Thursday, October 29, 2009

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)

 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, October 24, 2009

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

Friday, October 23, 2009

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
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!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

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

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Beautiful Custom Frame


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


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. 

Thursday, October 15, 2009

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

Friday, October 9, 2009

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.


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.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

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.




Tuesday, October 6, 2009

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).

Sunday, October 4, 2009

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.



Saturday, October 3, 2009

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!

Friday, October 2, 2009

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...