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Bidding the Dhonts farewell

Surrounded by Bowen artists’ work in the Gallery@Cove Commons, in a room brimming with people, Betty and Thijs Dhont bid the island farewell. The prominent locals, who arrived on Bowen in 1994, are moving full time to Hornby Island.
Dhonts
Betty and Thijs’s Dhont smile at one another at their goodbye party September 16. The longtime islanders are moving to Hornby Isand.

Surrounded by Bowen artists’ work in the Gallery@Cove Commons, in a room brimming with people, Betty and Thijs Dhont bid the island farewell.

The prominent locals, who arrived on Bowen in 1994, are moving full time to Hornby Island.

Betty was the original curator of the BIAC Gallery, begun up in Artisan Square in 1997, holding the position for six years. Since then she’s held a number of volunteer positions with the council and Thijs has spent hundreds of hours hanging pictures, greeting guests, and doing any other odd job that needed to be done over the past decade. 

As smiles, tears, memories (and wine) flowed at the party, put on by the arts council, Betty and Thijs thanked their friends and co-islanders. 

Rather than summarizing Betty’s speech, the Undercurrent decided to print it in full. So here it is:

[Editor’s note: Betty improvised what she calls the best parts of the speech, I wasn’t recording at the time and missed the moment. So the text below is from the speech written on the paper Betty clutched in her hand as she addressed her friends.]

“I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for your presence and for having had the opportunity to work with so many Bowen Island artists and volunteers for over 20 years. 

It feels really good as an “elder” to step aside for the younger experts to take their turn to bring their new ideas and new energy to this new gallery. 

I promise to keep quiet on Hornby…

And thank you dear Thijs for all your help and support and having the patience of a saint when were hanging shows together.”