Trifocals
Sharon Lalonde, David Ballantyne, Ingrid Mayer

July 25th to August 12th, the Pearl Ellis Gallery will be hosting Tri-Focals Art Exhibition.

The exhibition will feature paintings by David Ballantyne and Sharon Lalonde as well as sculptural work by Ingrid Mayer. All three of the artists are recent arrivals to the Comox Valley.

Sharon Lalonde earned her fine arts degree from the University of Saskachewan and began her education career teaching art. It is since moving to the Comox Valley, five years ago, that she has been able to emerse herself in the pursuit of creating art. The medium she chooses to work in is acrylic on canvas and she love the challenge of representing the energy of the light through trees, the movement of the leaves or the life of the images she is painting.

The success of the work is measured by the degree to which the viewer experiences a sense of energy and emotion from the painting.

The uniqueness of the art she produce is her challenge. Sharon strives to make statements about the world in a way that has not been said before and that part of her process is continually evolving.

She is inspired by the amazing beauty of Vancouver Island, the vast talent that surrounds her and the infinite possibilities for expression.

Other locations where Sharon's work can be seen are the Comox Airport, The Old School House Art Centre, in Qualicum Beach and Rhodo's Coffee Shop, 364 8th Street, in Courtenay, BC.

To view her work, please go to www.sharonlalondeart.com

Sharon can be found most days painting in her space at Art Alchemy Studio, 362C 10th Street, Courtenay, BC.

David Ballantyne found making visual art to be his primary interest from an early age. While larglely self- taught, he has taken many college level courses and workshops at various locations including, the Alberta College of Art and Design, the University of Calgary, the Friends of Photography and New School - the Parsons School of Design.

He has won awards and exhibited his work in Canada, the USA and Europe. Most recently, his work was accepted and is presently exhibited in the 150: My Canada exhibit at The Old School House Arts Centre, in Qualicum Beach, BC. He has also been the recipient of grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. He is represented in the collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. Since his arrival in the Comox Valley, two years ago, David finds inspiration from both natural and urban landscapes. His work has been displayed at the Comox Airport, the Basement Show and Image to Text to Image, as part of Elevate the Arts, in Courtenay, BC.

David's work can be viewed on www.davidballantyneart.ca

Ingrid Mayer describes herself as a "late bloomer" in most aspects of her life. Her passion for macro photography, particularly flowers and the insects they beckon, is what her metal work has taken root in.

It has been five years since she asked her husband to show her how to weld, use the forge, the plasma cutter and all the other tools that were in his shop. Funny, how since then, it has all become her's.

Ingrid sees the potential work of art in every metal scrap and discarded horseshoe. Each piece is uniquely different. Some stand unmoving while others sway gently in the breeze.

Ingrid works out of her shops in Comox and in the West Kootenays. Her work has been shown and sold through several galleries including Rossland Art Gallery, Kootenays Gallery of Art, Visac Gallery and the Pearl Ellis Gallery.

You can view her work at www.marchmelodies.ca

We hope that you will join us for the opening reception on Saturday, July 29 from 1:00PM to 4:00PM.