Marla Thirsk
Marla was born in and grew up in Vancouver, next to Kitsilano Beach, then moved to the Spanish Banks area and has lived in Ucluelet for almost 30 years. By the ocean most of her life, her father claims she must have been born with a paintbrush in hand, as there was never a time when she wasn’t creating art. At age 11 she won her first competition and was shown at Vancouver Art Gallery. She claims to have never had formal training acquiring knowledge from books and various workshops.
Marla is known as Ucluelet’s Artist, a title she’s very proud of. She was the president of the Pacific Rim Arts Society for 6 years, revamped the annual art show and currently organizes the craft fair. As the creator of Art in the Gardens, an art festival held each September at the Tofino Botanical Gardens; now in it’s 6th year and the organizing force behind Artists-in-Action during the Whale Festival she acts as the defacto authority on the local art scene. A number of murals are featured around town.
Marla works in many different mediums and a variety of styles, and is well known for doing commissioned works. Her style is eclectic and she pushes herself to explore new fascinations. The Whale Festival Posters garner a lot of attention, and her work has appeared all over the world.
Originals can be viewed at Mark Penney Gallery, Ucluelet and at Cedar Corner Gallery in Tofino, as well.
www.marlathirsk.com Marla’s new website
http://marlathirsk.blogspot.com/ Marla’s blog
