Mahtab Firouzabadi is a North Shore-based contemporary abstract artist and activist of Iranian descent. After high school in Germany, she returned to Iran, earning a Bachelor’s in Painting and a Master’s in Art, focusing on German literature at Azad University (2001-2003).

Her move to Canada transformed her artistic vision as she embraced the multicultural environment. She drew inspiration from history, geography, mythology, and technology, leading to an MFA from Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver (2017-2019).

Firouzabadi’s work integrates cultural memory, nature, poetry, peace, and urbanism. She views trees as symbols of purity and energy, central to her art. For her, language and art are vital tools for personal and communal connection, enriched by her exposure to diverse cultures.

In this workshop, we’ll explore how textiles can hold and express personal memories. Each week, you’ll engage in a different textile technique, creating pieces that reflect your own experiences and stories.

What to Expect:

Week 1: Dyeing with Meaning

Week 2: Embroidering Memories

Week 3: Weaving Stories

Week 4: Creating Textile Collages

Skills learnt:

Techniques in textile arts including dyeing, embroidery, weaving, and creating textile collages.

Who Should attend:

Beginners curious about textile arts.
Creatives interested in personal storytelling through textiles.
Anyone eager to learn basic textile techniques.
Why Attend:

To view textile arts as a medium for personal expression and exploration rather than rigid perfection.

Teaching Experience:

Francisco Berlanga is a Vancouver-based artist with a BFA from Simon Fraser University and an MFA from the University of British Columbia. His practice reflects on his relationship to his Mexican identity as a second-generation immigrant through the lens of craft. He explores how one can inhabit a culture while being partially absent from it, engaging in discourse with his identity through traditional Mexican crafts.

A showcase of new work by the finalists of the Philip B. Lind Prize for Emerging Artists. Established in 2016, this honour is awarded biennially to an emerging BC-based artist working in mediums of photography, film, or video. Artists are nominated for the prize by arts professionals from institutions, organisations, and post-secondary programs across the province. In 2024, thanks to a generous donation from the Lind family, the prize amount has increased to $25,000, making it one of the country’s largest accolades dedicated to supporting visual artists.

This year’s exhibiting finalists are: Mena El Shazly, Karice Mitchell, Dion Smith-Dokkie, Parumveer Walia, and Casey Wei. They were selected from a longlist of more than 60 nominees by a panel of esteemed international jurors: Grace Deveny, the Art Institute of Chicago’s David C. and Sarajean Ruttenberg Associate Curator, Photography and Media; Brian Jungen, acclaimed contemporary artist; and Aram Moshayedi, writer, interim chief curator at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, and current curator-in residence at Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo in Mexico City.

The winner will be announced at an award ceremony on January 23. Previous Philip B. Lind Emerging Artist Prize winners include Charlotte Zhang (2021), Laura Gildner (2020), Jessica Johnson (2019), Christopher Lacroix (2018), Marisa Kriangwiwat Holmes (2017), and Vilhelm Sundin (2016).

The Polygon Gallery is pleased to present its annual Holiday Shop from November 13 – January 5. An annual tradition, the gallery’s main floor will be beautifully decorated and carefully curated with unique gifts by independent makers and artists. Additionally, there will be weekly interactive activities for visitors to enjoy, such as holiday craft workshops, vintage photography sessions, The Shipyards annual tree lighting event, and even a pop-up tattoo parlour.

The Polygon Gallery’s Retail Buyer, Marie Ng, has worked tirelessly to fill the shop with numerous local brands, with an emphasis on showcasing Canadian-made products that will sit alongside established international labels. “We’re proud to offer a wide selection of locally made gifts, from budget-friendly stocking stuffers that make a big impact to luxurious gifts your loved ones will never forget,” says Ng.