The current month-long art exhibit at Newton Cultural Centre was installed on the third anniversary of the artist’s death.
Diana Robleś passed Jan. 4, 2021, after being diagnosed with stage-four ovarian cancer just weeks earlier, at age 78.
“It was very quick,” said her partner, Frazer Cole, who in 2017 published a book of Robleś’ colourful, abstract work she’d created during a 45-year career as a painter.
The couple lived in Fleetwood at the time, and now Cole has assembled a collection of Robleś’ work for viewing in Newton, with Surrey Hospice Society involved as a partner in the exhibition.
At the Arts Council of Surrey-run venue (13530 72 Ave.), the “Changes” art show celebrates the artist’s legacy with hospice in mind.
“We present this exhibition in the hopes that others can see and appreciate her work and also allow them space to examine their own journey, choices and restrictions,” said Shara Nixon, board president of Surrey Hospice Society.
“We encourage people to come down, bring your memory of a loved one, an object, and pick up on the energy of this artist, because that’s what this is. This isn’t just an art show, it’s a tribute to a past artist. The bigger picture of this is that this room is full of the energy of a remarkable woman, right now.”
In conversation at the Newton gallery, Nixon said she can feel Robleś’ energy in the exhibition, which runs Jan. 4-30.
“Some of these paintings are quite dramatic,” Nixon said. “I’m really drawn to these paintings and how the artist once stood in front of this, brush in hand, and contemplated it just like I’m doing right now. That’s kind of the experience, because she has such a strong energy and such a strong presence.”
Born in Winnipeg, Robleś was largely self-taught as a painter and fibre artist.
“She went within to find her inspiration and drew mainly on nature and her intuition,” an obituary noted. “Her goal was to discover what was inside of her using art as a medium and to this extent she was extremely successful.”
She spent 18 years training in classical piano, was a private secretary to noted theatre director John Hirsch, was a modelling instructor and once considered becoming a therapist in bio-kinesiology.
As an artist, Robleś’ work “walks us through a traditional upbringing, a once rigid definition of womanhood, motherhood and the expectations of being female to the self-discovery of life outside those boundaries,” Nixon said.
If you can’t visit Newton Cultural Centre this month, considering viewing Robleś’ art in a virtual exhibition on the Arts Council of Surrey’s website (artscouncilofsurrey.ca).
Following her intuition, Robleś “blazed a trail that has led through culture, classes and categories yet still she is a contrarian: refusing to toe the line and jeopardize her artistic integrity,” explains a biography on the website. “She has bravely faced near death, poverty and wealth, anonymity and popularity.”
