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Feature Opening wide Dentist Christine Collison expands her horizons and soothes patients. By Al Price Recent studies have s h o w n that w o m e n are m u c h better t h a n m e n at multi-tasking. Researchers c o u l d h a v e saved themselves a heap of time a n d money if they had just spent a f e w days on the North Shore w i t h Dr. Christine C o l l i s o n . C o l l i s o n is, a m o n g other things, a wife, mother, dentist, m u s i c i a n , sailor, gardener, a n d artist - not necessarily in that order. Born a n d raised in Baltimore, M a r y l a n d , Collison started d o i n g charcoal figure d r a w ings a n d portraits from the a g e of six. In school she gravitated t o w a r d s b e o m i n g a make-up artist for the s c h o o l plays, but in high school she w e n t into science a n d s t o p p e d t a k i n g art classes. The hiatus d i d n ' t last l o n g . In university, C o l l i s o n c o n t i n u e d to c o n f o u n d those w h o say right a n d left brain functions d o n ' t mix by majoring in b i o l o g y a n d m i n o r i n g in art. Since m o v i n g to C a n a d a in 1984 w i t h her h u s b a n d Brian, also a dental specialist, a n d starting a family, C o l l i s o n has continued to find w a y s t o c o m b i n e her m a n y skills. Patients w a l k i n g into her s m a l l dental office o n 15th Street are greeted w i t h several of her watercolour paintings a n d the ceramic head of a moose sporting a brilliant g o l d tooth b e h i n d the front desk. M o r e artwork, by C o l l i s o n a n d others, highlights the walls in the treatment r o o m . "The patients seem to really like it," C o l l i s o n . "It takes their m i n d off their fears. Friends told m e I w a s crazy, but at the end Collison: beauty is as deep as pain "I h u n g out in the arts d e p a r t m e n t , " says C o l l i s o n . " D e n t i s t r y w a s a s e c o n d career choice. A t o n e part in my life I w a s very logical, but as I g o t older I b e g a n t o practice left-brain proficiencies." of the day, people love it. H o w can you be t o o serious w h e n y o u are met by a crazylooking m o o s e ? A r t a n d music w o r k w e l l to break the t e n s i o n . " C o l l i s o n took art courses at U B C , then h o o k e d up w i t h W e s t Van watercolourist Velvet Bailes. She also joined a course Jo Get A h e a d ? Mailbox service with street address Worldwide ground and air shipping Fax sending and receiving Direct digital printing Colour & B/W photocopies Custom packing service Etc., etc. s p o n s o r e d b y C a p C o l l e g e w h i c h t o o k her t o France for several w e e k s of painting w i t h Kiff H o l l a n d as the instructor. "I a l w a y s w a n t e d to try watercolours, but I needed formal i n s t r u c t i o n , " Collison s a i d . "It is extremely technique-sensitive. W o r k i n g wet-on-wet m a k e s a lot o f difference. You can't just apply colour a n d walk away. O n e of the biggest appeals is that I see the light reflected off the w h i t e paper, reflected back through the paint t o the viewer. The m o v e m e n t of light on the piece appeals t o me. I try to use light to give passage t o the viewer, and w a t e r c o l o u r gives me m o r e options w i t h light. W i t h acrylic and oils y o u cover the w h o l e canvas, but w i t h w a t e r c o l o u r you have t o preserve the whites a n d w o r k from there. In my mind, watercolour is the m o s t difficult." M o s t of Collison's work involves flowers of s o m e k i n d . "As a v i e w e r myself, I like an i m a g e that is created by o p p o s i n g negative a n d positive shapes, w h i c h leaves s o m e t h i n g t o the viewer's i m a g i n a t i o n . I like a n ethereal, enlightened feeling in art. Some p e o p l e feel that is shallow, but beauty has as m u c h depth as p a i n . I enjoy anything that has a n impact on my senses." M A I L BOXES ETC.* 1 6 4 1 January | February L o n s d a l e A v e n u e 6 0 4 - 9 9 0 - 4 7 2 2