Mulled Cider recipe

Many visitors to our December Open House asked about the mulled cider. The recipe goes sorta like this:

For each gallon or so, use 4 parts apple juice (unfiltered is by far the best) and 1 part cranberry juice (IMPORTANT - use only 100% pure cranberry juice, not a "cocktail" or any other sweetened blend). Adjust the proportions to get the right balance of sweetness/tartness

Toss in two cinnamon sticks, one cut-up lemon, 1 teaspoon whole cloves and 1 teaspoon whole allspice.

Heat (crock pots are ideal) and enjoy.

The Cariboo keeping the other art in line.

Click image to enlarge

The Cariboo by Nicola Prinsen keeps a watchful eye on a row of interesting subjects.

In the Gallery

Click image to enlarge

A trio of textured florals by Linda Thompson fit nicely in a small alcove. Grouped with Michael Hermesh's sculpture "Life in a time of Joy".

go to Linda Thompson webpage

go to Michael Hermesh webpage

In the Gallery

click image to enlarge

Artist Abroad

Currently ceramicist Bill Boyd's work is being showcased in the Dehullu Gallery in the Netherlands. This amazing show runs from October 23 - November 29, 2009. Bill has sent us some images from the opening reception to share with our viewers. 

During his trip to the Netherlands, Bill had an amazing time, he met several European potters who he felt were "Pioneers in the art of Crystalline Glazed Ceramics". 

See Bill Boyd's webpage 

One minute with potter Laurie Rolland

See Laurie Rolland's web page for an exquisite
new collection of her hand-built ceramics.

In the Gallery

H.E. Kuckein's "Baltic Summer" dramatically framed in a wide dark rustic frame with an elegant gold insert (click photo to enlarge).

 

See the H.E. Kuckein web page.

Poised to Go Green

Click photo to enlarge

Christopher Walker's "Redemption" painting is grouped with sculpture of varying green tones. The uniquely glazed Bill Boyd bulb vase sparkles in the peaceful setting alongside Marilyn Armitage's aptly titled polar bear "Go Green".

This "green display" has dual meaning with Marilyn's sculpture echoing the sentiments of Chris Walker's environmental concerns.

Click to see the web pages of:
Marilyn Armitage
Bill Boyd
Christopher Walker

Magazine article: Peter Wyse

Just published: a profile of artist PETER WYSE in the Fall 2009 issue of Magazin Art! (click thumbnail pages to enlarge)

 

 

 

 

 

In the Gallery

Float frames in the gallery 

(click photo to enlarge)

Terry Gilecki "Beneath Distraction"

Kit Shing "Santorini Breeze II"

Vases by Geoff Searle

In the Gallery

click photo to enlarge

A new display in the gallery, showcasing H.E. Kuckein's river scenes, Elena Ilku's "Forest", "The Firm" bronze sculpture by Michael Hermesh, a soft hued bulb vase by Bill Boyd and a miniature landscape by Phil Buytendorp. These amazing pieces all compliment and balance one another in a relaxing and cozy alcove in the gallery.

See the artists webpages

Bill Boyd

Phil Buytendorp

Michael Hermesh

Elena Ilku

H.E. Kuckein

Back in the gallery

Many gallery clients and artists already know that owner Dennie recently suffered a broken arm in a horse riding mishap. Happily, her doctor expects a complete recovery and she is back to her regular schedule in the gallery.

Welcome Back Dennie!

Tantalizing Textures

Click image to enlarge

Several artists in the gallery and beyond paint with a lot of texture. Some have very interesting techniques with the thick impasto style.

In the gallery, some artists to name a few, who tend to utilize this painting technique are; Gilles Charest, Susan Flaig, David Langevin, Terry Gilecki, and Laura Harris.

Others apply the thick oil paint with a palette knife, such as; Constance Bachmann, Phil Buytendorp, Kit Shing and Raynald Leclerc.

As you may already know, often the paint is so thick in spots it can take weeks to dry. Imagine all the paint some artists must go through in a year!

