Lucia Milosavljevic went on a retreat in Bamfield a few years back to renew her artistic fire.
There, the Coquitlam resident met many talented people who encouraged her to return to her gift of painting, a skill she developed as a child but stopped as an adult to raise her family.
Once home, Milosavljevic was eager to continue with her craft by meeting with other local artists.
“I wanted to be part of a community of artists where I could connect, learn from and participate in events with,” she told the Tri-City News this week.
A healthcare professional by day, Milosavljevic signed up with the Federation of Canadian Artists, the Port Moody Art Association, Arts New West and the Art Focus Artists Association, the latter a Port Coquitlam group that celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and is marking the milestone with a show until June 18 at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre (2150 Wilson Ave.).
As well, during the 101st annual May Days festival in Port Coquitlam, Art Focus will be hosting its spring show at the PCCC from May 3 to 5, of which Milosavljevic will exhibit two of her pieces.
It’s not the first time she’s had her work displayed publicly since returning to her artistic practice. Last fall, her oil landscapes and urban scenes were featured in the New Westminster Art Crawl.
And this spring, her paintings will be up in Port Moody–Coquitlam MLA Rick Glumac’s office, in The Gallery George in Vancouver and in the Poirier branch of the Coquitlam Public Library.
Milosavljevic said she’s happy to get back to painting after a long break and to show her skills.
“I have always felt the urge to paint and, even during the times when I didn’t, it was there always on my mind, always nagging me,” she said. “It is something within me that needs to be expressed and shared. It also provides me with a sense of peace and calm when I am creating.”
The opening reception for the spring Art Focus exhibit is on May 3 from 7 to 9 p.m., and continues May 4 and 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free; artists will be in attendance.
Meanwhile, starting Saturday, April 27, with Carla Vermaat, Art Focus members will host free artist demonstrations in the PCCC lobby from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of the group’s 30th exhibition. The demos will take place each Saturday, until June 15.
