12 December 2025 – 23 February 2026
theDock Centre for Social Impact
300-722 Cormorant St, Victoria, BC
M-F 8:30am-5:00pm
About the Artist:
Karen Hibbard is a contemporary visual artist with 15 years of teaching experience at various universities and colleges. She is currently employed at the University of Victoria, teaching a variety of art studio courses. She completed her Masters at Concordia University. Originally from the province of Ontario, she has lived in Québec, Manitoba until arriving in Victoria in 2011.
Art is an amazing conduit for social engagement, community building and individual happiness
Her own work often takes the form of installation that may include the following media: drawing, painting, soft sculpture, artist books, printmaking, video and media arts. Karen feels that art provides a great coping mechanism for whatever life throws at you. It engages the soul as well as having a grounding effect.
Nurture Nature: Sustaining our Community
“Nurture Nature” is a play on “Nature vs. Nurture”. It is in our nature to want a sustainable future, one which requires a careful and thoughtful plan in place.
Artist Statement:
I am concerned by the lack of affordable rentals/homes. It has become difficult for the average working person to manage. The rising costs of housing/food/health impacts everybody. What is the trajectory of the current state of the world?
I am always impressed with how volunteers and activists give of their time and energy. While there is great satisfaction with this, I can imagine too that there is significant financial hardship and mental exhaustion involved.
About the work:
This series is a social response to current vulnerabilities in our community.
The patchwork drawing pieces feature the the challenges of grocery shopping on a tight budget. Women tend to be the family care-givers and there is an army of unpaid labor that keeps households running.
The digital photomontages contain phrases (*see source below) used to critique extreme methods of economic expansion. Often the process is without a thought or care for its impact on others. The images contain animals reacting adversely to these violent changes. The shopping cart is my symbol of a ubiquitous out-of-control presence of economic expansion.
Also included is the piece “House of Social Justice” which features activities of community workers and activists.There must be a lot of challenges when trying to achieve consensus on how to proceed.
*http://history-in-5.com/2025/07/03/the-robber-barons-titans-of-industry-or-thieves-in-top-hats/
