Evelyn Zuberbier still paints daily despite diminishing vision; exhibit on display at Chilliwack Cultural Centre
An exhibition by an 88-year-old Chilliwack artist is marking her 14th solo show in 45 years.
A Touch of Earth XIV by Evelyn Zuberbier is on display in the Odlum Brown Art Gallery at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre from Sept. 4 to Oct. 4.
“I have been told, ‘I should have a theme,'” Zuberbier said. “I feel this is my theme, as I paint whatever excites me, such as rain drops, light striking an object, an interesting face, places I have visited, and anything that stirs my creative spirit.”
Her show includes 90 paintings hung in groups featuring these different themes, such as paintings from trips across B.C. and Canada, Italy, Morocco, grapes and vineyards, water, trees, and her heritage wall of scenes that reminder her of her childhood home in Alberta.
She has been painting since she was 12 years old when she was gifted her first set of oil paints at Christmas. She didn’t have any canvas, so she found some old, green window blinds in a closet and used the best parts of them as her canvas.
Ever since that Christmas, she has continued to paint regularly for more than 75 years, even despite her diminishing eyesight.
“I am so thankful that I can still accomplish this since my vision has deteriorated due to macular degeneration. I just can’t quit and don’t intend to do so.” she said.
“I need to be close to my work in order to see it clearly enough. With 20/100 in my left and 20/80 in my right eye, I seem to be able to achieve fairly accurate detail.”
The paintings that have been included in many of Zuberbier’s shows are the some of the first ones she ever did around the age of 12.
“They are a bit of a hit with kids of that age.”
Her first solo show was in 1980 in her hometown of Rocky Mountain House, a town in west-central Alberta, in the basement of the Presbyterian church.
“Having my dad and mom, Elmer and Dessie Greenwood, present was a fond memory.”
Also in attendance were many friends, plus the Honourable Helen Hunley, who was the Mayor of Rocky Mountain House at the time and who later became the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.
Zuberbier began painting with oils after that Christmas of 1950, and used watercolours for many years after moving to Chilliwack in 1981. She now paints in acrylic, which works best with her vision.
She is a founding member of the Chilliwack Visual Artists Association (CVAA) and still enters her work in the association’s group exhibitions.
She won several awards of excellence while being a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, was appointed by the Alberta Minister of Culture to the board of the Alberta Art Foundation serving a three-year term, and her work has been shown in eight tours with the Hands Across the Pacific Cultural Exchange touring Asia.
Zuberbier has sold many pieces of artwork, plus 35 commissioned paintings which she completed after moving here.
Her work is found throughout the world in private collections, and the former Prime Minister of Japan owns her ‘Prairie Wagon’ watercolour painting.
“My vision is most difficult in reading and focusing on closeup subjects, however, I can still see distance fairly clearly so I can continue to enjoy the beauty around me.”
Evelyn Zuberbier’s 14th solo show ‘A Touch of Earth XIV’ is in the art gallery at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre from Sept. 4 to Oct. 4. The opening reception is set for Saturday, Sept. 6 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Gallery hours are 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, plus some evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. prior to theatre performances. Gallery admission is free.
