Painted Turtle Gallery, Creston, BC Canada

To hear...

2011-11-06T11:07:00.000-08:00

what's happening with Win Dinn since the close of the Painted Turtle Gallery, check out www.windinnart.blogspot.com . There's always something new in Creston, BC!

All mixed up!

2011-06-10T08:17:00.001-07:00

One of the things I find so fascinating about working in mixed media is the fact I can use anything that catches my (admittedly aberrant) eye.

The second thing that really jazzes me is that I can take something most people would discard and turn it into art.

The heavily textured piece at the left is called Soleil, and the surface has been created by affixing what I call 'paper scrambles' to canvas. These bits of paper come from moistening the back of paper that has been heavily coated with acrylic gel on the front. Once dried and moistened, the paper can be rolled off the back to leave the image attached to the gel medium.

Instead of throwing the paper in the garbage, I've glued it to the canvas, and overpainted in some sixty thin layers of paint (called glazing) to finish the piece.

The second piece, Night Train Through Creston II, has been crafted with old computer bits and recycled metal buttons. My favourite phrase in collage workshops is that 'everything is collage fodder!' . Perhaps you have some 'rubbish' you can turn into art?

Tomorrow I'm wining...

2011-06-03T07:47:00.001-07:00

No, not whining - I'm wining. June 4, 2011 is the Creston Valley Rotary Club WineArt at the Creston and District Community Complex, and the Painted Turtle Gallery provides the art portion of the event.

One of the best things about this prestigous evening (apart from the wonderful wine tasting and the scrumptious appetizers, of course!) is the fact that 10% of the proceeds from the sale of the artwork is donated by the artists and the gallery to the Rotary Club, in support of the tremendous community projects implemented in Creston by the Rotary.

The venue is so lovely in the recently refurbished Creston Room, and the combination of food, wine, socializing and art such a good one, the event is invariably a sell out.

We do, however, have a few tickets left, and encourage you to stop in to the gallery (1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC) to pick up your own tickets. You'll be delighted with the wine (from Golden Beaver, House of Rose, Grohman Baille, Seven Stones, Arrowleaf Cellars, Paradise Ranch, Silver Sage, and our own local Skimmerhorn Winery) and the appies are amazing.

Watercolour up the lake...

2011-05-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Watercolour is one of the most challenging mediums, and Karen Arrowsmith is a master at her craft. A student of nature, Karen recreates the organic lines and colours she finds around her home near the Kootenay Lake.

Not content to rest on her laurels here in British Columbia, last year Karen and her husband took a six month 'paint as you go' trip across Canada; Karen did a series of paintings from the west coast right through to the east one, garnering new experiences and learning new ways of the painting the singular light in different areas of our country.

Karen is not only an accomplished watercolourist, she is a vibrant, patient, and sought-after teacher of her medium.

Karen's ability to break down a painting into discrete portions makes her a favourite instructor here at the gallery. Her classes are invariably full well before their start date, and her students' accolades are legion!

To see more of Karen's work, stop in at the gallery here at 1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC, or during the summer, stop at her gallery on the way to Crawford Bay. It's a delight to watch her work!

Recycle King!

2011-05-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

At the Painted Turtle, we are strong proponents of the the 3 R's - reduce, reuse, and recycle, because we think caring for the environment is right up there with the angels.

Many of our artists are in agreement, and one who takes the concept to a new level is Nathan Smith. Nathan creates fabulous chairs from reclaimed shovels.

You'd be amazed at the comfort of these marvellous chairs - think the time honoured tractor seat if you have trouble with this visualization!

The chair with the horseshoe base is my personal favourite for fit, and I especially like the slight rocking motion that can be garnered with this one.

Many of the gentlemen who try these out seem to prefer Nathan's other style, which may due to esthetics (who can resist a shovel chair that uses the shovel handles for legs?), or possibly the different fit of the show shovel style seat.

In any event, these chairs are pure delight - from whimsy to function to practicality, they're wonderful.

To see more of Nathan's metal work, check out www.sunsmithdesign.com .

Alberta's gem dances in British Columbia...

2011-05-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

Those of you who are familiar with ammolite will already know that the only place it is found in the world is in the Rocky Mountains west of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

Ammolite is a valuable opal-like organic gemstone made of the fossilized shells of pre-historic marine animals called ammonites.

These wonderful gems glow vibrantly in colours ranging from blue, green, purple, yellow, orange and red.

Red Sorenson, a Creston-area silversmith, utilizes ammolite extensively (although not exclusively!) in his jewellery. His love for ammolite has him spending about 60% of his time working with the beautiful colours and forms. From traditional settings to the more abstract, his pieces display this lovely 'stone' to perfection.

Each piece is meticulously crafted to protect the fragile and lustrous gems, which appear to blaze colour and light from within. Stop in to see more of Red's wonderful work - 1132 Canyon St., Creston, BC, Canada!

Painting with glass....

2011-05-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

I've said it before, and it remains true, that I'm fascinated by glass. There is something ethereal about the way light interacts with coloured fragments of glass that is truly compelling.

Ed Vondracek, a Creston artist, takes full advantage of the properties of light through glass when creating his wonderful stained glass work.

With an instinctive flair for design and amazing technical skills, Ed manages to fashion extraordinary objects - lamps, kaleidoscopes, jewel boxes, terrariums, baskets, frames, miniature turtles and more.

Each item is a delight in form and vibrant in colour, with great attention to detail in the execution. Ed's decorative soldering is pure delight and unique to his designs.

Ed's exploration of glass began in the 1970's, and has progressed far from the standard pieces that first occupied his studio, Evon Stained Glass, to the point where he now teaches and mentors in this medium.

To see more of his talent, stop in to the gallery and enjoy. And as with most of our artists, Ed is happy to create to your specification and is certainly open to commission.

We look forward to seeing you here at 1132 Canyon St., Creston, BC.

White and whimsical....

2011-04-29T08:43:00.000-07:00

... and straight from prixieland! These delightful pieces are from Victoria Henriksen of Crawford Bay fame!

Victoria has been a long-standing favourite at the gallery for her beautiful raku tealights, and she's recently added her whiteware to the mix. These pieces are beautifully balanced, perfectly fired, and amusingly enchanting.

Whether glazed in colour or sepia, they add impact to any table.

Her rice bowls (not shown here but we do carry them in the gallery), complete with chopsticks, are pure pleasure.

I'm particularly fond of the mugs and tumblers, which a wonderfully balanced and a great size for that morning coffee fix.

To see more of Victoria's marvellous work, you can pop into the gallery, or check out her site at www.shprixieland.com . You'll be captivated!

It's so rich...

2011-04-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

An amalgamation of watercolour and the style of collage is one thing, but Creston artist Elaine Lester takes it a leap further by incorporating 22 karet gold leaf into paintings that are already rich and luxuriant.

Elaine's watercolour style is grounded in nature and linked to the environment - a glimpse of her paintings immediately reveals a personal character that is embedded in this planet. From birch trees to water rippling over logs to mountains and lakes, her work is connected to the world around us.

Elaine is an artist who sees the natural world with eyes that recognise the inherent splendor, and then translates it to paper with a palette that is both sumptuous and restrained.

To see more of Elaine's works, stop in to the gallery and view these works in person - the camera just cannot do the gold leaf justice!

Colour Boot Camp Kicks.....

2011-04-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

We've just finished a great colour intensive course here at the gallery and my mouth is still watering. For six weeks the students have been mixing acrylics, exploring possibilities, blending tints and shades, creating swatches, building their reference book and (no doubt) swearing at the instructor, yours truly.

Colour is a subject that is inexhaustible - when the students started the class they were laughing at the fact that there could be six weeks of work ahead of them - what could possibly keep them occupied for that length of time, they scoffed!

Little did they know that at least one chemist/scientist/artist spent his entire life exploring colour. M. E. Chevreul (1786-1889) discovered and published an entire work in 1839 regarding colour interaction - this work is still the definitive colour textbook in major universities around the world.

While our students have not (yet) dedicated their lives to the exploration of this subject, they all have a new appreciation for anyone who does. They've created two colour wheels, learned how to create a 'black' from complements (and the subsequent greys), made their own grey scale and chromatic scales and not only learned what a broken colour is, they no longer think it can be fixed! Value studies, luminosity, colour harmony (in all eight parts), glazing and mother colour are now part of their working vocabulary.

These students now know that they've barely taken the first steps on the path towards learning and understanding the complexity that is colour. They know, for example, that if they undertake a study of any tube colour green, they can do hundreds of samples of how green works - when it's darkened to near-black with its complement, red or when it's tinted with white, when it's greyed down, when it's mixed in any amount with a complement to create a broken colour, and so on.

In all cases, they've learned to be in awe of a multi-faceted subject whose aspects can be seen in everything around us. Our lives are impacted by colour in each moment, and an understanding of what makes great colour, particularly in art, is an intoxicating field.

We'll be offering this workshop again in the fall (see www.ptgallery.ca/workshop.html ) for details. For anyone who is interested in gaining a deeper understanding of colour, it's highly recommended by our participants. Whether for decorating purposes, quilting, painting or sheer enjoyment of the subject, it is a must-do here at the Painted Turtle Gallery, Creston, BC.

Segmented, divided, sectioned, fragmented...

2011-04-08T10:12:00.001-07:00

...and, in other words, chopped into tiny little bits, and in the case of Ray Neufeld's work, reassembled into exquisite beauty in vases and even an ornamental teapot.

I'd been keeping my eyes and ears open for some time to locate a Kootenay woodworker who had the patience, stamina, ability and design sense to work in segmented wood. It was a wonderful surprise to have our own Creston wood afficiando, Ray, surprise us with some segmented pieces just prior to Christmas. With another delivery of this marvellous art form this week, I knew we were truly in for a treat!

We've featured Ray's Lascrolia work here before (May/10), so you'll understand that he has a passion for and intense connection with woods. This segmented work is incredibly complex and ornate, and requires a level of skill and dexterity that is most uncommon.

