West Kootenay Regional Arts Council

Local Trail, Distant Shores: Water Colour Perspectives
2025-04-22 12:00 - 16:00, 2025-04-23 12:00 - 16:00, 2025-04-24 12:00 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) | VISAC Gallery, 1501 Cedar Avenue, Trail, V1R 2J5
A series of watercolour paintings by Dan Ashman. The exhibition takes inspiration from the scenery of the West Kootenays.
Exhibition Dates:
March 27 – April 24, 2025
Opening Event:
March 27, 2025
Evening Hours:
April 15, 2025
Gallery Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday
12pm-4pm

Artist Statement:
If I am asked how long it took to paint a picture, I would reply, “Thirty-five years to learn how, and a few hours to put paint on paper”. It is a long process to master the media of watercolour and even after all this time, something can still go wrong. I’m still learning and developing my style.
About Dan Ashman:
Dan Ashman was born in British Columbia in 1956 and started his foray into art in High School by painting in oils. He moved to Trail to work as a Metallurgical Engineer at Teck and took up watercolours in 1987 during a night school course led by fellow engineer and local watercolour artist, Brian O’Hara. Subsequently, he attended workshops with Les Weisbrich, a watercolour artist from the Slocan valley, and Kiff Holland, a watercolour artist from the lower mainland. Otherwise, he is self taught.
Dan joined the Trail Art Club in 1988 and helped to establish the VISAC gallery. He was a member of the “Thursday Night Painters” when it was led by Bob Ross. His work has been shown in Art Club exhibitions, the VISAC invitational show, showings of the Thursday Night Painters both in Trail and Spokane as well as juried art shows. He has sold a number of paintings including one to St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver.
As an avid outdoorsman, Dan was inspired by the captivating scenery of the West Kootenays and began to capture local scenes in watercolour either painting “en plein air” or in his studio. He is also an amateur photographer and uses photos from his travels as subject matter. Now retired, his recent works include landscapes from the West Kootenays, the Canadian Rockies, Hawaii, and Atlantic Canada.

“Uno” by Raul Pous Facha
2025-04-22 12:00 - 16:00, 2025-04-23 12:00 - 16:00, 2025-04-24 12:00 - 16:00, 2025-04-25 12:00 - 16:00, 2025-04-28 12:00 - 16:00, 2025-04-29 12:00 - 16:00, 2025-04-30 12:00 - 16:00, 2025-05-01 12:00 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) and 13 more dates | VISAC Gallery, 1501 Cedar Avenue, Trail, V1R 2J5
Meet Raul: Architect, Artist, and Digital Fabrication Visionary

“I’m Raul, an architect and artist of Mexican origin, now based in Canada since 2022. My lifelong fascination with materials and manufacturing techniques has deeply influenced my approach to design. While I’ve always appreciated the artistry and individuality of handmade products, I’ve also recognized the challenges they face in achieving precision and consistent quality.

This curiosity led me to digital fabrication, where I discovered the power to translate complex designs into reality with precision and control. Through the fusion of technology and craftsmanship, I am able to create pieces that retain the unique essence of handmade work while elevating their quality and accuracy.”

Exhibition Dates: March 10 – 20, 2025

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 13 from 4:00pm-5:30pm

Gallery Hours: Monday-Friday, 12pm-4pm

To learn more, visit us at: https://visacgallery.com/exhibitions/#unoraulpousfacha

An Evening with Vera Maloff
2025-04-23 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | 1505 Bay Avenue, 1505 Bay Avenue, Trail, BC
Join Vera Maloff, Doukhobor historian, as she discusses her books, Our Backs Warmed by the Sun and They Called Him a Radical: The Memoirs of Pete Maloff.

Speaker Series with Richard McCrea: Honeybees & Other Pollinators
2025-04-24 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Vancouver) | Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre, 1100 Hwy 3B | Junction of Hwys 3B & 22, Rossland, BC, V0G 1Y0, Canada
Join us for a fascinating journey into the world of Honeybees & Other Pollinators with biologist Richard McCrea at the Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre, at 6 pm on Thursday, April 24th. With decades of experience in life sciences—including ecology, entomology, botany, and palynology—Richard brings a deep appreciation and personal passion for the pollinators that play a crucial role in our ecosystems. Though not his primary field of study, Richard and his partner Lisa actively promote pollinator-friendly practices in their everyday lives, and his talk will blend scientific insight with accessible, real-world applications for anyone looking to support these vital species.
🌿 Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, a backyard gardener, or just curious about the bees buzzing around your blooms, this talk is for you!
🗓 When: Thursday, April 24th, 2025
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Where: Rossland Museum & Discovery Centre
Admission is by donation. Light refreshments will be available.
Come curious and leave inspired!
For more information or to RSVP, go to rosslandmuseum.ca/news/2025/april-speaker, email info@rosslandmuseum.ca or call 250-362-7722.

