A call for community participation in the Penticton Art Gallery’s 50th Anniversary Exhibition

(Note: this exhibition will now take place in January of 2023. Drop off dates to be revised.)

Opening Gala:
January 28th @ 1 pm, 2023

Written by Paul Crawford

The Penticton Art Gallery is inviting the entire community to help us celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Gallery’s official incorporation by sharing a work from your collection to help us celebrate the incredible power that the visual arts have to enhance, inspire and transform our homes, businesses, public spaces, community and ultimately our lives.

We are hoping that will lend us a work from your collection and share with our community the significance this piece has played in your life. It could be the first piece of art you purchased, a gift you received, a thrift store find or a work done by a friend or loved one. If it means something to you we want to share your treasure along with story of how it has impacted your life and in doing so celebrate the incredible diversity of the lived experience and the importance that art plays in shaping our lives.

As for myself I didn’t grow up in an environment surrounded by art, but reflecting back on my childhood I certainly noticed art out in the community and in the homes of my friends. Even though I didn’t recognize these objects as works of art, each and every one I noticed made an impression on me and helped shape my appreciation and understanding of the world around me.

For as long as I can remember I have always been a collector starting with bottle caps, sports cards, rocks, coins and stamps and with the start of each new collection came the incredible additional gift of a new passport to discovery. In fall of 1989 I rediscovered my passion for collecting stamps after stumbling upon a weekly stamp auction held at coin and stamp dealer on Fort Street in Victoria. At the time I was attending Camosun College and I quickly used this as an opportunity and excuse to skip my weekly three hour accounting class. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to my accounting class and by late February 1990 I had blown through my student loan and was well on my way to failing my accounting class when everything finally caught up with me and I was gifted of my most valuable financial lessons.

Faced with an almost empty bank account and my rent looming, I took my precious stamp collection down to a number of stamp dealers in Victoria only to find that they were offering me not only a fraction of what the Scotts price guide had listed my collection to be worth, but more painfully it was a fraction of what I had spent on acquiring the collection in the first place. I had no choice but sell my collection for a few hundred dollars and over the next week I was selling anything and everything I had of potential value in an effort to make my March rent.

On March 1st, 1990, I sold the remaining cigar boxes that had once held my stamp collection and with $10 in my pocket I was making my way to the bus stop when I found myself walking by the Salvation Army Thrift Store on lower Johnson Street and my curiosity got the better of me and for the first time in my life I decided to check out what was inside. Once inside I was drawn to a pile of pictures and old photographs when I came across a portrait of gentleman in a broken frame which he had signed and dedicated to his assistant. I was curious to find out who the gentleman was as I figured he must have been important if he was signing and dedicating a photo of himself to give to his assistant. In spite of it being in a broken frame held together with string I purchased it for $4.00 and made my way home. Once home I took the photo out of its frame and discovered that the photo had been taken in 1942 by Yousuf Karsh in Ottawa. The subject of the photograph was George R. Cottrelle, who served as the Oil Controller for the Government of Canada. I was amazed by this discovery as I had read Karsh’s books in high school and loved his firsthand accounts of the subjects of his photographs.

I quickly decided that I would write him in an effort to find out more about the subject of my photograph and in less than three weeks later I received a personal letter back from Karsh along with a hand signed self-portrait and I was hooked. I never thought it would be that easy to connect with one of the most famous artists in the world and since that time I have tried to meet every artist whose work I have collected or connect with those who knew them. Over the 32 years since my first purchase I have continued to collect resorting at times to bank loans, buying on credit and cashing in department store gift certificates in order to acquire works for my collection.

It’s remarkable to look back and consider the profound impact that this photograph has had on not only my life but also the lives of the countless artists and individuals whose paths I have had the good fortune to cross along the way. I certainly wouldn’t be here today if not for this photograph and I feel privileged to be in a position where I am able to share my love for the arts with so many. I hope that by sharing one story from my life’s journey it might inspire you to do the same.

If you are interested in sharing a work from your collection along with the story of what it means to you please send me an email with “50th Anniversary Exhibition” in the subject line. We also recognize that some of you may wish to remain anonymous and we can also ensure your privacy as well. We want to also assure you that the gallery will also treat your treasures with the same regard we do our own and all of the works will be covered by our wall to wall insurance policy while they are in our care.

If you are interested in participating in this milestone celebration. we will need to have your contribution, along with the story behind the item, delivered to the gallery the week of January 16th to 20th.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your participation in this exhibition please reach out to me at: curator@pentictonartgallery.com or give me a call at (250) 493-2928.

Thank you all for your time and consideration and I look forward to talking with you.

Yours,

Paul Crawford

The picture Paul couldn’t help himself but buy all those years ago:
George R. Cottrelle, who served as the Oil Controller for the Government of Canada