according to the Fibonacci sequence, if it were overlaid on a human body, the focal point is the heart. 

There is a bounty of spiritual knowledge and research about the heart being the centre of everything. Researchers in organizations such as HeartMath have been looking at how the heart has its own intelligence and how it perceives things more quickly than the brain.

According to Drunvalo Melchizedek in Journeys into the Heart, when meditating, you go inside your heart and everything you’ve been looking for is there. Your purpose and meaning in life is encoded in your heart, and meditation opens a doorway to a world within your heart. And I find this fascinating because to me this painting looks like a heart.

Applying the first layer of ‘I am Safe’

My personal journey

This all ties in with my personal journey as these Drishti Paintings are capturing the frequency of my well-being. I’ve done all of this healing and I want to share with the world that it is possible to heal. And the main takeaway is finding a connection with yourself and that meditating is the most potent, powerful thing that you do.

While working on each of these large paintings, I was surrounded by affirmations about what it means to feel safe in the world. What it means to feel good and grounded and be in a state of well-being. And all of these relate to the first chakra.

Many spiritual guides encourage you to put your hand on your heart, for it synergizes your mind with your heart and creates a powerful resonance. So during my walks outdoors I would put my hand on my heart and say to myself, “I'm safe in this universe and all life loves and supports me.”

When I finished this painting, I was looking at it and there was a moment when it hit me–the focal point of this painting, this big red blob, actually looks like a human heart. (And also a bit like brains.)

And since embarking on the creation of this series, and learning so much about well-being, I try to live each day and approach every challenge with my heart, as best as I can. I often ask myself: How can I see this person or situation with love? But this painting is really about I Am Safe, so I put my hand on my heart and I remind myself that I'm safe in this world and all beings and all life supports and loves me. And this is what I wish for everyone who views this painting.

Show Information

The Drishti Experience – Capturing the Frequency of My Well-Being

Deb Chaney, Solo Exhibit, Amelia Douglas Gallery

November 7, 2025 – January 9, 2025

Seven large scale mixed media abstract paintings by Deb Chaney. Her latest work is inspired by her desire to experience and visually express the frequency of her well-being. This series sheds light on the link between healing mental illness and developing spiritual consciousness.

Location

Amelia Douglas Gallery
Fourth Floor North, Douglas College
700 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3M 5Z5

Gallery Hours
Monday–Friday: 10:00 AM–7:30 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM–4:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Gallery Website

Welcome to The Drishti Experience (Part 3 of 5)

/

Large Drishti Paintings in process with the Flower of Life sacred geometry background.

This is the third in a series of 5 posts focused on my current solo painting exhibit: The Drishti Experience - Capturing the Frequency of My Well-Being. If you missed the first two posts, you can read Part 1 and Part 2 before continuing.

The exhibit is now up and available for viewing. The gallery location and hours are listed at the bottom of the page.

With composition covered, it's time to look at the Flower of Life.

What is the Flower of Life?

The Flower Of Life is an ancient sacred geometric symbol that's found in many different cultures and traditions around the world. Egyptian, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, and Christian cultures all have numerous representations of this ancient symbol in their art and architecture.

The oldest known example can be found in the Temple Of Osiris on a wall relief which is thought to be about 6,000 years old.

The Flower Of Life is believed to contain ancient sacred knowledge about the origins of the universe and our place in it. It's said that it contains a sacred geometry that can explain the underpinning of the cosmos.

Some believe that it holds the secrets of the universe and the key to unlocking its hidden knowledge. In fact, sacred geometry states that this ancient symbol contains the patterns of creation, and that it's capable of explaining the fundamental structure of space and time.

Why I chose it for this series

I am creative, passionate and inspired, Little Drishti (12" x 16" x 2").

Some believe that the Flower of Life represents the unity of all life and the interconnectedness of all beings.

My healing journey taught me the importance of our interconnection, and I felt that this symbol was the best symbol among many sacred geometries to represent this. And the more I dove into and learned about the Flower of Life, the more it made sense why I chose it.

Brené Brown, a research professor and author known for her work on vulnerability, courage, empathy, and shame, emphasizes the importance of healthy connections in her studies on human behavior and emotional well-being.

She often discusses how connection is at the core of healing and overall well-being. A key insight from her work in this regard is Connection as a Fundamental Human Need.

Brown asserts that human beings are wired for connection. Meaningful connections with others are essential for emotional and mental health. Without these connections, people experience loneliness, which is linked to increased stress, anxiety, and even physical health problems.

Above painting: I am creative, passionate and inspired, Little Drishti (12" x 16" x 2"). Mixed media on wood panel, framed. Price $600 please contact the artist info@debchaney.com for purchase. Work available Jan 9th, 2025 after exhibit takedown. Thank you.

How I incorporated the flower of life into my Drishti Paintings

As you may recall in a previous post, I shared about my small study paintings and how they helped me figure out my approach in layering the big paintings. I used these small pieces to experiment with different ways to include the flower of life symbol into these paintings.

In the final large Drishti Paintings, now on display at Amelia Douglas Gallery, I used 3 techniques to incorporate this sacred geometry. Using beautiful multi-sized flower of life stencils, I applied acrylic spray paint, thick clear layers with gel medium, and pencil.

The spray paint was a wonderful tool to create straight and marked edges in the work.

Gel medium allowed me to create clear and translucent layers that I could intermingle with paint glazes to create ethereal effects.

If you look closely at the large finished Drishti Paintings on display, you'll see echoes of pencil incorporated in them as I would draw in the flower of life shapes and then erase parts to integrate them into the other layers of the paintings.

It's been done before

My intention and purpose of creating these Drishti Paintings is in support of our meditation practice, to encourage us to go inward and tap into our divinity. Turns out, paintings created specifically in support of meditation have been done before!

Yantras are ancient paintings dating back to 11,000–10,000 BCE that were created by Tibetan Buddhists, also used sacred geometry, and were made specifically as an aid to meditation.

Show Information

The Drishti Experience – Capturing the Frequency of My Well-Being

Deb Chaney, Solo Exhibit, Amelia Douglas Gallery

November 7, 2025 – January 9, 2025

Seven large scale mixed media abstract paintings by Deb Chaney. Her latest work is inspired by her desire to experience and visually express the frequency of her well-being. This series sheds light on the link between healing mental illness and developing spiritual consciousness.

