LINDA JOHNS: CALLED TO AWAKEN
Annual Solo Show of New Work
June 1 - 29, 2009

The 34th Annual June exhibit of recent work by artist LINDA JOHNS opens this week at Lyghtesome Gallery in Antigonish. Entitled "CALLED TO AWAKEN" this 2009 collection consists of 14 acrylic paintings on canvas, 5 on paper and 25 new sculptures in whalebone, wood and iron, of which 12 are exhibited. The show runs from June 1 - 28 and will be followed by the Summer Showcase of Gallery Artists in July.

As the title of the show implies, this body of work addresses Linda Johns continuing call for humanity to wake up to the beauty and integrity of the natural world and to challenge the conventions of exploitation and destructive greed that have lead to the current environmental crisis. Following currents of wind and water, she leads us on a journey through the ebb and flow cycles of instinct, survival, and seasonal change, with intuitive wisdom and insight.

There is a great deal of focus on Linda Johns sculpture this year, beginning with the recent purchase of two whalebone carvings by the Nova Scotia Art Bank and the artist's upcoming solo show at the Mary E. Black Gallery in Halifax in July entitled "INVOCATION". This exhibit, curated by Jeff Parker of Lyghtesome Gallery, runs from July 24 to September 6, 2009 and will include work in stone, clay and whalebone dating as far back as 1987 on up to the present, including several pieces that are being recalled from public and private collections. The Mary E. Black Gallery is the public gallery of the Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design (NSCCD) which hosts local, regional , national and international exhibits year round. The Gallery is located at 1061 Marginal Road in the Pier 21 complex.