The Pearl Ellis Gallery is reopening on Aug. 6 with an exhibition by local artist, Kay Larson.

Born in the Maritimes, Larson has lived in the Comox Valley for 26 years; the ocean has never been far away. Mostly self-taught, she dabbled in a few art courses at North Island College when she was younger. This is her first solo exhibition, showcasing 10 years of painting in the evenings.

Larson uses oils to portray West Coast themes, along with modern and vintage subjects. You may discover an arbutus tree, a mermaid, sailboat, raven or take in a view from a different perspective. From time to time during the exhibition, her son, Des Larson, will be dropping in to play acoustic music.

The exhibition runs Aug. 6-22, with limited hours. The gallery will be open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. with COVID protocols in place. Signage for direction and spacing has been installed and hand sanitizer is available at the door. Gallery capacity is limited to six people at a time.

The Pearl Ellis Gallery is located at 1729 Comox Avenue in Comox. Admission is free.

For more information about the gallery, and to see a virtual display of the exhibition, visit