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visual arts by Carole Badgley Design for Living There's a Crow In the Garden t h r o u g h their h i s t o r i c a l h o m e , a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s a b o u t his laid back 1960s lifestyle, and let t h e m b r o w s e in his studio/workshop. Inspiration f o r c h o o s i n g t h e artists invited t o s h o w at the S e y m o u r A r t G a l l e r y d o e s happen in u n e x p e c t e d ways. W h i l e o u t w a l k i n g in D e e p C o v e , I m e t local w a t e r c o l o u r i s t N i g e l H e n d e r s o n and asked h i m t o s h o w his paintings of w i l d r o s e s , grasses, and b r a m b l e s ; t h e scenes he e n c o u n t e r s o n his w a l k s . A n d w h e n V a l e r i e M e t z was visiting the gallery w i t h friends f r o m o u t - o f t o w n , I a s k e d h e r if h e r p h o t o g r a p h y and digitalization e x p e r i m e n t s might include a floral t h e m e , a n d , w o u l d n ' t C r o w " is f e a t u r e d in the gallery's gift s h o p ) ; and Eric A l l e n M o n t g o m e r y , b o x artist e x t r a o r d i n a i r e . A s w e l l as individual w o r k s , M o n t g o m e r y and D o l m a n have p r o duced a collaborative wall-mounted altar b o x in t r i b u t e t o van G o g h ' s t o r m e n t e d farm paintings. U p o n M o n t g o m e r y ' s suggestion, I a p p r o a c h e d H o r n b y Island artist/ f a r m e r Elaine Savoie and f o u n d that h e r oil paintings i n c l u d e d i c o n p o r traits o f birds. So, an i c o n Graham Eagle's C r o w Bar, wood, metal, glass & found objectives Photo o f crow by Rrendan O'Leary Photo by Ron Bryson T ie y o u k n o w it, she was w o r k i n g o n a s i x - f o o t panel p o r t r a y i n g w h i t e w o o d asters (divapicatus)! H e r s o n G r e g is e x h i b i t i n g a h a n d c r a f t e d garden b e n c h m a d e f r o m local r e c l a i m e d fir. U p t o this point, my a t t e n t i o n c e n t r e d u p o n gardens. H o w e v e r , seve r a l w e e k s later, w h e n t h r e e o f us w e r e w a n d e r i n g , gawking, and a d m i r ing the U n i o n S t r e e t n e i g h b o u r h o o d gardens, w e c a m e u p o n a c o l o u r f u l r o w of c l a p b o a r d h o u s i n g units. W e w e r e invited in t o muralist and w o o d b l o c k printmaker Richard Tetrault's s t u d i o , w h i c h is l o c a t e d in o n e o f these h i s t o r i c a l units. W h a t a treat! W h e n I saw his c r o w s c r e e n , I k n e w that Design for Living just had t o include c r o w s . H a p p i l y f o r the S e y m o u r A r t G a l l e r y , R i c h a r d agreed t o e x h i b i t this s c r e e n and several o f his w o o d b l o c k prints d e p i c t i n g the r o l e of the u r b a n c r o w . A s t h e t h e m e n o w o p e n e d up t o t h e o p p o r t u n i t y f o r a bit of e c c e n t r i c i t y and h u m o u r (I find c r o w s amusing), c o n c e p t u a l artists, w o r k i n g in a h o s t of medias, w e r e invited t o c r e a t e unique pieces relating t o c r o w s . Invitations w e r e put o u t t o Mary Hennessy, a Victoria art therapist; G r a h a m Eagle, k n o w n as m u c h f o r his folksy c r e a t i o n s as t h e s t o r i e s that a c c o m p a n y t h e m ; Erin D o l m a n , c r e a t o r of o n e - o f - a - k i n d j e w e l l e r y (her p r o d u c t i o n line labelled " H o l y G a r d e n Tours f» V i s i t R o n and Barbara's W i s t e r i a H o u s e in F o r t Langley Monday, June 14, C o s t $ 3 3 f o r s e n i o r s and S A G member; $36 for others * * J o u r n e y i n t o t h e g a r d e n of Paddy W a l e s , a u t h o r of Journeys Through the Garden Saturday, June 5. 11 am t o 3 p m . C o s t $ 5 Experience C o l i n Hempsall's W e s t Coast/Japanese garden and studio Late J u n e , C o s t $ 5 C a l l 9 2 4 - 1 3 7 8 f o r r e s e r v a t i o n s and additional i n f o r m a t i o n I he c o n c e p t f o r this year's e x h i b i - t i o n began early in 1998 w h e n C o l i n Hempsall, a W e s t Vancouver waterc o l o u r i s t , visited t h e gallery t o r e t r i e v e his s t u d i o easel. I had h o p e d t o r e t u r n it t o C o l i n o n a sunny day w h e n I c o u l d enjoy his c h a r m i n g W e s t Coast/Japanese-inspired rock garden. D u r i n g o u r conversation, C o l i n inquired about upcoming exhibitions and I b l u r t e d o u t , " W h a t about a garden-themed Design for Living s h o w , a n d , w o u l d it be okay if the gallery b r o u g h t along a t o u r g r o u p t o visit y o u r g a r d e n ? " C o l i n v e r y g r a c i o u s l y a c c e p t e d t h e idea a n d , at the s a m e t i m e , p r o m i s e d t o c r e a t e f o u r seasonal vignettes of this g a r d e n as w e l l . It was a beginning. In t h e s p r i n g , L i n d a M u t t i t t o f F o r t Langley invited m e t o the o p e n i n g of her w a t e r c o l o u r exhibition where she was s h o w i n g h e r floral landscape paintings t o g e t h e r w i t h R o n B r y s o n ' s black-and-white garden photographs. T h e e n d result of that gallery o u t i n g was t o invite b o t h artists t o take part in this e x h i b i t i o n -- a n d t o arrange a t o u r of B r y s o n ' s F o r t Langley g a r d e n . B r y s o n ' s w i f e , B a r b a r a , w h o is a gard e n e r at the U B C botanical gardens, will guide v i e w e r s t h r o u g h t h e i r funky g a r d e n and a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s a b o u t plants a n d t h e i r unbelievable w i s t e r i a t r e e . R o n w i l l guide v i e w e r s