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.

www.pacificrimwhalefestival.com
24th Annual Pacific Rim Whale Festival – March 6th-14th, 2010

The Whale Fest posters have started to appear … with great anticipation. This year
Angie Roussin ( of Pina ) is the featured poster artist. She grew up in a commercial fishing family and has opened her shop here in Ucluelet, having spent some fishing seasons here. I like her graphic inked design work, it’s playful, very finely rendered and I think quite a strong contemporary look. I’m also fond of her paintings.

Last year Shannon McWhinney, a long time local Art teacher designed the poster in a pencil crayon illustration.

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