News

Regent College is pleased to announce the resurrection of a semi-permanent rotating gallery in the John Richard Allison Library, Art in the Stacks. In collaboration with the Dal Schindell Gallery, this gallery embodies Regent College’s ongoing commitment to beauty and the arts. Art in the Stacks will showcase work by a range of artists whose portfolios express, interrogate, or explore theological, spiritual, or natural themes.

The Allison Library’s Circulation Coordinator, Colton Whelpton, is excited to see the library walls come to life. “Art in the Stacks embraces the aesthetic vision intended in the library’s initial design,” Colton explains. “If you’ve ever walked around the perimeter of the library, you’ve probably seen a hanging rail that wraps around the outer walls. These were purposely designed to showcase art among the bookshelves, but have been bare for a number of years now. Our hope is that Art in the Stacks brightens up the study space for our students, creates a platform for local artists to showcase their work, and ultimately reminds us that beauty matters in the places we inhabit, work, and study.”

Regent’s commitment to the arts was tangibly woven into the library’s initial construction. The space itself centers around a large art glass installation by Sarah Hall and a sculpture by David Robinson, while the entrance is framed by two large scriptural murals from calligrapher Timothy Botts. Designed with beauty in mind, the library’s natural light and large glass windows enrich the study space and create a perfect environment in which to showcase art.

Regent’s Dal Schindell Gallery Curator, Abby Boggs, is delighted to support the library staff in their own curatorial adventure. “Art in the Stacks is an exciting opportunity that brings artistic life to the library through visual art,” says Abby. “It embraces the Schindell Gallery’s mission to promote theological education through engagement with the arts and to stimulate thought and reflection on the beauty and complexity of the world. I’ve already heard library patrons express how inspiring the new art on these walls is, and I look forward to seeing Art in the Stacks flourish as it gains momentum in Vancouver’s arts community.”

Artists will rotate every six months, with as many as three or four artists exhibiting in Art in the Stacks at the same time. The current collection features local painter Julia Soderholm’s colourful impressions of her natural surroundings, and artist Shari-Anne Vis’s detailed, abstract landscape paintings. We encourage everyone in the Regent community to come view this rotating gallery, and hope its art will help you as you read, write, study, or simply browse bookshelves.