Answers

A. Laura Harris, B. Raynald Leclerc, C. David Langevin, D. Kit Shing

Beautiful Custom Frame

Ushering in the Fall with a beautiful landscape by Min Ma.
"Autumn Shadows" 18" x 24"

See the Min Ma webpage

A Gallery Mascot

Our lovable furry friend "Specs" has been a dedicated visitor to the gallery for many years now. This sweet dog belongs to a client of ours, and loyally follows her master on his daily errands. Specs, short for Spectacles, is a timid girl, but is always up for a nice back scratch. She patiently waits for her owner at the front entrance or catches some zzz's in a nice sunny spot in the front window. 

Look.....up There!

"It is not the job of an artist to tell people what to think, it is to see truth and depict it." -Michael Hermesh

This sculpture "The Stage at the Edge of the Temporal" by Michael Hermesh always has the viewer wondering, just what exactly are these men pointing at?

I will always remember when I saw a younger man looking at this piece. He walked towards it, then suddenly glanced upward at the ceiling! His literal translation of this piece made me realize that everyone truly has a different take on art.

The artist wants the viewer to explore the meaning and possibilities of his work. One of his goals as an artist isn't to have the meaning written in stone. Its the infinite explorations and insights that make the piece evolve over time.

As Michael wrote in his artist statement:
"A piece of art is a symbol that as rendered by the artist in the act of creation and has it’s own unique meaning. It can have all the nuances, history, contradictions and flavours that a word can have when used. It is complete in itself. To over explain is like having to explain a joke – the spirit of the thing is gone."

See Michael Hermesh's web page

Small works

In the gallery our glass curios are home to many beautiful petite works of art. If you are looking for an original piece of art for someone as a gift, there are many miniature options to choose from.

Small pieces of art are a great way to start up an original art collection - especially for those who don't have a lot of space at home. Why not display a Bill Boyd or a Geoff Searle vase on your shelf or side table for that finishing touch.

Who knew that bears could be so comical and playful? Vance Theoret often portrays bears with lovable personalities in his smaller stone sculptures. Ones we find irresistable!

We also have Inukshuks made by a local sculptor, Cliff Mason. He is a retired dentist who works with great attention to detail. The uniquely made figures are carved entirely from one piece of soapstone and make great gifts for out of town visitors.

top photo: Inukshuk by Cliff Mason, bear by Vance Theoret
bottom photo: crystalline-glaze ceramics by Bill Boyd

Sculptor Laurie Rolland

Potter Laurie Rolland explores her affinity with the human connection to the earth in her ceramic pieces. All of her work is handbuilt, and beautifully showcases raw organic textures.

Her series of boats are metaphors that allude to a journey. They are protective vessels that are a feminine symbol of passage and salvation.

Laurie utilizes many interesting techniques in her clay. Some of her pieces that are dotted with perferations were created using paper pulp in the clay. When the clay is fired in the kiln, the pulp burns out and transforms into a hollow bone-like surface. This ties in with the renewal of life and death.

Laurie's work has been featured in many ceramic publications, and she has been recognized for her work with numerous awards. As a potter she has been in many international exhibitions and a has been a juror in potter's guild's across Canada.

see Laurie Rolland's web page

In the Gallery

Create visual interest by showcasing your sculptures or ceramics on different levels or grouping items of varying heights. In this display the Geoff Searle vase on the pedestal ties the painting in with the sculptural elements.

painting by Susan Flaig
vase by Geoff Searle
bear by Vance Theoret

Framing ideas

Float frames

For those who haven't been in lately, we have been framing some paintings with float frames. This is a unique way to show variety among your artwork and give a painting a clean and contemporary look.

Floats are available in many different widths and styles. What a nice way to give your paintings a simple finished edge.

 More work by Ray Ward

In the Gallery

Display inspiration for your home

When grouping items of different material and subject matter, the trick is to make sure that all items share a common element. Such as this display in the gallery, the sculpture and ceramics harmonize through colour and texture.

