www.markpenneygallery.com

PRESS RELEASE

Fish, Ships, & Lost Treasures
Art Exhibition
March 6 – 16th, 2010

From Saturday, March 6th to Tuesday, March 16th, the Mark Penney Gallery in Ucluelet welcomes the whales with the Art Exhibition Fish, Ships, & Lost Art Treasures.
The gallery, located in Whiskey Landing, is “a place you discover by accident,” says owner, Mark Penney. “The gallery, like Ucluelet, is a real hidden gem.”
A gem of an art exhibition it will be with world renowned artists such as Canadian icon and National Gallery artist, Ken Kirkby, who was the first artist to have an unveiling in the House of Commons, Physicist and painter Rob Elphinstone, Charles Churchill Villiers and well known local artist, Marla Thirsk, are just a few of the acclaimed artists releasing new work.
Many know Marla’s work from her local mural work on the West Coast and as the creator of the ‘Art in the Gardens’ festival held each September at the Tofino Botanical Gardens, not to mention being a driving force behind ‘Artists-in-Action’ during the Whale Festival.
“I was really honored to be asked to showcase my new series at the Mark Penney Gallery,” says Thirsk. “This series, was inspired by old photographs from the 1930’s to 1960’s that my mother had. As my mum passed away 25 years ago, it will be quite a poignant moment for me.”
Modern artist Charles Churhill Villiers, son of famed inventor Amherst Villiers and relation to Lady Veronica Milner, regrets not being able to personally be at the show as he is beginning a gallery tour in England, “but my heart will be there.”
“The series that I will be showcasing at the gallery has not been seen before. I did the work, Mark printed it. I had the series framed, crated up and sent to England for an exhibition there, but it got lost in transit and traveled the high seas for awhile, before finally being returned to Vancouver Island, where they remained unopened and un-exhibited,” adds Villiers.
The irony of the exhibition’s name, Fish, Ships, & Lost Art Treasures, was not lost on Villiers.
“It seems appropriate,” says Charles. “I love Ucluelet and the West Coast…what a wonderful place to release my own lost treasure.”
Other artists include such famous names as Joan Larson, Peggy Burkosky, Bruce Muir, and more.
The Mark Penny Gallery will be open, 7 days per week, 10 am to 5 pm.
Free Admission. For more information, visit www.markpenneygallery.com for a full list/biography of artists, and a preview of some of the art.

Ladybug, Ladybug by Marla Thirsk (Marion Series #1)
30″ x 36″ Acrylics on Canvas
$1500

Nostalgic family photos are referenced for the figures but each painting tells a story, …the pigeons are remarkable, but Marion’s tear filled eyes and the doll elude to a less than sweet memory… unlike the cheerful birds in the wallpaper.

Fortress by Marla Thirsk (Rita Series #5)
30″ x 36″ Acrylics on Canvas
$1500

There is a great deal of detail in this painting, and emotion, the colors are fantastic, … I can almost smell the coffee.

Thursday’s Child by Marla Thirsk (Rita Series #1)
36″ x 40″ Acrylics on Canvas
$1900

I’m very pleased to be able to show this painting in the gallery, the first of this series of exciting portraits by Ucluelet’s artist; Marla Thirsk.

Telephone Call by Marla Thirsk
34″x34″ Acrylic on Canvas
sold (private collection)

Remember telephones? rotary dialed with a handset leashed to the base. These days everyone seems to be sporting a portable pocket computer/ GPS enabled cell phone with a touch screen, but either way, we’re still waiting for the phone to ring.

Wave Baby by Marla Thirsk
30″x36″ Acrylic on Canvas
sold (private collection)
I think this is Marla’s most compelling series to date. It shows a new level of detail and introspection for this well known local artist. The Bathing Beauty Series has been well received, their first appearance being at P.R.A.S Wave Art Show in Tofino. Marla is currently hard at work in the studio following up on this exciting series, based on 40’s retro photos.

www.marlathirsk.com Marla’s new website
http://marlathirsk.blogspot.com/ Marla’s blog

I always enjoy it when artists drop by the gallery;
Marla Thirsk let me know she’d revamped her online presence recently.

An updated website and an ongoing blog showcase her most recent and very exciting series of ‘beauties’ styled after 1940s and ’50s era post cards and old photos.

There’s a lot of self exploration in these pieces and a fresh approach to portraiture for Marla. Her experiences with fabrics, sculpture and multimedia have directly impacted her painting. Each painting observes and details patterns and textures, the way memories are built with each detail recorded with individual importance.

