Artists for Kids & Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art

05/14/2026

🗓 MAY 16th | 1 - 2pm / 2:15 - 3:15pm
📍Gordon Smith Gallery, 2121 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver
🔖 Admission: Free / By Donation

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/artist-workshop-with-manuel-axel-strain-explore-create-saturday-may-16th-registration-1988860754054?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Please join us for a special workshop with artist, Manuel Axel Strain, a 2-Spirit artist from the lands of the xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam), Simpcw, and Syilx peoples, and who has recently been long-listed for this year’s Sobey Art Award. Their work, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰 𝘢 𝘹ʷ𝘮əθ𝘬ʷə𝘺̓ə𝘮 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘵, (2026), is inspired by all three referenced artists in the current gallery exhibition, 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘋𝘦𝘦𝘱; Bill Reid, Jack Shadbolt, and Gordon Smith. We will be using a mixed-media collage to create artwork shaped by ideas from Reid, Shadbolt and Smith. It will be an exciting afternoon using many different materials! We hope you can join us for this artist-led workshop! All materials provided.

Please reserve your spot for one of the 2 sessions

Session A: 1pm - 2pm
Session B: 2:15pm - 3:15pm

Photo by Khim Mata Hipol

05/12/2026

🎨Art From 44 District Art Show is on display at the Gordon Smith Gallery Lobby until May 28th!
This exhibition features a variety of artworks- paintings, drawings, sculptures, etc., made by students K to Grade 12 in the North Vancouver School District.





Closing Reception on May 28th at 6PM

05/12/2026

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/artist-workshop-with-manuel-axel-strain-explore-create-saturday-may-16th-tickets-1988860754054?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎨Join us this Saturday, May 16th at the Gordon Smith Gallery for a special artist workshop led by Manuel Axel Strain!

RSVP through the Eventbrite link

🗓 MAY 16th | 1 - 2pm / 2:15 - 3:15pm
📍Gordon Smith Gallery, 2121 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver

Please join us for a special workshop with artist, Manual Axel Strain, a 2-Spirit artist from the lands of the xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam), Simpcw, and Syilx peoples, and who has recently been long-listed for this year’s Sobey Art Award. Their work, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰 𝘢 𝘹ʷ𝘮əθ𝘬ʷə𝘺̓ə𝘮 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘵, (2026), is inspired by all three referenced artists in 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘋𝘦𝘦𝘱; Jack Shadbolt, Gordon Smith and Bill Reid. We will be using a mixed-media collage to create artwork shaped by ideas from Reid, Smith and Shadbolt. It will be an exciting afternoon using many different materials! We hope you can join us for this artist-led workshop! All materials provided.

Please sign up for one of the 2 sessions available - LINK IN BIO

Session A: 1pm - 2pm
Session B: 2:15pm - 3:15pm

Admission is free and donations are welcomed.

Photo by Khim Mata Hipol

05/07/2026

Sign Up for Our May 16th Special Explore + Create Workshop with Artist Manuel Axel Strain at the Gordon Smith Gallery: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/artist-workshop-with-manuel-axel-strain-explore-create-saturday-may-16th-tickets-1988860754054?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

🗓 MAY 16th | 1 - 2pm / 2:15 - 3:15pm
📍Gordon Smith Gallery, 2121 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver

Please join us for a special workshop with artist, Manual Axel Strain, a 2-Spirit artist from the lands of the xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam), Simpcw, and Syilx peoples, and who has recently been long-listed for this year’s Sobey Art Award. Their work, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰 𝘢 𝘹ʷ𝘮əθ𝘬ʷə𝘺̓ə𝘮 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘵, (2026), is inspired by all three referenced artists in 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘋𝘦𝘦𝘱; Jack Shadbolt, Gordon Smith and Bill Reid. We will be using a mixed-media collage to create artwork shaped by ideas from Reid, Smith and Shadbolt. It will be an exciting afternoon using many different materials! We hope you can join us for this artist-led workshop! All materials provided.

Please sign up for one of the 2 sessions available - LINK IN BIO

Session A: 1pm - 2pm
Session B: 2:15pm - 3:15pm

Admission is free and donations are welcomed.

Photo by Khim Mata Hipol

05/07/2026

🗓 Saturday May 9th, 1 – 3pm at the Gordon Smith Gallery

Have you ever created a soft sculpture? This coming Saturday, May 9, we are inspired by the work of Chantal Gibson’s 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢: 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘺𝘳𝘪𝘤, where she uses nylon material, text from a book and various materials to fill the squares. We will be using soft material to sew and use other items to fill out our soft sculpture and in time for Mother’s Day, we will also be adding words that make us think about the mother figures and the adults who take care of us.

