26 — Wednesday, December 13, 1995 — Nerth Shore News ISTORY’S MOST enlightened artists are a. Aisaid to have found divine inspiration and “the hand of God” in the creation ~ of their masterpieces. By Andrew McCredie Cornmunity Editor “Well, sure. What would you expect ‘when dealing with not-so- lightweight subject matter as the cre- ation, fall and redemption of man? Or Apollo attended by the nymphs? .-. Watercolorist Crystal Deshaies is hard pressed to find nyinphs on the North Shore, so she’s settled on illus- trating her patron's lives by painting their homes. And while architectural’ render- ings of the places we live has long been an artistic tradition. Deshaies’ ability to personalize each home to its ~ owner makes her paintings as unique as its patrons, Call it “the hand of owner” “I'm very good at. listening to what people want and picking up the flavor of their family.” says’ the Vancouver-based artist. “People’s ‘house becomes them. They are their house. or their house is them. Especially around the North. Shore with ‘all the gardens and beautiful homes." ~~ With the downsizing trend in the spaces we occupy’ ever increasing. more and more people are searching for. ways to capture that emotional bond to the place they” ve culled home. . "-Sharee | Reynolds. realized her - dream of preserving memories of her West. Vancouver home by commis- - sioning Deshaies to paint the house as ~ a gift to her husband. The Reynolds are‘a case in’ point’ of homeowners ‘downsizing’ after children have left home (in this case a 7,000 square-foot home)..Their home is to go on the market next spring. _ Upon first meeting the efferves- cent ‘artist, Reynolds knew she'd found a kindred spirit. ; *" “She's a real free open-type of per- sonality,” Reynolds says of Deshaies. “She seems to really listen to what you want and then works extremely hard at giving you what you want.” CHARLE S VAN What Reynotds wanted was a painting of her beautiful home reflect- ing the way she saw it. That includes her dear siamese cat Pi. a Stellar’s Jay and squirrel that show up for their daily peanuts and other touchstones that define her home and life. “i'm a real outdoors person with my birds and garden, and 1! really wanted something that spoke to me ‘and put my feeling into the painting’: Reynolds says. adding that she had a painting of the house done carlier by’ a well-known North Shore artist, and while she liked it for its own style, it lacked the “feeling” of its subject. Enter Deshaies. _ Deshaies’ modus operandi could be called click and talk: lots of pic- tures and lots of talk. “We talk and I make sure I get a teally clear picture from them emo-. tionally, for illustrative purposes,” the artist says of the formative steps in the creation of the painting. ‘The hand-in- hand process continues until the com- pletion of the work. The first thing one recognizes in Deshaies’ work is a skillful eye for architectural representation. No coin- cidence that for the past 10 years she has produced many scale works for architects and first found her artistic legs in urban-scapes. : “Rather than being just a draftsperson and artist who. sort of locks herself away for hours and hours, I'm a very much a people per- son,” Deshaies says of herself. “I'm very good at listening to. what people want.” Over the years her style has evolved because of that innate sense. Where she departs from the more- staid house portraitists is in the colors she uses and the objects she puts on the canvas. In other words, the per-* sonal touches she ekes ‘out-of her. patrons during their talks. These objects can’t help but catch your eye when Jeafing through her - portfolio: lime-green Volkswagen ‘micro-buses idling in driveways; . eagles soaring about peaked rooftops; — the multi-hued ocean swirling in an ~ apartment living-room. To contact Deshaies, call 732 9523. : (Editor's Note: Due to production problems last week, only the first half of this story appeared in last Wednesday's issue.) WK i is pleased. . * Syivan Crarts & Pottery, 3080 Epcemonr Biv. | to ac these his new book: A SELECTION’ OF. NELGHBOURLY BIRDS ay tf locations: * LONSDALE ANTIQUES, 1] LONSDALE Ave. * CANADIAN HERITAGE DESIGNS, h . 980 Marine Drive * Our of AFRICA, LONSDALE QUAY MARKET * Patrona & Co., 1516 MARINE Drive * CHERRY TREE, 2458 MARINE Dr. “fe «Spaur oF THE Cove, 4391 GALLANT AVE., DEEP ‘Cove. | Rene Sey Chocolates "PRESENTS Vl | CHRISTMAS FACTORY LOCATION SALE . ane eecal Co CHOCOLATES DEC 11-23 1OAM-6PM ~ SUNDAY. DEC. 24 ~10AM-4PM « 985-0949 Seashell Miniatures 175 gram Box - 24 pieces *2”° BOX ALSO AVAILABLE “ HEDGEHOGS HAND-MADE: TRUFFLES DELUXE CHOCOLATES - HQUEUR CHOCOLATES AND MANY MORE... PEMBERTON mae w 14TH ST NORTH VANCOUVER. THE PROUD owners of this West Vancouver home | now have a painting to preserve their Seno ries. Kouse portraitist Crystal Deshaies (with painting) incorporates homeowners’. persona touchstones (like Pi the cat) into her unique works... ‘ ; ; MPAA RATING -- “eRITICS' AVERAGE | ich NST ai NEW © ve ¢ RENT 2 recesses FOR 2 DAYS coy ME ce DER _Available at ene minute aftar midnight ‘on date of release. Reserve yours now! VIDEOS _ ENTER TO. WIN. "FOR & DAYS ONLY:99 | palr of tickets to sees. CANUCKS Ws 120 @ Topo