One of Ray's pieces is presently on display at the Creston and District Chamber of Commerce (partially constructed from the remains of the Catalpa tree that stood for decades outside the post office), and we have more pieces here in the gallery. Please stop in to enjoy at 1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC, Canada!

Time for Tea?

2011-04-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

Isn't it fascinating how artists can zero in on a particular style and subject? One of our artists, Laura Leeder, is presently focused on painting a series of watercolour teacups, in preparation for a show in conjunction with the Creston Museum Old-Fashioned Tea happening at the museum on August 13, 2011. Each teacup has its own feeling, personality and accompaniment, whether silver spoon, flower, lace tablecloth or piece of fruit. When you ask Laura about her paintings, there's also a story behind each cup. One of my favourites is Ethyl's Teacup - A Family Treasure, shown here. You can see more of Laura's teacups on her blog and learn about some of these stories behind the paintings at www.lauraleeder.blogspot.com , You'll get a sense of both the process and the challenges involved in doing a series of this magnitude. In order to see these timeless paintings in person, make sure you put the Creston Museum's Old-Fashioned Tea on your list of things to do in Creston in August. For more information, go to www.creston.museum.bc.ca and find out how to reserve your space.

Spring is for the birds!

2011-03-25T09:22:00.001-07:00

It does feel like spring is finally here in the Creston Valley - a preponderance of rain, rich green grass poking through the residue of snow, and crocus blooming in the back yard.

The birds are vociferous at a very early morning hour these days - I think they're all clamoring for new homes by Nora McDowell. These birdhouses are the McMansions for the feathered set. In fact, should Nora start building for the human set, I'd likely be close to the front of the line!

The one above left comes equipped with a hard core pulley, so any testosterone-laden robin can work out to his heart's delight - what a great way to impress that future mate!

I'm sure every bird in the neighbourhood would love one of these - each has a store of wood cut for the winter, a natural security system (complete with key), and a welcome sense of 'home'.

To see more of Nora's custom - built homes, stop in to the gallery. They'll make you smile, and they'll create envy in the friends of your yardbirds when you purchase one for your area! See you soon.

Down and dirty with clay...

2011-03-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

Artists who can make me laugh are the ones who have me forever in their debt - who can resist whimsy and lightheartedness?

Andrea Revoy is one of those artists, and we are extraordinarily delighted to welcome her this month to the gallery. Andrea is a master of whimsy, and her creations in clay are fun, delightful, masterfully crafted, and unique in their conception.

After all, who else could have contemplated such delightful chicken creatures? And her quirky Creston Farmhouses stretch the imagination to the nth.

The patterns and textures in Andrea's work give an exceptional dimension to her pieces, and the fanciful additions of wire, hearts and chickens to her farmhouses make me feel that I've entered an alternate reality!

Andrea happened on the tactile expression of clay while studying painting in the Visual Arts Program at Red Deer College about ten years ago, and that was a happy accident for the clay world.

You'll enjoy the richness of her glazes and the quirkiness of her work - do stop in to see the her latest creations and enjoy your laughter (think of a chicken on the top of one of the houses to the left!).

We're at 1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC, Canada.

Brag Book...

2011-03-11T08:25:00.000-08:00

We're justifiably proud of the Painted Turtle Gallery. Open for nearly three years now, we are absolutely convinced that we have the finest mix of hand-crafted gifts and fine art in the Kootenays.

Our guests are convinced as well, and some of the accolades from our guest book shows this admirably...

Gina Ryan of New Zealand says 'just beautiful'.

S Howie indicates 'I'm totally overwhelmed, and have a much lighter purse!' (and that's a good thing from our point of view).

D. Red, of Houston, TX, writes 'it's difficult to make a decision among so much loveliness'.

M Kennedy, of Brantford, ON says 'best we've seen in our drive across Canada'.

R & S Nicholls of Denver, CO - 'You have exquisite works, and we're delighted with the bighorn sheep plate!'.

D. Weatherley, Tunbridge Wells, England - 'A beautiful shop and I found a lovely gift for Mum! Thank you.'

G. Webster - Vancouver, BC 'What a fabulous place!'

We hope you get a chance to stop in soon to add your own comments!

Absolutely Bliss-ful...

2011-03-04T08:49:00.000-08:00

I admit it - I'm a sucker for glass, in any shape or style. I love the way it reflects and refracts the light, the clarity and the complexity, and the many forms it can take.

Sandra Beingessner, of Bliss Beads, in Invermere, BC (that's pretty much the extreme western Kootenays), is a master at delighting the senses with glass. Her hand-crafted beads, turned into timeless jewelry, are enchanting and stunning in their beauty.

I've discussed lampwork previously (here at www.ptgallery.blogspot.com/2010/11/christmas-jewels.html) , and Sandra's are exceptional.

Her jewels are both romantic and contemporary - how is that possible? Some of her pieces evoke the Victorian era, and others are futuristic in their style and design. All of them are stunning, and will be worn with deep pleasure by their owners. It's safe to say they'll be raising envy for decadex to come, too.

Stop in to see Bliss Beads - they're waiting here at 1132 Canyon St., Creston, BC for your enjoyment.

Painted Papers 101 (and 102)

2011-02-25T08:03:00.001-08:00

We're revved up again for workshops - our series starts this coming Monday with one of the most entertaining classes we do here. It's entertaining because it requires absolutely no talent, skill, understanding or ability AND because we all laugh ourselves silly for two hours.

In the photo at left you can see the limited supplies required to play with us (all provided in the cost). With a bottle of water, a palette knife, acrylic paints and medium, butcher paper, and mulberry paper, we create a huge range of beautifully abstracted papers, suitable for a wide range of artistic (and not-so artistic) projects.

In two hours, we throw paint at three or four sheets of paper, let them dry overnight, and then ogle them the next day. In every class, the results are not only gorgeous, they're as diverse as the participants themselves.

The second class (102 at the end of March) deals with the question of 'What Now?', and as you can see from the photo, the answers are just as entertaining. From cards to paintings to jewellery, we've got ten hands-on answers and lots of ideas.

With two spots left in the class on Monday, you've an opportunity to try it on for size. I can say that the workshop is class entertainment, because all the monkeys in the world are on the waiting list! Stop in to register today and find out for yourself. For a full list of workshops, you can see www.ptgallery.ca/workshop.html .

Figures in acrylic

2011-02-18T08:26:00.000-08:00

With a great deal of pleasure, we've recently added Jean Taylor to our list of gallery artists. Jean and her husband Hugh moved to the Creston valley from the Yukon this past fall, primarily to be closer to grandchildren, I suspect!

Jean is a member of the Teslin Tlingit Nation in the Yukon and the Tlingit Haida Tribes of Alaska, and has been creating vibrant work for many years. Her accomplishments read like a Who's Who and What's What in the Canadian Art world.

Jean was a contributing artist for VANOC 2010 and an exhibiting artist at the 2010 Olympics; her work has been gifted to the Governor General of Canada.

The two pieces at left, Dolled Up and Uptown I & II hold universal appeal. Who has not had the pleasure of a shopping trip that evolved into friendly interactions with friends and acquaintances?

To see more of Jean's work, view www.yessy.com/jtaylor (passwork - imagination), or stop in to the gallery.

Therapeutic Riding Program Silent Auction

2011-02-11T08:31:00.000-08:00

Don't you love small communities? There's always something going on and the diversity has always fascinated me.

This week at the gallery (yesterday through Saturday), we're hosting a silent auction in support of the Therapeutic Riding Program. All the art works have been donated by local artists and supporters of the arts and the TRP.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this program, it is designed to use horses as therapists in order to aid those with disabilities (developmental, behavioural, emotional, physical, mental and/or social) develop mobility, flexibility, strength, balance, coordination, self-confidence and much more.

Not only is the program extraordinary, the works that have been donated are of a wonderful calibre. Local artists include Muriel MacArthur, Colin Ford, 4 Corners Framing donation, Carrie Lucas, Brandy Dyer (photo left), Eileen Gidman, Carolyn Stone, Marion Evans, Patrick Yesh, CDSCL Day Program, Kerry Ross, Win Dinn, Val Van Der Poel, Julie Draper, Lori Wikdal (photo above left), Pridham Studios, Victoria Henriksen and Rick Chilson.

There are over 20 pieces on auction, and I heartily recommend coming in to place a bid on your favourite piece. Not only is the work lovely, the cause is truly lofty, and any piece would make a great Valentine gift.

Remember, Saturday at 5 pm is your last chance to view and bid on these works - 1132 Canyon St., Creston, BC!

Form, function and fun...

2011-02-04T08:46:00.000-08:00

Pottery is such a huge field and there are nearly as many forms from clay aficiandos as there are stars in the heavens.

A Kootenay clay artist from the New Denver area has combined beauty with purpose to create a wide range of pottery that is classic in both style and utility.

Anita Dumins, of Anita Studios, is a deft hand at the wheel, capable of throwing wine goblets to lyrical trumpet-style bowls to oven-ready casserole dishes.

Valdis Vilks, her partner, handles the marketing, delivery and the myriad details involved in handling a busy and far-reaching business.

The beautiful designs range from their popular 'Baltic Blue', 'Very Iris', and 'Sunnyflower' patterns to their new and mouth-watering 'Mocha Brown' motif.

Anita's teapots and mugs are legendary, and rightfully so, since their weight and balance are pure delight.

In business for over twenty-five years, Anita Studios has garnered a strong following by keeping patterns open and creating a wide range of useful and lovely work. I love the fact that one can be sure of being able to add to a collection year after year.

To see more, stop in at 1132 Canyon St., Creston, BC, or journey up the lake to New Denver - it's worth the trip!

Creative Creston Community

2011-01-27T08:14:00.000-08:00

It's a delight to be sitting here in the gallery, surrounded by the wide-ranging talent that is manifest by the Creston area and Kootenay artists.

It's a constant source of wonder and curiosity that artists can be so diverse in manifesting of their creativity. From the broad genres of two- and three-dimensional art to music to drama and writers, the Creston Valley is chock-a-bloc full of extraordinarily gifted and prolific residents.