When the Sun Goes Down - A Gallery Show by Shea Caughlin
2025-04-24 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Edmonton) | 601 1st Ave, Fernie BC
Artist’s Statement
When the sun dips below the mountains, the forest becomes a world of wonder and magic. As the light fades, the air becomes crisp and the sky transforms from golden hues to soft ethereal glows from the moonlight. The creatures of the forest begin to stir; Owls, with their piercing gazes, are echoing through the trees. Foxes, emerge from their dens in search for a snack. Moose and elk, with their majestic antlers and gentle eyes, step into the clearing and roam out from the shadows of the forest.
The Exhibition will be highlighting the beauty of the Elk Valley area from dusk to dawn inspired by her experiences around Elk Valley, BC. Her paintings will be highlighting the serene quiet and mystical forests to the wildlife roaming the area such as elk, moose, foxes and rams in oils on canvas.
Artist Bio
Shea Caughlin, born in 1992, is a self-taught wildlife artist who draws deeply from her personal experiences in nature. Born in Nova Scotia, grew up in Ontario and Alberta, now resides in beautiful British Columbia.
Since moving to Elk Valley over a year ago, Shea has been so incredibly inspired by her surroundings that she picked up her paint brush after 15 years and hasn’t put it down since. Working from her home studio, she draws inspiration by day; walking the trails of ancient forests, discovering hidden lakes, and observing wildlife around her home, to capture every detail by night at her easel. These peaceful surroundings around Elk Valley has helped solidify her love for nature and wildlife and is shaping her future as an artist. Shea’s current medium is oil on canvas.
Insta: @artistsheacaughlin

Live Painting Demo: Verne Busby
2025-05-14 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Edmonton) | Effusion Art Gallery, 1033 7th Ave, Invermere, BC
Effusion Art Gallery in Invermere is thrilled to welcome St. Albert artist Verne Busby on Saturday May 17th this May Long Weekend!
Verne will be transforming a blank canvas into a work of art live on-site and Effusion will be featuring his stunnign new collection of original regional paintings May 17-23.
You definitely want to stop by to view his work and to watch his creative process unfold. Verne really is an acrylic paint master!

Changing Seasons Across the Kootenays
2025-05-15 - 2025-06-08 | 167 Deer Park Avenue, Kimberley, BC, V1A 2J5, 167 Deer Park Avenue, Kimberley, V1A 2J5
“Changing Seasons Across the Kootenays” A Solo Exhibit by Kimberley Artist Lynne Zentner Now Showing at Art Gallery Kimberley
We are proud to present “Changing Seasons Across the Kootenays,” a serene and heartfelt solo exhibition by local artist Lynne Zentner, available from May 15 through June 8, 2025.
Lynne’s collection pays tribute to the beauty and diversity of the four seasons in the Kootenays. Rooted in her deep connection to nature, each landscape painting is a visual love letter to the forests and mountain views she’s encountered during her many hours of “forest bathing,” solo camping, hiking, and skiing across the region. Her acrylic paintings capture not only the changing colours of the seasons, but also the mood and atmosphere of being lost in nature.
“I hope some of the love and beauty I’ve poured into my work will leak through to the viewer,” says Lynne, “and maybe even inspire a smile!”
Born on the wide-open prairies, Lynne’s artistic adventure began against a vast natural backdrop and blossomed into a professional career quite literally painting backgrounds bringing animated worlds to life as an artist and colour designer. With over 15 years in the Ottawa animation industry—including work with Funbag, Lacewood, and Hinton Animation for productions like Flash Gordon, Anthony Ant, and Watership Down—she has mastered a wide range of media and styles. Since changing careers and becoming an English language teacher, she has embraced landscape painting as her way of sharing her vision of the world.
Why should you visit? Because this exhibit is more than beautiful art—it’s a celebration of the wild, magical place we call home represented in paintings that invite visitors to experience the seasons of the Kootenays through the eyes—and heart—of a passionate local artist.
Everyone is invited to the opening reception on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 7 pm. Whether you’re a longtime admirer of Lynne’s work or a newcomer, this is a show that will move you—and perhaps change the way you see the landscape around you.
Where: Art Gallery Kimberley, 167 Deer Park Ave, Kimberley, BC.
When: May 15 through June 8, 2025 | Monday through Wednesday, by appointment and Thursday through Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm.

Nelson Sketch Comedy Revue: Volume II
2025-05-15 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Vancouver) | The Capitol Theatre, 421 Victoria Street, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 5R2, Canada
After selling out the Capitol Theatre in November 2024 with the premiere of Nelson Sketch Comedy Revue, we’re back—bigger, bolder, and weirder than ever.
This show is a love letter to the phrase “Keep Nelson Weird.” It’s a live show packed with fast-paced, scripted comedy. Each scene is short, sharp, and completely original—written and performed by the cast. Expect the return of Nelson News Tonight—and if you don’t know what that is… well, we won’t spoil it for you.
What audiences said about our last show:
“That was such an amazing show! Maybe the best I’ve seen in Nelson, honestly. Please do it again!”
“I haven’t laughed that much in a long time.”
“We loved it so so much and can’t wait to see the next show!”
“PEOPLE IN THE BATHROOM CAN”T STOP TALKING ABOUT HOW GOOD THE SHOW IS!!!! AHHH!!!!!”
The Cast:
Jaymes Bowman
Michelle Hart
Emma Hill
Ruby Horton
Kait Hundt-Lippett
Ruth Krulitsky
Jonathan Ramos

With special guest, Jackie Atkins!

Directed by Michelle Hart
This 90-minute production, including an intermission, features mature content—parental discretion is advised.
Due to the incredible response to our last show, we’re thrilled to add a second performance! Don’t miss your chance to catch us at the Capitol Theatre on May 15 or May 27
