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New gallery opening in The Platzl soon
Irma de Visser recognized the opportunity of a lifetime in the summer of 2021.
She had been working at Kimberley’s arts and cultural centre for seven years, and they were booking monthly solo/group art exhibitions in their Centre 64 Gallery into 2025. When cancellations occurred, there was a waiting list of artists eager to fill the open space.
“With the large number of talented artists in Kimberley and area and with new people continuously moving to town, there is a real demand here for exhibition space, and there is no commercial art gallery in a prime location. That is about to change!” said Irma.
She will open a new art gallery in the heart of Kimberley’s revitalized, historic downtown pedestrian area “The Platzl” in the spring of 2022.
Renovations began in October 2021 to transform a building that housed laundry facilities for approximately 50 years into her new art gallery. With a little nod to Andy Warhol’s “The Factory,” hence the pop-art logo design, Irma has named her gallery, “The Laundromat,” and will feature some remnants of the former laundromat.
“It’s that industrial touch that helps give the space a funky, welcoming feeling. Art is for everyone and it is important that visitors feel comfortable and not intimidated by the space, as they often do in traditional art galleries,” says Irma. “The easygoing and entertaining gallery experience at Art Gallery Kimberley will reflect just that.”
To give the community a sneak peak at her new gallery, she put the renovations on hold and created a fun Christmas Pop-up Art Market.
“It was a great opportunity for artists to display and sell their artwork during one of the busiest times of the year,” says Irma. The 2021 pop-up art market turned out to be very successful, and the 2022 edition is already in the works.
Art Gallery Kimberley will facilitate art; represent original artwork and artists that Irma is excited about; and build meaningful and lasting relationships with artists, art collectors, and the community. It will feature original fine, functional, and decorative art by Canadian artists while specializing in Kootenay nature, Kootenay wildlife, and Kootenay small-town living.
With monthly changing exhibitions and regular visual, performing, and literary arts events, there are always new and exciting experiences to enjoy for all. It is Irma’s passion to inspire, empower, and grow the local arts community. “The Laundromat” will also be made available for holding meetings, receptions, workshops, and other events.
“The amazing artwork in the gallery is guaranteed to elevate events and inspire guests,” says Irma.
After a soft opening in April, “The Laundromat” will be ready to officially open in May. The first art exhibition in the approximately 550 square feet section dedicated to monthly changing solo art exhibitions will be showcasing artwork by the incredibly talented and diverse Kimberley artist Grant Smith.
This solo art exhibition will feature Grant’s latest stencil and block prints of local animals along with his chalk drawings of pine trees from the Second Butte in Wycliffe and the backyards of houses along 106th Street Rails-to-Trails pathway.
Additionally, Grant has completed an artwork to support Wildsight’s Mountain Caribou Recovery Program. Part of Grant’s art exhibition will be a free series of introductory art demonstrations for the creative and the curious:
1.“So, You’ve Always Wanted to Draw? Four Things Good Drawers Already Know”
2. Capturing Your Travels in Watercolour” and
3. “The Simplest Stencil Print Technique Ever!”
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