(Updated
6:30 a.m., May 30)
Still time to see and enjoy latest Shenkman exhibits
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online
Area
visual art enthusiats will be happy to find out that they
still have three weeks to take-in the latest round of
exhibits at the Shenkman Arts Centres five main
gallery spaces starting with the Ottawa Watercolour Societys
annual exhibit in Salon A of the Trinity Gallery.
The
exhibition contains 34 works including still lifes, landscapes,
portaits and even a few abstracts. Among them are four
pieces singled out for recognition by the juried exhibits
judges, the Presidents Choice recipient, and the
Morton Baslaw prize winner.
Next
door to the watercolour exhibit is a collection of works
by cartographer turned award-winning artist Steve Fick.
The
Colorado-born, former Peace Corps member originally settled
down in British Columbia after meeting his future wife
at Simon Fraser University while pursuing his MA in geography.
While
in B.C., Ficks artistic talents grew and blossomed.
Before long he had set up his own studio/gallery; and
he passed on his passion to others as a teacher at Cariboo
College in Kamloops.
When
he and his wife Signy moved to Ottawa in 1989 to take
over the role of chief cartographer with Canadian Geographic
Magazine, Fick continued to paint until he stepped down
to pursue his art full time in 2011.
His
exhibit is a retrospective of his most recent work which
explores a number of spiritual themes inspired by his
dreams, meditations, and visions, some of which he experienced
during his years out west where he often took part in
sweat lodge ceremonies in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
He
has also taken part in a sweat lodge ceremony conducted
by the Native Brother-hood at the Kingston Penitentiary
and he has practiced various forms of meditation since
early adulthood.
Rebirth,
Transformation and Reconcil-iation, takes you on
a tour of medicine wheel cosmology, Christian iconography,
North American Plains Indian traditions, and even touches
of classic Greek and Roman imagery.
Next
door to the Trinity Galleries in the Gloucester Pottery
School Dust Evans Gallery, is a truly remarkable exhibit
by ceramic artist Sandra Marshall.
The
clay sculptures of furry woodland creators, and owls in
flight, will have you doing a double take as you marvel
at their realism.
The
other collections on display at Shenkman include a series
of works by Christine Ross who managed to explore her
creativity through art while battling schizophrenia and
manic depression for most of her adult life. Despite suffering
from dementia and cancer in her later years, she continued
to paint until she passed away in 2015.
The
exhibit is a remarkable reflection of an individuals
artistic manifestations both inspite and as a result of
their own personal struggles.
All
five exhibits along with a collection of works by members
of Arteast can be seen on the lower level of the Shenkman
Arts Centre.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
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