Artistry at Afternoon Tea

Experience the Second Annual Artistry at Afternoon Tea – November 23rd

Join us for the second annual Artistry at Afternoon Tea on Saturday, November 23rd, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the iconic Palm Court. This exclusive event will feature six talented artists, each live painting and showcasing their work under the beautiful Tiffany stained-glass dome

As you indulge in a traditional afternoon tea, you’ll have the opportunity to admire and purchase one-of-a-kind works of art created on-site. Don’t miss this exceptional celebration of creativity and elegance

Artists featured at Artistry at Afternoon Tea include:

MICHAEL BESEAU

Michael spends most of his time doing highly detailed renderings of wildlife. His primary medium is pen and ink, specifically stipple illustration (dots). Due to the exacting and unforgiving nature of this medium, Michael has quickly become one of Vancouver Island’s crabbiest artists. In 2012, Michael started working alternately between pen and ink stipple and graphite drawings in order to complete more work, more quickly. He found it easier to learn about aspects of art like composition by doing more drawings, more regularly: this was difficult to do using the stipple technique. It was with the new graphite illustrations that he found a niche for his work in natural history illustration. Michael’s wildlife drawings have appeared in Albany, NY at the New York State Museum, Focus on Nature XIII exhibit and at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History in New York at the Focus on Nature XIV exhibit.

TONY CARY-BARNARD

Tony grew up in South America, the UK and Canada. He had the good fortune of living and traveling from coast to coast across Canada these past many years. Tony recently moved from Whistler to Victoria and now calls Vancouver Island home. Tony is focused on landscape and seascape painting in oils. He typically does his own photography and his focus is on realism, but his aim is not pure replication of a photograph. He looks for unique compositions, shapes and values in each painting. Tony is passionate about capturing Vancouver Island’s beauty in his paintings.

CLAIRE CHRISTINEL

Claire Christinel’s paintings are inspired largely by the quality of light and shadow in a scene, creating beauty, mood and drama. She paints mainly from life, either outdoors plein air painting or still life in her studio. She uses value sketches, plein air sketches and photographs to create larger studio pieces. Her desire is to create a perfect balance of realism and painterly interpretation in her works. An award-winning artist with a Diploma in Design, Christinel studied Fine Arts in Toulouse France, at l’École des Beaux Arts de Tournefeuille. She is an Associate Signature Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. Her paintings in oils or acrylics are in private collections throughout North America and in parts of Europe.

DEBRA GILLESPIE

Debra is a self-taught artist who loves to paint. She wakes up in the morning and can hardly wait to get to her easel. She paints in many different styles with lots of light and values, and specialized in glazing oils with various different mediums. Her paintings have a glorious glow about them and showcase luminous colours. Her paintings may have up to seven layers on them with one layer of paint seeping through to the next. This makes the colours pop. Debra has been in many art shows on Vancouver Island. She is also an active member of the Victoria Arts Council.

SHARON WAREING

Sharon Wareing is a west coast artist. Her favorite medium is oil on canvas—this provides the time to work on achieving the exact effect the paint will have. She is drawn to painting our beautiful environment in the hopes of evoking a sense of peace and awe at the beautiful world we live in. Even though she loves to paint on location the landscapes/seascapes are more about presenting the environment in an emotional way than describing the place in an exact way. She hopes people will get a sense of the beauty of the place, the power of the winds, and the strength and beauty of the waves or land. Hopefully, a viewer is moved to a place of peace and relaxation with a painting; and a sense of belonging.

DONNA ROSE LAW

As a child, Donna Rose Law recalls being captivated by the images of nature. She lived in N.W. Ontario in the country surrounded by forest. She spent most of her time outside, with her dog, on an adventure in the woods. In her youth, she loved painting images of scraggy jackpines against the vivid northern sky. She appreciates bold, vibrant colours, and is drawn to the colours of her childhood. She works with both acrylics and oils.

MEET THE ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE 

DONNA ROSE LAW – JANUARY 2025

As a child, Donna Rose Law recalls being captivated by the images of nature. She lived in N.W. Ontario in the country surrounded by forest.

She spent most of her time outside, with her dog, on an adventure in the woods. In her youth, she loved painting images of scraggy jackpines against the vivid northern sky. She appreciates bold, vibrant colours, and is drawn to the colours of her childhood. She works with both acrylics and oils.

DONNA ION – FEBRUARY 2025

Donna Ion is a Victoria artist whose instantly recognizable paintings explore the beauty of our rainforests through a unique, impressionistic approach. Her work has been shown at the juried Sydney and Sooke Fine Arts Shows. She has had three solo shows at the Eclectic Gallery in Oak Bay and has been featured at The Chapel Art Gallery. Displayed in various venues, including Oak Bay Marina and Government House, her art emphasizes color, light, and mood. Participating in Oak Bay Studio Art Tours for over 15 years, Donna creates unique landscapes, evoking Canada’s rich art heritage in a contemporary style.

RICHARD BRODEUR – MARCH 2025

Richard Brodeur, utilizes oils, acrylics, and watercolors to create contemporary paintings as well as images of Canadiana landscape. His famous series “Childhood Memories” depictions of youngsters playing hockey on frozen ponds, backyard rinks, streets and back alleys all over Canada. He once expressed, “I had two passions in my life: one was playing hockey and the other one my art. I’m lucky I have been able to do both.” Painting has always been his passion serving as a release from the pressure of being a professional hockey player and providing a meditative outlet to this day. Living on beautiful Vancouver Island B.C allows me to have a plethora of majestic scenery to be inspired and to appreciate the every day.

VICTORIA TURNER – APRIL 2025

Art has been an enduring presence in Vicky Turner’s life. Growing up in Montreal provided the opportunity to study at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, where she briefly studied with Arthur Lismer. Further educational pursuits led her to Mt. Allison University and later to classes in the United States and Latin America. Choosing to focus on watercolors came naturally to her. They provide the flexibility to create both locally in Victoria and during numerous travel opportunities. Much of her work is inspired by distant, evocative destinations. While engaging in some plein air painting, she finds studio painting offers hours of amusement and a productive outlet for creativity. Vicky accepts commissions, offering the chance to immortalize beloved pets and cherished homes through art.

SUSAN GEDDES – MAY 2024

Susan’s love of creating art began in 1978, painting with watercolors while living in British Columbia’s Kootenay Mountains, where the natural beauty served as inspiration. Moving to Victoria in the early eighties, she attended art college at Victoria College of Art and Camosun College in the Visual Arts Department, where a true passion for art was discovered. In 1988, she purchased an art gallery, uncovering another aspect of the artist’s life. This path continued for 12 years, offering the privilege of viewing art from a business woman’s and promoter’s perspective. Since 2003, she has been painting full-time, excited each day upon stepping into the studio to create. She is guided by color and texture, and inspired by the lure of a blank canvas. With a desire to give back, Susan has donated many paintings for auctions and two to different hospitals for children.

LISA RIEHL – JUNE 2024

Lisa Riehl is a self-taught landscape artist from Victoria, BC, specializing in vibrant, impressionistic paintings of Vancouver Island’s natural beauty. Inspired by her favorite spot, Tofino, she captures the essence of the wild beaches and majestic trees. Lisa’s love for camping, surfing, and beachcombing fuels her creativity, resulting in countless coastal artworks. She primarily works with oil paints, drawn to their richness, while still enjoying acrylics for their versatility and the carefree fun of watercolour sketch booking. Deeply influenced by nature, Lisa aims to evoke tranquility and vibrancy through her paintings, giving each artwork a meaningful title reflective of its essence.