By MEGAN WARREN
For ArtSpring
Art lovers, you’re in for a treat! From May 8 to 22, celebrated gold and silversmith Donald A. Stuart brings his acclaimed exhibition, Homage, to the ArtSpring Gallery for the collection’s first and only planned appearance on the West Coast, brought to us by ArtSpring’s gallery curator Zoe Zafiris-Casey.
Coming to the island from Ontario, the display features 40 handmade necklaces, each meticulously designed as a tribute to a woman who has helped shape Canada. More sculpture than jewellery, these pieces capture the spirit of subjects ranging from the 11th century to the present day, accompanied by detailed biographies and hand-drawn portraits by Salt Spring’s own Susan Benson, who curated the exhibition.
Homage highlights Stuart’s extraordinary range as a multidisciplinary artist. Beyond his reputation in metalsmithing, Stuart famously founded the Pangnirtung Weaving Studio on Baffin Island in 1969, and that weaver’s sensibility for texture shines through in his choice of materials. For a piece honouring Kwanlin Dün elder and former Yukon commissioner Judy Gingell, Stuart incorporated gold nuggets, moose hair, mastodon ivory, glass beads and caribou antler to evoke the mountainous Yukon landscape against an aurora-streaked sky. In contrast, he honoured jazz legend Diana Krall with a bold collar crafted from antique piano keys and walnut with 14K gold inlay. While Benson’s background in theatrical set design helped her identify the characters and physical traits of the subjects — such as suggesting a high collar for ballerina Karen Kain’s elegant profile — Stuart’s technical mastery translates those identities into physical form.
Homage is rooted in what Benson calls a “mutual admiration society” between herself and Stuart. At first, Stuart considered making brooches, but Benson suggested that “you can say more with a necklace.” Since they started working on the idea over a decade ago, the stunning sculptures have appeared across eastern Canada and as far west as Yukon Territory, sometimes even returning to galleries by popular demand.
“I wouldn’t tell him this to his face, but he’s very clever,” said Benson.
To complement the display, ArtSpring will host four special events. On May 8, enjoy a glass of wine and meet the team who made this exhibition possible at the opening reception. On May 10, dig into Homage’s history at the curator’s talk, where Stuart and Benson will discuss this exhibition and Stuart’s other works. Then, two exciting panel discussions link the display with women doing important work closer to home.
In Icons on May 14, Elizabeth May moderates a panel of three other women making waves in male-dominated fields: Dr. Shazhan Amed, clinical researcher and paediatric endocrinologist at BC Children’s Hospital; Brenna Corner, artistic director of Pacific Opera; and Natalie Telewiak, principal architect at MG Architecture. On May 21, Amazing Island Women spotlights women who make Salt Spring Island tick. Photographer and journalist Connie Kuhns moderates a conversation with Aletha Humphreys, former executive director of Greenwoods Eldercare; Alicia Herbert, executive director IWAV; Sue Newman, dramatist, dancer and teacher; and the Driftwood’s own editor, Gail Sjuberg.
Benson hopes that everyone comes to hear and learn from these panels. She is no stranger to the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field. Now 84 years old, she started her career in the mid-1960s at the Vancouver Playhouse when set design was very much a man’s game.
“Even now, when I say I design sets, people will say to me, ‘Oh, you do the clothes,’” she said. “No, I do both. Don’t box me into one area, just because you don’t think women can do the architectural work.”
Not only can Benson do the architectural work of set design, but she is officially one of the most accomplished designers in Canada. She was appointed into the Order of Canada in 2019, which is already a major accomplishment. Then, this year, she received a surprise phone call from the Governor General’s office: she has been selected for a 2026 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Artistic Achievement.
“I actually cried when he told me, because I didn’t expect it,” she said. “Honestly, I’m at the end of my career now. You get to a point when you’re older when you think people have forgotten you. That’s it. Forget it. Then suddenly, you get an award like this. It is very special.”
Homage will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from May 8 to 22. Visitors are invited to wear their finest jewellery to join in this celebration of Canada’s most glorious women.
ArtSpring would like to thank Janet Halliwell, Sandra Heath, Seth Berkowitz Photography and Susan Benson for generously supporting this exhibition.
Homage Events
Opening Reception: Friday, May 8, 5 to 7 p.m.
Curator’s Talk: Sunday, May 10, 1 p.m.
Icons Panel Discussion: Thursday, May 14, 1 p.m.
Amazing Island Women Panel Discussion: Thursday, May 21, 1 p.m.