Location

Amelia Douglas Gallery
Fourth Floor North, Douglas College
700 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3M 5Z5

Gallery Hours
Monday–Friday: 10:00 AM–7:30 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM–4:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Gallery Website

Here is Your Invitation to the Opening Reception

/

Sitting with The Drishti Paintings

I am thrilled to invite you to the opening reception of my latest exhibition, The Drishti Experience: Capturing the Frequency of My Well-Being, happening on Thursday, November 7th, from 4:30 to 6:30 pm at the beautiful Amelia Douglas Gallery at Douglas College.

This collection is especially meaningful to me, as it visually reflects my journey of healing, well-being, and spiritual growth. Through vibrant colors, layered textures, and sacred geometry, I’ve captured what I discovered along the way. 

Each large-scale painting represents one of the body’s energy centers, offering a glimpse into the emotional and spiritual connections that have guided my creative process.

The reception will include live music, delicious hors d'oeuvres, and a chance to connect. I’d love to meet you, share more about this journey, and hear your thoughts as you experience the artwork.

Event Details:

  • Date: Thursday, November 7, 2024

  • Time: 4:30 – 6:30 pm

  • Location: Amelia Douglas Gallery, Douglas College
    (700 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC)
    Fourth Floor North

I hope you can join me for this celebration of art, community, and well-being! Feel free to bring friends and family, as this evening will be an open and welcoming event for all.

Thank you for this community

I would like to thank a number of key people in our Gabriola Island community who helped me with the various aspects of this exhibit. 

The Gabriola Arts Council for awarding me the grant earlier this year in support of this exhibit. Thank you. 

Our local artist, Tyrrell Clarke, for taking all the promotional photographs. Thank you. 

Carol Ferguson for helping me write the BC and Canada Arts Council grants. Thank you. 

Jonathan Hoskins for making the beautiful small frames for the Little Drishti paintings. Thank you. 

Stephanie Artuso for taking the final photographs of the large Drishti Paintings for the exhibit catalog. Thank you. 

Catherine Hallum of Free Spirit Gallery for cheering me on every step of the way. Thank you. 

Willow Friday of Iron Oxide Art Supplies for getting me all the materials I needed to create these paintings. Thank you.

Show Information

The Drishti Experience – Capturing the Frequency of My Well-Being

Deb Chaney, Solo Exhibit, Amelia Douglas Gallery

November 7, 2025 – January 9, 2025

Seven large scale mixed media abstract paintings by Deb Chaney. Her latest work is inspired by her desire to experience and visually express the frequency of her well-being. This series sheds light on the link between healing mental illness and developing spiritual consciousness.

Location

Amelia Douglas Gallery
Fourth Floor North, Douglas College
700 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3M 5Z5

Gallery Hours
Monday–Friday: 10:00 AM–7:30 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM–4:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Gallery Website

My Favourite Artwork at Art Basel Paris 2024

/

Whole Segments by Joan Snyder, 1970 (70” x 144”)

I had the good fortune and pleasure of going to Paris this month and attending Art Basel Paris 2024.

One of my favourite pieces of art at the entire exhibition was by American painter Joan Snyder. Her 1970 artwork titled Whole Segments is a mixed media painting on canvas measuring 70” x 144” and I’d like to share a bit about why I love it so much.

About the painting

Whole Segments is a 1970 painting by Joan Snyder and this painting just sings to me. It speaks to me. It excites me. So much so that it’s hard to put it into words.

I spent so much time standing in front of this painting, then I took a video where I started in close, panned out, then took some more detailed close-ups. It’s a fascinating piece of art.

I love big art–so I love how BIG this painting is. It’s so bold. And I love its bold use of colour. I love the use of space.

And if you look at some of the detailed photos I’ve included in the gallery below, you’ll see a grid drawn with pencil. But when you step back to take in the painting as a whole, the lines disappear. Noticing these lines gave me a particular thrill, because mapping things out with pencil is precisely what I did for my New Jersey series of paintings. (Which is also the artist’s birthplace!)

She uses many different materials in the painting, including spray paint, acrylic , and oil–and I absolutely love that. It’s very reminiscent of Helen Frankenthaler’s staining technique with her color field paintings.

There’s such an energy of allowing and such a vibrancy here. It’s just so luscious and delicious and fun and free–and it endlessly inspires me.

About Joan Synder

Joan Snyder (1940) is an American painter from New York who’s been painting since the 1970s and experienced tremendous success. She’s received numerous distinguished awards, including a MacArthur Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. 

You can read more about her on Wikipedia and see more of her artwork on her Instagram and her website.

About Art Basel

Art Basel is one of the world's most prestigious contemporary art fairs, held annually in 3 main cities: Basel (Switzerland), Miami Beach (USA), and Hong Kong (China). It serves as a platform for galleries, artists, collectors, and art enthusiasts to come together to view, buy, and sell modern and contemporary artworks. 

Art Basel has become a key moment in the global art calendar, attracting high-profile art sales, celebrity appearances, and significant media attention.

It was held this year for 3 days at the Grand Palais in Paris.

About its 2024 Paris location, Le Grand Palais

As you can see in the photo I took (in the gallery above), the exterior of this building is amazing!

The Grand Palais in Paris is a large, historic exhibition hall and museum complex located on the Champs-Élysées. Built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair), it is known for its grand architecture, which combines classical elements with Art Nouveau, and for its iconic glass-domed roof. 

Welcome to The Drishti Experience (Part 2 of 5)

/

Look closely for the lightly placed pencil marks creating the compositional ground for this first large Drishti Painting.

This is the second in a series of 5 posts focused on my upcoming solo painting exhibit: The Drishti Experience - Capturing the Frequency of My Well-Being. If you missed Part 1, you can read it here.

With my choices in symbols and colours covered in the last post, it’s now time to discuss the third component: composition.

The Importance of Composition

Composition is the groundwork of an abstract painting. And during the past few years of researching and formulating this series, I still felt unclear on the composition for this series.

This became truly evident with an exhibit of mine in West Vancouver where I was showing some medium format Drishti Paintings at the Silk Gallery. I realized that the composition was all over the place, but I showed them anyway–which certainly took some courage!

