Interested in purchasing a Marie Nagel calendar to support the exhibition? Click here.
From our Walls: Honouring Marie Nagel
When Island Mountain Arts reached out to Jeff Nagel in early 2026 to request permission to do a show of his late mother Marie Nagel’s artwork, he was a bit surprised to hear that the Gallery didn’t want any art from his mother’s collection. Instead, Executive/Artistic Director Elyssia Sasaki told him that she’d be looking for works a bit closer to home: From the walls of locals.
“I think like many ideas in Wells, the concept for this exhibition took shape at a potluck.” Sasaki said. “Cheryl Macarthy and Dorothea Funk were talking about how you could probably fill the gallery with Marie paintings just from the people that lived here when she operated St. George's Gallery in the old Anglican Church.. Turns out that’s true. We’re overwhelmed by the positive response we received.”
The show, which will be on display at the Island Mountain Arts Public Gallery from August 20th to September 13th, has over 30 works on display, some of which are believed to be showing in public for the first time ever. “A lot of mom’s work was snapped up pretty quickly when she had her studio in Wells.” Jeff said during remarks made at the exhibition opening, “Some of these I’m seeing in-person for the first time!”
In total, Island Mountain Arts will host over 30 works from private collections around the Cariboo Region and beyond, as well as a collection of the Wells Community News, a monthly hard-copy newsletter that Marie compiled and edited that talked about all things Wells from the early 1990’s through the early 2000's.
From Our Walls opened August 20th and will be on display until Sunday September 13th. The Gallery is open 11AM-6PM Wednesday - Sunday through the remainder of August, and will be open Thursday - Sunday from 11AM - 6PM in September with a 30 minute lunch closure at 2PM, or by appointment (email info@imarts.com or call 250 994 3466 to book.)
IMA acknowledges the support of the Province of British Columbia for keeping our gallery free to attend.
IMA operates on the territory of the Lhtako Dene Nation, a traditional land-use area of the Dakelh and Secwépemc peoples, recognizing their historical and ongoing connection to the land.
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Artist Bio
Marie Nagel (1938 - 2025) was a BC Artist. Born in Saskatchewan, she attended the Alberta College of Art in the 1960s, and had been a newspaper photographer, cartoonist and illustrator before heading the Prince George Art Gallery in the mid 1980s.
In the early 1990s she moved to the tiny B.C. town of Wells, opened her own gallery and plunged into painting full time. She never looked back and became part of the fabric of the community, publishing a local newspaper in Wells for a decade.
Her Wells painting period from 1991-2007 was marked by vibrant semi-abstract acrylics on canvas, often depicting the mountains, forests and collapsing old buildings of the Cariboo landscape. The bold colours and brush strokes were a major departure from her watercolours of the 1980s.
In 2007, she moved to Victoria, where seascapes and driftwood became frequent subjects.
"There is an elemental quality to her landscapes, as well as a deft colour sense and a lush moodiness that evokes the West Coast,” Boulevard Magazine wrote on the eve of an exhibition in Victoria. “Without trying to, her works stand out."
Above all, she is remembered fondly by her many friends, family and fellow art lovers as a kind friend and a wonderful mother.
She passed away Dec. 15, 2025 at the age of 87 in White Rock, with her son Jeff nearby.