April 19 to October 22
The art and life of Sybil Andrews has a far reaching impact on Campbell River, particularly in the work of her devoted students whom she mentored, encouraged, and supported. This exhibition focuses on the work of her talented students and how her legacy shines brightly in the work of students like Marcy Prior, Richard Calver and many others.
This collective body of work is a stunning example of the comradery of the classroom and how the expertise and mentorship of Sybil shines brightly in the work of her students.
Richard Calver was one of those students, and before he passed away, he left a substantial collection of his work to both the Museum at Campbell River and the Campbell River Art Gallery. He hoped to add to their collections and help raise funds to support the efforts of both organizations.
“This gift from Richard Calver is a big part of what makes this show possible. Richard’s collection has several representations of Sybil’s classes in progress and portraits of the different students,” says Beth Boyce, Museum curator and designer of the show. “Many of the artworks feature Sybil herself as the subject and you can really see the warmth and affection her students had for her through their work.”
Sybil first started teaching art classes in 1959 and continued her weekly classes until she passed in 1992. Sybil had a devoted following and taught many locals over the years, several of whom went on to become quite successful professional artists themselves. Boyce says she is grateful for the support for the show saying, “Other students, and in some cases their descendants, have been generous in lending works for the show as well, making it a real community effort.”
A talk on the work of Sybil Andrews is planned for May 27th at 1:00pm at the Museum by Ken Blackburn, artist and Executive Director of the Campbell River Arts Council.