But rather than lose focus, I viewed these artworks as beautiful learning failures.

I knew that I wanted to capture a feeling of flow that I feel is an integral part of experiencing well-being, I just didn’t quite know how to best do that. I went to Lynn Valley and sat by the river, pondering this compositional conundrum. I felt that rivers had something to teach me. I also had yet to come upon the Fibonacci sequence.

What is the Fibonacci sequence?

The Fibonacci is a mathematical sequence in which each number is the sum of the two preceding it.

It is named after Leonardo Fibonacci, the 12th-century Italian mathematician who observed these number patterns in Nature.

Walking through the woods, he noticed that growth patterns in petals and leaves appeared universally consistent. When a certain plant sprouted from the ground, it would grow by 1 leaf, then 2 leaves, then 3, then 5, then 8, and so on.

This pattern of numbers eventually became known as the Fibonacci Sequence and, if you’re given any 3 consecutive numbers in the sequence, you can easily recognize the pattern. It’s a very special sequence that is truly crucial to Life.

Discovering Fibonacci

After returning home to Gabriola Island, a book I’d ordered from the library arrived. And as soon as I started reading The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life by Drunvalo Melchizedek, I couldn’t put it down.

He writes about how the pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, and other great monuments in Egypt, are positioned along the Nile River according to the Fibonacci sequence. With each structure representing a chakra, they served as guideposts along a path of transformation for students learning to access higher dimensions.

I realized that my own journey to well-being was linked with spiritual consciousness–and both involve a journey up the energy centres. So I was excited to discover that the Fibonacci sequence embodies this principle and has connections to a river as well!

A pattern for spiritual growth

The Fibonacci sequence is regarded as a fundamental blueprint to the universe in many spiritual traditions–for it appears in natural forms, from the spirals of galaxies to the arrangement of leaves on a plant.

This is seen as evidence of an underlying order or intelligence in the cosmos, suggesting that the universe is a reflection of a divine or spiritual consciousness.

The Fibonacci sequence can be interpreted as a metaphor for spiritual growth. Just as each number in the sequence builds on its predecessors, spiritual evolution is a process of continual growth, where each stage of consciousness builds on the experiences and lessons of the past. As well, the sequence heads inward to a focal point - a drishti - within itself. Just as on our healing journey we must learn to go within ourselves.

I learned that as I pursued a healing journey, it became synonymous with a spiritual one and that the more conscious I became, the better I felt in my life.

Show Information

The Drishti Experience – Capturing the Frequency of My Well-Being

Deb Chaney, Solo Exhibit, Amelia Douglas Gallery

November 7, 2025 – January 9, 2025

Seven large scale mixed media abstract paintings by Deb Chaney. Her latest work is inspired by her desire to experience and visually express the frequency of her well-being. This series sheds light on the link between healing mental illness and developing spiritual consciousness.

Opening Reception: Thursday, November 7, 4:30 PM–6:30 PM

Featuring live music and hors d'oeuvres

Artist Talk: TBA

Location
Amelia Douglas Gallery
Fourth Floor North, Douglas College
700 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3M 5Z5

Gallery Hours
Monday–Friday: 10:00 AM–7:30 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM–4:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Gallery Website

Upcoming Solo Exhibit—The Drishti Experience (Part 1)

/

The Dristhi Paintings (in process) by Deb Chaney

This is the first in a series of 5 posts focused on my upcoming solo painting exhibit: The Drishti Experience – Capturing the Frequency of My Well-Being.

What is a Drishti?

Imagine you are in a yoga class. You’re doing a pose that requires you to balance and the instructor encourages you to find a spot on the wall to focus on.

That spot is “a drishti”. And by focusing on this, you begin to lose your wobble and hold steady.

The same applies in life, when we choose a positive focus, it helps us to find our well-being.

9 Years in the making

While giving an artist’s talk in 2015 Vancouver Arts Colloquium Society, an audience member asked me if I could identify the key factor in my healing from mental illness. My answer was the definition of a Drishti. I realized that when I chose a positive focus, this in turn helped me to create my well-being and support my healing.

And it was then that the seed for this Drishti Paintings series was planted. I wanted to find a way to visually share how I found my well-being.

The beginning of this series started with many small studies on paper that typically measure 11” x 15”. Before I could even think about starting the large paintings, I needed to figure out all of the components–the sacred geometry flower of life elements, colours, and composition–and how they would work and layer them together to visually capture the essence of well-being.

This is why, up until last month, I still had all of these large blank canvases. Dozens of smaller works, as well as hundreds of hours, can often be found leading up to a single finished large painting.

If you're curious, you can see some of these small studies in my “Little Drishti’s” series on Saatchi Art.

Starting small

While working on these small studies, my process evolved into clarity that would serve me when I finally tackled the big paintings. The clarity for how I would execute all the components I wanted to include in the final large scale Drishti Paintings didn’t come at all at once. It felt like I had to figure out one component at a time.

I was confident in my choice of colours–each colour representing the energy frequency of each energy centre (chakra) in the body.

I was also clear about incorporating the flower of life’s sacred geometry, representing the interconnectedness amongst all living things and what I feel is one of the essential ingredients of our well-being: connection.

The third component of these paintings–the composition–still escaped me. I’ll get into the story about how I finally figured out what it would be in the next email (Part 2) in this series.

To our well-being,

Deb Chaney

P.S. You can also read my full feature article in the September 2024 issue of What Women Create Magazine or online here.

Show Information

The Drishti Experience – Capturing the Frequency of My Well-Being

Deb Chaney, Solo Exhibit, Amelia Douglas Gallery

November 7, 2025 – January 9, 2025

Seven large scale mixed media abstract paintings by Deb Chaney. Her latest work is inspired by her desire to experience and visually express the frequency of her well-being. This series sheds light on the link between healing mental illness and developing spiritual consciousness.