One of these, James McDowell, is a gentleman who is unbound by any constraints. James works in metal, clay, acrylic (primarily on board) and virtually anything else he can get his hands on.

James admits he has an attention span of about an hour, hence the variety of work in different areas. When he tires of painting, he turns his hand to welding sculptural pieces from rusted farm implements, or creating in clay.

James' colour sense is wonderful and his bold designs are sweeping in style and sensitivity.

Primarily a self-taught artist, his explorations have lead him to study patterns, circles, and virtually everything in his surroundings. An inquisitive mind has him venturing in a myriad of directions.

I can especially appreciate his sculptural pieces, since he utilizes pieces of rusted metal that would otherwise wind up in landfill. Always a proponent of rabid artistic environmentalists, I applaud his esthetic, design and environmental impact.

You can see more of James' work here at the gallery, or stop at the McDowell's Hilltop Gallery just outside of Creston.

And while on the subject of creativity, make sure you check out the latest workshops added to www.ptgallery.ca/workshop.html for your own opportunity to build creative muscle!

Twice-fired, and totally hot!

2011-01-21T08:33:00.000-08:00

Today I'm excited to introduce you to a Nelson-area potter, Kim Chernoff. Kim is an aficiando (isn't that a terrific word?) of the raku process and has a skill that is truly phenomenal.

When Kim isn't managing her household, complete with husband and three children or working at the Craft Connection in Nelson (www.craftconnection.org), she's playing with clay, glazes and fire.

Raku is a Japanaese-origin clay process that involves a low-firing technique, which means the completed products are fairly porous. Although the vessels are not suitable for food or water due to porosity, they are gorgeous for display.

Kim's glazes are lovely. Her colours range from slate blue to copper to a brilliant magenta that is rich in depth.

Kim's vases, bowls and plates are lyrical in their form and seem to dance with joy. The combination of the rich copper colour with the range of metallic glazes is another point that makes them seem to glow from within.

To see more of her work, stop in at the gallery (1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC) or at the Craft Connection in Nelson. They're worth a 1,000-mile trip!

Oh, What a Tangled Web....

2011-01-14T08:33:00.001-08:00

The title for today's post has absolutely nothing to do with deceit, and EVERYTHING to do with weaving! Janet Wallace, of Barefoot Handweaving in Crawford Bay ('up the lake' from Creston, BC) and her crew have been creating wonderful woven articles since 1995.

If you've not been to Crawford Bay, suffice to say that it is a hotbed of artisans on the edge of Kootenay Lake, and Barefoot Handweaving is housed in a fine straw bale (totally fascinating) building there.

When I walk into this building, my mouth literally starts watering with the impact of the colour there. The walls are lined with displays of marvellously woven goods that shout quality, exquisite colour, and enterprise. Above that are row upon row of the most deliciously coloured threads imagineable, along with paintings by Ted Wallace, Janet's partner.

The weavers (four or more) and support staff including Sheila the seamstress, create a myriad of beautiful pieces including purses, hats, bags, baby blankets, wallets, tablecloths, placemats, throws, shawls, runners, and more.

Throughout, the quality is evident in every piece and the details make each piece unique, from contrasting threads in the textiles to hand-crafted buttons on the purses .

One of my favourite items is the twisted wrap. Modelled on the Mobias Strip, this wrap actually stays where it is meant to stay when it is worn. There's no need to be constantly throwing the ends of the shawl back where they belong!

If you're in our part of the country, I heartily recommend a stop at Barefoot Handweaving (or see some of their products here at the Painted Turtle Gallery). Failing that, you can see more at www.barefoothandweaving.com.

Colour in Creston, BC, Canada

2011-01-07T08:09:00.000-08:00

As often as possible, I go for walk in the morning before prepping the gallery for your visit.

This morning it was still very dark, and what I saw was shades of black, grey and the occasional flash of light. This started me thinking about the way in which I take colour for granted, often without really seeing my surroundings or enjoying the richness of world that is so enhanced by colour.

The textile wall hanging at the left is one by Merilyn Arms, an exciting artist who lives up the lake, and has a mastery of colour and design that is fabulous. This particular piece is entitled 'Four Elements', and depicts Merilyn's vision of Earth (Consolidation/Stability), Water (Reception/Wellness), Fire (Action/Life energy) and Air (Communication/Change).

The same art piece takes on a lushness and extraordinary excitement when seen in colour - it literally sings! The design works very well, even when seen in the value photo above. When colour is added though, it's as if a remarkable soloist becomes instantly backed by the Morman Tabernacle Choir!

Colour is a passion of mine and I cannot begin to wrap my mind around what our world would be like without it (although the 1998 movie, Pleasantville tackles the subject with some skill). In any event, I feel blessed to live on a planet that literally vibrates with it.

So today's exercise for me will be to appreciate the colour here in the gallery and elsewhere throughout the day. I hope you can join me, wherevery you are!

'Twas the last week before Christmas....

2010-12-17T08:15:00.000-08:00

... and John and I are wishing you all the best of the season, with thanks for your encouragement over the past year.

Not only are we strongly committed to the concept of showcasing Kootenay artists and artisans who create fine arts and crafts, we are unswerving in our dedication to the community here in the Creston Valley.

Over the past year, your support of the gallery has enabled us to donate funds and/or 'in kind' to the following local organizations:

Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area

Ducks Unlimited

Creston Museum

Town of Creston Santa Claus Parade

Davidson Family Fundraiser

Blossom Festival

We support the larger community as well, through Easter Seals, Heart and Lung Association and World Vision, and thank you for your own committment to making this world a better place in which to raise future generations.

May you and yours experience the joy and peace that this season represents.

Luxurious scarves

2010-12-10T07:28:00.000-08:00

With only fifteen days left until Christmas day, I can only hope your preparations are nearly complete!

If you're looking for the ultimate gift for mother, significant other or family friend, here's a suggestion that is one of the most popular for the season.

Thea McLennan is a weaver extraordinaire, with a hand to her scarves that is unmatched and a colour sense that is equal to her hand, as well.

To touch one of her woven scarves is to feel a softness and delicacy of fabric that seems to belong to another era. Her weaving pattern produces a glow and lustre that begs to be stroked.

Weaving is not all that Thea does, though. She is as adept at silk dyeing as at her weaving, and each of the feather pleated silk scarves she delivered for the season are hand dyed with multiple layers of colour.

They are rich, delicate, flowing, and ethereal. Some have a touch of beading at the ends to add another layer of richness.

Each one is a vision of complexity and subtlety with layer upon layer of applied colour - can you tell I've fallen in love?

I keep hiding my favourite (shades of red, tangerine and rose) in obscure spots in the gallery in fear that someone will snatch it away from me!

I encourage you all to stop in and snatch yours up (but not mine, please!)...you'll be wearing it for years, and happily accepting compliments on your extraordinary good taste.

Fifteen days..... 15 days!....15 days? Yikes! I've got to run....

Combining talents...

2010-12-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

When an artist works with passion and a multitude of talents, the results can be astounding. Eileen Gidman is just such an artist - her love for both watercolour and quilting has taken her on a journey resulting in an art form that is rich and varied.

Eileen has been painting beautiful vignettes and landscapes on fabric (normally cotton) which are crafted into her lovely Town Totes and scenic wall hangings. The addition of quilted embellishments to the hangings add another dimension to her work.

The beauty of these Town Totes is augmented by the fact that they are environmentally friendly (a big plus in my eyes), colourfast, washable, and each painting is one-of-a-kind. Here's another plus - each has a zippered compartment so it works as a purse as well. You'll never find another like it!

Eileen has also created some terrific kits for quilters. Each one contains an original painting of dyes on cotton and co-ordinating fabrics for a lovely wall hanging. Here in Creston, they're available at 'A Stitch in Time', and if you're the type that prefers to design your own creation, you can purchase the paintings and add your own personal taste to the mix.

The best thing about artists is that they're so willing to share their knowledge, skills and techniques. With an Instructors Certificate from the Vancouver College, Eileen is ideally

suited to teach her passion. Her years of background in watercolour painting, primarily Plein Air, makes her 'Watercolour for the Totally Terrified' classes for beginners a huge hit in the Kootenays. Judging by the satisfaction surveys given at the end of each class, she could be doing this full time if she decided to give up painting entirely!

Eileen will be doing two watercolour classes here at the gallery in 2011, and we're also encouraging her to teach the dye technique as well - we'll keep you posted!

To see more of Eileen's work, you can check out her blog at www.eileengidman.blogspot.com or stop in to the gallery to see both her textile and watercolour work.

Do keep checking our website for upcoming classes at the gallery - 2011 workshops will be posted soon.

Christmas Jewels...

2010-11-26T07:53:00.000-08:00

Glasswork has always engaged my attention for the clarity and depth of the resulting artwork, and I'm especially fond of the jewelry created by Sabine Wood of Iridia Glassworks. Sabine has been creating glass jewels for many years, and in the last five years or so, has engaged in the fine art of lampwork creation.

Lampwork beads are fashioned by using a gas torch to melt rods and/or tubes of clear and coloured glass. The term originates from the oil-filled lamps that were initially used for the work, beginning in the first century B.C.

As you can see by the (admittedly poor) photos, Sabine is a master at creating these beautiful

beads. Each of them is like a miniature painting, crafted with extraordinary attention to detail and rich complexity. Enhanced with Tibetan or North American silver, each piece evokes European craftsmanship and the beauty of hand-crafted excellence.

Sabine's fused glass jewelry is also a delight both in colour and fine contemporary look. From earrings that catch and reflect the light in unexpected ways to delicate necklaces and bracelets, they are truly wonderful.

If you're looking for something special for that woman who is exceptionally discerning, look no further than Sabine's work at the gallery -
you'll be enchanted with each piece.