Explore + Create Saturday is a family drop-in art making program for adults and children ages 5-12 years old. Admission is free and donations are welcomed.

Pictured Artwork:
Chantal Gibson, 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢: 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘺𝘳𝘪𝘤, 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘰?, 2026.
mixed fabrics from 𝘖𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴’ colour palette, shredded text from Janson’s History of Art: The Western Tradition (1969 – 14th edition), nylon curtains, ephemera (care instructions, Band Aid, Tylenol, Advil wrappers, tags, QR codes, journal entries, sketches, notes to self, Post-Its, somatic training notes, change management plans, lesson plans, meeting notes) marker, pencil crayon, redacted text, found poetry, black cotton thread, poly thread. Courtesy of the Artist

Photo by Khim Mata Hipol

05/07/2026

05/07/2026

The Artists for Kids' Gallery Program brings contemporary Canadian Art to classes full of eager young students, introducing them to historic and contemporary art and culture. Classes spend hands-on and engaged time in both the gallery and in the studio, creating work that responds to the current gallery exhibition. All sessions are co-taught by the classroom teacher and a BC certified expert art teacher by Artists For Kids.

Pictured: Students create projects in the Gordon Smith gallery, responding to works in the current exhibition, 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘋𝘦𝘦𝘱 on view until June 20th.

Artwork pictured: Alex Gibson, 𝘐𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦, 2026, Polished stainless steel, 72 in h x 108 in w.

Photo by Amelia Epp

05/05/2026

Behind the scenes shot of our furry friend assisting in photographing the Spring Portfolio! 🐾💜

The Artists for Kids 2026 Spring Portfolio is available for acquisition. The portfolio features limited edition prints by prominent Canadian artists Russna Kaur, Elizabeth McIntosh, and Gathie Falk.

To purchase, email [email protected] or call (604) 903-3798

Visit the link in our bio to browse the portfolio, and sign up for our newsletter to receive more information about each edition.

The works of Russna Kaur, Elizabeth McIntosh and Gathie Falk have been brought together in the 2026 Spring Portfolio to consider the intersections across generations through mentorship, influence, and time. Each limited edition in this release embodies a distinctive approach to making and examines the lived and inherited relationships that have helped shape it.
Together, this collection invites us to consider how knowledge is shared across generations through shared practices, conversations, inherited ideas, and the unfolding of time.

Each print purchase funds educational programs, artist residencies, art camps, scholarships, bursaries, and future acquisitions for Artists for Kids and the Gordon Smith Gallery Permanent Collection, directly supporting the future of children and youth.

Printed at

Photo by

04/28/2026

Students from our Spring Gallery Program experimenting and creating vibrant works with watercolour and oil pastels, among other techniques.

Our Gallery Program brings contemporary Canadian Art to a class full of eager young people which introduces the students to the art and culture of Canada. The program offers students a deep, engaged dive into responding to and making art. Classes spend time in both the gallery and in the studio, making work that responds to the exhibition they have studied. All sessions are co-taught by the classroom teacher and a BC art specialist teacher provided by Artists for Kids.

Find out more on our website at the link.

04/18/2026

We are pleased to re-release this Artists For Kids Limited Edition print by Gathie Falk, titled 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 (1992) available as part of our 2026 Spring Portfolio. To acquire this edition, please email [email protected], or visit the link in our bio for additional information.

Born in Alexander, Manitoba in 1928, Gathie Falk spent her childhood dreaming of becoming an artist, a musician, a dancer or a writer. Her first formal training in art was at Saturday morning art classes held at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

In 1946, Falk moved to Vancouver and began working full time in a factory to help support her family. While working, she completed her high school by correspondence, then in 1952, entered the Provincial Normal School to train as a teacher.

Falk is an internationally acclaimed painter and sculptor who is best known for the imaginative and conceptual treatment she gave to everyday objects; Falk’s six-decade career has brought a fundamental groundwork for many contemporary Canadian artists. Falk revealed the extraordinary embedded in everyday life: roses, shoes, benches, fruit, clouds; her work bridged the domestic and the surreal, the intimate and the mythic, as a painter, sculptor, ceramicist and performer.

𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴, an archival edition published in 1992 by Artists for Kids, embodies Falk’s lifelong interest with memory, ritual, and narrative. The work merges observed detail with imaginative space, fusing the real and the dreamlike qualities, assembling visual fragments and layered surfaces.

Gathie Falk passed away in 2025 at the age of 97. Her work is represented by Equinox Gallery () in Vancouver, BC. Her artistry and presence have touched and influenced countless people for decades, and her impact and legacy will continue to resonate for generations to come.

Photograph by