Opening Reception: Thursday, November 7, 4:30 PM–6:30 PM

Featuring live music, hors d'oeuvres, and a cash bar

Artist Talk: TBA

Location
Amelia Douglas Gallery
Fourth Floor North, Douglas College
700 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3M 5Z5

Gallery Hours
Monday–Friday: 10:00 AM–7:30 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM–4:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Gallery Website

Donating Art to Raise Awareness for Vulnerable Youth

/

SinguLar Focus by Deb Chaney (9" x 12")

Earlier in the summer I met with the coordinator of the Foundation for Artistic Expression (FAE) and agreed to donate a painting for its fundraising event. The auction is in support of something very dear to me—mental health and well-being—and helping at-risk youth in the area.

Among the events at IGNITE2024 is a silent auction in which my painting will be available. The auction will be held at the gala event on September 14 at the Vancouver Island Convention Centre.

About the painting

The painting I’ve chosen to donate is called Singular Focus, an abstract artwork created with acrylic, pencil, and pastel on paper.

Cool tones of blue and gray create a serene and meditative atmosphere, while a vibrant circle of orange and red acts as a focal point, drawing the eye towards its warm, energetic glow. This contrast between the cool background and the fiery center creates a dynamic tension within the piece.

A variety of brushstrokes, splatters, and drips add texture and depth to the composition. The lines and shapes are loose and gestural, suggesting a spontaneous and intuitive approach to the work. Despite its apparent simplicity, the painting invites fresh interpretations with each viewing.

This small series of paintings is part of my larger Little Gems Series and each artwork measures 9” x 12”.

About the FAE

The Foundation for Artistic Expression is a non-profit organization committed to “shattering stigmas” and raising awareness for mental health and vulnerable youth in Canada.

Founded by Mariel Nichole Anderson, visit the website to read more about the organization and their mission, current actions, and future plans.

About the event

The title of the IGNITE2024 event says it all–Nature Nurture: A Mental Health Gala for Vulnerable & At-Risk Youth.

The event showcases local talent from in and around Nanaimo with the goal of helping vulnerable youth in the Nanaimo area. It aims to raise awareness for 2 programs in Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District 68, Learning Alternatives and the Take A Hike Foundation.

With the help of local makeup artists and hairstylists, volunteer musicians, dancers, and others will unite together in the spirit of giving back and igniting the spotlight on mental health. Activities include a 50/50 draw, a live mural painting, and the silent auction, then wrap things up with a dance.

  • When: September 14, 2024

  • Where: Vancouver Island Conference Centre

  • Tickets: Online or at local Save-On-Foods 

  • Website: FAE Upcoming Events

About my Little Gems Series

My ongoing Little Gems Series is a collection of paintings that begin as practice pieces. I use them to hone my skills as well as explore and try out new techniques and ideas. 

Each painting in the series is bursting with the joy, love, and passion I feel in the studio. And all that energy and positivity is infused in every piece of artwork – which becomes my gift to you!

You can see more abstract paintings in the series here at Saatchi Art.

What Makes My Private Art Lessons Unique

/

Downtown Forest Painting by Deb Chaney (9” x 12”)

I’ve had a lot of inquiries recently about my art classes, so this seems like a good time to put out some information for everyone who’s interested. Therefore, the painting I’m including for this week’s post is related to my classes and my unique approach to teaching art.

About this painting

This week’s featured image, Downtown Forest Painting, is a small original abstract artwork made with acrylics, pastels, and sand on paper. It is part of my Little Gems Series. 

I was living in the suburbs on a very busy street when I created this painting. It was essentially my version of hell and I would often put on noise-cancellation headphones and imagine being in a forest. The painting was created from this contrasting situation of finding silence surrounded by noise.

How my art lessons work

This painting was selected by one of my students. They chose this particular painting for their one-on-one Zoom lesson with me. Then during the private 1-hour art lesson, we basically go through the steps and they learn how to recreate this painting.

Therefore, the way I structure my art lessons is that you first go to my Little Gems Series on Saatchi Art. There are around 400 paintings in the collection for you to look through, so please take your time.

Once you find the painting that speaks to you, we’ll use that painting for our one-on-one session. In the hour-long lesson, I go through and I show you step-by-step how to create the painting that you've selected. I not only show you the techniques behind it, but the materials that I'm using and also the painting principles that are applied.

Before starting the lesson, please consult my small guide on how to set up your creative workspace and check out my list of the basic art materials you need to start painting. 

Private art lessons

If you are interested in private art lessons, you can contact me via email at indo@debchaney.com and I can send you a price list for either an individual lesson or package for a multi-lesson plan.

For immediate information about the availability and price of private classes please check out my Private Lessons page. It has some details on price packages and how to get started.

Prints and original artwork for sale online

You can buy the original painting of Downtown Forest Painting online at Saatchi Art here:

https://fwf0.short.gy/downtown-forest-o 

You can buy reproductions of Downtown Forest Painting here:

https://fwf0.short.gy/downtown-forest-p 

Reproduction prints on Saatchi Art are available in 3 formats:

Fine Art Paper

310 GSM, 100% cotton linters, archival quality, natural white finish with a slightly structured, soft-textured surface.

Metal

Specialized inks infused into specially coated, thin, high gloss aluminum sheets. Exhibit mounted on 2mm black Styrene and finished with a black Metal Inset Frame.

Canvas

Museum grade, matte textured (20.5 mil), bright white, poly-cotton blend with no additives and no agents.

Collaborative painting for donation to The Woods

/

The Colour Connection (20" x 20" x 1.5) by Alini Garcia, Deb Chaney, Tamara Grand, Roman Rozumnyj

This past Sunday marked the end of The Colour Connection group art show that I was part of. It ran for about a month at the Silk Purse Arts Centre in West Vancouver.

The central feature of the art exhibit was a collaborative artwork painted by myself and 3 other West Coast Canadian artists. You can also read an earlier post for more about the exhibit, but I’ll cover much of it below.

About The Colour Connection art show

The exhibit was held in West Vancouver’s Millennium Park and ran from February 7 to March 3, 2024. There was a Meet the Artists event in early February as well as an Artist Talk Livestream, which is now available on the gallery’s YouTube channel.

In addition to showing individual pieces by each artist, the show featured one collaborative painting done by all of us. And that is the painting I’d like to focus on here.

Donating the painting to The Woods

The final painting was donated to The Woods Arts & Wellness, a non-profit charity that supports mental health through art and nature. You can learn more about the organization (and make a donation) on The Woods website.

