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......... Exhibitions ..........
The Everyday Pleasure of Art
From July 12 till 31 October, 2010
Art Studio & Gallery: UNIQUE is delighted to have a special art exhibition in memory of well-known local artist Percival Ritchie.
Bio of Percival M Ritchie
Percival Ritchie (Percy) was born in Montreal in 1917 to Helen Blake and Philip Mackenzie. The family also spent time on their farm in the Ottawa Valley and with Percy’s grandparents in the lower St. Lawrence at Murray Bay and camping at La Roche. Percy became an accomplished fly fisher and duck hunter.
“As a child I was brought up to love and above all respect the wilderness. This is very deep in me. We were not afraid when we heard a wolf howl or were fishing close by a cow moose and her calf, or passed a black bear in the canoe. We slowed our pace or walked the other way, or watched them from a distance. The respect applied to the woods and the mountains. We didn’t go into them or onto them without knowing where we were going and never left the trail and we always talked in whispers. This left an indelible mark on me; a respect of nature which not only applies to all things wild and wooded but to people as well.”
Percy’s foundation in art was established early with art classes at The Study, a Montreal girls’ school. She was fortunate to study under Ethel Seath (1879-1963), an excellent teacher and artist in her own right, Seath was a member of the Beaver Hall Group and the Canadian Group of Painters. She encouraged Percy and over the years they became good friends.
In the fall of 1935, at the age of 18, Percy went to Paris where she studied art history, painting and most significantly, life drawing with M. Muguet.
Percy returned to Montreal in 1937 and began four years of study at the Art Association of Montreal (now the Montreal Museum of Fine Art). Her instructors included Goodridge Roberts, Edwin Holgate, Lilias Newton, Will Ogilvie and Jacques de Tonnancourt. In 1940 she received the Robert Redford scholarship in painting.
The Art Association of Montreal was closed during the War, however Percy continued to access the studios to draw and paint on her own. She married Fred Ritchie in 1942 and for several months before Fred was sent to the Italian front, he and Percy lived at the army camp at Borden.
“…. we were there for three months before Fred went overseas. We lived and boarded on a farm and I spent every spare minute painting and drawing on the farm: the animals, whatever happened to be around. It was the one consoling factor of that rather difficult time. It was a very hard time.”
During the war years, Percy lived with her parents in Montreal where she drove an ambulance for the Red Cross Transport and traced bombs in the drafting department of Allied War Supplies.
Daughter Bly was born in 1943 and in 1945 Percy began studying sculpture with Polish artist Gisella Lamprecht. A few years later, when the war was over, she continued her drawing studies with Jaques de Tannencourt.
Following the war, Fred returned to work at Dominion Textile. Daughter Jane was born and the family moved to Baie d’Urfee, just outside Montreal. Son Ted and daughter Valentine were born during these years. After significant research, Percy and Fred decided to leave their hectic city life and move west where Fred could become a farmer and Percy could paint. In the summer of 1956, when Valentine was two, the family drove across the country in a Ford station wagon pulling a trailer.
They began their new life in an old farm house on fifteen acres of orchard and began a new life. Percy set up her studio in the old chicken house and worked there until her studio was built as part of an addition to the house. Fred became a successful orchardist, the children grew and Percy continued to paint and exhibit in solo and group shows throughout BC and internationally.
“Though it was difficult for me to work during the war years, and when the children were growing up, as well as establishing ourselves on this orchard, I never stopped thinking about my work and there was always time when it was possible for me to work seriously. My creative side is so much a part of me that it dominates all that I do, be it good or bad.
Out of those years came a great source of inspiration from our children and their friends as this house was almost always full. Especially during the sixties, as changes happened so quickly and violently in our society and they affected my work. My family and the farm were an asset not a detriment. They were not only a source of inspiration but my supporters.”
Percy and Fred lived in on the orchard for over fifty years. Percy was still painting four months before her death in 2004 at the age of 87.
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Artist and owner of the Gallery: UNIQUE, Petronella van den Berg;
"It is an honour to show my sculptures and paintings in combination with the paintings of Percival".
