Each month, one of our DeCosmos members’ art will be exhibited in the lobby of the Beach Club Resort in Parksville, B.C. All art is for sale; please see the front desk for assistance in purchasing. Located at 181 Beachside Drive, Parksville BC.
JUNE 2026 – SHARON BARRETTE & JANICE WALLMAN
Whimsical Art by SHARON BARRETTE
My art is inspired by my love of all things whales, the Salish Sea and my family adventures. I have been fortunate enough to display and sell my art in galleries across Western Canada from Calgary to Vancouver Island. My playful and lighthearted paintings and clay sculptures can be found in private collections throughout North America.
I also enjoy participating in public art and have done paintings for charity, as well as banners for Nanaimo’s waterfront boardwalk, creative fire hydrants and a bench by Craig Bay’s seashore.
I’m happy when my art adds whimsy to your life and brings a smile to your face!
Sharon Barrette
WhimsyArtBySharon@gmail.com
ART BY JANICE WALLMAN
I am an acrylic artist based in a Nanoose Bay. I love to create art that is vibrant and bold, characterized by saturated palettes, sharp lines, and high-contrast composition that commands attention. I am a self-taught artist and developed my skills by taking online classes, the occasional workshop and many years of studio practice.
MAY 2026 – MARY-ANN QUIST
It is such a pleasure to return to the West Coast. Born and raised in Vancouver, life has taken my family and I all across this great country, finally returning to Parksville. Travelling through these various regions has inspired my art to capture the local beauty.
I have been painting for over 40 years, since I received my grandfather’s painting supplies. The instructors that I have studied under and the opportunities to be creative and capture the natural world around us motivates me to paint. I love sharing these experiences both through my work as well as stirring the creative juices of both adults and children.
I have used various mediums over the years but have focussed on oil on canvas because of love the strong, bold, vibrant colours that I can use.
This display at The Beach Club celebrates primarily local scenes, evoking memories that people can carry home with them.
APRIL 2026 – ROSEMARY FONTENLA
MARCH 2026 – VAL WHEATER
Val Wheater Art
Hello!
I was born in Comox, on beautiful Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The daughter of an RCAF Air Traffic Controller and a stay-at-home mother. We moved a lot in my childhood, and I lived nine years of my young life overseas, mostly in West Germany.
I started painting later in life and discovered that it brought me great joy and grounding. Retirement provided me more time to paint and volunteer in the art community.
In 2025 I moved from Maple Ridge to Parksville and find myself thoroughly enjoying being a permanent resident on Vancouver Island again.
My preferred medium is now acrylic on canvas or wood. I paint in a realistic style, sometimes adding a touch of whimsy, as I try to evoke a story for the viewer. I am inspired by my passions for nature, gardens and travel, painting plein air and from my photographs.
For this display I have included a selection of Salish Sea themed artwork.
Always curious about new mediums, I recently took a workshop about Encaustic Painting and really enjoyed the textured and luminous effects. This painting technique uses melted beeswax, blended with resin, which is layered onto a prepared wood surface. Colors are achieved using little bricks of solid paints that are melted, with the wax added as the medium. Natural bristle brushes are used to “paint” the melted wax mixture. Each layer must be fused using a heat gun or blow torch. Endless options are available to the artist to embed fabric or paper into the wax layers, and to carve into the set wax. Once complete, the finished piece is gently buffed with a soft cloth. It is a very playful and highly creative process.
Thank you for your interest!