Spotlight on Steve Staresina
Meet Artist and Oliver Business Man Steve Staresina.  Steve is the driving force behind the new Oliver Art Gallery, an artist run cooperative Gallery located on Main Street Oliver, British Columbia.   Along with creating a location that would provide exhibition space for local artists from Summerland to Osoyoos, Steve Staresina has also provided an inviting place for art lovers to visit and enjoy. 
When Handcraft Gallery closed a void was left in Oliver’s cultural scene.  Staresina saw the big windows and highway exposure of the vacant bookstore space and decided that this would be a great place for a Gallery!  Within just a few weeks, Staresina had rounded up a group of like-minded artists who put their time and energy into improving the space with new paint, tile, walls for hanging artwork and lighting to present artworks to their full beauty.   “This really is a group effort” maintains Staresina “it is all of the artists working together that is making this possible”.
Staresina has a history of involvement with various community groups and associations in Oliver.  His interest in artwork and in personal expression through art has lead Staresina not only to create his own artwork, but to share his knowledge and expertise through weekly art classes in the local Quails Nest.  Many are familiar with Staresina’s much loved Mural (which depicts the Kiwanis activity with seniors, children and the community)  painted on the wall of the Kiwanis Market Building.
“The Arts make up over 30 percent of Canada’s GDP” says Staresina, “and I am determined to bring that into the open in this community that I live in”.
Staresina invites you to come and experience the relaxation and pleasure of being in the presence of original artworks, which will delight and draw you in with the imagination, colour and the imagery of each piece.  The Oliver Art Gallery is located at 34848 – 97th Street, Oliver BC, where member/artists are ready to welcome you every day of the week.