Salt Spring resident Rea Zogia is making her name on the island as an emerging artist, with a number of projects currently in prominent public spaces.
Zogia is the creator of the mural that since last fall has beautified the area behind Ganges Alley and enlightened people on feminist reading material at the same time. She’s also secured the first exhibition in ArtSpring’s new project, which gives space to young and emerging artists in the Jankura Lounge (the lobby area by the back entry doors). This part of the lobby exhibition space is now exclusively for Salt Spring artists who are 25 years and younger, or those who have never held an exhibition at ArtSpring.
“Our goal with the Lobby Art Exhibit Program is to showcase as many local artists as possible to a wide and appreciative audience. The program has always been incredibly popular with local artists and we are excited to make the lobby space even more accessible to our community, especially by making room for new and young artists just embarking on their artistic careers,” information from ArtSpring explains.
Nova Luna is an exhibition of paintings and illustrations that represent Zogia’s early stages of creation as she readies to pursue art as a full-time career. Her main inspiration for many of the works were the friends she missed when she moved to the island in 2015, but also friends that she has made here. She used photographs that she felt encapsulated the true nature of each individual as sources for these works.
“It’s been an interesting and nice way for me to connect with my friends, because when I’ve sat down and done their drawing I’ve thought of the memories I’ve had with them and shared with them, and it’s just made me feel more connected and closer to them,” Zogia said.
Having the show at ArtSpring has allowed the young artist to build on networking and connections, just by letting people know the show is on. A few of the pieces are ideas she hopes to realize as mural projects some day. She also wants to share her experience with other emerging artists that she knows on the island so they can get a boost on their own art paths.
“I feel like it’s solidified my art career more. And on a small island like this that makes a big difference, because of word of mouth, and people just get to see and know and recognize it a lot easier,” Zogia said.
“It just feels very rewarding and fulfilling to have it up.”
Zogia’s Nova Luna exhibit can be seen in the Jankura Lounge through April.
For more on this story, see the April 17, 2019 issue of the Gulf Islands Driftwood newspaper, or subscribe online.