The process of collaborative painting

I had the painting–or rather the blank canvas–to begin the collaboration, then I mailed it to Tamara in Port Moody. After her additions she mailed it to Roman in West Vancouver, who made his contributions then sent it to Alini in North Vancouver.

The final painting, The Colour Connection (20" x 20" x 1.5”) is mixed media on canvas and created by Alini Garcia, Deb Chaney, Tamara Grand, and Roman Rozumnyj.

You can see the stages of the painting’s progress in the gallery below.

About the artists

Follow the links below to see more beautiful artwork and learn more about the 4 Canadian artists who contributed to The Colour Connection collaborative painting and art exhibit.

Tamara Grand

Contemporary painter and mixed media artist: My paintings are simultaneous explorations of what I see, where I’ve been and how I want to feel.

Roman Rozumnyj

West Coast Modern Artist: If I Could Explain it In Words, Then I Wouldn’t Have To Paint It.

Alini Garcia

Abstract artist

Deb Chaney

Contemporary abstract artist: Based on Gabriola Island, BC. My current Drishti Paintings are inspired by capturing the vibrational frequency of well-being.

All You Need to Know About The Alchemists Art Show

/

Can The Process of Alchemy be Beautiful? by Deb Chaney (36” x 36”)

This post is to announce that my artwork is part of a group exhibit that launches this week and runs right up until just before Christmas. The Alchemists Group Exhibit opens tomorrow (November 8th) and is being held at The Artful Gallery in Courtenay, British Columbia.

About My Painting

The abstract painting I have in the art exhibit is titled Can The Process of Alchemy be Beautiful? It measures 36" x 36" and is mixed media on wood panel.

The heavily textured painting is a mix of blues and gold with sacred geometry repeated across the canvas with stencils of the Flower of Life.

About The Alchemists Group Exhibit

What is alchemy?

Rooted in the Arabian al-kimia (stone preparation) and Greek chemeia (metal pouring), alchemy is considered the origin of modern chemistry. Medieval alchemists sought to turn metals into gold and concoct an elixir for eternal youth, giving them a reputation for magic and the occult.

But modern alchemy is more about transformation and creation in artistic, philosophical, spiritual, or psychological terms. The quest for spiritual enlightenment, harmony, and self-awareness by liberating oneself from beliefs, opinions, traumas, and fears. In this sense, it is a metaphor for a spiritual or psychological rebirth. As you may know, this is a large component of my artwork, so this art show feels very fitting.

Here are all of the essential details about the show:

Exhibit open: Wednesday, November 8, 2023, from 12 pm to 5 pm

Artists’ reception: Friday, November 10, from 7 pm to 9 pm

Exhibit hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 12 pm to 5 pm (regular gallery hours)

Exhibit end date: Saturday, December 23.

The Artful Gallery: 526C Cumberland Rd, Courtenay, BC

To contact the gallery, reach out to Kristina Campbell at ‭(250) 896-6000‬ or via email at kristinacampbellart@gmail.com. The gallery can also be found online here:

Other featured artists in The Alchemists art show

As always, I’m excited to be included among such wonderfully creative people. The following are all of the artists featured and exhibiting in The Alchemists art show.

Ramon Kubicek 

Visual artist and writer. Splits his time between British Columbia, in a rural location by the sea, and Montreal.

Wilma Millette

Curiously Creative Collage and Assemblage Art, Up-cycling the past. Vancouver Island, Canada.

Lisa Kirk

Untamed Artist & Facilitator / Radiant Heart & Art / The Possibilities are infinite. 💫 / Pure Process-The Art of Creativity / Author of The Light Within

Ivy Miller

Artist at Vancouver Island University.

Clive Powsey

Transmittable drypoint drawings. Betwixt Desolation Sound and Forbidden Plateau.

Prints and Original Artwork for Sale Online

For sales inquiries about the original painting of Can The Process of Alchemy be Beautiful? please contact The Artful Gallery. (See above for contact information.)

To view my other original paintings and high-quality prints available for purchase, please visit Saatchi Art here:

https://www.saatchiart.com/account/artworks/499285

Reproduction prints on Saatchi Art are available in 3 formats:

Fine Art Paper

310 GSM, 100% cotton linters, archival quality, natural white finish with a slightly structured, soft-textured surface.

Metal

Specialized inks infused into specially coated, thin, high gloss aluminum sheets. Exhibit mounted on 2mm black Styrene and finished with a black Metal Inset Frame.

Canvas

Museum grade, matte textured (20.5 mil), bright white, poly-cotton blend with no additives and no agents.

My Upcoming Workshop on the FUNdamentals of Abstract Painting

/

See How Spirit Moves Her by Deb Chaney (12” x 9”)

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be offering an in-person workshop beginning next month. It was written up in my newsletter this month, but I’d like to mention it here as well. If you don’t receive my newsletter, you can sign up for it here.

About FUNdamentals in Abstract Painting With Acrylics

My FUNdamentals workshop will be held on Gabriola Island on Monday nights, starting in October, and will run until December.

The 8-week course teaches the foundational 3 Cs of non-representation art making, how to use a colour wheel for basic colour mixing, and how to clarify the meaning in your work.

We explore mark-making principles and practice hands-on painting to learn layering, etching, and removal techniques. On top of these, we delve into how to add depth, texture, and intrigue to your artwork.

Finally, we discover the 3 Wows – what makes a great abstract painting and how to know when your painting is finished. You will leave this course inspired to continue your artistic journey, full of ideas and principles to explore and implement.

Dates: Mondays, Oct 16 to Dec 4 (8 weeks)
Time: 6:30-8 pm
Where: Gabriola Recreation Office, Gabriola Island
Registration: https://www.gabriolarecreation.org/events/painting-with-acrylics-fall2023/

For those of you who are unable to attend the workshop in person, it will be accessible online in the future. When it becomes available, you’ll be able to find it on the Online Streaming Workshops page.

