We’re excited to announce our Annual Members’ Show will be held from June 11 – July 18, 2026!

Submission deadline is June 5, 2026 and can be done in person or online HERE.

This is an open exhibition and we welcome submissions of any medium.

Not a member yet? Come by the gallery to register!

• Adult Membership $30/year
• Senior Membership $20/year
• Students $20/year

We’re excited to welcome back students from Northlands Parkway Collegiate and Garden Valley Collegiate for the annual High School Art Show. A collection of work shaped over the school year, showcasing the range and individuality of student artists in our community!

Winkler Arts and Culture is very excited to bring two wonderful, complimentary exhibits to the gallery this April!

Moving Blue by Sylke van Niekerk explores emotion, atmosphere, and movement through layered abstract paintings. Her work pulls you into these shifting spaces of color and texture, where soft blends and bolder marks sit side by side. There’s a mix of calm and energy throughout, and the pieces feel open enough that you can bring your own interpretation to what you’re seeing and feeling.

In contrast, Outside the Lines by D.S. Rachul offers a tactile and grounded experience through finely crafted woodwork. Featuring sculptural pieces, functional art, and uniquely carved forms, Rachul’s work highlights the natural beauty and character of the wood itself. Grain, shape, and intuition are embraced, resulting in pieces that feel both organic and intentional.

Together, these two exhibitions create a dynamic offering for visitors, giving a rich and varied artistic experience.

The Nature of Stillness brings together paintings inspired by water, flowers, and the quiet moments found in nature. Blending realism with abstraction, the work reflects on beauty, memory , and time. The exhibition invites viewers to slow down and experience stillness in their own way.

The opening reception will be held Feb. 19th, 2026 at 7pm. All are welcome!

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My work is an exploration of memory, nature, and emotional resonance through the language of abstract realism. Each piece begins with inks and unfolds through layered textures, mixed media, and is finished in oil, creating a sense of depth. I am drawn to the tension between seen and felt, form and formlessness.

 Animals, landscapes, and traces of the natural world often emerge from abstraction as symbols of intuition, stillness, and transformation. I paint to reveal a world beneath the surface — one shaped by reverie, memory, and the deep need to create something meaningful. At its core, my crafting is about painting spaces where imagination and nature meet – where viewers are invited to pause, reflect, and feel.  Each person experiences Art differently.  When a piece resonates with the life experience of a viewer, a connection occurs, and they fall in love with the piece.

Artist Bio

Elena Derksen is an artist whose work bridges the realms of abstract realism and painterly expression. She was born and raised in Kazakhstan, where enjoyed a happy childhood with her siblings.  Watching her best friend draw fairytale characters in elementary school ignited her passion for art.

Her path led her across continents: from her childhood in Kazakhstan to Germany, where she met her husband and started a family, and now to Canada where she continues to live  and create. Elena graduated from the Milan Art Institute in 2025, refining her voice and technique as an artists. 

Her Art is influence by the places she has lived and travelled. Using a mixed media approach, refined in oil she portrays creation with themes of connection, memory and inner transformation – inviting viewers into a world where emotion and reality meet on the canvas.

Gather brings together the work of five potters and ceramic artists, Kristina Lik, Renae Hildebrand, Val Zacharias, Lori Friesen, and Jane Reimer, to explore the many ways clay shows up when people come together.

Ceramics naturally live in places of gathering, around the table, around a fire, in kitchens, living rooms, and shared spaces. The artists in Gather draw from personal experiences: learning alongside friends, remembering loved ones, honouring cultural traditions, and marking moments that are both joyful and solemn. The result is work that feels familiar, meaningful, and meant to be lived with.

Gather runs from January 15 to February 10, 2026. Opening reception on January 15th at 7pm and is free to attend and open to all, we hope to see you here!

Each year, Winkler Arts + Culture has the joy of hosting our Annual Members’ Show, a celebration of the incredible creativity found within our community. This exhibition offers a chance for our members from all backgrounds and mediums to share their work with the public.

The 2025 Members’ Show will run from November 6 – January 3, 2026, filling our gallery with what will be a collection of paintings, photography, mixed media, and more.

Why Participate?

The Members’ Show is more than just an exhibition, it’s an opportunity to:

• Showcase your work in a professional gallery setting
• Connect with other local artists and creatives
• Contribute to a community-wide celebration of art

Whether this is your first time exhibiting or you’ve shown with us before, we encourage all members, current and future, to take part.

Key Dates to Remember

• Submission Deadline: October 23, 2025
• Artwork Drop-Off: By November 1 at 3pm
• Opening Reception: Thursday, November 6 at 7pm

How to Participate

The Members’ Show is open to all current WAC members, and there are no additional submission fees beyond membership. If your membership has expired, or if you’ve been thinking about joining, now is the perfect time. Becoming a member not only makes you eligible to participate, but also comes with a range of benefits, from discounts on workshops to supporting the arts in our community.

You can find the submission form here.

Membership information can be found here.