The Reach Gallery Museum Abbotsford

09/08/2026

Today, we begin delving into the sections of Interglacial. First up, time, which underpins everything: different human experiences and natural phenomena are governed by different timescales and temporal orientations. The works in this section of the exhibition are informed by Desirée Patterson’s collaboration with University of Victoria visual ecologist Dr. Eric Higgs, founder and director of the Mountain Legacy Project (MLP).

Central to the MLP is the study of ecological change in Western Canada’s mountain ranges through the use of repeat photography, a method of high-precision photography that recreates historic images to produce contemporary visual documentation of glacial recession and other forms of ecological change over time.

Curious to learn more? Check out the virtual conversation between Eric Higgs () and Desirée Patterson (Desirée Patterson) that The Reach's Curator of Art & Visual Culture, Kelley Tialiou (Kelley Tialiou), hosted last spring: https://youtu.be/Y1MCZ9pCHiw

09/04/2026

Calling university students in the Fraser Valley interested in pursuing a curatorial career! Explore the possibilities with a paid position at The Reach this fall. Visit the reach.ca/careers for more details or help us spread the word!

09/03/2026

This week, the United Nations Environment Programme published a new report announcing that climate change is "past the point of no return" (https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/unep-climate-paris-global-warming-9.7329305).

And yet, for Interglacial scientific collaborators, never was climate hope so important. In the words of Robert Sandford, "despair is the last and worst thing one can do."

Community, Sandford reminds us, is "where the hard work of hope should begin." Stay tuned for environmental stewardship resources in our Fraser Valley community, coming this fall!

09/01/2026

Holding Still under Still in Place
October 2, 2026 | 11 am - 12:30 pm

Engage with the sights and sounds of Desirée Patterson: Interglacial and explore how we can shift our relationship to time through a combination of yoga, mindfulness, and creative practice.

Yoga and meditation led by Christine Turley (Christine Turley)

Creative reflection led by Desirée Patterson

For quality of experience, this event is capped at 25 participants - reserve your free spot (and bring a friend!) today: https://thereach.ca/events/holding-still-under-still-in-place/

08/20/2026

We were delighted to welcome colleagues from the Audain Art Museum earlier this week for a special tour of Interglacial by none other than Desirée Patterson! Special thanks to Kiriko Watabane (Kiriko Watanabe) for spearheading the visit.

08/18/2026

For this week, we are delighted to announce our major fall gathering in celebration of Interglacial, presented in partnership with BC Culture Days!

The event features a water ceremony performed by artist Desirée Patterson with her daughter, Meadow, and scientific collaborators, and the debut of a contemporary dance work by Lee Johnson, inspired by Still in Place, the exhibition’s monumental glacier-shaped textile installation.

The reception that follows will be an opportunity to share reflections on our human relationship to cycles of time, intergenerational exchange, and environmental transformation.

We look forward to seeing you then!

08/11/2026

The Reach is pleased to announce a new semi-weekly IG series, and , starting today and running until late March 2027!

Do you know what "interglacial" means?

Answer below and come back on Thursday to find out what "interglacial" means and why artist Desirée Patterson and curator Kelley Tialiou selected it as the title of the exhibition.

06/24/2026

05/25/2026

Round two of our Civic Plaza Field Trips starts this week, thanks to CUPE 774 - Abbotsford! 🎨✨
These photos capture the middle school students’ visit, and now we’re getting ready to welcome elementary students for another 3 days of creativity, exploration, and hands-on fun at Civic Plaza!

Abbotsford School District
City of Abbotsford - The Hub Of The Fraser Valley
Abbotsford Police Department
Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service
FVRL - Clearbrook Library