Open Art Studios at The Braid Loft – July 5

Discover the vibrant art scene here at The Braid Loft for Open Art Studios, held on the first Saturday of every month from 12:00–4:00 PM at The Braid Loft.

With over 20 working artist studios open to the public, this is your chance to experience art behind the scenes—chat with local creators, see works-in-progress, and explore an inspiring variety of paintings, textiles, sculpture, mixed media, and more.

This free, family-friendly event invites visitors of all ages to wander our welcoming studio space, soak up the creative atmosphere, and even purchase one-of-a-kind art directly from the artists. Ample free parking is available nearby, and no RSVP is required—just drop in!

Whether you’re a curious visitor, passionate collector, or weekend adventurer, Open Studios at Braid offers a unique, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the beating heart of the local arts scene.

Follow us for monthly artist spotlights and updates:
Instagram: @braidstudios.art
Facebook: Braid Studios

We can’t wait to welcome you!

Art/Form Art Show – On until Sept 8

The next opportunity to view the Art/Form Show is for First Saturday Open Studios on Saturday September 7 from 12-5pm.  This show on until September 7 and features all of the current resident artists from all three of our studio locations.  Be sure to watch for our next upcoming show for the 2024 New Westminster Cultural Crawl.

 

October 1 Elvira Monteforte Art Show 10-5pm – Immersed in Reflections

Immersed in Reflections
Elvira Monteforte
October 1
10-5pm

We are delighted to announce a brand new exhibition to start the fall series of art shows featuring tri-city artists, at our gallery, located in Port Coquitlam.  Visitors will be able to see artist Elvira Monteforte’s photography work for the first time. The show title Immersed in Reflections will speak to locals who frequent walking paths and trails throughout the tri-cities.  She says of this new work, “This collection of photos celebrates the happy moments when I walked by dog along the trails through our parks, forests, and next to lakes and rivers. This everyday contact with nature has caused inner reflections on the beauty of this corner of the world I now call home.  I saw myself reflected in the puddles of water and wanted to capture that blend of inner and outer reflection in one image.”

Elvira is a multi-media, visual artist who was born and raised in Mexico City and is well known for her public art projects and murals throughout that city.  She has been very active in the public art scene of the tri-cities since she moved to Canada in 2006 with installations at Gates, Hyde and Lion’s Park and has served as an artist in residence on multiple projects. The most recent was her 2021 PoCo installation when she and her partner Dolores Altin dressed up 25 trees in Lions Park, weaving circle and strip cut-outs to create costumes that were wrapped around the trunks. Check out the Behind the Scenes video on the project here.

Artist and owner of the Studios, Susan L. Greig says, “This new show, Immersed in Reflections by Elivra Monteforte, is the perfect way to launch our new fall series featuring local artists in our gallery space.  Due to covid many locals may not have had opportunity to visit us so we are looking forward to sharing this work and giving our visitors a chance to experience more of our amazing local artistic talent.”

Elvira will be on site to discuss her work on October 1. Please contact 778-886-5391 or braidststudios@gmail.com if you would like more information.

The New West Cultural Crawl This Weekend – Oct 17 & 18 11-5pm

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The New West Cultural Crawl
October 17 & 18, 2020
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

100 Braid St Studios
200-100 Braid St
New Westminster, BC V3M 1B6

It is with regret that we must let you know that this 2020 Cultural Crawl will be the last one that will place at the 100 Braid St Studios historical BC Distillery address and location. As some of you may be aware, the owners of the building have had re-development plans since 2016.  They have decided to move ahead with this plan and therefore our Arts community here will be leaving the space by December 1, 2020.

Please come and see the amazing art created by our residents and several guest artists.

We will have an announcement soon as to a temporary location until we can find a more permanent space. The Braid St arts community will be expanding more online and we look forward to connecting and serving more artists; we may look a little different but we hope to stay in New Westminster. And eventually, the possibility exists to return to the 100 Braid St address in 3 to 4 years when there will be a new building and much smaller art space available.

We do encourage you to attend the Cultural Crawl and have a look around the building one last time.

If you are unable to make it, the last opportunity for the public will be on November 7 from 10-5pm when we will host The LAST CALL at the BC Distillery where you can help the Braid Arts Community celebrate the end of our time here. More details coming Monday, October 19.  Please watch for updates as to where we will be popping up and to see all of the new and exciting things that are coming.

Please note: COVID safety protocols are in place for all events. Masks are mandatory. If you would like to see the protocols in place please feel free to contact us.

Thank you to our sponsors for their continued support of Art & Culture in New West

Open Today for First Saturday & the Van Dop Pop Up

Covid Protocols in place
For more information see below

September 5
Van Dop Pop Up

Read the article in the New Westminster Record

Click on the photo to read

COVID PROTOCOLS
Please do not come to the Studio if you are sick or have and symptoms

Upon arriving please stop at our reception desk and sanitize your hands. We are serious about your health and protection.  We have a touche free thermometer and we will happily take your temperature (not required for entry).  The Studio has lots of space for physical distancing however we do ask you to wear a mask.  We have extras at the front desk.  Please maintain physical distancing throughout your visit.
Thank you for helping us all stay safe!

