The Crow Show

Cathy STEWART

September 30 – October 26, 2025

 

Opening Reception: Saturday, October 4th, 1-3pm

 

The Crow Show

I stepped onto the beach at Cox Bay one recent spring morning and found mounds of the freshest and most interesting and colorful seaweed I had ever seen. Crows were everywhere and certainly inspecting the new additions to a beach smorgasbord. I started snapping pictures.

The camera picks up stance and dare I say, the idiosyncratic personalities of these black feathered creatures. The seaweed seems to reflect color and shape that is artistic and intriguing. Ohhhhhhh….the beauty of Mother Nature!

I have painted many compositions that flowed from that scene and some larger ones have been commissioned. Besides finding joy putting bird and flora together it is a lot of fun.

 

 

 

 

Cathy Vera Stewart

Cathy Stewart, nee Curran, was born in Comox and grew up in Port Alberni. She is wife to William Stewart and the mother of two sons, Alistair and James. She currently resides in Qualicum Beach, British Columbia.

Cathy spent over thirty years working as a psychiatric nurse in the mental health and addiction field before picking up a paintbrush. In 2003 she began a dedicated interest in oil painting, studying with and being encouraged by accomplished artists Gabby Morrison, Ron Hedricks,Merv Brandel and Lloyd Major. Her subject matter is diverse but is inspired by Mother Nature, her work in the Canadian Arctic and around the world. More recently, Cathy has focused on the west coast of Vancouver Island easily accessible for a painter who wants to capture the eternally changing seascapes, a signature of this part of the world. A sailboat trip to the world heritage sites on Moresby Island, commonly known as the Ninstints and Skedans, has inspired interpretation of the beautiful and decaying totem poles erected by the carvers of the Haida nation long ago.

 Cathy has shown in exhibitions of the Stave Falls Artist Group and in April 2011 she was the solo artist at Rollin Art Centre in Port Alberni and again in 2019. She was also fortunate to be a part of the Artists for an Oil Free Coast exhibition shown in several British Columbia locations in 2012 and 2013.Cathy received the People’s Choice award at two shows in 2019 and displayed at the MacMillan Gallery in Parksville August 2021.

 Her work in on display at Reflecting Spirit Gallery in Ucluelet.

  You can reach Cathy at [email protected] or 250-594-9855

“We love our painting and I designed and built a frame for it. It is hanging in our dining room. It is a terrific piece, and often catches our attention during dinner and when we are standing back from it. We have been showing it off to all our friends. Ucluelet and Tofino are important to us and we are pretty sure our daughter feels the same too. We will place a card behind the painting with the coordinates and how the painting was conceived. We imagine that this will pass from one generation to another.

We are so pleased this all worked out….a highlight of 2024 for us!”

  Davin Weston, Vancouver

                                                                

“A Beachside Gathering! {of crows} is the name of our painting. Cathy has yet again created art work that is inspired by her keen observation of nature. I am the proud owner of a piece that captures the individuality of each crow on the west coast sea shore amidst the kelp.

They are busy, watchful and each is engaging the observer with their unique behaviors and personalities. The use of soft and realistic hues captures not only the sand and kelp, but their playful and mischievous

Faces draw me back for yet another look.

I love this piece of Cathy’s work! “

  Dorrie Ferster,     Saltspring                                                            

 

 “I had been searching for the perfect piece of art work for my home.

I am pleased to say that I am enjoying the oil painting of the West Coast with sandpipers on the beach that you customized for me.

It was a pleasure working with you and the painting is exactly what I hoped for. Thank you for your kind attention to this art piece.”

 Tracy Eeftink, Ucluelet

 

“Cathy is an exceptional artist working with oil paints. She has captured the personalities of the crows she puts on canvas. Her landscapes are remarkable, you can almost smell the ocean air and feel the mist on your face,”

    Terri Linke,  Representative at Reflecting  Spirit Gallery, Ucluelet