Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011) sparked a painting revolution with minimal action and a velvet palette, amid contemporaries such as Pollock and de Kooning. Her revolutionary approach to making paint appear like a melody on the canvas led to delicate, charming but also monumental and architectural works.
Therefore, from now on, we will no longer talk about the ‘Separate Room’, but about the ‘Helen Frankenthaler Room’, where we display equally interesting works than in the main exhibition space.
ANNE GRIFFITHS
”BEAVER TRAIL” solo exhibition
As a new addition to the gallery, I wanted the first work I shared with NQ Gallery’s community to introduce where I come from in Canada, and the important role that nature plays within my artistic practice.
I grew up with the idea that Canadians are often seen as humble yet resilient. While this is sometimes gently parodied, I do believe that a quiet steadiness shapes how many of us move through the world. For me, there is no more familiar symbol of that spirit than the beaver — a small creature known for its patient and unwavering work. It quietly reshapes its surroundings, building structures that alter the flow of water and create new paths through the forest.
The image of a beaver trail suggests movement and discovery — subtle routes that lead us into places we might not otherwise reach.
My work invites the viewer into intimate spaces within the landscapes of British Columbia. They are places I return to again and again, not to document them, but to experience them fully. When I paint, I am not recreating a specific view; I am responding to the sensation of being immersed — the shifts of light, the density of air, the feeling of entering somewhere both expansive and intimate.
Each painting becomes a reflection of that encounter and offerings of perspective — moments of attention, discovery, and renewal.