Prints and Original Artwork for Sale Online

The original painting of the featured image of See How Spirit Moves Her can be purchased online at Saatchi Art:

https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-See-How-Spirit-Moves-Her/499285/3265121/view

High-quality prints of See How Spirit Moves Her can be purchased here:

https://www.saatchiart.com/print/Painting-See-How-Spirit-Moves-Her/499285/3265121/view

More original paintings and prints of my abstract artwork are also available for purchase through Saatchi Art online, which you can browse through here:

https://www.saatchiart.com/account/artworks/499285

Reproduction prints on Saatchi Art are available in 3 formats:

Fine Art Paper

310 GSM, 100% cotton linters, archival quality, natural white finish with a slightly structured, soft-textured surface.

Metal

Specialized inks infused into specially coated, thin, high gloss aluminum sheets. Exhibit mounted on 2mm black Styrene and finished with a black Metal Inset Frame.

Canvas

Museum grade, matte textured (20.5 mil), bright white, poly-cotton blend with no additives and no agents.

My Painting "Emerald Lake" in the Curves Art Exhibit

/

Emerald Lake by Deb Chaney (9” x 12”)

I am extremely grateful and very excited to have my artwork featured in an online exhibit. My abstract painting Emerald Lake is currently part of the Curves exhibit hosted by Exhibizone.

The art exhibition runs from July 20th to September 20th, 2023. The exhibit’s main page is https://www.exhibizone.com/curves2023. You can also go straight to view the selected artworks here: https://www.exhibizone.com/p/curves2023.html?TP=artworks.

Exhibizone is a visual art exhibition platform for showcasing artists from around the world. It has both venue-based and online exhibitions that have showcased more than 7,100 artworks overall.

My feature page for this exhibit with my artwork, statement, and bio can be found here: https://www.exhibizone.com/p/curves2023.html?TP=artists&ARID=2440602000218025660

About This Painting

My mixed media abstract painting featured in this exhibit, Emerald Lake, is a blend of purples, blues, and white, layered on top of each other creating a sense of depth and texture. The artwork was created using acrylic paint on paper, with layers of sand for texture, and a small bit of collaging done with printed book pages.

The painting is part of my Little Gems series, which I use for testing out new techniques and practicing old ones. The passion and love for art that I feel in the studio is expressed in every piece of art I create, regardless of size. All of this energy is passed on through the canvas as my gift to you.

The original painting was sold to Ms. E. Mottahead in Paris, France. While the original is no longer available, please see below for information on how you can obtain prints and reproductions for your collection.

Prints and Original Artwork for Sale Online

You can buy high-quality prints of Emerald Lake online at Saatchi Art here:

https://www.saatchiart.com/print/Painting-Emerald-Lake/499285/7984229

More paintings in my Little Gems Series can be found here:

https://www.saatchiart.com/art-collection/painting/Litte-Gems-Small-works-on-paper-and-loose-canvas/499285/160111/view

Reproduction prints on Saatchi Art are available in 3 formats:

Fine Art Paper

310 GSM, 100% cotton linters, archival quality, natural white finish with a slightly structured, soft-textured surface.

Metal

Specialized inks infused into specially coated, thin, high gloss aluminum sheets. Exhibit mounted on 2mm black Styrene and finished with a black Metal Inset Frame.

Canvas

Museum grade, matte textured (20.5 mil), bright white, poly-cotton blend with no additives and no agents.

Paintings Donated to Gabriola Island's Annual Salmon BBQ

/

Cultivate Your Goodness by Deb Chaney (4” x 6”)

Last summer I donated a painting to the wonderful Gabriola Island Community Hall to be auctioned off at its annual Salmon BBQ fundraiser. I absolutely love our beautiful, vibrant Gabriola community, and I feel so fortunate and am so grateful to live here. As my way of giving back, this year I am donating 3 paintings to the silent auction.

For this year’s auction, I created 3 little canvas pieces that work together but can stand alone specifically for this event. Each abstract painting is 4" x 6" x 1 1/4".

About the Paintings

These precious creations are a heartfelt expression of my love, gratitude, and passion for the enchanting Gabriola Island. It all began when I stumbled upon a newspaper clipping in The Sounder, highlighting a salmon barbecue event and soliciting donations. Filled with excitement, I embarked on a creative journey by incorporating snippets from The Sounder, using them as a foundation for my paintings.

As serendipity would have it, I also discovered a collection of maps, left on a stand in a free bookstore on our street. These maps, adorned with captivating images of the ocean and neighboring islands, felt perfectly fitting.

With deep chromium oxide green paint and dashes of blue, I carefully infused the canvases, allowing them to dry and set the stage for what was to come. Drawing inspiration from my tranquil forest walks on the island, I meticulously crafted silhouette images using organic materials I had gathered along the way. Each stroke and placement was guided by a profound sense of connection to the surrounding nature.

To bring everything together, a final coat of clear gloss adds a protective seal, reinforcing the unity of all the elements.

These creations are not only a gift to our community, but also a testament to the kindness, support, and profound sense of belonging I experience through life on this island. With sincere appreciation, I extend my deepest thanks.

The paintings up for auction are:

  • Cultivate Your Goodness (4" x 6" x 1 1/4" Mixed media on canvas)

  • Grow your Kindness (4" x 6" x 1 1/4" Mixed media on canvas)

  • Allow Your Inner Wild (4" x 6" x 1 1/4" Mixed media on canvas)

Allow Your Inner Wild by Deb Chaney (4” x 6”)

Grow Your Inner Kindness by Deb Chaney (4” x 6”)

About Gabriola’s Salmon BBQ Fundraiser

The 68th Salmon BBQ is being held Saturday, August 12th. It is the major fundraising event for the Gabriola Community Hall and includes 4 hours of local entertainment, a silent auction, a kids’ area, a raffle, and of course fresh, delicious salmon.

If you have time and would like to lend a hand, please contact Julie Stewart at gicha.salmonbbq@gmail.com.

If you would like to donate an item, please contact the organizers at salmonbbqfundraising@gmail.com.

The BBQ is held at the Gabriola Community Hall, which is located at 2200 South Road, Gabriola, B.C.