In the Gallery

We are always updating the gallery, as we strive to keep our displays fresh and exciting. This week a new alcove display is being featured.

The refined detail of Dongmin Lai's "Qing Dynasty Princess" is elegantly nestled in a corner with the bold strokes and hearty Canadian landscpape, "Salty Shorelines", by Phil Buytendorp.

Dongmin Lai not only paints chinese portraits but he also paints the old buildings bordering the canals in Suzhou, China (as seen below the portrait).

In addition to paintings, we always showcase a sculpture or ceramic piece within our displays.

Michael Hermesh's sculpture "The Philosopher", adds 3-D relief to this setting. Hermesh's work is often of a quirky nature, especially in the characters he chooses to depict.

Bill Boyd's work in European Museums

Of late, ceramicist Bill Boyd's crystalline stoneware work has been generating a lot of interest and excitement in the gallery.

Bill has been eagerly working and experimenting with his new kiln. He has been bringing in amazing pieces to the gallery. Each time keeping us all in awe of the beauty of his very technical glazes and challenging vessel shapes.

In fact, his recent crystalline glaze works have been featured in 2 museums in Europe this past year.

The Villeroy and Boch Museum in Mettlach, Germany showcased a collection of Bill's work in March 2008. At this show 17 potters from around the world were invited to show their work in the musuem.

The newest gallery to invite Bill to showcase his pottery is the Dehullu Galerie in the Netherlands. The exhibit runs from October 23 to November 29 of this year. View his work and other crystalling potters' here: www.beeldeningees.nl/Z09_2/Kunstenaars-03.php

Congratulations to Bill!   See Bill Boyd's webpage.

Villeroy and Boch had it's beginnings in 1748 and is one of Europe's oldest manufacturers of ceramic ware still in business. They have made porcelain table services for many of the royal families in Europe for centuries.

Images:
Top; Villeroy and Boch Museum and factory centre, Mettlach, Germany
Centre; Saareck Castle; Bill's lodging provided by V&B.
Bottom; Villeroy & Boch showroom, (centre- Bill Boyd, left- curator of museum, Ester Schneider, right- Diane Creber, Canadian potter and author).

Wall Hanging Inspirations for Your Home

Here we have a very inventive wall arrangement masterminded by clients Liz and Alex. Doesn't it look superb! So for anyone who thinks it's impossible to hang multiple paintings in the same room, here's some inspiration.

The Art of Giving

THE ART OF GIVING TIMELESS TREASURES 

Have someone on your list who's hard to buy for? Do they have a love for original and unique items?

Why not a gift certificate to White Rock Gallery, they are available in any denomination and have no expiry date. This is a great way to give someone the gift of art. Gift certificates can be used on any item in the gallery, even framing!

Ask us today!

Up and Running

Our new blog is now a reality and we have hit the ground running...

We're excited to introduce White Rock Gallery's official blog, written by Amy. Now everyone can see what we are getting up to.

This is an informal behind the scenes look at the gallery and the artists that we represent. In our previous 'test' posts you can see some of the interesting topics that we will cover.

There's definitely a lot to blog about in this gallery!

Follow us and stay tuned...

Exploring the Details: Show a success

The recent show held at the gallery on May 3, 2009 , Exploring the Details: With Jim Nedelak & Larry Bracegirdle had quite the turnout!

It was a great day to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather and get your art fix at the gallery. With close to 200 people throughout the day, we had a great response to both of the artists featured. It was nice to meet new people in the community that are interested in art and catch up with many of our gallery regulars!

Congratulations to Larry and Jim!

HGTV The Stagers, Season 2

White Rock Gallery on HGTV??!!

We are very excited for the season debut of The Stagers on HGTV this May. This episode is called "Dazzling a Designer" and features artwork from some of the artists in our gallery. The art is used to stage a beautiful house in Vancouver. The show follows the stager, Matthew, who chooses artwork for the house at the gallery. We are interested to see what makes it into the final cut! Be sure to check it out.

