Monday Bunch Group Show

THE MONDAY BUNCH presents...

ANNUAL SPRING SHOW at THE PEARL ELLIS GALLERY

The Pearl Ellis Gallery will be presenting the annual spring show and sale by the Monday Bunch, a group of local artists, opening on April 19th and running untilMay 8th. Members of general public are invited to an opening "Meet and Greet" reception hosted by the artists to be held on Saturday, April 23 from 1:00 – 4:00 pm. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.

The Monday Bunch is a friendly and enthusiastic group of artists who have been in existence for over 30 years. The group meets every Monday, from September to May, in the Lion's Den, below the Pearl Ellis Gallery to paint in a supportive and non-competitive environment. Each artist has a distinct style reflecting his/herown unique personality. There is no formal instruction and the artists work at their own pace. The artists learn from one another and are both encouraged and inspired. Membership in the group continues to thrive, including some members who have been active since its inception as well as newcomers who are always welcome.

The Pearl Ellis Gallery is located at 1729 Comox Avenue and is open daily Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm, Sundays from 1 pm to 4 pm. The gallery is wheelchair accessible. For more information and a virtual tour visit www:pearlellisgallery.com or check out the gallery's Facebook page.

Show attendees will have an opportunity to view a variety of subject matter which include landscapes, seascapes, florals, portraits, architecture, etc. in oil, acrylic and watercolour mediums. Some of the artists are well-known to visitors to the gallery such as Sharon Lennox, Bev Johnston, Detty Arends, Bettie Favero and Mary Nicolls.

New to the Bunch

A recent addition, Stephanie Good has been interested in art since she was a child. While growing up, Stephanie took art training at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts every Saturday for many years. Following High School, she attended the Visual Arts Centre, also in Montreal for three years in Applied Arts and Design, majoring in Textiles. Since moving to the Comox Valley 7 years ago, she has beengreatly inspired by the beauty of the island and the work of the various artists in the valley.

Another addition is Helen Corness whose retirement hobby is painting. She was instructed by Marilyn Paisley, volunteer watercolor instructor at the Fountain of Youth Spa in California who gave her the courage to paint her first picture in 2009; and also to Walter Sundkvist, her partner, who gave her ongoing, though in her words, "possibly biased" critiques. She has been inspired to paint the "personality" of the subject.

Walter Sundkvist made his first serious attempt at art while he was in public school by entering a contest for art classes. Although he initially tried oil painting, he now paints in watercolours watercolor due to their spontaneous and brilliant colours.

Jane Sproull Thomson is a former museum curator and lecturer in art history who has joined the group as a beginner watercolourist. When not working as a lecturer on small ship cruises worldwide, she attends the Monday group for inspiration and "instruction by example."