There are 4 ways to buy tickets for the event:

  1. Online (go to form)

  2. At Colleen’s Home Fashions at 580 North Rd.

  3. At North Road Sports at #4-510 North Rd.

  4. At the BBQ (cash only)

Prints and Original Artwork for Sale Online

I have both original paintings and high-quality prints for sale. You can find most of my artwork that is available for sale on Saatchi Art online here:

https://www.saatchiart.com/account/artworks/499285

Reproduction prints on Saatchi Art are available in 3 formats:

Fine Art Paper

310 GSM, 100% cotton linters, archival quality, natural white finish with a slightly structured, soft-textured surface.

Metal

Specialized inks infused into specially coated, thin, high gloss aluminum sheets. Exhibit mounted on 2mm black Styrene and finished with a black Metal Inset Frame.

Canvas

Museum grade, matte textured (20.5 mil), bright white, poly-cotton blend with no additives and no agents.

Reflecting on My First Gabriola Thanksgiving Studio Tour

/

Deb Chaney stenciling in the studio

As I mentioned in September, I participated in the 2022 Thanksgiving Studio Tour here on Gabriola Island. It was the 26th time the Gabriola Arts Council held the free event and 65 artists took part in it. And I’m so glad that I was one of them. So I’d just like to take this opportunity to reflect on the weekend and record my experience.

Nature Was on Our Side

A fundamental storytelling maxim is never open with the weather. But when you’re talking about the Gulf Islands in October and you get a weekend full of sunshine, it deserves to be mentioned. And the weather was amazing.

If you haven’t read my earlier post, the studio is just what it sounds like. Local artists on the island open their studios (and/or homes) to the public for 3 days during Thanksgiving weekend and people can visit them at their leisure – for free. Over the course of those 3 days, we probably had around 100 people come by the house. And we basically had 2 things going on for the tour.

Two Paths for Visitors to Explore

First, we converted the house into a gallery (see the slideshow below!) with plenty of paintings of all sizes for visitors to enjoy. Many were hanging on walls, while I also had plenty of my Little Gems, unframed, that people could browse through.

Second, in the studio, I was giving demonstrations of how I work and inviting people into my process. I took the opportunity to really share about the Drishti Paintings, the large-scale new series that I’m working on. I shared the intention and inspiration behind them, along with the parameters I’m following in the creative process. By taking unfinished paintings off the wall and adding layers, I was able to share my intuitive process of painting only in situations where I know the next step. Trusting that, I keep working on it and the painting then reveals to me the direction it's heading.

It was really fun and exciting and I got the sense that people really enjoyed seeing the process up close. It was actually the first time I’ve done demonstrations during a studio tour and I found it to be a great way to connect with visitors.

The True Meaning of Community

My daughter and her friend Angelica tended to the “house gallery”, assisted by a rotating crew of helpers from the island. And we were all so touched by the incredible sense of community support.

Six different women showed up at our house for morning and afternoon “shifts” on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday to help in any way they could. They did everything from greeting visitors and answering questions, to sweeping up, to preparing the hot chocolate and muffins we provided to anyone who stopped by.

And even though we’ve got a small island community, I didn’t actually know any of them personally before. They’d simply seen our request for help on the Community Facebook page and volunteered their time and assistance. 

It was such a good feeling and I’m so grateful for the good fortune to live in such a place. The experience was really unlike any other studio tour I’ve been involved in before. Gabriola Island is not only home to a lot of artists, but the community at large has such strong support for its artists – and these 2 factors combine to create a thriving art culture.

With all the other artists around, one of the things I found most exciting was when other artists came to visit my studio. It’s always such an honour and privilege. One of the artists to stop by was Gwen Spinks, whose exhibit I attended last year. And another was Karen Cain, who is a highly regarded artist and instructor. I’m really excited to visit her studio at some point. There were others as well, and each interaction was special and amazing.

Cherishing Those Magic Moments

The weekend was full of magic moments. I collect sand from our Twin Beaches here on Gabriola Island. And when kids came by, I showed them how I mix the sand with gel medium to use in my paintings. I got out my stencils and palette knife and showed them how to apply it, and some people watching announced that they wanted to go home and do it.

They were so inspired and that’s what I love – because art can be so fun and healing. If I can share what I’m doing and people get excited about it, it’s an incredible thing to witness.

Other magic moments include:

My friend and neighbour Paul stopped by with a prayer plant for my new studio.

My friend Moe came by with his partner Ocean, a wood carving artist, and she brought me the most delicious pear. (Which was perfectly timed with my growing hunger.)

Then my neighbour Nadine brought me some beautiful flowers.

And my other neighbour Larry noticed my doorknob was in need of little love – so he came back with his toolbox and fixed it for me. It’s a wonderful feeling to have these supportive and loving neighbours.

There were other moments too… like when strangers were gathered in the studio and someone pulled out a bottle of wine to share. Or someone suddenly started singing. Or chanting. Or all the conversations about spirituality and healing, and people just being open and authentic, sharing some of the most personal aspects of their lives.

This is a truly special place.

We even had Surprise Visitors

Like special guest stars surprising a studio audience, I had a couple of surprise visitors show up. My life coach, Michelle Falcone, whom I wrote about in August, texted me to say that she’d be coming over to the island with some friends. And one of those friends turned out to be my friend Susan Greig! (Susan is an artist as well and she owns and operates Braid St Studios, which I also wrote about earlier.)

My jaw dropped. I couldn’t get over that she was here. And she also ended up purchasing The Moon at Night, and it always deeply flatters me when another artist buys my work. It means the world to me that they are spending their hard-earned money to add my artwork to their personal collection.

Original Artwork Sold (plus Prints for Sale Online)

We sold a lot of other smaller paintings as well, and we have 2 larger paintings on hold while the interested buyers measure their home. We also had little notepads for sale, which turned out to be quite popular. They were a fun keepsake for people to remember the studio with.

If you were unable to attend the tour, you can browse through my collection on Saatchi Art’s online gallery. You can also find many of the paintings in my Little Gems Series there. 

Saatchi Art offers multiple options to suit your personal tastes or needs. You can choose to have your print on paper or canvas and choose from 4 sizes to best fit your room. You also have the option to have it framed in white, black, or natural wood.

The “View In A Room” image on Saatchi Art should give you an idea of its size and let you see what it looks like on a wall.

Donating Art for Gabriola Island's Annual Salmon BBQ Auction

/

Gabriola Island by Deb Chaney (9” x 12”)

I’ve donated a painting to the indispensable Gabriola Island Community Hall to be auctioned off at its annual fundraiser. The painting is called Gabriola Island and I and some other island artists were mentioned in our local paper, the Gabriola Sounder.

