Sept–October 2007 - Preview

Peter AspellGALLERY JONES, VANCOUVER BC – Oct 2-30 Peter Aspell(1918 – 2004) was a much beloved painter born inVancouver, BC. Although Aspell is usually described as afigurative painter, his style ranged from the robotic to thesensuous, from pure abstraction to pictographic, withsaturated colours described by Gary Michael Dault as “alifelong sojourn in chromatic voluptuousness.”In his portraits and figures, Aspell distilled frommovement and expression “the hidden workings of thesoul.” His work is filled with historical and literaryreferences, allegories and myths, homages to artists likeMax Beckmann, Jean Dubuffet, Fernand Léger, FrancisPicabia and Pablo Picasso. They are, as Dault put it, “freshand fecund, sociologically and mythologically acute.” Attimes, the imagery is comedic and clown-like; at other,dark and haunting. He was a complete original whoinvented a repertoire of voices and symbolism. Joy, despair,lust, greed, exaltation – they run the gamut of humanexpression and experience. If his paintings were to talk,there would be a cacophony.previewwww.galleryjones.comPeter Aspell, The Little Clown (2003), oil on museumboard, [Gallery Jones, Vancouver BC, Oct 2-30]Aspell taught at the Vancouver School of Art between 1948-1970 and the Peter Aspell Schoolof Art from 1970–1978. His work is collected by the National Gallery of Canada, Hamilton ArtGallery, Imperial Oil Company Of Canada, Kelowna Art Gallery, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria,University of British Columbia and the Vancouver Art Gallery, among others. Mia JohnsonColumbia art scene; Sep 16-Nov 18Rick Rivet, “Paintings 2000-2005”,investigates the shamanistic elementof ancient societies, connecting thevisual language of modernism withRivet’s Métis-Canadian roots; Thru Sep9 MARDELL G. REYNOLDS GALLERY ScottAugust, “Pinecone Junction”, photobasedinstallation explores the relationshipbetween the environment andurban culture; Thru Sep 16 Renay Egami,“Picnic”, installation and sculpturebased on travels to Hiroshima; Sep 22-Nov 25 Marcia Harris and DanielleDickson, “Landscape Awareness”,through painting and multimediainstallation these artists respond to thepine beetle phenomenon in NorthernBC and Alberta.LANGLEYBarbara Boldt Original ArtStudio25340 84th Ave ✆604-888-5490www.barbaraboldt.comby appt or watch for “Open” sign at28 PREVIEWroad. In-home studio gallery of BarbaraBoldt located 5 km outside ofFort Langley is open to the public byappointment. Featuring local landscapes,forest and garden scenes inoil, soft pastel and watercolour. Hersignature “EarthPatterns”, paintingsof sandstone formations of GalianoIsland are also on display. Easy parking,see map on website or call fordirections.Langley CentennialMuseum9135 King Street ✆604-888-3922www.langleymuseum.orgTo Oct 21 The River Is Us: The ManyStories of Kwantlen, a partnershipexhibition examining selected aspectsof the rich history and cultural teachingsoff the Kwantlen People fromtime immemorial to the present day;Oct 25–Jan 6 Exploration, Interpretation,Evolution: Artists’ Journey: Inthis exhibition members of the FortLangley Artist Group will be exploringa variety of media, themes and theirown development as artists.MAPLE RIDGEMaple Ridge Art Gallery11944 Haney Place ✆604-476-5855www.theactmapleridge.orgtues-fri 11am-4pm sat 10am-2:30pmSep 8-Oct 13 “Garden”, joint exhibitionof paintings by Tricia Sellmerand poetry by Alexander Forbes; Oct20-Nov 24 Wood: Naturally Inspired,juried exhibition.NANAIMOAllMarquetry Studio Gallery6182 Clayburn Pl ✆(250)729-7415www.allmarquetry.comby appt only A recent jury in assessingour work said, “A very interesting anddynamic application of an old techniquefor a body of work whose contemporizedsubject matter and contentsets them apart from traditional marquetrypieces”. Visit our studio/galleryin person or our on-line gallery at All-Marquetry.com.★ OPEN LATE ON FIRST THURSDAYS