One Another - Ritchie Velthuis and Mary Whale
June 3 - August 4, 2024
Artists Mary Whale and Ritchie Velthuis keenly observe people, telling humorous, honest, and heartfelt stories about the human experience through their work. One Another brings together Whale’s graceful, poignant watercolour portraits and Velthuis’ joyful, genuine Summertime installation in an exhibition that celebrates the beauty of human connection.
Whale has been a practicing artist and nurse for most of her adult life. Her professions have intersected and informed each other, both requiring thoughtful observation and empathy to fully understand the patient or sitter. Recently, Whale has explored the therapeutic potential of the portraiture process, particularly as it applies to the latter part of life and the ageing aesthetic. Through her watercolour portrayals of older adults and their accompanying stories, Whale hopes to dismantle ageism by challenging the viewer to look beyond the obvious to reveal the richness of each sitter’s life.
Ritchie Velthuis’ Summertime centres on a day at the beach, specifically Lesser Slave Lake’s white sand Marten Beach. In this setting, Velthuis explores a complex allegory of the human condition and our relationship to the environment. Through the gestures of clay figures and the dynamics among the families and friends playing and relaxing in the sand, Velthuis portrays the joy and healing qualities of leisure in this wondrous Alberta setting. Props, both natural and man made, clutter the beach, adding depth to this familiar vignette. Velthuis’ detailed, delightful scene highlights the importance of collectively reveling in nature’s abundance.
