KARLEE BERTOLA: A CELEBRATION OF POLLINATION

1 May - 17 June | Vancouver Arts Centre 

Come and join us for a celebration of botanical pigment making and investigation into the vital process of pollination.

Pollination is more than just the transfer of pollen from one flower to another; it is the process that ensures the continuation of plant life, allowing seeds and the food that we eat to survive to form.

Pollination involves a careful orchestration of interactions between plants and pollinators. Bees, butterflies, birds, bats, flies and even the wind serve as nature’s messengers, transporting pollen from flower to flower, ensuring that genetic diversity thrives. Without these vital exchanges, many plant species would not be able to reproduce, disrupting not only ecosystems and our food security, but also the artistic and cultural traditions that rely on plant-based inks and dyes.

The process is both fragile and essential—an intricate web that connects forests, fields, and gardens across the world. Over 75% of flowering plants depend on animal pollinators, making them the silent but crucial collaborators in the natural pigment-making process. Without pollination, there would be fewer fruits to yield the rich berry dyes, fewer flowers to extract brilliant hues, and fewer plants to sustain the landscapes that inspire artists and ink-makers alike.

Just as a painting is incomplete without its final brushstrokes, the cycle of nature remains unfinished without pollination. It is the invisible force that keeps the botanical colour palette alive, ensuring that each season brings a new canvas of vibrant flowers, nourishing ecosystems, and continuing the ancient practice of natural ink and paint making. The world itself is the gallery, and pollination is the delicate brushwork that ensures the exhibition never ends.

Open 1 May - 17 June 2025

Vancouver Arts Centre, 85 Vancouver St 

Monday - Friday 10-4pm