The colour is the first thing that grabs your attention as you step through the gate into the small pocket of paradise.
Orange tiger lilies are offset by bunch grasses and fragrant lavender while a water feature gently trickles into a pond full of koi.
Part xeriscape, part English garden, the setting lends itself to art, which is fitting as it will soon be the site of an exhibition featuring four prominent North Okanagan artists.
Three of the artists have known each other for years and they have more recently come to know their host, Michael Jell, who has generously loaned his property, located in between Vernon’s Harwood area and BX Ranch Park, for the second annual Art in the Garden, July 16.
“Its a quiet, intimate, tranquil garden space,” says Angelika Jaeger, while sipping ice tea and looking at the surroundings.
“Let’s hope the weather is good. Last year, it was perfect,” adds Jell.
Cherryville artist Gary Whitley joins in the conversation that flits between discussing the weather, the beauty of nature, the business of art and latest projects.
As the president of the North Okanagan chapter of the Canadian Federation of Artists (FCA), Whitley is planning to show a number of his vivid floral paintings at the garden show “for obvious reasons,” as well as some of his representational landscape work.
Whitely and Jell recently partook in the Triptych exhibition in Penticton, juried by internationally known and prolific artist Robert Genn, which involved all three FCA chapters in the Okanagan.
Out of the 10 artists from the North Okanagan chapter who showed their work, both men took home prize honours along with four other local artists.
Jell, who was raised in Zimbabwe, Southern Africa, was also recently named Artist of the Year 2012 by the B.C. Wildlife Federation for his Great Grey Owl painting. His work often features the bounty of wildlife that exists in the Okanagan.
The garden show will also feature three dimensional pieces, including hand forged metallic sculptures, designed and built by local blacksmith Doug Alcock.
The Commonage-based artist’s work has been exhibited locally and internationally, and includes the public piece in front of the Vernon Performing Arts Centre. His work can also currently be seen at Vernon’s Headbones Gallery in the show Okanagan Eyes, Okanagan Wise, Okanagan-ise.
“I’ll have some new work from my western series,” said Alcock, showing one of his latest that features a finely detailed quiver full of arrows complete with a cowboy’s spur and leather belt. “I have some new pieces and some from my artifacts’ series as well.”
Vernon collage and mixed media artist Angelika Jaeger, who has been completing her bachelor of fine arts degree at UBC Okanagan, has shown her work in her native Germany as well as all over Canada, and just recently wrapped a solo exhibition at Ashpa Naira Gallery on the west side of Okanagan Lake.
“My new work is quite different,” said Jaeger. “It’s still collage work, but in a different medium… it’s sculptural using steel and copper wire.”
Jaeger will show some of her “nests” and other artifacts at the garden show, which coincidently takes place the same day as the next Art Mart in the gardens of the Caetani Cultural Centre.
“They are located just up the road on Pleasant Valley Road, so people can make a day of it to see some art by local artisans and artists in an idyllic setting,” she said.
Art in the Garden happens Saturday, July 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1701-46th Ave. (Look for the signs across from Hunter’s Store.)
