When Mackenzie Village developers approached Riha about opening a new gallery two years ago, she was honoured and excited by the idea. Then came a time of reflection on logistics and how she could go about creating a thriving art space. “I didn’t think I had the skills to do it on my own; it’s a big space and I have big ideas,” she says, noting she approached Porath whom she has known for many years. “She is talented and I have wanted to work with her. And we decided that Hayley would be a strong member of our team because she is super talented and she has a lot of experience.”

Zuzana earned a fine art degree at Vancouver’s Emily Carr University and has happily called Revelstoke home for 30 years. “I think I’ve always been an artist,” says the former Parks Canada employee, pointing out she believes everyone has a creative side within them. “I was always drawn to create, but I also loved to be outside.” Zuzana describes her eclectic art as being “all over the place.” She is a sculptor, who also draws, paints, carves, welds, and creates art pieces with a chainsaw and a plasma cutter, among other things. “I like variety and have always been curious about how to attach objects together when sculpting,” she says. “If you have a broad array of tools, the possibilities are endless. Keeping boredom at bay by continually exploring ways to create and combine different mediums, Zuzana says curiosity often leads her to new art possibilities. One of her latest approaches is to create art using a variety of recycled materials. 

Meghan, who enthusiastically said yes to Zuzana’s request to partner in a gallery, came to Revelstoke from Kamloops 10 years ago, with a degree in tourism management. “I had no formal training in art but I was always the kid you could hand a box of crayons to and I would be in my happy place.” Meghan says she sometimes has a hard time calling herself an artist. She sold her first piece of art to someone she didn’t know from her own gallery. As executive director of the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre, Meghan has seen a lot of great art but wanted to explore different approaches to her own work. The piece that sold at Alpine Echo Gallery began as a digital illustration that turned into a computer format that Meghan then cut into pieces with a laser cutter. Next, she applied the pieces to a wood panel and completed the project with acrylic paint. “It was a play on Pablo Picasso, not realism,” she laughs, pointing out that her art has always been a way of slowing down and feeding her own soul. Thrilled to be in partnership with Zuzana and Hayley, Meghan says it is a great opportunity to work with two driven women who are incredible artists. “How could I say no to this opportunity to create something in this community that I love,” she adds. 

Hayley Stewart is a mountain sports enthusiast and her joy in movement is reflected in her vibrant art. Lured by Tofino waves, Hayley came west in 2008 after receiving a fine arts degree with a major in drawing and painting from the Ontario College of Art & Design (now OCAD University). A year later, she answered the call of the mountains and spent three years concentrating on exploring the slopes around Golden, B.C. In 2013, she relocated to Calgary to focus on her art career. As a scenic painter for one of the largest North American companies whose clients include Disney, Nickelodeon, Wicked and Broadway shows, Hayley painted stages and sets for movies and theatres. But the lure of the mountains was too strong, so in 2017, Hayley returned to Golden. 

“I quit my cushy job to move back to the mountains where I felt happiest, and pursued my own artistic endeavours full time,” she says. The full-time artist has called Revelstoke home since 2018, painting and investigating international opportunities and exhibitions. She currently has an art show in Encinitas, California which closes in early March. She often follows the sun to Mexico and California during the Winter months. “I paint vivid atypical landscapes that highlight nature’s intricacies with a bold palette, smooth colour blending and concise brushstrokes,” she says, noting that in the past, vibrant mountain vistas were a favourite subject. She is now painting more tropical scenes that feature waves and sea creatures. Excited to be part owner of the Alpine Echo Gallery, Hayley calls Zuzana and Meghan two powerhouse women, “I can’t think of a better team.”

Alpine Echo Gallery currently represents 40 artists. Some 70  percent of the talented artists call Revelstoke home, with others coming from within BC and Alberta, and all artwork is representative of mountain culture, says Zuzana. She explains that there is much more to operating a gallery than displaying art. Curating and making sure the art pieces, created in many mediums, are displayed in a way that complement each other rather than compete. “Revelstoke has been known as a place to do extreme sport and has a high-end athlete appeal,” she says. “Our goal is to let the world know we have a beautiful and diverse arts culture and we aim to enrich that even further.”

• Written by Barb Brouwer for the Revelstoke Times – a magazine created by the Revelstoke Review (Spring 2025)