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3 Artistas
May 1, 2010 - April 2011
View Petronella's work at the ASHPA NAIRA Gallery, Vernon in a show of
3 women and 3 perspectieves
To view the works of the artists go to www.ashpanairagallery.com
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Art Exhibition May 1 to July 1,2010
Art Stuido - Gallery - Sculpture Garden: UNIQUE
Petronella welcomes you to her studio and gallerie and enjoy her new paintings and sculptures
also
the paintings from artists Barry Rafuse, Johannes van der Wardt
and the
pottery from Sophia Zang
and
the creamic mural form the textile & creamic artist, Carolina Sanchez de Bustamante
Paintings and Sculptures from Petronella
Johannes in front of his paintings Countryside Life
Mixed media paintings from Barry
Pottery from Sophia Zang
Ceramic Artist Carolina Sanchez de Bustamante
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A Multi-Dimensional Art Exhibit
at the Gallery: UNIQUE
April 30 - July 26, 2009
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Art Studio & Gallery: UNIQUE presents
THINGS OF BEAUTY = JOY FOREVER
May, 2008
Eight talented artists show their work in this multi-media exhibit of
painting, pottery, wood and stone carvings
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An Exhibit of Okanagan Art: "An Art Journey"
Opening Reception on Saturday
June 30, 2007
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An Exhibition at the Art Gallery of Summerland April 27 - May 26, 2007
Petronella van den Berg and Frances Keifer - Bezeau
Art Exhibition at the Art Gallery in Summerland.
Bio of Percival M Ritchie
Percival Ritchie (Percy) was born in Montreal in 1917 to Helen Blake and Philip Mackenzie. The family also spent time on their farm in the Ottawa Valley and with Percy’s grandparents in the lower St. Lawrence at Murray Bay and camping at La Roche. Percy became an accomplished fly fisher and duck hunter.
“As a child I was brought up to love and above all respect the wilderness. This is very deep in me. We were not afraid when we heard a wolf howl or were fishing close by a cow moose and her calf, or passed a black bear in the canoe. We slowed our pace or walked the other way, or watched them from a distance. The respect applied to the woods and the mountains. We didn’t go into them or onto them without knowing where we were going and never left the trail and we always talked in whispers. This left an indelible mark on me; a respect of nature which not only applies to all things wild and wooded but to people as well.”
Percy’s foundation in art was established early with art classes at The Study, a Montreal girls’ school. She was fortunate to study under Ethel Seath (1879-1963), an excellent teacher and artist in her own right, Seath was a member of the Beaver Hall Group and the Canadian Group of Painters. She encouraged Percy and over the years they became good friends.
In the fall of 1935, at the age of 18, Percy went to Paris where she studied art history, painting and most significantly, life drawing with M. Muguet.
Percy returned to Montreal in 1937 and began four years of study at the Art Association of Montreal (now the Montreal Museum of Fine Art). Her instructors included Goodridge Roberts, Edwin Holgate, Lilias Newton, Will Ogilvie and Jacques de Tonnancourt. In 1940 she received the Robert Redford scholarship in painting.
The Art Association of Montreal was closed during the War, however Percy continued to access the studios to draw and paint on her own. She married Fred Ritchie in 1942 and for several months before Fred was sent to the Italian front, he and Percy lived at the army camp at Borden.
“…. we were there for three months before Fred went overseas. We lived and boarded on a farm and I spent every spare minute painting and drawing on the farm: the animals, whatever happened to be around. It was the one consoling factor of that rather difficult time. It was a very hard time.”
During the war years, Percy lived with her parents in Montreal where she drove an ambulance for the Red Cross Transport and traced bombs in the drafting department of Allied War Supplies.
Daughter Bly was born in 1943 and in 1945 Percy began studying sculpture with Polish artist Gisella Lamprecht. A few years later, when the war was over, she continued her drawing studies with Jaques de Tannencourt.
Following the war, Fred returned to work at Dominion Textile. Daughter Jane was born and the family moved to Baie d’Urfee, just outside Montreal. Son Ted and daughter Valentine were born during these years. After significant research, Percy and Fred decided to leave their hectic city life and move west where Fred could become a farmer and Percy could paint. In the summer of 1956, when Valentine was two, the family drove across the country in a Ford station wagon pulling a trailer.
They began their new life in an old farm house on fifteen acres of orchard and began a new life. Percy set up her studio in the old chicken house and worked there until her studio was built as part of an addition to the house. Fred became a successful orchardist, the children grew and Percy continued to paint and exhibit in solo and group shows throughout BC and internationally.
“Though it was difficult for me to work during the war years, and when the children were growing up, as well as establishing ourselves on this orchard, I never stopped thinking about my work and there was always time when it was possible for me to work seriously. My creative side is so much a part of me that it dominates all that I do, be it good or bad.
Out of those years came a great source of inspiration from our children and their friends as this house was almost always full. Especially during the sixties, as changes happened so quickly and violently in our society and they affected my work. My family and the farm were an asset not a detriment. They were not only a source of inspiration but my supporters.”
Percy and Fred lived in on the orchard for over fifty years. Percy was still painting four months before her death in 2004 at the age of 87.
*****************