ERIS EEN OE REET Mi rt GPR ARE L Rem Id TN LS ERI LE EE ae PRUE TO LT Pe ot BUCKINGHAM PALACE ACCEPTS PORTRAIT raws royal attention WEST VANCOUVER aartist Angela McDowell has the royal touch. The London-born artist, who describes herself as ‘‘very keen on WEST VANCOUVER artist Angela McDowell has just had some of her work accepted by Britain’s Royal Family. The London-born woman paints her portraits from photographs. Includes assorted. wolad bar selection the Royal Family,’’ recently had two portraits accepted by the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke aad Duchess of Kent. “It’s a great honor,'’ the 55- year-old grandmother says proud- ly. ‘Apparently they send things back if they don't like them.”” When McDowell spied a photugraph of Prince Henry, youngest son of Charles and Diana, she just had to lay brush to canvas to capture his likeness. ‘'l think he’s absolutely gorgeous," she gushes. ‘‘He’s so beautiful.’ While she was painting Prince Henry, the idea of sending the portrait to Buckingham Palace came to her. ‘‘It was so dead on that right from the beginning | knew it was going to be good.”’ “1 didn’t paint it specifically to NEWS photo Mike Wakefleid cold cuts, 5, dry cereals, fresh fruit, juice’ bar, HOT. bacon, -ham, sausage, pancakes, french toast, :ctepes, omelettes cooked to order,” scrambled eggs, toast ‘and moral. ; 10:30 am ~ 2:30 pm (child portions available} - Vie ee as Chit Br Friday, ' ‘Aupust 29, 1986 - North Shore News i Saltese eh ae What's going on in the community) ae SRE EPS EatSS Fr SADR tree oes ea. be tes eae AST SS CaCI eA ae hoe oc NL TR Ed Se PE ELA send,"’ she explains in her distinc- tive English accent. LABOR PAYS OFF Laboring for about a week, her attention to detail paid off. In May, a letter arrived from the Pal- ace — her portrait had been ac- cepted. Bolstered by her success with the first royal portrait, she next rendered the Duchess of Kent, her favorite royal, on canvas. By chance, the painting arrived in England the week of the couple’s 25th wedding anniversary. “‘It was pure coincidence.” During the warmer summer months, McDowell paints in the garden of her West Vancouver home. On a picnic table sits her newly started painting, propped against a wire stand. A jar of paint brushes is nearby, as is her canary Thomas Aquinas. “i don't know why he became Thomas Aquinas,’’ she laughs pointing to the cage, ‘‘but he is.”” The canary sings ‘‘all the time’’ while she is working, but is not brought into the garden specifical- ly for that purpose. ‘I usually have the record player on but sometimes it’s bliss to have silence.” Rising each day between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., McDowell tackles the housework before venturing into the garden for a full day at the caavas. She skips breakfast but has a sandwich or salad with her firefighter husband at lunch. ALL CONSUMING Sometimes painting means miss- ing a meal. ‘‘Once | get something that is good | just can’t stop,’’ she says lighting her second cigarette. “The family says, ‘Are we eating today?’”’ McDowell comes from a family of royalty painters. Her great aunt, Elizabeth Harbutt, painted miniatures for Queen Victoria. ‘‘I think she was commissioned to paint Prince Albert and the children,’’ she says. “ult’s @ great honor... apparently they send things back if they don’t like them...” The bespectacled McDowell paints from photographs, despite having one of the world’s most spectacular panoramas at her feet. “Everybody paints Lions Gate Bridge and a lot of people paint from Lighthouse Park,’’ she says in explanation. “ft tried it but thought this isn’t for me. I’m happier in my own environment.’’ She signs her paintings with Cambridge, which is her middle name. ‘‘It’s distinctive don’t you think?”’ A big fan of royalty, McDowell has watched all the recent royal weddings and the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. ‘‘Probably I would like to paint some more of the Royal Family,” she says. ‘‘Prince Philip I would like to paint and Princess Anne’s children would be nice to paint. ‘*But that’s one day,’’ she sighs.