Kunamokst, a collaborative mural project with paintings contributed by some 200 artists was unveiled recently. (recent post)
Rob Elphinstone is one of the participating artists. There are many talented artists from this region, what an interesting way to show them. Best, I felt is the meet the Artists page, a brilliant way of getting introduced to a few artists I wasn’t familiar with an reacquainted with some I hadn’t seen in some time.
The Arrival by Bruce Muir
24″x30″ Oils on Canvas
$2900
A Humpback Whale during it’s annual migration past Vancouver Island. There’s a lot we can glean from this portrait; we know the whale’s species, we can see it’s heading westward, and the proximity to shore. The weather and fog is well known to this part of the island. What strikes me is this; You can often see exactly this upper portion of the painting, but here, Bruce Muir shows you the part you can only imagine from the glimpses you catch from above the water’s surface.
Kunamokst – Coastal Inspirations Mural Mosaic Unveiling
Coast and Trees 12″x12″ Oils, plate 81 of Coastal Inspirations Mural Mosaic by Rob Elphinstone
For the last year and a half over 200 of some of Canada’s finest artists from along the west coast have collaborated to create a stunning 12 foot x 21 foot mural. The mural has been invited to be officially unveiled as part of the 2010 Winter Games. It is comprised of 231, 12 inch x 12 inch original paintings that when all the images are combined together a united image comes to life. There are no digital effects and the artists did not know each other or know what the united final image would be. It is a mural about unity through diversity – a great symbol of the Olympic ideals through art.
Kunamokst – Coastal Inspirations Mural Mosaic combines artists as young as 16 years old to artists as old as 91. Nanaimo artist, Rob Elphinstone, has contributed a piece entitled “Coast and Trees”. There are first nations artists, world renowned artists, French Canadian artists and artists from various regions along the coast. World renowned first nations artists like Roy Henry Vickers and April White contributed to the mural. As did Iconic Canadian artist Robert Bateman. Many other of the 200 artists, have been featured on the world stage as well. Special guests artists include California world renowned whale muralist WYLAND and California muralist Judy Baca.
Mural Links-
www.muralmosaic.com/kunamokst.html
Winter Games web page
westvancouver.ca coverage of the mural
Kunamokst – Coastal Inspirations Mural Mosaic
Mural Unveiling Saturday, February 13th, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
West Vancouver Spirit Square – an official 2010 Celebration Site
West Vancouver Community Centre (Art Studio), 2121 Marine Drive, West Vancouver.
On Display from February 13th – February 28, 2010
10 AM – 5PM Daily, until 9PM Friday and Saturday.
Congratulations to all Island Artists who participated, among them: Rob Elphinstone, Elissa Anthony, Roy Henry Vickers, Gordon Henschel, Mark Hobson, Rohanna Laing, Peter Lawson, Martin Machacek, Christina Munck. What a great project
Dusk at Amphitrite Point by Teresa Knight
16.75″x15.75″ Acrylic on board, framed.
$400
The view from the Lighthouse at Amphitrite Point, Ucluelet looking south-west. The lighthouse loop af the Wild Pacific Trail, is one of the most remarkable spots on the entire west coast of Vancouver Island. Aside from the immediate beauty of the Peninsula itself; George Fraser and Crow Island, Jenny Reef. The views peek into the Broken Group Islands in Barkley Sound. On clear days you can see the mountain peaks of the Olympic Mountain Range, but one of the best parts is as pictured here… the stark contrast of the Open Pacific.
Hurricane Amanda by Charles Churchill Villiers
36″x36″ Oils on Canvas
$9500
One of small series of non-objective modern abstract paintings by Charles Villiers, each was named for a love in his life in the way that storms are named.
This particular piece really caught my attention, I like the square format and the custom metal floater framing. It’s an old-school modern abstract, heavy impasto oils on Egyptian canvas. Each in the series had varying scale, shape and framing details. It’s quite difficult to create a painting this way and I admire how almost sculptural it is.
Path to Unknown by Richard Hoedl
36″x48″ Oils on Canvas
$5425
This painting depicts the path to Florencia Bay, on the day Richard sketched it out; I wanted to photograph the beaches distinct rocks at the base of the bluffs. The other artists in the group were fast to climb down the sandy bank to the beach, but Richard remained behind awhile to take in the trail and of course to consider the trees along the way.
Teresa Knight’s recent work is full of atmosphere – she imbues what she sees with the emotions the scenes evoke within her. The softness of her style and the subtlety with which she uses colour help create this almost mystical experience. The viewer enters a new and special place outside of normal time where words are not necessary, but where experience is shared.
Teresa has been an artist for many years, and had a love for animals for as long. She got started in art when she and her sisters would pass rainy days at the cottage by drawing and painting, and Teresa continued in art.
She obtained her B.A. in Studio Arts and Bachelor of Education in Art from the University of British Columbia and now paints and teaches painting out of her Union Bay studio.
Teresa exhibits her work at local and West Coast venues. She hopes, eventually, to use her paintings to raise money to improve the lives of overlooked animals
Exhibitions
Teresa’s paintings are available at:
Selected pieces are also available through Art Sales and Rentals at the Vancouver Art Gallery. www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/about_services2.cfm and some of Teresa’s work is available as limited edition prints from Casa Collection info@casacollection.ca
Teresa’s website is featured at the Agora Gallery website in New York www.agora-gallery.com
Fish of Nile Creek Series by Ken Kirkby
24″x48″ Oils on canvas
$4000 each
Ken has been hard at work painting many of the fish represented in the Nile Creek, his goal is to share with you the wonderful diversity of fish, and just how beautiful they really are. These paintings as well as prints will serve to promote this awareness and to support the stream restoration work of the Nile Creek Salmon Enhancement Society.
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.
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.
Making Space by Richard Hoedl
48″x10″ Oils on Canvas
$1257
The west coast is known for amazing trees. Towering trees are perfect for a tall narrow space. Richard’s signature style of wrapping the image around the edges of the painting make this piece almost sculptural.
Finding Feathers by Peggy Burkosky
Watercolor on Arches Paper
20″x28″ image (framed 30″x37″)
$1200
Peggy paints west coast scenery and portraiture at the same time. The subject is frequently her daughter, and in this case she’s got several eagle feathers on her lap. It’s a great painting not because it’s sweet or charming, but because it’s an thoughtful depiction of a moment in her life.
Artist, Colin T Bell is glad to have a website of his own to showcase his work on-line.
His new website www.colinbellart.com has recently been launched. A fellow-member of the Calgary Artists’ Society recommended an artist specific web service, and it seems it was a good fit. It’s a modest start of just a few pages, but overall the design and the photo galleries are simple and clean.
Colin Bell is a very capable painter in any medium. He’s recently painted a couple of pieces referencing my photography of the Wild Pacific Trail. I’m flattered, the paintings are stunning… here’s a peek.
Island Farm by Ken Kirkby
30″x60″ Oil on Canvas
$4500
A number of farms on the inside of Vancouver Island were abandoned during the 2nd world war, many of the owners did not return to their homesteads. This painting references this with a fence line in the foreground. The reefs and the vista of mainland mountains might well have been enough subject for the painting but Kirkby’s attention to the grass eludes to the farm and it’s history.
Security of the Person by Mark Penney
16″x20″ Oil on Canvas
sold (private collection)