And just a reminder for you that there are two wonderful shows opening here in Creston, BC tomorrow. From 4 to 6 pm at the Rotocrest Hall, you'll find the Images show reception, and between 5:30 and 7:30 pm, our own 'Small Gems' show (see last week's post) opens here at the gallery. We've been hanging and displaying all week in preparation for this opening, and the work from across the Kootenays is just extraordinary in the breath and scope of mediums and opulence. Please come in to see with your own eyes (that'll also save you my execreble photography!). We look forward to seeing you here soon.

Small Gems in the gallery

2010-11-19T07:23:00.000-08:00

Our artist 'elves' have been working all year for this. The 'Small Gem' show opens next Saturday, November 27 here in the gallery, and once again, it's going to be a doozy!

For those of you who have just become aware of our gallery, I'll explain. In this show, we feature small, affordable, original artwork and fine crafts that are perfectly priced and sized for gift giving this season.

We open the show with a festive party for invited guests (that means you!) between 5:30 and 7:30 pm, Saturday, November 27, 2010.

You'll find an amazing range of beautifully crafted pieces, from miniature original paintings,

to woven and silk scarves, to baskets, brooms, bracelets and bronzes. There is something to fit every budget and all hand-crafted right here in the Kootenays.

Anita Studios has added a new 'latte' range to their wonderful pottery, Shelagh Corcoran (you read about her mosaic class in a recent blog) is bringing new pots in, Carol Schloss has some mouth-watering small pastels for you, and you'll get a chance to see Bea on Allmen's Special Edition 'Oriental Market' if you've not already done so. Eileen Gidman has some new 'dyes on fabric' pieces, and I've done some mixed media pieces from 4" square, and up.

And if that's not enough action for you, there is also an opening for the 'Images' show at the Rotocrest Hall

between 4 and 6 pm on the same day. You'll see the usual 'Images' group (Elaine & Andy Alfoldy, Karen Arrowsmith, Ute Bachinski, Eileen Gidman, Eileen Hirota, Elaine Lester, and Gunda Stewart), along with guest artist James McDowell. You'll recognize most of the names as those of gallery artists, and I have to wonder how they find the time to create for both events!

My recommendation is that you enjoy the 'Images' opening and then come in and join us to celebrate the season at the Painted Turtle Gallery. I hope to see you on Saturday, November 27 here at 1132 Canyon Street, Creston - we'll wow you, I'm sure!

Multifaceted Mosaics

2010-11-12T08:57:00.000-08:00

I always get so excited about colour that my mouth waters with anticipation when I see an array of paints or colours spread out in front of me. This past week in the gallery workshop area, I had a chance to drool over some wonderful tiles, or tessarae, that were laid out in preparation for the mosaic class being taught by Shelagh Corcoran.

Shelagh had about twenty different colours available to her students, and let us know that there are dozens more available in shades and tints between.

The project to be created in a two part instruction was a tiled mirror, about twelve inches square.

In the first session, participants chose their colours, and were instructed in the cutting of the tiles into appropriate sized pieces that would work to create the design they each had in mind. Then Shelagh showed them how to apply the tessarae to the wood, utilizing a very strong bond glue.

In a very short time (a span of about three hours), the students had determined the design,

cut their tiles, and affixed them to the wooden supports surrounding the mirror. This coming week, in part two of the class, they will learn how to apply the grouting in between the tiles. Meanwhile, I'm working on ways and means to actually take the course the next time Shelagh offers it! I can see that these creations could be addicting! You can see by the photo that the participants did an amazing amount of work in a short period of time, and with a feel unique to each.

This workshop is the last in our fall series, but we'll keep you posted about winter and spring workshops at www.ptgallery.ca/workshop.html, and give you an opportunity to join in on the next round of excitement!

An Oriental Market in Creston...?

2010-11-05T09:46:00.001-07:00

Bea von Allmen, that quintessential artist, has done it again. This past weekend, she delivered an Oriental Market to the gallery, complete with farmer, alchemist, silk trader, oil sheikh, nomads, temple cats, warrior, and prophet. Even His Majesty, Queen, Prince and Princess are in attendance.

The market is alive with luxurious and fanciful goods. Ornamental jewel boxes and hanging bags, lined with rich fabrics, are available, and the colour and texture is extraordinary.

All items are beautifully crafted with clay, and raku fired (once in the kiln, and once outside in shavings). Bea has then stitched an array of wonderful garments for each of these extraordinary creatures.

These Special Edition pieces, all one of a kind, are sumptuous in their design and execution. Sold individually, they are accoompanied by a narrative that details the artist's thoughts and processes, along with a comment about each piece in the edition.

Of particular note is that the Monarch and Prophet are each about five and a half feet tall - a most imposing pair!

The full display of some twenty market attendees, along with jewel boxes and bags, are presently on display in our gallery windows. They are so sumptuous that they are literally

halting foot traffic; people are just amazed and astonished at the opulence.

I'd love to show you a photo of the temple cats (my photography skills do not extend to capturing through the glass) ; they're just delicious in their haughty stance. Because the attrition rate is so high during the firing process, the ones that survive are even more precious. They are a delight, and truly the ultimate felines!

Please, take some time to come and view these fabulous pieces. They're really worth a trip (even if you ARE on the other side of the mountains). It may be the only Oriental Market on the North American continent!

Please remember our Small Gem Show (perfectly sized items for Christmas gift-giving) opens on November 27, with a wine and cheese between

Mixing it up in Creston, BC

2010-10-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year for the many opportunities it offers for extraordinary creativity. From canning the garden and orchard produce to collecting dried flowers and leaves, it is a time of fruition.

In the gallery, it's a steady stream of workshops and an intense learning environment. This past week was the second day of a trio of mixed media days, and these are some of the students who have been hard at it.

On our first day, we covered ten or twelve techniques to work with acrylic paints. One of the first one was creating texture with modeling clay. Then we waited patiently (or not!) for the clay to dry on the support so it could be painted, and the results are, as you can see, delightful in their diversity.

The combination of texture, light washes of paint and dry brush technique creates a wonderful push/pull effect in these abstracted pieces.

The enthusiasm for this particular technique was high, and it was excellent groundwork for the techniques that followed in the next portion of the workshop.

The students learned sponging, masking tape layering, stretch wrap support, tissue paper surfaces, resists and photo transfers, among other techniques. With the addition of crystalline and brayer paper creation

added to the pot they were off and running.

You can see the results were as varied and eclectic as can be imagined, and this is only the start! They all seem to be thoroughly bitten by the possibility of collaging with mixed media.

We're also just finishing the intermediate watercolour classes with Eileen Gidman, and looking forward to the mosaic workshop with Shelagh Corcoran coming up in November. For more information on the workshops, check out www.ptgallery.ca/workshop.html . We'll have the winter workshops posted soon, too!

Creston's own majolica potter

2010-10-22T10:28:00.000-07:00

Visitors to Creston, B.C. are most often tempted to visit the Pridham Studio gallery on 12 St., just up from the main Canyon Street where the Painted Turtle Gallery resides.

This is due to the wonderful majolica pottery hand-crafted by David Pridham and individually painted (front and back, and inside/out) by Nancy Pridham.

A long-established business, Pridham Studio ships delightfully modelled pieces across British Columbia. Each piece encapsulates a vignette of a specific area, and the Creston Valley pieces are no exception.

Every piece is reflective of the beauty here in the valley, from our grain elevators to lush orchards and delightful flowers. Nancy has even designed a whimsical painted turtle for us.

From Whistler to Nelson to Creston, this pottery captures the essence of place that makes each area of British Columbia so unique and welcoming.

From mugs to square dinner plates, trivits to serving platters and bowls to vases, each item is a light-hearted look at life here in the valley.

One of my favourite patterns is their 'Landlines'. It's a serene cream, green and blue-grey confection that makes me want to wander out to the back deck with a good book and mug of coffee, so I can bask in the golden summer sun.

As with most of our artists here in the gallery, Pridhams find it hard to stick with one medium. In the winter months, when they're basking in Baja , Nancy creates in a totally different way - you can see some of her paintings and metallings at www.galeriabahia.blogspot.com to find out what she's doing while David's fishing.

And, as always, you can stop at the Painted Turtle Gallery, 1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC to see more of their wonderful work.

Wonderful Woods

2010-10-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

With the arrival of fall and the barrenness of the tress, it's definitely appropriate to think about wood. Those of us who are cutting, chopping and stacking for the beauty of a fire in the winter months can certainly appreciate the outstanding beauty of the wide variety of wood that is available on this planet!

Someone who knows and loves all types of wood is a talented local, Frank Belavy. Frank creates some of the most exquisite jewel boxes and treasure chests I've ever seen. Using a marvellous mix of local and exotic woods, Frank configures astonishingly intricate patterns on his pieces. A combination of wood, glue, sharp tools and careful attention to detail makes each piece a vision of warmth and natural colour.

Frank finishes each piece he crafts with three coats of Varathane water-based finish to ensure that they will never need additional oiling. They are built and designed to last for many lifetimes.

These pieces are intended to be passsed from generation to generation; there is an heirloom quality about each one that speaks of the inherent beauty in the wood.

To view some of these wonderful pieces, stop in to the gallery at 1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC. Before you do, I highly recommend taking a good look at that tree trunk in your yard - you'll really appreciate the craftsmanship that goes in to each piece when you consider the raw material source!

Etchings from the Kootenays...

2010-10-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

For most of my life, I've been fascinated by the countless ways in which the arts dance through our souls. As a species, we create in so many ways, from drama to dance to music and visual arts.

There are artists who have spent their entire lives studying colour, for example, and others who have taken a genre of music from soul through to jazz, embroidering along the way.

Of the myriad of ways in which visual artists work, the process-oriented one of etching is one that amazes me. Georgia Patterson is an expert in this area, and her prints (not to be confused with manufactured reproductions of any type) are a delightful snapshot of the Kootenays.

To create each piece of work, Georgia draws lines into a coating of acid-resitant material such as asphatlum. The piece is then placed in a corrosive bath such as nitric acid or ferric chloride. She creates tones by dusting the plate with acid-resistant material such as rosin dust. The rosin is melted onto the plate, and then cooled and immersed into a corrosive bath. The resulting dots on the metal plate are called aquatint. The longer the plate is immersed, the darker the intaglio (etched lines) or aquatint will become.

