Opening Reception: Thursday, February 8, 6–8 p.m. 
Meet the Artists: Sunday, February 11, 2–3 p.m.
Farsi Tour: Sunday, February 18, 2 p.m. 

The Ferry Building Gallery is proud to present “Harvest” featuring the works of Janine Dunn and Biliana Velkova. “Harvest” brings together the down-to-earth perspectives of Dunn, a rural farmer, and the imaginative musings of Velkova. The gallery becomes a meeting ground for the practical and the mythical, where sustainability and folklore intertwine to offer a unique exploration of life’s cycles.

Dunn’s large-scale paintings focus on sustainability, food security, health, and wellness. Her scenes of homestead life, painted with natural pigments and materials from the land, capture the straightforward reality of living in tune with nature's seasons. Due to the use of natural materials, Dunn's textured works evolve over time, reflecting the constant ebb and flow of life and death. Through her art, she prompts a reflection on the impact of sustainable living on our everyday well-being.

In her most recent series, “Magical Birds and Paper Flowers,” Bulgarian-born Velkova creates dense, imaginative worlds inspired by post-collapse scenes. Featuring mythical birds and traditional Bulgarian masked figures, Kukeri, her art dives into cultural roots where birds and other creatures symbolize harvest and fertility. Velkova's work is an invitation to explore a surreal world where reality meets magical realism, urging us to consider the cultural and mythical stories that shape our perspectives of nature’s yield.

Artist Bios
Janine Dunn is a Gibsons-based artist, mother, and farmer. She holds a BFA from Simon Fraser University and attended the no.w.here. image making school in London, UK. She has exhibited in London and Los Angeles, and various locations across BC. Recently, she unveiled a permanent public sculpture at the centre of Gibsons as a new landmark for the town.

Originally from Sofia, Bulgaria, Biliana Velkova is currently based in Vancouver. Her practice incorporates painting, photography, and performance to explore the significance of consumerist culture, diaspora, and social identity. She has an MFA from the University of Saskatchewan and a BFA from Concordia University.