From the Mountains to the Sea rocks! You MUST see it
More than 250 people attended the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre's blockbuster exhibition, From the Mountains to the Sea on Friday. If you haven't seen this amazing exhibition by some of Revelstoke's best local artists you have until Nov. 6 to see it. Call 250-814-0261 for details. David F. Rooney photo
By David F. Rooney
The Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre held its most successful exhibition opening ever on Friday when more than 250 people attended the opening of From the Mountains to the Sea.
“We even made money on the cash bar,” laughed director Ken Talbot. “We’ve never had an opening like that. (Most of the cash bars at gallery openings have, at best, broken even.)”
From the Mountains to the Sea fused works from two distinct groups of artists: last year’s Art in the Park artists — Jackie Penergast, Cherie Van Overbeke, Tina Lindegaard, Kip Wiley and Nicola McGarry — who went to Pacific Rim National Park on Vancouver Island to paint and create art on the seashore; and this year’s Art in the Parkers: Sandra Flood, Gwen Lips, Sue Davies, Rachel Kelly, Lyle Grisedale, Shannon Robinson and Cecilia Lea who went on an expedition to the Fidelity Snow Research Station in Glacier National Park. The Art in the Park series and the the shows they have engendered are joint projects involving The Centre, Parks Canada and the Friends of Mount Revelstoke and Glacier. Their success is due in no small part to the enthusiasm and hard work of Doreen McGillis of Parks Canada who, although she was not at the opening on Friday, was thanked profusely by Park Superintendent Karen Tierney, Centre Executive Director Jackie Pendergast and FMRG Director Neills Kristensen. Alas for Revelstoke, McGillis is transferring to Waterton Lakes National Park.
There are 46 paintings, ceramic pieces, pen-and-ink drawings and photographs in the show and their quality cannot be understated. As an artist, I can safely say this is by far the best show The Centre has ever mounted and it bodes well for the future. This calibre of work by the local artistic community confirms Revelstoke as a place where art not only thrives but shines.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. Go down to 320 Wilson and see it for yourself. From the Mountains to the Sea is on exhibition until Nov. 6. And while you’re there don’t forget to drop into Pat Anderson’s marvelous one-woman show Seeing Red, which also opened on Friday.
Seeing Red is a lovely collection of watercolours by Anderson who is easily one of the top three watercolourists in Revelstoke. Her attention to detail and the depth with which paints make her works sing. It’s in the Sophie Atkinson Gallery at The Centre. Don’t miss it.
In the meantime here are some photos from the two exhibition openings:
Painter Nicola McGarry takes a close look at this work, called Rootless, by fellow artist Cherie Van Overbeke at the opening of From the Mountains to the Sea on Friday. David F. Rooney photoArtist Rachel Kelly (left) talks with Lisa Cancilla-Sykes and Gwen Battersby at the opening. More than 250 people attended the event. David F. Rooney photoArtists and exhibitors Sandra Flood (left and Rachel Kelly chat during the show. David F. Rooney photoPat Anderson poses with some of her friends, the Red Hat Ladies. The popular watercolourist enjoyed her own opening on Friday night: Seeing Red. Like From the Mountains to the Sea, her show runs until Nov. 6. David F. Rooney photoCherie Van Overbeke, Rachel Thompson, Gwen Lips and Tina Lindegaard talk about their art during the show. All four women are accomplished painters, although Thompson did not exhibit in this show. David F. Rooney photoVisual Arts Centre Director Jackie Pendergast (left) and Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks Superintendent Karen Tierney share a light moment before their speeches to the crowd that attended the opening of From the Mountains to the Sea on Friday. David F. Rooney photoJackie Pendergast and Karen Tierney listen as Neills Kristensen, director of the Friends of Mount Revelstoke and Glacier, says a few words to the crowd. FMRG was a major supporter of the Art in the Park trip that saw local artists spend a week in Glacier National Park at the Parks Canada's Fidelity Research Station to produce work that formed the "mountains" half of this show. The sea half of the works was produced by artists who had been on the very first Art in the Park expedition to Glacier last year and who went to Pacific Rim National Park this summer to paint. David F. Rooney photoPendergast, Tierney and Kristensen share a laugh after their speeches. David F. Rooney photoAnd here are the artists whose work made the show possible. From left to right are: Rachel Kelly, Gwen Lips, Kip Wiley, Cecilia Lea, Jackie Pendergast, Sandra Flood, Shannon Robinson, Cherie Van Overbeke, Nicola McGarry, Tina Lindegaard and Sue Davies. Not present is photographer Lyle Grisedale who was in South America. David F. Rooney photo
