Vernon is about to make a mark in the art world, as it prepares for the opening of an international printmaking exhibition on March 19^th.  Presented by the VPAG and KPMG, the Okanagan Print Triennial will run from March 19 – May 21, 2015.

Launched in 2009, the Okanagan Print Triennial (OPT) is an open juried print exhibition. For the first time, the exhibition guidelines have opened to international artists, and the response has been overwhelming. The Vernon Public Art Gallery received close to 200 submissions by artists from over 30 countries around the world. Everything from intricate wood block prints to large scale digital images, the exhibition includes outstanding quality artwork that would not disappoint audiences in New York or Paris.

The OPT is a collaborative project of the Vernon Public Art Gallery, the Kelowna Art Gallery, and the University of British Columbia Okanagan. The juried group exhibition alternates between the Kelowna and Vernon galleries, with the winner of each show being given a solo show at the alternate gallery concurrently with that year’s OPT exhibition.

In the spirit of acknowledging and celebrating the vitality and variety of approaches and techniques in contemporary work in printmaking, the OPT aims to bring the very best in current printmaking practice to audiences in the Okanagan region of British Columbia.

“… printmaking processes have historically come from industry and artists have chosen to make use of those processes for their creative potential. Printmaking has always been a kind of hybrid medium and has constantly adapted to and embraced current technologies. The rapid changes that occur in all forms of media technology today have only fuelled printmaking and printmakers

with even more options and possibilities.” – said Briar Craig, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies Associate Professor, University of British Columbia Okanagan

The Vernon Public Art Gallery wishes to extend an invitation to the citizens of Vernon and beyond, to view the highly anticipated 2015 Okanagan Print Triennial exhibition.

“This is an exhibition so big we are forced to expand outside the Gallery and into a secondary “satellite” location at the corner of 31^st St and 31^st Ave., just a block away. We are so excited to launch this much anticipated exhibition with our community and we are so thankful to everyone who has contributed to making the OPT project a huge success for our community.” – said Dauna Kennedy Grant, Executive Director.

VPAG will host an opening reception on Thursday, March 19, from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Gallery. A presentation and exhibition tour will take place at 6:30pm starting at the Vernon Public Art Gallery and moving to the BSB Satellite Gallery. The opening reception is open to the public, offering locally crafted beer and wine, signature cocktails, and appetizers by local caterers. Admission to the gallery including the satellite location is by donation. The VPAG is open Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm, Sundays, 11am – 4pm, located at 3173 31^st Ave Vernon. The BSB Gallery will be open Monday-Saturday, 11am-4pm, located at the corner of 31^st St and 31^st Ave.

Who: Vernon Public Art Gallery

What: International Printmaking Exhibition Opening

When: March 19 – May 21, 2015

Where: 3228 31^st Ave Vernon BC- at the Vernon Public Art Gallery