Broadcast times: Wednesday, April 13th on HGTV ch 29
5:30 pm and 10:30 pm

Repeats Thursday April 14th
11am and 4pm

Danny McBride's lady in red a cover girl!

Alberta based magazine, "Rising Women" recently featured Danny McBride's painting, "On the Terrace" as their cover article. Inside they did a short biography about the artist. Congrat's Danny!!

Visit the gallery today if you would like a copy of this issue. See below for article.

Artists Bio...
.
DANNY McBRIDE has spent his entire working life in the arts. He began his journey with an illustrious music career that spanned more than three decades. Jet-setting with celebrated stars to the planet’s most glamorous locations, McBride played enormous venues. During his travels, he worked in the company of luminaries like Natalie Cole, U2, Joe Cocker and Supertramp. He earned the job as Chris de Burgh’s lead guitarist for 14 years and also completed two records as a CBS recording artist. McBride turned his considerable talents to a new challenge in more recent years: the visual arts. The canvas is now his chosen medium for giving expression to his creative drive. He has developed a strong reputation for his arresting and immediately recognizable portraiture of women in hats. His unique paintings have appeared in locales ranging from the walls of Sotheby’s Auction House in New York to the houses of Hollywood celebrities. McBride says, “I have been told that my paintings are dream like. I appreciate that, because I use no models or props; the work comes totally from within. I like to think that my paintings give people a sense of well-being and something to spark the imagination.” “I was once fortunate enough to attend a dinner party at the late Princess Diana’s home. I half jokingly asked Diana’s mother, Francis Shand Kydd, if she could use a couple of my paintings to fill the spaces between the wonderful Gainsboroughs that adorned her walls. Her gracious response: ‘I have nothing to do with the spaces; they are owned by the paintings themselves.’ Her witty remark stuck with me and, although I am no Gainsborough, I paint with the space in mind.” Danny McBride’s original paintings are available exclusively at White Rock Gallery. The Gallery, which celebrates its 20th year in 2009, carries a strong selection of original paintings, serigraphs, etchings, ceramics, bronzes and stone sculpture. www.whiterockgallery.com Danny, what can we say...YOU ARE ROCK STAR STILL AND FOREVER!! Red Hats off to you.

Join us to explore the details with charcoal artist Jim Nedelak and oil painter Larry Bracegirdle. Enjoy a casual afternoon to see their new work and meet the artists. Refreshments will be served.


JIM NEDELAK conveys his deep respect for the western lifestyle through his exacting commitment to detail, complimented by dramatic effects in the shadows and textures. Nedelak's portraits beautifully capture the inner spirit and character of his subjects.

LARRY BRACEGIRDLE has the intuitive ability to portray warm and inviting interiors in his small and masterful paintings. His atmospheric work has period charm and draws the viewer into another time with fluid brushstrokes, richness of colour and radiating light.

Exploring the Details show page

Upcoming show with Jim Nedelak

We are excited to announce that charcoal artist Jim Nedelak, has been hard at work in his studio for the past year. He has brought us eight spectacular new drawings that will be featured in a show this Spring. It will be on Sunday, May 3rd, from 1 to 4 pm.

See Jim Nedelak's web page

White Rock Gallery's 20th Anniversary

Fine Art Since 1989

click photo to enlarge

Wow! Time has sure flown by since we opened our doors over 20 years ago to the art loving community.

Thank you to everyone that has supported us over the years. We have enjoyed sharing our love of art with you!

Welcoming Raynald Leclerc

click photo to enlarge

They're here!!! We are happy to announce that Raynald Leclerc is the newest artist to join our gallery.

His paintings are now up and hanging! We have been patiently waiting for the thick oil paint to dry enough so we could photograph them and get them in frames! He has sent us a beautiful collection of 11 new paintings, so be sure to check out his page on our website.

You will be surprised by how much paint he applies to the canvas and using only a palette knife. From the impasto layers, vibrant colours in combination with shadow and light, the end result is amazing. These are pieces that you definitly have to see in person to get the full effect!

 
See Raynald Leclerc's web page