WHO TC CALL: Community Editor Entertainment Editor Andrew McCredie Layne Christensen 885-2131 (113) 985-2131 (118) USCHLEN MOWATT is having a fire sale. No, the prestigious Vancouver gallery is not clearing ‘out smoke-damaged ‘Picassos . and Matisses. What has happened is that West. Vancouver firefighter Ross Penhall’s ‘first gallery exhibition is a Sell-out. By Layne Christensen Arts Reporter Penhail’s work — nine large canvases and three of his five graphite drawings of urban landscapes —. sold out 15 minutes prior to the ", > exhibition opening on Saturday, Jan. 14. What is it about Penhall’s work that has - international ‘art collectors clamoring for his "vibrant creations?’ _ Gallery owner and president Barrie Mowatt ‘who unloaded a ‘handful of canvases by “phone to collectors i in Germany, Montreal and ‘Toronto — says there’s a sense of nostalgia that permeates the 35-year-old artist's work, giving it such universal appeal. *Penhall’s houses could be in Kansas or San Francisco. His wooded streetscapes could be in » Caledon or Connecticut. But they’re not. This West Van resident focuses on the local land- ‘scape, depicting. familiar scenes — the light- “ house.at Prospect Point, the Stanley Park sea- “wail, the railway tracks near Bellevue Avenue — in an unfamiliar way. " Penhail' “uses his brush-to carve in light, «shadow. and-color, pushing back passages, “rounding forms and popping others forward.” The result is .an almost surreal, somewhat ‘ONty 3. DAYS ~TH- FRI - SAT. Jan - « 26, 27, 28 “10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 1064 } Marine / Hoth Van whimsical view of an everyday scene. For Penhal], a 15-year veteran of West Vancouver's Fire Services, art balances his vocation. Being a firefighter takes the pres- sure off having to make a living as an artist and adds an element of excitement, he says. Being an artist satisfies his creative bent. And just like two halves make a whole, he is careful not to put one career above the other. “One without the other just wouldn't work.” Penhall isn’t the only North Shore resi- dent having success with an exhibition over town. North Vancouver's Jas Felter celebrated the opening of his Jmpressions de Barcelona collection at the Torres Gallery with a recep- . tion on Thursday, Jan. 12. In keeping with the Spanish theme of Felter’s work, gallery director Lori Walchuk served up home-made ; _ tapas to the strains of Latin guitar music.’ Felter’s collages of newsprint and “found” objects like metallic cigarette papers, and his frottages (rubbings) of Barcelona’s city streets and architectural details were created during a recent six-month soujourn in the Spanish city. Catch his works, on display through Feb. 11, at 2255 W. Broadway. Public response to. North Vancouver resi- dent Francesca Profili’s exhibition of hand- -painted masks was so overwhelming that the Canadian Craft Museum has extended the show’s run to Tuesday, Jan. 31. According to the urban-geographer-turned-artist,. Venetian - Tales _was viewed by a number of U.S. resi- dents who have since expressed interest in buying or exhibiting her work. Watch for Profili's finely detailect masks to go on dis- play at North Vancouver District Hall. Wednesday, January 25, 1995 — North Shore News - 45 ie STORIES Photos submitted | WEST VANCOUVER firefighter Ross Perhall's first gallery exhibition, at the Buschlen | Mowatt till Tuesday, Jan. 31, was a sell-out even before it opened to the > public ce NORTH VANCOUVER’S Jas Felter formed his’ collages using text and images from Barcelona's daily newspapers, found during a recent six-month trip. The North Vancouver artist's Impressions de Barcelona series is on display at the Torres Gailery until Saturday,’ Feb. 11. YOUR HOME MAKE-OVER SALE YOURE INVITED TO DiCORATE DURING OUR LITH ANNIVERSARY SALE SAVE CANADA’S LATEST & LARGEST SELECTION OF HOME DECORATING FABRICS DIRECT FROM THE MILLS BZBB% OFF ALL KIRSCH CONTINENTAL & DECORATOR RODS. PROFESSIONAL IN-HOME DECORATING SERVICE CUSTOM DRAPERY & RE-UPHOLSTERY SERVICE FRIENDLIEST PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS Pick up your WELCOME BONUS» with purchase CH vou. can dream it, we have it 2282 HOLDOM AVENUE @ LOUGHEED, BURNABY~ 291-6922 [fF ~ HOURS: Mon.-Fri.: 9:30 am-5:30 pm Sat: 9:30 am-5:00 pm Sun: Noon- 4:00 pm B we uncoon ave, FRANCESCA PROFILI'S exhi- bition of : Venotian-influenced ©. masks at the Canadian: Craft....: «Museum ‘has been held ‘over till i Tuesday, Jan.31.: