This season, the Varley Art Gallery turns its attention to the natural world.

Kejie Lin, Red Mandragora, 2022, ink and mineral pigments on rice paper, 120 cm diameter. Courtesy of the artist.

Kejie Lin: A Garden of My Own

September 20, 2025 – January 11, 2026
Curated by Yuluo Wei

Kejie Lin’s garden is both her subject and her studio. A former landscape architect who immigrated to Canada in her middle age, Lin brings a rare fluency to her work, blending scientific observation with intuitive care. Drawing on the centuries-old tradition of Chinese ink painting (gongbi 工笔) — a meticulous realist style demanding precision and patience — she turns her brush to the irises, roses, and hydrangea outside her own door. Each painting is born from slow devotion, defying a culture of speed and disposability.

Lin’s art transforms the garden into a layered living medium, where memories of one homeland take root in another. Her work invites us to pause, to look closely, and to find the universe in a single leaf.

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Jess Riva Cooper, I failed to notice, the golden light of dusk (detail), 2024. Photo: Black Vine photography. Courtesy of the artist.

Sights of Convergence

September 20, 2025 – January 11, 2026
Curated by Anik Glaude and Yuluo Wei

Sights of Convergence features work by Jess Riva Cooper, Gabriela García-Luna, and Stanzie Tooth. Each artist brings a distinct material practice and set of concerns to their work, yet all explore the intimate entanglement of human and natural worlds. Rather than treating nature as a passive backdrop, their works invite us to consider a more nuanced, reciprocal exchange, one shaped by perception, memory, and lived experience. Beneath the surface, unsettling realities emerge: anxiety, tension, loss, and the shadow of ecological catastrophe. In this shared space, the gallery becomes a meeting ground, where diverse expressions converge and conversations between works and ideas can take root, grow, and expand.

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J. S. Hallam, Quiet Pool, Algonquin Park, 1949, oil on panel, 51 cm x 61 cm. Collection of the Varley Art Gallery of Markham. Purchased by the Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham, 2001.

The Quiet Fall: Scenes of Autumn from the permanent collection

September 20, 2025 – January 11, 2026
Curated by Anik Glaude

There is something magical when the warmth of summer begins to wane and the crisp air of autumn makes its first appearance. It suggests quiet walks among oaks and maples, their leaves turning brilliant shades before our eyes. This occurs as chlorophyll breaks down, revealing pigments that had been hidden during the growing season.

The Quiet Fall brings together works from the permanent collection that capture this fleeting time of transition and stillness. It reflects on how artists have observed and interpreted autumn’s subtle transitions across time and place.

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Associated Programs

Fall Exhibitions Opening Reception
Saturday, September 20 | 2 – 4pm
Free | Registration not required

Join us to celebrate the launch of our new fall exhibitions. Enjoy a guided tour with guest curator Yuluo Wei, meet the artists, and take part in a hands-on art activity. Light refreshments will be served.

Lunch and Learn Series with Exhibiting Artists
Wednesdays | 12:30 – 1:30pm
October 8: Stanzie Tooth | November 12: Jess Riva Cooper | December 10: Gabriela García-Luna
Free | Online | Registration required

Take your lunch break with us and join a series of free online talks with featured artists from Sights of Convergence. These sessions offer insight into their creative process and current work.

Curator’s Corner
Saturday, October 18 | 2pm
Free | Registration required

Get an insider’s perspective on the Varley’s collections exhibition during this engaging talk and tour led by the Gallery’s curator, Anik Glaude. Learn about the curatorial vision, behind-the-scenes stories, and the themes that shaped the show.

Panel Discussion
Sunday, November 9 | 2 – 4pm
Free | Registration not required

This fall, across two exhibitions, the Varley delves into the complex relationships artists forge with the natural world. Presenting diverse perspectives, join exhibiting artists Kejie Lin, Stanzie Tooth, and Jess Riva Cooper, alongside curators Yuluo Wei and Anik Glaude, for an insightful and engaging discussion.

Gallery Tour in Mandarin with Kejie Lin
Sunday, December 7 | 2pm
Free | Registration not required

Join exhibiting artist Kejie Lin for a Mandarin-language guided tour in her exhibition. This tour is perfect for Mandarin-speaking visitors interested in engaging with contemporary art.

About the Varley Art Gallery of Markham

The Varley Art Gallery of Markham is a vital cultural hub for artists and diverse communities. A municipal gallery, we create meaningful conversations about Canadian art and society. We inspire local and regional audiences to engage with art through outstanding exhibitions and rich public and educational programs relevant to the communities we serve. We support artists from York region and seek to broaden access to the arts for diverse artists and cultural groups. We also share and celebrate the life and work of F. H. Varley, a founding member of the Group of Seven.

The Varley Art Gallery is situated on the traditional territories of Indigenous Peoples including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe. We are committed to reconciliation, partnership and enhanced understanding.

Varley Art Gallery of Markham
216 Main Street Unionville
Markham, ON L3R 2H1
varley@markham.ca
905.477.7000 ext. 3261

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Public Hours
Tuesday – Friday | 12pm – 4pm
Saturday and Sunday | 10am – 5pm
Monday | Closed

Admission:
Free

Accessibility:
Our venue is accessible, with automatic door openers to enter the building and exhibition spaces. One accessible washroom is available.

For more information, please contact:
Jessica Li, Communications
jessicali@markham.ca