I hope to show some of these new series pieces in the gallery, here’s a sneak peek;

End Game by Marla Thirsk
18″x36″ Acrylic on canvas
$1200
Marla’s Salmon are a very popular. The annual salmon spawn gives life to the forest and fuels our whole ecosystem; from eagles and bears, down to prawns and even microbes. Early settlers in Ucluelet were determined to be farmers, but it didn’t take long for them to decide that fishing was a more practical way of feeding their families.

Humpies by Marla Thirsk
18″x36″ Acrylic on canvas
$1200
Marla’s bright coy paintings have been very well received, and Salmon are a very popular subject here in an authentic fishing village on Vancouver Island’s west coast.

The Words One Would Write On Water by Marla Thirsk
40″x60″ Acrylic on Canvas
(private collection)
A lively depiction of Carp, this painting features Marla’s signature of use high key highlights to off set the deep jewel tone blues. Light impasto adds to the feeling of movement in the fish, bubbles and the disturbance of the water’s surface.

Marla Thirsk – Acorn
24″tall, Wire Framed Soft Sculpture / Art Doll
Sold (private collection)

This Marla Thirsk Art Doll is a original handcrafted creation. Each Art doll is unique; a one of a kind creation, fabricated without a pattern and made with special attention paid to details. Each doll requires 75 – 100 hrs to create. The ART Dolls were show recently at Blackrock resort and received a great deal of attention.

Acorn, admittedly, she's sooo cute ~ but these are soft sculpture, not toys.

Marla Thirsk Art Doll, Acorn - Aproximately 24" tall

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

Posts tagged Marla Thirsk

I know and respect each of the artists represented in the gallery, some I have worked with for many years, others have come to know me recently, through the gallery. I try not to limit the works to any specific genre, scale or medium despite my own personal biases.

It’s an absolute pleasure to admire, display, reproduce, sell artwork that I’m genuinely enthusiastic about.

Many visitors are amazed to learn how many artists are from Vancouver Island or who travel here to paint, study, vacation and sometimes to disappear for a while.

Charles Villiers seldom offers explanation of his work. He prefers to remain a bit of a mystery, leaving the viewer to form their own opinions of his art. Prolific painter, sculptor and more recently digital media artist, he’s made a transition that many artists struggle with; the process of making your art in different mediums without loosing your style. Somehow even highly technical compositions retain a bit of the innocence of his earlier figurative and nonobjective works. It’s not unlike the way you can still sometimes see the boy within a man.

Ken Kirkby is renowned at an internal level as a decisive canadian painter, he has a distinct graphic style formed by many bush miles. His paintings depict a minimal stillness not unlike other noted canadian realists. He’s a very passionate man who has a dedication to making an impact as an artist that goes well beyond painting.

Rob Elphinstone is a physicist whose area of expertise is the study of the northern lights. I find it fascinating that his work to quantify something ethereal is also reflected in his art, he’s an actualist painter and his paintings depict his experience, not technically what he saw.

Marla Thirsk – is known as Ucluelet’s artist, and I’d have to say she’s so much more. Almost every art event, function, group in the area has benefited directly from Marla’s help. The Whale Festival posters have been a calling card of hers for years. I’m pleased to have several exciting work of hers.

Jeff Edwards – a well known sculptor, and a well liked crab fisherman. Jeff chooses his stone from local area quarries, his works are highly prized. His enchanting bears, and marine mammals are well liked and collected, I’m happy to be showing several of Jeff’s figures, and shapes.

Joan Larson – renowned for her equine (horse) Illustrations, she works almost exclusively in pastels. We’re very pleased to showcase several of her local landscapes, and look forward her RCMP Musical Ride Series.

Peggy Burkosky – Known as a advanced watercolorist, Peggy is an capable painter in any medium. Her paintings have a sincerity about them, a true reflection of her island life. Sea scape scenes often include her daughter, family, or Bob’s fish boat, they are stunning paintings and portraiture. She teaches her secrets at the Old School House in Parksville.

Richard Hoedl – An accomplished painter, his bright whimsical style catches alot of attention. Richard paints in a walnut based oil on deep streched canvas.

Terry Jackson is a Metis artist working in carved wood, silver and cast porcelain. His contemporary use of materials lends a refreshingly clean look to his culturally based works. The porcelain is highly collectible, and the silver reflects an intrinsic value. Terry’s woodwork ranges from masks and wall panels to commissioned totem poles.

Jacqueline Windh, a Tofino based photographer, is well known for captivating seascapes and wildlife. Her work is frequently published and she regularly contributes to CBC Radio.

Nigel Brooks Peer is an art photographer of a different kind, he’s well travelled has worked in several genres, and is fascinated with reflections. He’s formed a style of his own in multiple image exposures, juxtaposing images, often on first blush they’re seemingly unrelated subjects, but subtle cultural refrences emerge to poke at your conceptions of art and photography.