The 67th Annual Gabriola Community Hall Salmon BBQ

Our local community centre – the Gabriola Island Community Hall – is holding its 67th Annual Salmon BBQ on Saturday, August 13. The festivities include the salmon BBQ, as well as a raffle, live music, activities for kids, and the silent auction. There’s a beer & cider garden for the adults and play area for the kiddos.

The event starts at 4pm on Saturday and goes until 8pm. Tickets are just $20 for a salmon dinner with homemade salads, buns, watermelon, and more. They’re available at Colleen’s (our local home and fashion store), the Community Hall’s website, and at the event.

Gabriola Artists and Performers Contributing to the Event

Gabriola Island’s community is an incredible supporter of its artists and artisans. And as a way of giving back and supporting the seat of this small, close-knit populace, local artists, artisans, and businesses have donated their goods or services to the fundraiser’s raffle and silent auction.

The painting I’ve donated is called Gabriola Island. It’s a 9” x 12” x 1.5” original mixed media piece on wood panel. I painted it years ago when I’d come to Gabriola Island on a retreat. Whenever I go away on a personal retreat, I have my beloved old leather satchel full of the art supplies needed to create small paintings. And this is one of the paintings to come from that. The ground layer of this painting is an old nautical map of the Gulf Islands surrounding the Salish Sea, with the text for Gabriola Island visible.

In addition to myself, other artists featured at the auction include Tammy Hugeon and Carolyn Bell.

Tammy Hugeon is a painter and glass artist “creating wild & soulful work” on the island. She’s a self-taught artist and was the BC Glass Art Award winner – twice! Her colourful, nature-inspired work includes mixed media paintings and large-scale sculptures of glass, steel, and wood. You can visit Tammy’s website to learn more about her and her work.

Carolyn Bell is a painter, writer, musician – and more! – based on the island. Her body of work includes a “heroic women” series of abstract paintings of Margaret Artwood, Julia Child, Ruth Bader Ginsburg styled as religious icons. You can see some of Carolyn’s work on her Facebook page, although the most recent update is from 2018.

The live music stage is set to include performances by Paul Gellman, Brooke Gray Harris, Sarah Osborne, Tom MacLachlan, Cursing Cousins, John Gresham and Friends, and Snake Island Railroad.

Original Artwork and Prints for Sale

This section usually has links to where you can buy the original or prints of the painting mentioned in the post. But seeing as my painting Gabriola Island is up for auction in 2 weeks, the original is only available to the highest bidder.

However, you can order prints of Gabriola Island on Saatchi Art or find another original painting in my collection on Saatchi Art’s online gallery. 

Saatchi Art offers multiple options to suit your personal tastes or needs. Prints can be on paper or canvas and are typically available in 4 sizes to best fit your room. You can also choose to have it framed in white, black, or natural wood.

The “View In A Room” image gives you an idea of its size and lets you see what it looks like on a wall. But take it one step further with the “View in My Room” tool that lets you see what it looks like on your wall.

Group show opens today: contraction. E X P A N S I O N at Free Spirit Gallery, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada

/

Group show “contraction. E X P A N S I O N” opens today at Free Spirit Gallery on Gabriola Island. This exhibit includes original artwork including painting, sculpture and assemble by artists including (but not limited to) Sheila Norgate, Karen Cain, Stephen Cole, Ocean Mussack, Gwen Spinks, Nerissa Layton, Seraphina Khephera, Deb Chaney and more.

About Free Spirit Gallery Free Spirit Gallery Studio Shop is an art space on beautiful Gabriola Island showcasing local contemporary art and goods from emerging to established artists on Gabriola and across BC. We also offer classes and workshops for kids & adults that aim to nurture the creative spirit in us all. We aim to be a space for people to come and immerse themselves in a creative space for both creating, collecting and appreciating visual arts.

Free Spirit Gallery Location: 590 North Road, Gabriola, BC, V0R 1X3
Phone 250-247-0197, Email info@freespiritstudio.ca
Winter Hours: Tuesday - Friday 11am - 4pm

The painting I was invited to include in this group show is entitled “Tangled Heart” 23" x 30" x 1.5" Mixed media on 300 pound arches paper mounted on wood panel and is part of my Fragments of Life Series.

About “Tangled Heart” We often fragment parts of ourselves in various relationships and situations so that we 'fit in' or that people like us. This fragmentation is a contraction away from our true selves. By consciously making art I reclaim the fragments, re-align to my authentic self and allow my full expanded being to be and shine in this world.

This painting can be purchased at the gallery during the exhibit dates (MARCH 15 - APRIL 9, 2022) or online via Saatchi Online Gallery: https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Fragments-of-Life-23-Tangled-Heart/499285/3406523/view

Artwork Featured Online Vancouver Island Library Art Exhibit

/

'The Writing is in the Air - Gabriola' 30" x 40" x 0.5" Ink, Pencil and Acrylics on Canvas

I am excited and grateful to be featured in the virtual art exhibit with the Vancouver Island Library. There are a few recent artworks posted and photos inside my studio and of me painting.  This online exhibit features artists from The Gulf Islands, Vancouver Islands, Hadaii Gwaii and Bella Coola. 

The online show can be viewed here: Vancouver Island Regional Library Virtual Art Exhibition has gone live and can be viewed here: https://my.nicheacademy.com/virl/course/31655. The Exhibition runs from February 2022 – April 2022.

My work specifically is featured on this page: https://my.nicheacademy.com/virl/course/31655/lesson/109123

'The Writing is in the Air - Gabriola' 30" x 40" x 0.5" Ink, Pencil and Acrylics on Canvas


Featured artwork 'The Writing is in the Air - Gabriola' 30" x 40" x 0.5" Ink, Pencil and Acrylics on Canvas was inspired during the time period where I finally knew my daughter and I would be moving to our dream place, Gabriola Island!  The painting begins with pencil lines and spiritual writing in inks that were blurred into the piece to create the finished piece. This original painting is available via Saatchi Online Gallery to  purchase for your collection: https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-The-Writing-Is-In-The-Air-Gabriola/499285/8686356/view