New Exhibitions at Vernon Public Art Gallery Spotlight Emerging Talent, Climate Reflection, and Indigenous Youth Voices
Image: Fredrik Thacker, Having No Head, 2025, acrylic, oil stick and conte on canvas, 60″ x 70″
News Release: May 22, 2025
Vernon, BC – This spring, the Vernon Public Art Gallery proudly presents three compelling exhibitions that highlight a wide spectrum of artistic expression: Emergence, showcasing graduating artists from UBC Okanagan BFA program; Smoky Summers, a series of evocative oil paintings by Nicola Tibbetts; and Gathered, an inspiring collection of artwork by Indigenous youth from School District No. 22. These exhibitions open in May and invite the community to experience the vibrant creativity and cultural conversations shaping our region and beyond.
Emergence: UBC Okanagan BFA/BMS Graduate Exhibition 2025
Since 2009, the Vernon Public Art Gallery has supported emerging artists from the University of British Columbia Okanagan. Emergence is an annual group exhibition featuring graduates from the Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Media Studies programs. This year’s cohort brings together six dynamic artists working across painting, photography, sculpture, digital media, and installation.
Drawing on personal history, critical theory, and environmental concerns, the artists delve into pressing issues such as consumerism, sexuality, grief, memory, and ecological legacy. Highlights include Faith Bye’s sculptural still-life paintings that mourn familial loss through embedded domestic objects, Amy Bugera’s print-based critique of consumer culture inspired by Guy Debord’s theory of spectacle, and Fredrik Thacker’s visceral portrayals of queer desire through the lens of pornographic media.
Other featured artists include:
- Ella Cottier, whose ceramic installation reimagines trash as future archaeological artifacts.
- Brenna Lam Kennedy, exploring intimacy and time through digitally manipulated photography.
- Kate Nicholson, who reinterprets family photos to reflect on nostalgia and growing up.
Together, their works reflect a generation deeply engaged with the complexities of the present moment—offering both critical insight and emotional resonance.
Image: Faith Bye, For When You Bleed, assemblage and oil on canvas, 30″ x 36″, 2025
Smoky Summers: Oil Paintings by Nicola Tibbetts
British Columbia’s summers have grown increasingly defined by wildfire smoke, a climate reality that has altered our emotional and physical experience of the season. In Smoky Summers, Nicola Tibbetts captures the unsettling quiet of smoke-shrouded landscapes with haunting beauty. Her oil paintings evoke a paradoxical sense of serenity amid environmental turmoil.
The exhibition explores themes of loss, transformation, and resilience. Tibbetts reflects on the emotional weight of climate grief and the shifting relationship between people and nature. Her work acknowledges the lingering joy and warmth of summer—long days, freedom from routine—even as smoke and fire reframe that season into something uncanny and uncertain. These paintings offer space for contemplation and a call for gentleness, cooperation, and hope in an era of ecological upheaval.
Image: Nicola Tibbets, Birkenhead Pink Smoke Plane, 2024, oil on panel
Gathered: SD 22 Indigenous Art Exhibition
Gathered celebrates the creativity, cultural knowledge, and artistic expression of Indigenous students from across School District No. 22. Showcasing work by students from elementary through high school, this exhibition highlights a wide range of media.
Image: Juliet L., Gr 5 Baeirsto, watercolour and paint pen
The exhibition reflects both traditional knowledge and contemporary influences, with many students drawing from their cultural heritage while engaging with present-day themes and personal experiences. The result is a vibrant and diverse collection that speaks to identity, community, and the evolving nature of Indigenous art.
Exhibition Dates and Information
Exhibitions on View: May 23 – July 17, 2025
Opening Reception UBCO Emergence & Nicola Tibbets Smokey Summers: May 22, 2025 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Free & open to the public
Opening Reception Gathered: SD 22 Indigenous Students Art Exhibition: 2, 2025 | 11:00 AM – 4:00PM, opening remarks at noon
Location: Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Avenue, Vernon, BC
These exhibitions are generously supported by the City of Vernon, British Columbia Arts Council, Government of British Columbia, and our gallery members.
About the Vernon Public Art Gallery:
The Vernon Public Art Gallery is the largest public gallery in the North Okanagan region. We are committed to fostering understanding and enjoyment of contemporary art through exhibitions, public programming, and outreach. VPAG serves as a vital cultural resource, championing creative voices and critical dialogue within our community and beyond.
