An extended presentation of the Audain Art Museum’s Permanent Collection, From Sea to Sky celebrates the collection’s evolution from its inception in 2016 to the present. Built on the generous donation of over 200 works by Founders Michael Audain and Yoshiko Karasawa, the AAM’s Acquisition Committee has since guided the holding’s expansion through purchase, commission, and donation, to almost 300 outstanding pieces representing the art of British Columbia. Carving, painting, and photography serve as the pillars of the collection, featuring notable works by artists active from the mid-nineteenth to early twenty-first century. Such a display offers a unique visual evocation of the cultural differences that continue to shape BC’s socio-political identity.

From Sea to Sky showcases familiar masterpieces alongside newly acquired and previously archived works of art. These pieces by artists from the province, and those inspired by local environs, are all housed in Patricia and John Patkau’s stunning example of contemporary West Coast architecture. Among the active carvers and photographers of note are Robert Davidson, Dempsey Bob, Jeff Wall, Jin-Me Yoon and Stan Douglas, while paintings by Emily Carr, AY Jackson and BC Binning add a historical dimension to this sweeping display. Works acquired from Karin Bubaš, Rebecca Belmore, and Russna Kaur are indicative of a mid-point in their respective careers and each have also been featured in solo exhibitions at the Museum.

Wood Work is a dynamic group exhibition showcasing Sea to Sky artists who use wood for experimentation, transformation, and expression. Through a wide range of techniques and artistic approaches, the works in this exhibition push the material beyond its expected uses, revealing the versatility and potential of wood as an artistic medium.

Across functional design, figurative carving, architectural abstraction, and organic sculptural forms, the artists manipulate wood through cutting, carving, shaping, layering, and assembly. Precision and roughness, structure and intuition, restraint and play coexist throughout the exhibition, creating a rich dialogue between process and outcome. Each piece reflects a distinct way of thinking through making, where the act of working the material becomes central to the final form.

Wood Work invites viewers to experience wood not as a craft material, but as a site of innovation, curiosity, and creative possibility.