The finished plate is then inked, carefully wiped and then run through the etching press with the dampened paper.

A colour etching requires a much longer process . Georgia prints the colour in relief. Each colour is rolled onto the metal plate surface in the appropriate area. The plate is then passed through the press with the dampened paper. The plate goes through the press once for each colour used on the print. When all the colours have been added, the darkest ink is then squeegeed on to the plate, and the print goes through the press a final time.

To create a piece of art in this manner is a painstaking event, and requires the patience of a saint (and George, indeed, is one!). The many steps that are required, to say nothing of the vision that is needed to foresee the final piece, is the true mark of an artist.

To see Georgia's work, please come in to the gallery at 1132 Canyon St., Creston, BC, Canada, to fully appreciate the complexity of the process - you'll be amazed.

Tantalizing Textiles...

2010-10-01T08:57:00.001-07:00

As a child, I was always fascinated by the whir of the treadle sewing machine in my grandmother's house - it spoke of marvellous things to come. The drawers were filled with colourful bobbins of thread, a myriad of fascinating buttons, and the strangest looking bits and pieces of elastic, snaps, lace, ribbons, attachments, gauges, tailor's chalk, seam rippers, and so on.

Like alchemy, a good textile artist can create something magical from bits of 'nothing'. Brigitte Langevin is one such woman. Her talent for combining seemingly unrelated fabrics and colours is prodigious.

Brigitte unites her remarkable sense of design with a passion for colour, and creates quilted wall hangings that sing with a sense of joy.

Each piece is intricately configured and then embellished with stitching that journeys throughout the whole, leading the eye from one aspect of the piece to another.

As the eye travels along, it is met with an astonishing array of rich colour leading to another that surpasses the first. The quilting then add another huge dimension, creating texture that is multi-layered and mysterious.

To see more of Brigitte's luxurious wall hangings, stop in to the gallery at 1132 Canyon St., Creston, BC! You'll be drawn in to the depths of each piece and amazed at her skill.

It's all in pieces!

2010-09-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

It takes a special ability to be able to visualize an art piece that will be composed of fragments combined together to create a pleasing visual pattern. Shelagh Corcoran is just such an artist, and adept at the multiple number of skills that are required to complete a mosaic piece.

Working with small pieces of coloured glass and occasionally broken pieces of pottery, Shelagh creates pots, plates and paintings that are visually rich and powerful in their colour and pattern.

Particularly pleasing is Shelagh's use of colour - the luscious pot to the left is one that she has recently donated to the Ducks Unlimited auction which is coming up in October.

The variety of reds, combinations of shapes and varying depths of the glass give this a special punch. It reminds me of a story that was a favourite of my children, as well as my niece and nephew, entitled 'Red is Best' (by Kathy Stinson). It holds that same mouth-watering appeal!

Shelagh is conducting a class here at the gallery in November to introduce this ancient medium to a new generation.

It's a fascinating pursuit, and can be utilized for picture frames, paintings, pots, interior decoration or decorative arts too numerous to mention here (and Shelagh can fill you in on those, because she's done and/or seen most of them). If you are interested in learning more about the workshop you can visit the gallery at 1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC or you can check out www.ptgallery.ca/workshop/html to garner the details.

The glamour of glass....

2010-09-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

In my prior existance when I thought of glass it was likely an image of a window or a tumbler of water that came to mind.

Since opening the gallery, I've begun to see the many, many ways that glass can be fashioned.

Gavin Holland of Nelson, BC creates lovely jewellery utilizing this wonderful medium. From bracelets to earrings and necklaces, he constructs beautifully abstraced pieces that shine with the translucence one associates with stained glass windows.

The shapes of his necklaces range from the traditional rectangles and circles to triangles and trapezoids. The recent addition of dichroic glass to his pieces has added a wonderful dimensional aspect to the work.

There is a fine linear quality to much of his work, as Gavin incorporates the sensibility of line in many of his designs. Each piece is hand-crafted, of course, to impeccable standard. Gavin also creates stained glass windows, and is passionate about repairing those already existant - a multi-talented gentleman!

One of my favourites of Gavin's designs is his magnetic clasp bracelet. He has designed these with strong magnets that make the bracelets exceptionally easy to place and remove - they're a definite boon for those who have difficulty managing the standard clasps, and they are strong! In fact, all this glass is much stronger than one would expect. Don't tell Gavin, but I've occasionally dropped a bracelet on the floor, without harm to it at all.

To see some of this lovely work, you can drop in at 1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC. The selection is large, the colours glorious and the splendour of the glass is obvious.

Fall Cleaning!

2010-09-10T09:58:00.000-07:00

We're right into it here in the gallery. September is our month to clean up, clear out and generally get looking spotless again after a busy summer. We've been polishing the tops of plinths, cleaning all the glass tops and chasing the spiders out the door.

What better way to do that than with the fabulous brooms from North Woven Broom Co. in Crawford Bay? If you're not familiar with the historic log barn and its amazing contents, I highly recommend a visit. It is an amazing thing to watch Rob and/or Janet Schweiger create these marvellous brooms from another era.

The brooms are made from raw, unprocessed broomcorn. The stems are left intact, and tightly woven into the brooms. Each piece is hand-crafted on antique broom-making equipment - a labour of love and appreciation for fine work is inherent in this process.

Broomcorn is a variety of sorghum, now mostly grown in Mexico. The seed tassel from the tops of the 10-12 foot tall plant is utilized to create these pieces.

The variety of broom styles is simply amazing. They range from the Shaker Flat style of floor broom to turkey wing whisks to the double marriage brooms.

One of my favourites is the cobwebber, a long narrow broom that is perfect for cleaning ceilings. If you're looking for the perfect thing to clean out the corners in your fireplace, their untrimmed fireplace broom is just the thing - no ash could withstand it!

The marriage broom is a great wedding gift - built on a forked branch, they symbolize the union created when a couple marries. Since new brooms are traditionally thought to be lucky in a home, what better way to celebrate the beginning of a partnership?

It is the natural branch handles that really call to me - they are
beautifully finished. Deadwood is gathered from trees and bushes; they are then finely sanded and finished with boiled linseed oil.

To see more of these amazing brooms, and to learn about the media, movies and promotions in which they've been involved, go to the website http://www.northwovenbroom.com/. With lots of photos and folklore, it's a 'trip' worth the effort.

And, as always, you can stop in at the Painted Turtle Gallery to touch them firsthand!

A Box Social? - It must be fall!

2010-09-03T09:20:00.000-07:00

Another entertaining week has gone by at 'The Turtle'. The Creston Museum is hosting a Box Social (with a twist) this evening. Instead of the usual box lunches, they've invited local groups and businesses to provide boxes filled with items of their choice for show and auction.

As usual, a group of artists from the Painted Turtle Gallery have come out in full support, providing a range of hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind original fine art and gifts that would knock your socks off!

The box is worth well over $700 retail, and includes pieces by Eileen Gidman (one of her gorgeous Town Totes, hand-painted and quilted), a glass necklace and earring set in lovely turquoise and blue by Gavin Holland, Karel Peeters (one of his signature vibrant orange bowls), a vintage-style watercolour painting entitled The Tomato Family by Laura Leeder, Liz Hale ( a courting bird couple mosaic), Merilyn Arms' quilted cover journal, a woven scarf in rich fall tones by Thea McLennan, and a mixed media painting entitled Tangerine Trees, by Win Dinn

I've been creating a box for this collection, and it's been almost as much fun as doing an actual painting, and far more challenging. Originally, the box was to be shaped like an artist's palette, with the artworks safely tucked inside. After trial and error, I determined that would require a carpenter in order to make it strong enough to secure these wonderful pieces. Where is my brother when I need him?

Plan B came into effect, and worked a whole lot better (although not nearly as effective esthetically).

Essentially I created a normal (boring) box first, and then affixed the palette to the outside of the box (a trade secret, which may or may not actually hold long enough to get this contraption auctioned off!).

In any event, the box is done, the palette is affixed, and the box social project is completed for this year (I'm already wondering if they're going to do a repeat next year...I may be crazy).

So for more information about the Box Social and the Creston Museium, you can check out http://www.creston.museum.bc.ca/ . They've a host of wonderful programs and exhibits and are well worth many visits. The auction starts tonight at 5:00 pm, and is expected to go on until about 8:00 pm.
There is a No-Host barbeque and ice cream available for a nominal fee - bring your friends, family and that competitive spirit. Make sure to bid on the Painted Turtle Box!

Creston Culture Quest

2010-08-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

We've had more fun than the proverbial barrel of monkeys here in the gallery this week!

Andrea Peet, Recreation Programmer for the Creston & District Recreation Complex, arranged for a group from their summer girls camp to come in and do our Creston Culture Quest. These girls, aged 9 to 13, spent about an hour in the gallery, answering questions about the artwork, and checking everything out with an eagle eye!

The girls were keenly interested, and between counting the number of birds in the gallery (not their favourite question, as there are well over 100!) and atempting to find the name of the porcelain artist, they compared answers and marvelled at the wide variety of artwork in the gallery.

They had a host of questions of their own, asking how things were created, questioning the different mediums, and wondering if it was really artwork to have a false eyelash on a painting of a fish!

Of interest to them was the fact that there are so many different ways to create art, from chalk pastel, to photography, to textiles (hats, quilts, embroidered, sewn, crocheted, knitted, dyed, woven, stitched), to stained glass (and they found four different ways to do that in the gallery), oil, acrylic, hand-woven brooms, glass, beaded and steel jewellery, etchings, watercolours, woodworks (five different artists, and five different styles), pottery and ceramics (10 different artists and at least that many styles), bronze, and so on. It opened their eyes to a wider world of creation, and had them wondering what else on earth could be possible in the world of art!

The girls enjoyed the metalwork of Gentlemoon Metals a great deal - attracted to the bright colours and the wide range of subject matter, they gravitated there frequently. Another huge hit was Maria Curcic's hats, and they had trouble getting away from them. Their natural propensity for dressup (and don't we all love that!) had them trying hat after hat for that perfect look.

