As skiers hit the slopes for the soft opening at Silver Star Mountain this weekend, Gallery Odin is about to open its doors to all that nature brings this time of year.
Guests of the gallery will be able to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors – with the hill’s recent scattering of sparkling, powdery snow – and also see spectacular scenery indoors in the warm confines of the home-based gallery located on Silver Star’s knoll.
Inside Odin’s largest space, the B.C. gallery, are paintings, sculptures and etchings on canvas, soapstone and mammoth tusk by artists from all over the province, said Maria Molnar, who runs the gallery with her husband Kalman Molnar.
“Kal and I are privileged to put this together. We have so much fun and pleasure doing this,” said Maria. “We love seeing the response from locals and visitors from all over the world, saying they never imagined to see such high calibre art on a mountaintop.”
Although working with 25 artists can be a challenge, the Molnars say it is worth every minute when they see the result of the whole show coming together.
One artist who has captured particular interest from visitors near and afar is Penticton’s Karel Doruyter, who works in what he calls his acrylic “build-up” technique. He adds numerous layers, and lays in shapes to his canvas, so that the finished product has a three-dimensional look.
“He is showing four B.C. scenes that make you feel that you can just step through the frame and you are in the nature/forest,” said Maria.
Joining Doruyter in showing the vast beauty of the B.C. landscape are Penticton’s Glenn Clark, Vernon’s Destanne Norris, and Prince Rupert artist Edward Epp.
For viewers interested in abstract landscapes, Lavington artist Barry Rafuse is showing his luminous watercolours, while Canmore’s Dana Roman and the Columbia Valley’s Lynne Grillmair have new colourful mixed media and acrylics on display.
Award winning painter Jerry Markham, who lives on the westside of Okanagan Lake, is also showing some of his landscapes.
“Jerry paints snow in all its glory and one painting shows a brook with sun drenched snowy pine trees,” said Maria.
Also on the walls are the figurative works of Kelowna’s Karen Rempel and Julia Trops, while Vernon’s Wendy Hart Penner continues to captivate with her detailed still lifes of fruit and sunflowers.
Displaying three-dimensional pieces are Shuswap artist Sharda Murray-Kieken, with her vibrant fused-glass panels and bowls, and renowned Vernon sculptor Deborah Wilson, who recently won a gold and silver medal from the prestigious International Jade Artists Exhibition in Suzhou, China. She is exhibiting her stone carved fruits of the Okanagan.
Fellow sculptor Iean Dobson is showing his cheeky gargoyles, while a new artist to the galley, Lake Country’s Patricia Ennis, is displaying her wild horses in stained glass.
Other artists in the exhibition include Charlene Woodbury, Elizabeth Moore, Julie Elliot, Leonhard Epp, Todd White, Peter Lawson, Lisa Prowse, Al Scott, Dawn Piche, and Ginny Hall.
“They are all showing very original, unique and creative works, that are worth exploring,” said Maria.
Gallery Odin’s winter exhibition opens this week with two receptions, Thursday from 6 to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. The gallery is located at 215 Odin Rd. Regular winter season hours are Wednesdays and Saturdays, 1 to 6 p.m. or call 250-503-0822.
