The word “legendary” was mentioned more than just a couple of times in the same breath as “Emily Carr University of Art and Design Student Art Sale” held this past Friday through Sunday.
Otherwise, why else would 120 people line up for the show’s opening on a Friday at noon? Why else would a couple from Seattle, Wash. make the show a road trip tradition, adding to their already significant collection of Emily Carr student art in their home? And why else would many in the steady crowd be gallery owners and curators?
“The work is always good, this year is exceptional,” said show organizer Marlene Madison, an Emily Carr alumna. “And the students have been incredible. Really organized, really focused.”
The vibe of the room felt more Army & Navy Shoe Sale at times than a wine and cheese gallery opening. While watching the determined eyes of art hunters made the sale that much more fun, anybody looking for blue-light special art likely left the Granville Island campus disappointed.
“The pricing the students sometimes struggle with, they’re still students but the art is often at a level you would see out in galleries,” said Madison. “It’s priced very well, and a lot of work goes into it.”
Like anything that’s been around for 41 years, the show has a few stories to tell. It was called the Print and Pot Sale until the mid-1990s when the school’s administration asked the ceramic and printmaking students if they wouldn’t mind including more disciplines, particularly the painting students. Turned out they did in fact initially mind, so the Advancement (formerly Foundation and Development) agreed to organize the show to accommodate everybody, according to Roxanne Toronto who works with the school’s communications team.
Other distant stories swirled about; paintings bought at the sale for $30 and then, years later, appraised for $60,000. It’s not a stretch considering Emily Carr’s alumni includes a long list of notables — Stan Douglas, Douglas Coupland, Terence Koh…
Printmaking student Jonathan Hodges was happy to show his work alongside fellow students in a high-traffic gallery set-up.
“I’ve been successful every year and even if I don’t sell something, it’s just been about being able to show my work,” he said.
Added fellow student Patrick Bravo: “The anxiety was waiting for the doors to open and people to come in. But the part before that, I love that part. The setting up, preparing, having all the work done. And you want to have your best work instead of just random work. People are going to come and if you have your worst work, they will remember that.”
Hodges is from Des Moines, Iowa and Bravo is from Belluno, Italy. Both became friends, collaborators, as well as extra hands when it comes to producing their large-scale prints that are measured in feet of double-digits. There’s not enough room in the sale for those, but both had several smaller pieces on, and leaning against, walls.
Student Tina Yan had 17 original paintings for sale. Most sold by Saturday afternoon including a submission for November’s Stickboy exhibition at the Ayden Gallery, a joint venture with the Vancouver Opera for Shane Koyczan’s production of the same name.
“I really look forward to the show,” said Yan who paints on the side while she focuses on her degree in design.
“Last year I put pieces in the show and they sold within the first 10 minutes. It’s appreciated. You know, hard work pays off.”
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