Artists in Sooke - landscapes, pots and more

As published in MapleLine Magazine: May 6, 2009

by Mary P. Brooke

Where there's one, there are many. We're talking about artists flocking to and flourishing in Sooke. Like a garden of wildflowers blooming in many colours, the art community here is vibrant with colour, variety and texture.

Some artists paint from the soul without applying the brakes on creativity. Others develop technical processes for producing artwork quickly as commissioned works. Some dabble and others have built entire businesses, even a new persona, around their creations. Some blend two worlds --business by day and art in the muse hours at night.

Art is from and for the soul. Good art can elicit intense emotions. It works the same for modern art as well as studious historical landscapes.

"I have the best of both worlds," says Patrick Irwin, a local painter who runs the Stone Pipe Grill restaurant by day. His restaurant is decorated with large paintings that he created to document the landscape of Sooke before and during the impact of logging.

"For me, art is a feeling of trying to do better all the time, wanting to create," says Michel DesRochers, of the Sooke Fine Art Gallery. The vibrant artist (70 years young) continues to paint the big west coast scenery. He will be producing a book of his own sketches with the help of his 'other half', Marion DesRochers, an art framer.

"I paint with emotion, avoiding detail where it gets in the way," says former school teacher Corinne Orazietti. She specializes in bright acrylic paintings with an eclectic style (a blend of Emily Carr's strength and Ted Harrison's imagination).

Many local artists have become creative with cyber-marketing to produce a regular income and further their presence within the art community. Lisa Riehl's bright, bold landscapes and unique colour-shadowed pet portraits have been displayed at a few Serious Coffee outlets and at The Little Vienna Bakery in Sooke.

Linda Gordon paints, and has applied her organizational abilities as the coordinator of the first All Art Show which opens the show ring to authors, photographers and digital artists as well as painters, potters and sculptors.

Delivering art to the mainstream of community and tourists is the job of local art galleries. Sooke Harbour House has the most elegant gallery but in the heart of town one finds The Sooke Fine Art Gallery (Marion DesRochers), South Shore Gallery (Elizabeth Tanner), Tale of the Whale (Gary Petersen), and others; most carry paintings and sculptures of west coast natural themes. Coffee shops are in on the act, most with a commission payable upon sale. MM

See the printed article on page 18 of MapleLine Magazine (Spring-Summer 2009 issue / May-Jul.2009). Subscribe to MapleLine.

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