Deana Lancaster

News Reporter
deana@usnews.cam
EDGEMONT Village
- will become a sidewalk
gallery of-art work
inspired by extraordi-
nary women just in
time for Mother's Day.
Village ~ focal: Sharalee
Regehr began creating . her
unique “torso paintings” as a
way of finding strength and
inspiration for her awn work,
Using mannequin forms as

cthe cbase, she recreates the:

stories of women who found
the strength to do amazing
_ things, in spite of obstacles.
Not only was it a way for
‘the Saskatchewan-born artist
to, spur herself, ony but it
became a unique way of shar-
ing the stories af some incred:
ible women: ;

For almost . a decade
Regehr raught children and
teens. a vanety of subjects,
many of them arts related. In

. her portfolio she expiains how

"frustrating it was to be asked
by her students why there are
‘no famous women. artists, sci-
-entists, musicians; writers and
explorers. '

“And -even more frustrat-

Jing was that as a woman and-a

teacher,. | did not have an:

oy answer. How’ will this myth
ever, change if we do. not
know thar. itis a myth? ‘The
- women who have inspired me
are countless and growing.”
“Among the women who

have influenced her. work are’
‘Eve, Hildegard von Bingen,’

Joan of Arc, pioneer women,
‘Nellic) McClung. and» the
, Valiant Five, breast cancer

. patients, Rosalind Franklin, -
MacEwen;.

Gwendolyn
“Roberta Bondar and others.

“Regehr tells their stories ,

within the paintings, in words
surrounding the torsos.

The style emerged_in her
:work after she. fell in love
with* the medieval art ‘and
architecture of the Cloisters
“ona trip. to. New: York? and
: from viewing some illuminat-
ed. manuscripts ac Notre
Dame .College. in’ Wilcox,
Saskatchewan.

> “Words . become part of
ethe image as they do in illu:
minated manuscripts. It is not:
possible, nor desirable, to

read the story in its entirety,
asthe eye will rest on, differ-
ent words or phrases and thus
change one’s Interpretation of.
the painting.”,

Regehr hopes that reading

‘the paintings will’ encourage

people .to ‘think of women
who have inspired them. in
their own lives. And, if they

wish, .to share their stories

with her.

“Ir is a joy ‘creating the
paintings and learning abour
the historical ‘and mythologi-
cal figures of the past, but

even’ more than this it is an,

Opportunity, to. deconstruct
the myth thar there are. no’
important women in any
given ‘field ... and. provide
mentors to inspire us on cur
own journey.”

Regehr is the artist in resi-.

dence with the . Vancouver

School Board. She has been”

conimissioned to do an exhi-
bition... for | International
Women’s, Day 2000 |

Douglas College and, one of

her: pieces was purchased by.

the Royal .Bank -for. their
acquisitions program.

The. paintings: will. hang
throughout the. month. of
May in the windows of

’ Sherry’s . Village. Fashions,

Infinity. Travel, : Trims, The
Comeback, _ Highland
Optical, Zig Zag, Starbucks,
Indian River. Tack Shop, The
Cloth Shop, Delany's, Sylvan
and Hairworks. ; :
A walking guide will be

available at cach of the partic: -

ipating businesses.

Treat Mom To The Best
“Special Mother’s Day Menu

. May 9th |

8:00 am - 2:30 pm Brunch
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner,

- Reser vations for dinner only

2496 Marine Drew

Entrance after store hours via back lane.;

92

a WO Vancouve

5.3374

CONCRETE :
PLANTERS

_NEWS photo Mike Wakefletd
EDGEMONT village shop windows, like ‘Marlene Tate's (left) front window. at tTrims, will host the paintings of local artist Sharalee Regehr.