Vancouver Island Sculpting Studio
The VIS Studio operates on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nations,
and we are grateful to operate on Snuneymuxw territory.
6th Annual
2026 VIS Studio Garden Art Show
Opening Reception: Friday, June 26, 2026, from 5 pm to 9 pm
Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28, 2026, from 11 am to 5 pm
We are pleased to invite you to the 6th Annual Garden Art Show at VIS Studio.
Featured Visual Artists:
Bari Precious - ceramic / Carly Smith - ceramic / Dee Fontans - jewelry / Diane Brinton - blown glass
Dan Appel - clay sculpture / Dirk Wissow - woodworking / Grant Leier - painting / Hila Tuil - Drawing
Lorna Beecroft - textile, bowls & bags/sculpture / Joel A Prevost - Sculpture & Ceramic / Joshua Tuil - Drawing
Experience inspiring art and support local artists.
Join us for this cultural celebration at
Vancouver Island Sculpting Studio, 294 Harewood Rd.
Mark your calendar for a weekend of creativity and inspiration:
Event Schedule:
Opening Reception: Friday, June 26, 2026, from 5 PM to 9 PM
Show Dates: Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28, from 11 AM to 5 PM
Throughout the weekend, we are delighted to have Hila and Joshua Tuil on site, offering caricatures for a donation
A fun and memorable way to take part in the event.
We are pleased to feature guest painter Grant Leier in the Studio Gallery. He has created six new pieces for the Garden Art Show and is offering a special sale of paintings from a previous series.
You are invited to a pre-show private viewing of Grant’s work from Tuesday, June 23 to Thursday, June 25. To arrange a visit, call me at 250-797-8432.
We look forward to welcoming you and celebrating art together.
Artist Spotlight:
Lorna Beecroft
Lorna Beecroft has spent her life making art in many ways, including drawing, painting, sculpture, and fibre art. She begins by closely observing shapes and textures, then lets her ideas grow as she works. Whether sculpting a horse, drawing or painting a subject, or making a fibre bowl, she finds inspiration in the beauty and spirit she sees in the world.
Lorna uses a variety of materials, allowing her to try new ideas while staying connected to her style. Her purses and bags combine abstract design with everyday function, and her fibre bowls turn simple materials into unique pieces. She puts care and curiosity into everything she makes, believing art should be beautiful and meaningful, whether displayed or used every day.
Diane Brinton
Diane Brinton has studied with local and international artists, developing her skills through a wide range of glass techniques, including mosaics, fusing, flame-sculpting, and glassblowing. Her home studio is like a candy store, filled with glorious, vibrant, multicoloured glass.
Her glass art continues to evolve through years of creative experience in weaving, watercolours, pottery, jewelry design, and metal clay. A longtime collector of glass objects, Diane has finally found her own way to work with glass, creating original pieces full of colour, energy, and imagination. Come discover the beautiful and ever-evolving work of Diane Brinton at the Garden Art Show.
Carly Smith
Carly Smith grew up in Qualicum Beach and has been making pottery for several years, first taking classes in 2011 in Port Alberni and then, after a break, more consistently since 2019. After signing up for more classes and joining the Arrowsmith Potters' Guild, pottery quickly took over, and she could be found at the studio most weekends, mainly making mugs and bowls.
In 2024, Carly wanted to explore sculpting and took a workshop at Vancouver Island Sculpting Studio. She loved it and, through the Artist-in-Residence program, has been sculpting various dogs. Carly continues working with Joel and the AIR program, has also created a studio at home, and is looking forward to continuing to grow her skills and creativity in sculpting, specializing in canines, when the dogs aren't taking up her time at various competitions.
6th Annual VIS Studio Christmas Art Sale 2026
November 21 and 22, from 11 am to 5 pm.
Join us for the opening reception on Friday, November 20, from 5 pm to 9 pm.
Celebrate the season at the Christmas Art Sale 2025! Begin with our opening reception on Friday, November 20, from 5 pm to 9 pm. The sale continues for two days of unique arts and crafts on November 21 and 22, from 11 am to 5 pm.
Find special treasures at the Vancouver Island Sculpting Studio's Holiday Art Sale at 294 Harewood Rd in Nanaimo.
This is a great chance to meet talented artists and see their work up close. Make your holidays brighter with handcrafted gifts from local creators, who offer a wide range of unique pieces, such as:
Featured artists: To be announced,
made by Vancouver Island artists and artisans, perfect for your holiday shopping. Find something special at our Christmas Art Sale and create lasting memories while supporting local artists.
Check back soon for updates on the artists who will be joining us. Get ready to find one-of-a-kind gifts for everyone on your list!
Third Annual Students’ Show
Visit the studio gallery Saturday & Sunday, December 5 & 6
from 1 pm to 5 pm
Opening Reception Friday, December 4, from 6 pm to 9 pm
We’re happy to invite you to the Third Annual Student Art Show, where you can see the amazing work our students created during the 2025-26 school year. Join us to celebrate their creativity, effort, and artistic talent.
You’ll find all kinds of art, like handmade ceramics, clay sculptures, drawings, and paintings. Each piece reflects our students’ creativity and hard work, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy, whether you love art or are just curious.
We’d love to know what you think! All visitors can vote for their favorite pieces and help cheer on our artists. Your support means a lot as they learn and share their talents with our community.