International Artist Day Anonymous Art Show – Tickets Available Now

 

Anonymous Show Opening Gala 2019
100 Braid St Studios
Friday,  October 25
7:00-10:00pm

For CALL TO ARTISTS CLICK HERE

Take part in the most exciting art treasure hunt of the year and support the New Westminster Arts Council.  Over 150 well-known and emerging artists create 12″ x 12″ art on canvas or wood panels, they are signed only on the back of the piece.  The anonymous nature of the show ensures that all the art is treated equally, however the excitement of the unknown adds a special anticipation and exhilaration to the event. You’ll have to wait to find out who the artist is until you purchase but once you purchase you will be able to have your piece wrapped and take it home that night.

Perhaps we could have called it the “not so anonymous” show though, because we’re going to let you know some of the artists who are participating on our Instagram and Facebook pages (and if you’re a fan of their work they’ll might even let you know themselves) but it will be up to you to identify their work.

The doors will swing open for the Opening Gala at 7:00 pm which gives you half an hour to grab a drink from the cash bar and wander around & pick out the pieces you are interested in. At 7:30pm you can tell the waiting attendants which pieces you would like.  It’s first come, first serve so be sure to come early, have a glass of wine and don’t miss out!

Each piece is priced at $150 with $100 going directly to the artists themselves; the remainder goes to the New Westminster Arts Council as their largest fundraiser of the year, and to cover basic costs of the show.

With Early Bird tickets available until Sept 15th for just $35, make sure to buy your ticket in advance! September 16th starts the general admission cost of $45.

UnderExposed – Art Show & Sunday Salon – Capture Photo Festival

 

CALL TO ARTISTS HERE
Deadline March 24, 2019

 

EXHIBITION
APRIL 5-7  NOON-5PM
RECEPTION APRIL 6  7PM-MIDNIGHT

What happens when camera-wielding visionaries go from picture takers to image makers to art creators? When their often unorthodox art practices challenge what society expects from photography and photographers? Find out at UnderExposed, a juried exhibition of genre-bending photo-based art in New Westminster’s 100 Braid St Studios.

Since it’s early years photography has enjoyed life at the fringes of the visual arts world but in recent decades it has grown up to be more than just a tool to document the world; it has become a mature and respected creative medium which is shaping the world and how we see it.

UnderExposed showcases the work of a group of lens-based artists who dance at an intersection connecting multiple art disciplines and methodologies. Here, rules are broken and the medium is bent and transformed with some surprising results. These practitioners have assembled to reveal photography’s full potential as an art form and to launch an exciting new art movement.

UnderExposed. Part festival. Part art exhibition. Part art salon. All inspiring!

SUNDAY SALON
APRIL 7  1-3PM
In the early 20th century, artists, men of letters, theater people and art dealers met to debate and discuss the arts at Le Bateau-Lavoir in Paris, the birthplace of what became the cubism movement. As the largest working art studio in a heritage building outside of Vancouver, our Sunday Salon held during the UnderExposed Exhibition, will provide a similar lively atmosphere where a panel of lens-based artists, academics, and gallery owners will explore the cultural relevance of photography as a mature and respected creative art medium which is shaping the world. Mixed media has often been used in the art world to express work that contains photography but when a photographer bends the medium what genre do they feel describes their work? How do they describe themselves? An artist? A photographer? Panelists and the audience will explore photography’s potential as an art medium and the birth of a new photography based art movement.

Winter Night Market Dec 1st

NEW WEST WINTER NIGHT MARKET

AT 100 BRAID ST with WORKINGSILVER
and
RIVER MARKET
(810 Quayside Driver)

December 1
6:00pm-9:30pm

70+ Handmade Vendors with Food, Beer, Wine, and Live Music!

Free Admissions here.

Sponsored by Arts Council of New Westminster

Tonight – Realpolitik Tony Durke Opening Reception – Queens Park Gallery

 

The Gallery at Queen’s Park

Tony Durke’s
“Realpolitik”

Exhibition Dates:
July 1 – 29th, 2018.

Opening Reception:
Wednesday July 4, 2018
6 – 8pm

Free Admission.
More information here
To visit Tony’s Website click here

IAD Anonymous Art Show 2017

Anonymous Show Gala Opening 2017
100 Braid St Studios
Wednesday, October 25
7:00-10:00pm

By Ticket Only – Register here

For CALL TO ARTISTS CLICK HERE

In celebration of International Artist Day we invite you to the 100 Braid St Anonymous Art Show Gala Opening. This exclusive event will allow you first choice of the amazing and diverse art and media from the artists participating in the show.  Perhaps we should have called it the “not so anonymous” show because we’re going to let you know some of the artists who are participating on our Instagram and Facebook pages (and if you’re a fan of their work they’ll let you know themselves) but it will be up to you to identify their work if you want to purchase it! Call it a huge treasure hunt…..

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