A recent fundraiser art show in downtown Victoria featuring sculptures like wolves and foxes was a howling success, with thousands raised for the Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre.
Driftwood artist Tanya Bub‘s exhibition wrapped up on April 16 after running for nearly a month at the Gage Gallery at Bastion Square — culminating in $10,945 collected for local wildlife.
“This was by far the most I’ve ever raised,” Bub told CHEK News.
“It’s amazing. It’s fantastic. It’s really a tribute to all who love animals and art. Most of it was from sales of the work, and I think $1,300 in direct donations. We had a donation box at the front, which was also very successful.”
Wild ARC is a Metchosin-based rehabilitation centre that helps sick, injured and orphaned wild animals — so it’s only fitting the show’s theme was B.C. wildlife.
“I had wolves, cougars, owls, a fox, a baby deer, a moose, a raven, an eagle, a heron, a squirrel, a raccoon, a whale — lots of wild animals. I really try to create an experience for people,” said Bub. “Even the whale was sort of like a life-sized baby whale.”
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This wasn’t Bub’s first time helping a worthwhile cause — in 2022, her exhibit “Art For Dogs And The People Who Love Them” collected funds for the BC SPCA.
“I’ve been doing driftwood sculptures for about four years now. I just got back into it fairly recently, and now, I’m pretty much doing it full-time. It’s my passion, my job, and my hobby all bundled up into one,” exclaimed Bub, who’s often commissioned for her work.
“I have at least a couple in front of my house, I’ve got some at the Malahat Skywalk, and I’ve got stuff at Studio 106 in James Bay.”
SEE APRIL 2022 STORY: Vancouver Island artist’s show featuring dog sculptures to raise money for SPCA
Bub is ecstatic that her hard work is paying off big, considering some sculptures take her up to a year to finish.
“I usually work on about 10 of them at a time,” she said. “Some I work on for as long as a year, and others as short as a month. There’s a lot of building and waiting and building and waiting. There’s also collecting all the driftwood as well. There are all these different stages.”
Now, Bub is thanking everyone who contributed to her latest show, including hosts Ed Bain and Jeff King and crew from “The Upside” on CHEK News.
“They did one of their broadcasts from the gallery, and I can’t tell you how many people came in and said they saw the show,” she said. “I can’t thank them enough. It wouldn’t have been the same without them.”
The local artist is already planning her next fundraiser — only this show won’t be focused on animals but rather on human figures, including jugglers and performers.
“It’s a fundraiser for Our Place this time,” she said. “It’s called ‘The Greatest Show On Earth,’ which is going to be circus-themed with a twist. It’s going to be a lot of fun, but there will be a lot more to the pieces and the theme.”
The upcoming show is scheduled for August, and Bub says more information about the event will be posted soon to her Instagram page.
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Ethan Morneau
