Residents on Salt Spring Island have until this Friday, May 22, 2026, to view a unique collection of art currently on display at the ArtSpring gallery. The exhibition, titled HOMAGE, features 40 tailor-made necklaces designed by master goldsmith Donald A. Stuart to honour significant Canadian women.
The collection showcases work spanning from the 11th century to the present day, with featured figures including Pauline Johnson, Diana Krall, Karen Kain, and Judy Gingell. Each necklace is accompanied by a hand-drawn portrait and biography created by the exhibition’s curator, Susan Benson. The pieces use specific materials chosen to reflect the character, talent, and achievements of the woman being honoured.
This exhibition marks the first and only appearance of the collection in Western Canada following a successful tour of the country’s Eastern provinces. The display at the gallery, located at 100 Jackson Avenue, will close its doors to the public at 4:00 pm on Friday.
Benson, an 84-year-old theatre set and costume designer, was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2019 and recently received the 2026 Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. Stuart, who founded the Pangnirtung Weaving Studio and established jewellery programs at Georgian College, was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2002.
More information about the event can be found through Gulf Island Events.
