Bill Bartlett at Xchanges Gallery and Studios

I have just come from Xchanges Gallery and Studios where I do most of my figurative sketching. I spent the morning assisting Bill Bartlett, gallery coordinator with his show that opens this Friday, November 23, 7Pm. This is some show like nothing I have seen in a long time, figurative works, a whimsical female gang of characters, dozens of them strewn across the gallery walls expressing great joy in just being women. And so well done in graphite, ink and watercolour. I've known Bill for over 40 years and it is so good to see him a master of his work. And he is. He is now up there with the likes of Gustaf Klimt and Egon Schiele. Today it was a privilege working with him. The show is a pop up show that only lasts for 3 days. his 2 studios will be open where you can wander through his interesting life. So go to the gallery behind the Dairy Queen on Douglas and Bay Streets and see this man's great work.

 

Rick Thomas

Rick Thomas at Xchanges Gallery and Studios

Xchanges Gallery and Studios, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

Xchanges Gallery and Studios with the generous assistance of the  Capital Region District (CRD) is pleased to announce that from July 1 to August 31, 2016 the gallery will have an ‘Artist-in-Residence’ program. Victoria artist Rick Thomas will be creating murals in the gallery he calls a ‘Dumpster- Dive’ project. He will fill four walls of the Xchanges Gallery, 850 square feet with dumpster cardboard and produce a mural in pastel, conte and charcoal. He does not know what subject be on the walls as his work is done on the fly. The photo above shows what he has done to his living room wall. He will reference material from his last 16 years ‘On-the-Road’ and current events in Victoria. He is in the planning stage at this time with his consultants: Bill Bartlett, consultant Xchanges; Cindy Wright, Xchanges Gallery Coordinator; Karen Morrison, artist; model  Jennifer Almeida and Ron Gilmore communications and web. At the end of August Xchanges expects to have a piece of art that will be returned to the dumpster or get sold off. for further information, please consult Rick’s CV, bio and blog. The best time to visit the site will be Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., after mid July when work is underway.

http://rickthomasart.blogspot.com

email: rthomas3@telus.net

250-384-7580