Artists for Kids & Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art

08/12/2026

We are still buzzing from last month's Paradise Valley Summer School of Visual Art summer camp featuring our amazing Artist in Residence Geoffrey Farmer!
Young artists ages 9 - 15 spent their week at the picturesque setting of Paradise Valley. The students received in-depth instruction in collage, drawing, painting, and printmaking practices from Geoffrey Farmer and BC trained Art educators and art assistants. The group created an impressive collection of experiments and works inspired by observations, sounds, sketches, stories, and more. Outdoor recreation time was also paired with new friendships, inspiration, and many cherished moments throughout the week.
Thank you to Geoffrey Farmer, the art teachers, art assistants, camp counselors, the team at Cheakamus Centre, our supporters, and everyone else involved in making this studio program and camp happen for its 31st year!! ☀️☀️

Photos by Khim Mata Hipol

06/18/2026

More photos from our Artist In Residence Workshop with Rebecca Bair last month. We are so grateful for her expertise and dedication to making the two-day workshop such a success. Students had the amazing opportunity to learn the photographic process of cyanotypes, as well as the principles and elements of art and design.

Artists For Kids' Artist In Residence Program brings together artists, students and teachers, providing full-day skill-specific training that gives nominated students the rare opportunity to immerse themselves in creativity and art making, closely mentored by a professional artist.

Artist: Becky

Photos by Khim Mata Hipol Khim Mata Hipol

06/15/2026

Russna Kaur's 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮 (2026) emerged from a three year collaboration with printmaker Jillian Ross, by a relationship grounded in intentional mentorship sustained through conversation, experimentation, and trust.

This edition extends the language of Kaur’s paintings through an eleven colour, multi plate photopolymer process, chine collé, intricate cut paper components and hand drawn marks by Kaur. Inspired by a cluster of dry, tangled tree roots that the artist encountered during a residency, the edition echoes her interest in layered surfaces, shifting structures, and the ways identity and memory hide and reveal themselves over time. Kaur’s layered material and method become a metaphor for lived experience and the accumulation of generational knowledge, memories, and unseen structures that shape and inform us.

This limited edition is available through our website shop at gordonsmithgallery.com and the link in the bio. Learn more about this story.

Purchasing a limited edition print by renown Canadian artists funds our 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.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮, 2026
Eleven colour, multi-plate photopolymer, chine collé, drawing by the Artist, collaged papers
Edition of 45
13.5 x 13.5 in
$850 (unframed)
Signed and numbered

Artwork photograph by Rachel Topham Rachel Topham Photography Ltd.

Studio process photography: Courtesy of Jillian Ross Print (Jillian Ross Print) and Russna Kaur. (RUSSNA KAUR.)

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