Their enthusiasm was infectious, and we had a lot of fun wrapping our heads around the various questions. We were delighted that the parent volunteers were on hand to field some of them, or we would have been in real trouble.

So in case you're wondering, the answers to some of the questions are as follows:

What artist created Stolen Time? Answer is Reg Parsons, our bronze artist extraordinaire from Cranbrook, BC.

How many varieties of flowers can you find in the gallery? Answer (as of this past Monday) is 19, including Chinese Lanterns, dogwood, quince blossom, and 16 others!

What percentage of the art in the gallery to you believe is local? Answer is 65 to 70% of the work is from artists living and working in the Creston Valley, and it is all from the Kootenays!

Name the varieties of wood you can find in the gallery. Answer - some of the 32 varieties are
denim pine, bubinga, wenge, bocate, zebra wood, chechen, spalted birch and caragana.

In other words, this is a great place to find some really unique, one-of-a-kind work, and we would be delighted to welcome you so we can prove it to you!

Creativity Workshops for Fall

2010-08-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

It's hard to imagine that we're heading so quickly towards the fall season, and even more so to be thinking of being indoors, but with our appetite whetted for creativity, what better thing to be doing!

Our first fall workshop series is instructed by Eileen Gidman, a local watercolour instructor extraordinaire.

Eileen is doing two classes for us this fall - her usual beginner class, Watercolour for the Totally Terrified runs on Saturday afternoons from 1:30 to 4:30 pm on September 25, October 2, 16, 23 and 30. and is chock full of techniques, lessons and experimentation for those who are starting at the very beginning.

For those who are not-so-new to the medium, Eileen is doing morning classes on the same dates (9 am to noon) - Watercolour for the Not-So-Totally Terrified, to further enhance technique and take students to the next level.

Past students are delighted with Eileen's teaching abilities, as well as her infinite patience, passion for the medium and clear direction.

Painted Papers 101 - It's All About Colour! happens on Monday, October 4. This two hour class is a blast of experimentation and colour, and requires no previous experience. All supplies are included and you'll leave having completed three sheets of hand-painted paper in your favourite colour(s) to use for cards, wrap, or framing .

Instructor, Win Dinn, is passionate about colour, and will encourage you to play with it to the maximum!

On Tuesday, October 12, we're holding a trading session for those wonderful artist trading cards.

These 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" works of art are a delight to create, and even more of a delight to trade with other artists.

Come and join us between 6:30 and 8:30 pm with your completed cards (usually created in a series) and be prepared to trade for some fabulous pieces.

Make sure your cards are signed and dated on the back, so traders can remember 'where and when'. Musical background will be provided by Maria Curcic, of RadioRadio.

On three Sundays in October, the 17th, 24th and 31st, we are hosting 'Collage - Playtime for Adults'. This fast-paced, mixed-media workshop will have you creating at least ten difference surfaces for your paintings.

You'll then add ephemera, including your favourie photos and found objects.

On the final day, you'll learn how to complete your piece to hang on your wall; it will hold all the elements you especially prize.

The beauty of this medium is that it requires no drawing skill nor previous instruction in any medium. Acrylic paints are extraordinarily forgiving, and dry quickly, and can be painted over easily. The use of clear-drying mediums is that layer after layer can be added, and since the mediums are provided in this workshop, you'll get a chance to see how they work, and which ones are required for differing weights of embellishment.

The instructor, Win Dinn, is high energy, fun and definately experimental - no experience is required, and you'll find that anything goes, and EVERYTHING is collage fodder!

And here's the last one (for now!)......

Shelagh Corcoran has a terrific Beginner Mosaic workshop coming up on November 6 and 13. These morning classes will provide you with all the instruction and supplies you need to create a unique mirror mosaic frame.

You've been asking for these workshops, and we're delighted to be able to provide them for you! We look forward to seeing you here.

For further information about the various workshops, including times, directions and costs, you can check www.ptgallery.ca/workshop.html. All classes are limited to 6 participants to provide you with individual instruction, so be sure to register early to avoid disappointment! And all workshops are held right here in the gallery, at 1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC.

Bearly There!

2010-08-12T11:27:00.001-07:00

Here we go today, with some notes about a fabulous Kootenay photographer. Jim Lawrence is a man who knows, visits, and shoots animals in the best possible way. A resident of Kaslo, and habitue of the Lardeau Valley, Jim likely logs more hours out of doors than most bears do!

Jim's knowledge of the area and the animals he follows from year to year is legendary. With an eye for the unusual, and the patience to wait for the perfect shot, he paints amazing portraits of wildlife with his camera.

From wildlife to landscape to flora and fauna, there is a tactile quality to each of Jim's photos - the urge to reach out and touch the subject is almost irresistable.

Jim's relationships with the bears of the area is most unusual. On nodding acquaintance with brown bears, black bears, and grizzlies, he has the most amazing 'human' photos imaginable. From smiles to boredom, he captures all their emotions as he greets them each season.

To see more of Jim's wonderful photos, check his website at http://kootenayreflections.com/ , and stop in to the gallery at 1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC.

Those poor birds!

2010-08-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

What a storm we had this morning! With thunder, lightning, strong winds and, in some areas, hail, we got it all. I felt sorry for the birds, who were huddling near the trunk of the horse chestnut, wondering what in heaven's name that was all about. They reminded me of Liz Hale's wonderful birds, which are safely tucked away in the gallery.

Liz has a delightful way with mosaics made from stained glass, and strategically placed on slabs of wood. Her birds look as though they could almost fly off their perches!

The Chick-a-Dee-Dee-Dee Family above look right at home on their branches, and in no danger from any storm.

Liz' 'Silvertip at Kootenay Lake', above is rife with colour and richness. One can almost feel the cool fall air.

To see more of these lovely mosaics, stop in at the painted Turtle Gallery at 1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC, Canada, and enjoy. And from a hot and sunny (now!) valley, we say goodbye until next week.

Baskets and needles

2010-07-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking that artists are so diverse that it must keep the gods hopping to pace us! Barbara Kingsland, of Nelson, BC is a craftsperson of extraordinary ability and imagination.

Her baskets are created from cedar bark which is harvested by a tedious process from trees in the Harrop-Proctor area which are being taken for lumber. Barbara strips the outer bark and then cuts pieces to the appropriate length and width.

Branches and roots for handles are carefully extracted from the local forests, stripped, washed, sanded and varnished.

Barbara's pine needle baskets, utilizing needles from the Ponderosa pine are elegant and complex creations, with an astonishing beauty in their intricacy. These baskets are breathtaking heirlooms, steeped in the tradition of the Abenaki Indians, which is part of Barbara's heritage.

When one considers the amount of close work, rhythm and patience required for each of these beautiful pieces, it staggers the imagination.

There is truly something magnificent about artists who take their work to a level that is far above the origins of craft, and raise it to a level of art. We have so many of this calibre in the Kootenays that we consider ourselves fortunate indeed.

For more examples of Barbara's lovely work, please stop in to the gallery at 1132 Canyon St., Creston, BC - you'll also have a chance then to see her beautiful copper work, as well. Until next week...happy summer.

Friday, July 23, 2010 and another long weekend coming up in hot, hot, hot Creston, BC

2010-07-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

My mind has been wandering around the aspect of creativity again, and I'm struck by the number of artists in this area who work in two, three or even more mediums. There is something about the Kootenays that ramps up the creativity quotient immensely, I think.

I'm struck, also, by the way that artists take something from one medium, toss it around in their minds, and create something in an entirely new way.

For example, Lynn Melanson, of Shades of Nature in Nelson, must have been thinking about medieval wall torches when she envisioned these lovely tea light pieces. The ambient light from these are a pure delight. Each glass tealight holder is enhanced with subdued colour, to enable the lights to glow with a rich luminosity.

The wall sconce below is another of Lynn's magical creations - beautiful light, organic shapes, and sense of mystery to ensure your room is awash with atmosphere.

Lynn's table lamps are one of the highlights here in the gallery. With their strong connection to nature, they bring the outdoors into any interior space, and provide restrained illumination in a manner that beautifully enhances their surroundings.

One of my favourites because it hits all the senses, this boudoir lamp is pure whimsy and enchantment. When turned on and warmed, the rose petals emit a soft, delicate scent of roses; this is a lamp around which one could re-decorate a bedroom!

We hope your week has gone wonderfully well in this delightful summer, and encourage you to stop in to the gallery at 1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC, for even more bliss! To see more of Lynn's work, check out www.shadesofnature.ca and enjoy. And for some fun information on your own creativity, see www.wherecreativitygoestoschool.com/vancouver/left_right/rb_test.htm . Happy week!

Friday, July 16, 2010, and it's a great day in Creston, BC!

2010-07-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

If you're one of those people who loves the sun, you'd be feeling pretty blessed living in the valley right now - I'm one, and I am! Summer is my favourite time of the year; it's so exciting to see the rapid growth here in this agriculturally-based area. Everything (including the weeds) grow like they've hit pay dirt! With the garden tour just passed, I know that artists create in the garden, as well as in the studio, and I heartily applaud them.

Mary Ann Bidder is a Kimberley artist who has long been producing wonderful watercolours, to the delight of her collectors. Mary Ann has a fine appreciation of old buildings, history, people and pattern. CP Rail, below, the first in her series of CPR paintings, is her rendition of the Nelson terminal, now abandoned to the elements.

Enter at Your Own Risk, below, is one of a large series of paintings Mary Ann has completed of old buildings in the Kootenays. This one appears to be on the edge of total delapitation - just a breath away from collapsing into the earth.

The painting below, called Mayook Memories, was a finalist in the International Artist Magazine landscape competition, and portrays a building that would have been a beauty in its heyday.
Mary Ann's portraits are visually exciting and often compelling. Reflections of Self plays with the distorted view of childhood and memory, and evokes a dream-like feeling in its sensitivity.

