PERIVALE – The Perivale Gallery was “85 percent ready” when The Expositor caught up with curator Shannon McMullan who was busy putting the finishing touches on the gallery in time for opening day, this Sunday, May 19. That date is also the official unveiling of famed Manitoulin artist Ivan Wheale’s latest collection, this year titled ‘Sunrises and Sunsets.’
“Ivan turns 85 this year,” Ms. McMullan noted, “and while Ivan says every year ‘this is my best collection yet,’ this year he might be right.”
“It’s a very large collection and quite diverse,” the curator continued. “He’s calling it ‘Sunrises and Sunsets.’ It’s a reflection of where we are and a celebration of Georgian Bay and Manitoulin Island.”
Ms. McMullan said Mr. Wheale helps us to vision the surroundings that are so familiar to us, and perhaps for that reason somewhat taken for granted and their beauty overlooked. “I guess age brings you that perspective.”
“There’s a real vibrancy to his work that captures sunsets, sunrises, the dawn and those Manitoulin mists,” she added.
Mr. Wheale will be presenting 25 paintings this year—a banner season for the octogenarian. His shows usually involve between 18 and 20 pieces, Ms. McMullan explained.
Since the inception of the Perivale Show ‘In the Spirit of Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven,’ Ms. Wheale chooses one of Mr. Wheale’s works and stores it away until the opening of the exhibit and this year is no exception. People will have to wait until the show opens, July 20, to catch a glimpse of the work.
On top of the In the Spirit exhibit, Perivale will also play host to Sudbury artist Jay Favot’s exhibit titled ‘A Celebration of Place,’ which runs from July 13-19.
‘In the Spirit of Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven’ runs from July 20 to August 4 and to round out the season, Manitowaning artist Lauren Satok’s show will take place the Labour Day weekend at Perivale.
Perivale will also be hosting nine workshops this summer, including: Chasing Light with Lauren Satok, July 5-7; Trees please! With Cathy Boyd, July 12-14; Paint like Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven by Mark Hope, July 19-21 and July 26-28; Painting Shimmery Water: Get Your Sparkle On! with Lisa Free, August 9-11; Magical Alcohol Ink and Watercolour on Yupo with Brigitte Bere, August 16-18; Woodblock Printing with Sarah Earley, August 23-25; Wheale’s Approach to Painting with Ivan Wheale, September 6-8; and I Want a New Body (of work that is) with Cathy Boyd, September 13-15.
Perivale Gallery opens this Sunday, May 19 with special guest Ivan Wheale, featuring his latest works, from 1 to 5 pm. The gallery will also be open the Victoria holiday Monday. All images of Mr. Wheale’s work can be found as of Sunday, May 19 at 7 am online at PerivaleGallery.com.
Perivale Gallery will be open from now until June 14 Fridays to Sundays then daily until September 15.
“We’re really looking forward to another successful season and continuing to put Manitoulin on the map,” Ms. McMullan said.