I am constantly amazed and enchanted by the collective imagination and creativity of the artists in this area. From every discipline, utilizing every medium imagineable, they are some of the most creative people on the planet, I believe. There must be something in the Kootenay air that fosters a unique style and prolific artists!

For more of Mary Ann Bidder's work, you can go to her website at www.maryannbidder.com or stop in to the gallery here at 1132 Canyon Street In Creston. Until next week - happy creating.

July 9, 2010 - a third of the way through the month already!

2010-07-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

It's been a hectic week here at the gallery, with the tourists really ramping up and my mind bursting with more creativity than it can handle, I think (and more about that later)! The week started off with a busy Canada Day on the first, topped off by a paper painting class that same evening. Those ladies had more fun than I think is strictly legal, and were so delighted with the colour I think I've created some monsters! By the way, look for the paper painting class on our website (http://www.ptgallery.ca/) this coming fall - I don't think I could manage another one this summer!

And if you're talking colour, there is nothing more creative than the colour that Karel Peeters utilizes in his lovely pottery - it essentially makes my mouth water. I keep it at the back of the gallery so I don't drool all over it!

Karel, from the Nelson area, first found his inspiration in the brilliant colours found in Mexico - he was astounded and delighted to find such a vivid range of colour in common use there. From vibrant greens and blues to oranges, yellows and red, each piece he masters is a delight to the eye.

Karel's work is all glazed with foodsafe glazes, dishwasher friendly and can be used in the microwave. It can even be warmed in the oven at low (250 degrees or less) temperatures - how's that for fabulous!

And for brilliance and pow factor, nothing could top these pieces on your table. They practically beg 'Eat me!'

At the beginning of this post, I told you I'd get back to you on the creativity aspect. For the last few weeks, the universe has been placing interesting tidbits in my path that speak of creativity and the creative process, so I thought I'd pass some of them along to you now and again. Today's fascinating universe-inspired idea is presented in three parts on You Tube by Lily Yeh - this petite woman is energy in motion, and speaks of an art project that is very close to her heart. I hope you enjoy! To view the first part, see http://youtube.com/watch?v=aFJkbwFllWY .

Friday, July 2, 2010 and it's the longggg weekend!

2010-06-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

...and we've had heat! This is valley life at the absolute best, and with the exception of this morning's showers it's been a hot week...

Today I'm going to show you some stunning jewellery from Danny Rondeau, of MettleSmith Design, in Nelson. This work is steel, which Danny calls the 'most precious metal', due to steel being at the very foundation of how we live our lives. Because it changes the way it behaves, based on how it is mixed and treated, it is like no other metal we use.

MettleSmith Design is a small craft jewellery studio, and every piece is hand designed by Danny, prototyped and finished by him, in small batches to exacting standards.

The pieces, lighter in weight than silver or gold, are coated with a PVD coating, which is a hard, durable ceramic layer, that lasts indefinitely. This finish is good for the environment, too - there are no harsh chemicals or liquid baths to coat or colour the metal, and hence no effluent or toxic discharge. And, of course, because it is not a 'precious metal', there is little chance that miners are exploited or abused.

The lyricism in these pieces is wonderful, and the beautiful patina on the coating makes them stellar against the skin!

If you're looking for an unusual piece that will set you apart from the rest, come in and try these on. You can see more pieces on the MettleSmith website http://www.mettlesmith.com/, and try some on here at 1132 Canyon St., Creston, BC. Until next week...happy summer!

Friday, June 25, 2010 in sunny Creston, BC, Canada

2010-06-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

Well, this has been a week, indeed. Between a fried hard drive on my gallery computer, lost data and the urge to be outside playing in the sunshine, you'll notice this post is just a tad later than usual.

And the light of sunshine is a byword for artist Carol Schloss, who works in the vibrant medium of chalk pastel. Carol, a signature member of the prestigous Pastel Society of America, New York, has a passion for light and colour, and it shows in every painting, whether local scenery, or faraway places.

Carol's affinity for animals is also easily seen in her paintings. Be it cats, dogs, horses or animals of the human sort, she delights in portraying animals in their natural surroundings and poses. Ever the consummate artist, there is no scene so mundane or banal that Carol cannot bring to immediate life and vitality. The painting below makes me long to return to the days when I hung my laundry on a line and could smell the sun on it when it came back inside!

When I think of the Creston Valley, the type of scene below immediately comes to mind. We are immersed in the country 'feeling' here in the valley, and Carol paints country to the 'nth' degree, with a flare that reflects her life here in the valley.

To see more of Carol's exceptional artwork, go to www.carolschlosspastels.com , and enjoy, or stop in to the gallery at 1132 Canyon St., Creston, BC.

Friday, June 18, 2010 in Creston, BC, Canada

2010-06-17T08:51:00.000-07:00

Friday, again, and so fast, too! As I age at such a rip-roaring pace, it seems that I'm losing all sense of time. What I feel should be a month goes by in a blink, and I spend all my time trying to catch up with it (time, that is).

With massive amounts of moisture falling from the clouds above, I'm grateful to be basking in the warmth of the gallery, enjoying the view of so many lovely pieces.

Today, we're highlighting the work of a husband and wife duo from Nelson, BC - Tom Coyle and Wynn Dubord, and their lovely metal work. Multi-talented, they create bronze jewellery and colourful metal sculpture.

The free-form ring below is but one example of the lustre of their bronze jewellery. Bronze, a lively alternative to gold, is easily polished with any silver polish, or commerical polishing cloth.

Their bracelets and necklaces offer a modern feel and make a great complement to any outfit, dressy or casual.

Gentle Moon does delightful metal wall sculpture pieces, often depicting local birds, animals and flowers. The heron below is one of their birds, and I'm sure I saw him standing in the water at the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area (http://www.crestonwildlife.ca/ ) in this same pose last week.

This happy-looking sunflower is another favourite - a more cheerful, upbeat and colourful work would be hard to find.

For more of their work, surf http://www.gentlemoonmetals.com/ , or stop in at the gallery. We have a large range of their pieces, and some fun fridge magnets, as well. As always, 'see' you next week !

Friday, June 11, 2010 in sunshiny Creston, BC

2010-06-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

We've had an alternative to the rain for a couple of days this week - pushing my memory, I believe that type of weather is called sunshine! What an amazing thing it is...

The wild roses along the highways are in aromatic bloom, and the crabapple trees are flowering with a heavenly scent as well. The garden at home is dancing with white poppies, purple irises, peonies and lupins. When customers come into the gallery, they comment on the blooms by the till - I tell them my husband has the garden on steroids (with apologies to Garden Hoe Farms at http://www.gardenhoefarms.com/ who provide the Gaia Green 'drugs for plants'.

This time of year means we spend much more time outdoors, and that means hats are de riguere. Creston's own milliner, Maria Curcic, is the ultimate hat artist, whether for gardening or cocktail partying, and we've got the hats to prove it.

Maria apprenticed in Paris, her birthplace, to learn the art of hat-making. Her hats are beautifully designed, infinitely wearable and downright lovely. From classic shaped picture hats to avant garde caps to artful events, they are a delight for the senses. Her diverse mixture of colour, texture and construct makes for rare originality.

Maria is a consummate artist in many departments. Her paintings are powerful, abstracted and passionate, with blocks of colour and light. Often cityscapes, they create a sense of other-worldly places and half-remembered dreams. They pulse with energy and her zeal for the medium.

Maria's jewelry is another outlet for her artistic enthusiasm. Funky, eclectic and colourful, these playful costume pieces are the perfect accent for the woman who enjoys adding fun to her wardrobe.

To find out about Maria's enthusiasm for music, you can peruse http://www.radioradio.ca/ and catch her spirit there. To see Maria's work, come into the gallery at 1132 Canyon St., Creston, BC and try it on for size!

Friday, June 4, 2010

2010-06-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

I'm always surprised at how the 'end' of the week comes so quickly, especially just when I feel I'm getting a handle on the start of one!

We're experiencing much-needed moisture in the the Creston Valley. Although they are predicting a drought in the area this summer, it is difficult to understand how that could possibly happen with the amount of rain we've received in the last while. I have a suspicious web-like skin present between my toes, and the most curious desire to breathe underwater while hunting for gnats.

Underwater is not the element for Boswell textile artist Merilyn Arms - her gorgeous creations would sustain too much damage in that environment. Merilyn has a wonderful facility for fabric combinations, so that her purses, scarves, shawls, ornaments, journal covers and table toppers are opulent in look and feel. Often embellished with threads, buttons and beads, they are a feast for the eyes.

The lovely butterfly pillow below is luxurient with a range of colour from orange to purple to green. The flowing script around the main butterfly indicates that "It goes where it pleases, and pleases wherever it goes".

Merilyn's wall hanging, 'Blue Heron', captures the tranquil pose of a heron in a lily pond, master of all she surveys, and serene in the knowledge that she is the most beautiful bird in the area! The textural elements in this piece are diverse and exciting, and the quilting throughout is masterfully done.
The Tree Mandala below is another exquisite example of Merilyn's work. Her trademark complexity of colour, pattern and texture, combined with the script around the tree, make it one of the finest examples of quilt art I have seen.

As always, to see examples of these and other fine 'hand-crafted in the Kootenays, by local artists' work, do come in to the gallery at 1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC, Canada and fill your eyes, mind, heart and soul with splendour.

Friday, May 28, 2010 Creston, BC

2010-05-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

Well, the frenzy of the Blossom Festival, including two parades in the downtown core, has passed. The antique car show on Sunday was a delight, and we had proud car owners in the gallery from all around the Pacific Northwest. I love seeing the reactions of those who enter the gallery for the first time! I heard so many people say 'Wow!' this weekend I thought I must have a twist in my spine!

This week we're featuring a fabulous clay artist, Maggie Leal-Valias. Maggie, originally from Australia, has been working in clay since joining the Wynndel Mudders here in the valley. Her work is flowing and evocative, with beautiful lines and form.

The integration of texture in Maggie's pieces is tactile , and I'm constantly reaching out to touch, thereby seeing with the hand!

Maggie has an extraordinary facility with portraiture (two- or three-dimensional), and the two clay 'characters' below, mounted on canvas, are certainly a fine example of this. Created from her mind's eye, they are haunting and unforgettable!

One of my favourite of her faces, below, just makes me laugh. Entitled 'Sourpuss', it is now in the private collection of friends, so I can visit it frequently!

For more of Maggie's work, stop in to the gallery at 1132 Canyon St., Creston, and enjoy!

And, to keep up with one of our artists who is taking a sabbatical from her own gallery, check out Karen Arrowsmith's blog - she's painting her way across Canada. You can find her at http://www.arrowsmithgallery.blogspot.com/ .

Friday, May 21, 2010, starting the May long weekend!

2010-05-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

It's just so wonderful to be anticipating the arrival of family over a long weekend, isn't it? We're looking forward to seeing siblings, nieces, nephews, in-laws and out-laws, and expect to be BBQing up a storm come Saturday! The weather has promised to cooperate, too, so all will be well...

It's interesting how the May long weekend signals the start of summer. For two weeks now, the influx of visitors to the valley has been in full swing, but summer does not officially start for me until we've hit that first, warm long weekend - to see what's happening here in Creston, check out http://www.experiencecreston.com/, and see 'What can I do?' for a list of local events, including the Blossom Festival.

We're having a sidewalk sale downtown on Saturday, so if you're in the area you'll find a huge number of bargains throughout the downtown area. At the Painted Turtle Gallery, Laura Leeder will be demonstrating watercolour techniques on Saturday morning, and Carol Schloss is dancing with chalk pastels in the afternoon. On Sunday, I'll be painting decorative papers, one of my favourite things to do!

Today, I'm letting you in on a well-kept secret technique created by Ray Neufeld, which he calls Lascrolia. Ray has worked in wood for decades, and developed this technique of wood-working to display the natural grain and colour existing in the bare wood.

No paint, stain, pen or pencil is ever used in his pieces, and even the finest of lines are solely the result of solid wood used in its natural colour. Ray has, amazingly, crafted each piece so that his design goes right through to the back of the plate.

Ray's keen artist's eye and affinity for the beauty of wood means that each plate or crafted piece is a marvellous compilation of the natural beauty of an endless variety of soft, hard, fruit and exotic woods.

These pieces often depict the natural surroundings of the Kootenays. From bears to big-horned sheep to eagles and deer, they are each unique and steeped in quiet splendour.

There is one thing for certain - these gorgeous wooden items are heirlooms, each one of a kind, and created by a master's hand. Be sure to take a close look at them when next in the gallery!

Friday, May 14, 2010 in the sunshine!

2010-05-11T10:10:00.000-07:00

It is so beautiful here in the Creston Valley this week - we've had a ton of sunshine, and I've been skipping along the streets to the gallery like a five-year-old (perhaps a little undignified for someone fast approaching 60!). It's hard to be a Grumpy Gus in the sunshine, isn't it?

Out at the Creston Wildlife Management Area, where our photographer Brent Wellander spends a huge amount of his time, the birds are reappearing daily, and Brent is snapping photos like crazy. He loves photographing them, as evidenced the the heron below, and is on a first name basis with every scenic location in the valley!

Brent's marsh scenes are so serene, I can imagine myself meditating through the dusky mornings for hours.

Brent has his work transferred from the digital files directly onto canvas through the giclee process. This gives his work an immediate and fresh appearance, bypassing any glass glare and delighting the eye. His own eye is impeccable, and he as a facility for abstracting nature that is lovely. The leaf below is one of my favourites, and the use of the strong and unrealistic colour gives it a sensibility that keeps me looking, and looking, and ....

Green Fields, below, is another favourite...the combination of colour and light has so much 'Pow!' factor in this photo that when I first saw it, my mouth started watering - luckily I managed not to drool on the canvas! Because our mandate in the gallery is to avoid mass-produced work, these pieces are limited to an edition of 10 prints only, ensuring that each is a valuable addition to any collection. One of these will belong to me, that is certain!

You can see more of Brent's wonderful photography at http://www.kootenaynaturephotos.com/ . Enjoy!

Friday, May 7, 2010 in Creston, BC (and elsewhere, too!)

2010-05-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

Well, we're rocking into summer here; for the next week or so, the weatherman says we're basking in the sun and that's very welcome in our books, which are getting a bit soggy! Even the welcome mat at the gallery is damp, and that takes a lot, because there is a canopy overhead.

Today, you get a peek at the work of my favourite card creator's work. Lori Cameron of Tigz Designs ( http://www.tigzdesigns.com/ ) lives, works, and creates right in the town of Creston, and she comes with a delightfully wacky sense of humour. Her love of animals has her creating a pet line of cards that is most amusing, and she donates a full dollar from the proceeds of these cards to PAWS (Pet Adoption and Welfare Society - http://www.paws-crestonbc.org/ ) here in Creston. Lori does much of the photography of the animals herself, and additional photos are provided by loving pet owners throughout the area.

Lori has just added a new line of Tigz Enchanted cards, utilizing fairy images created by her friend, Rhonda Moran. These cards are just delightful, and include a charm which can be removed for wearing - a gift in a card for a gift!

One of the things I most admire about Lori is her willingness to experiment - after a quick (two hour) bit of instruction in wax encaustic work, Lori has added this to her repertoire, to great effect as you can see below. Lori is constantly experimenting with new, unusual and beautiful ways to enhance her cards, and each hand-crafted card is a work of art in itself.

Friday, April 30, 2010 in beautiful, downtown Creston, BC

2010-04-28T09:24:00.000-07:00

Yippee! We've had rain in the valley again this week, and that means that when the sunshine returns, we'll be awash in flowers! And that's good news for the Blossom Festival coming up on the May long weekend! To find out more about what's happening in Creston, check out http://www.experiencecreston.com/ and http://www.crestonevents.ca/ .

It's also the time of the year when the birds really start to make their presence known. The Creston Wildlife Management Area (about nine times the size of Stanley Park in Vancouver) will be bursting with water fowl - you can check out their site at http://www.crestonwildlife.ca/ .

Reg Parsons, our Cranbrook bronze artist extraordinaire, has taken full advantage of his extensive knowledge of birds and wildlife to create some stunning works of art.

This cheeky raven is called Stolen Time, and you can see why, because with Dad's silver pocket watch in his beak, he's ready for flight!

This family of ducks, suitably titled Quackers, is a delight to behold, with tiny ducklings climbing branches (and tumbling over them), heading for the water. There's even one duckling tucked in for the ride on Momma's back. This wonderful bronze took a First Place at the Calgary Stampede when in was introduced, and rightfully so!

As you can see, Reg has a delightful sense of whimsy, and To Bee or Not to Bee certainly follows in this vein.

Reg's work is exceptional, and you can see more of his marvellous pieces in the Painted Turtle Gallery (1132 Canyon Street, Creston, BC) and on his website at http://www.regparsons.com/.

Friday, April 23, 2010

2010-04-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

We’ve had a delightful rainfall in the valley yesterday, so those of you who have been basking in the sun can rest assured there is balance in the world!

Creston is bursting with spring. The magnolia trees are blooming, tulips splash colour throughout the town, and the orchards are sporting new coats of apple and cheery blossoms. And since we’re celebrating spring, we’re going to show you some delightful flowers by Laura Leeder. Laura paints beautiful vintage-feel watercolours that evoke a bygone era.

Her paintings often include antique lace, embroidered tablecloths, and beautiful vases from her personal collection.

Laura’s still life paintings are characterized by subtly mottled backgrounds that are both mysterious and painterly, and the reflection of her passion for the beauty that surrounds us in our valley.

The Kootenays in general, and the Creston Valley in particular, are noted for being a magnet that pulls artists here to re-locate from all over Canada, and beyond. With the fabulous weather year around and the wonderful growing season, we boast of luscious orchards, vineyards and greenhouses galore, and there is more here to keep an artist inspired than one could imagine. Kootenay Lake, Duck Lake and the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area nearby are home to dozens of species of birds, fish and other wildlife.

If you're in our area this weekend, check out the opening of Garden Hoe Farms tomorrow (Saturday, Apr 24) at Wynndel - their baskets are a feast for the eyes, and there are dozens of bedding plants, perennials, and annuals from which to choose. At 4813 Lower Wynndel Road, you'll find a warm welcome between 10 am and 6 pm, along with tea and treats.

To learn more about our area, check out http://www.crestonwildlife.ca/ and http://www.experiencecreston.com/ , and then plan your visit! We look forward to meeting you in person; until next week....

2010-04-16T12:36:00.001-07:00

Well, April is a fine time for new beginnings, and a blog for the gallery is a fun one!

For those of you unfamiliar with the gallery, let me say that we are situated in the most beautiful Creston Valley, in the east Kootenays, British Columbia, Canada, and with the many orchards, a smattering of wineries, and unbeatable weather, we think we're in a perfect locale! The Kootenays are well known for their preponderance of artists, musicians, craftspeople and artisans of ALL sorts.

We plan to showcase an artist a week here on this spot, and we look forward to your comments and suggestions! Our first artist is Beatrice von Allmen, an extraordinary clay artist and seamstress, who creates extraordinary animals (dressed or otherwise), impeccably sewn clothing, wonderful decorative plates, and marvellous clay jewellery for the discerning woman! She also does a great deal of work in our window displays - our current lime, yellow and ultramarine one is such a knock-out that people come in just to tell us how it makes their mouths water!

Above is one of Bea's plates, from her River Stone collection, beautifully muted, and natural!

This jacket, with her trademark feathers, is from her mid-season collection. The accompanying scarf is by Merilyn Arms, one of our fibre artists - follow this blog to see more of her later!

These earrings and necklace are beautifully decadent with their lovely crackle, and part of Bea's Soul Candy collection.

This elegant creature (bird or human?) is one of Bea's ongoing animal series - all one of a kind, they evoke elegance and whimsy synonymously!

To see more of our artists, visit www.ptgallery.ca and follow this blog!