A dozen local artists accepted the challenge to explore the theme of hair for the summer show currently at the Station House Gallery.
From using an old truck grill as a canvas to a sculpture depicting a woman with a beehive hairdo surrounded by buzzing bees, the offerings run the gamut of creativity.
During the show’s opening July 2, artist Leah Selk said she created a beehive and a bird’s nest using hair gathered from a local salon.
“I was going to make the beehive out of paper maché but discovered they sell paper ones at the dollar store so I used that as my base,” Selk said, as she pointed out that a friend also gave her two real bumble bees to use in the piece.
Just inside the doorway of the gallery, it was hard not to smile as Fred McMechan arrived to see his portrait created by Kathryn Steen.
Titled Crowning Glory, the graphite on paper piece paid tribute to McMechan’s unruly locks.
Posing for a photograph of himself beside the piece, McMechan said he “rather expected” it was the first time he’d had a portrait done.
“She’s captured my wild Albert Einstein look,” he chuckled.
Olivia Harrison said it was the first time she participated in a community art show.
She created three graphite pieces featuring different hair styles.
“I used white pastel too and really love how it works on grey paper,” Harrison explained. “It brings out the lines more.”
One of the three pieces, titled Scattered, featured a side view of a woman without the profile filled in.
Instead Harrison put a few triangles randomly placed where a nose and mouth should be.
“I didn’t want the face to be the focus,” she said. “I love doing portraits but wanted to feature the hair.”
Other artists who participated in the show are Cat Prevette, Liz Derksen, Coral Keehn, Lesley Lloyd, Keith Prestone, Rhandi Sandford, Lynda Sawer, Sam Tudor and Gladys Wheatley.
Gallery co-ordinator Brandon Hoffman said initially he was concerned about pursuing the hair theme for the summer show, but admitted he was happy with the end result.
“A huge thanks to all the artists who contributed, there’s hardly enough room for all the bios,” Hoffman said.
To add atmosphere to the exhibit some wigs were donated by Williams Lake Studio Theatre, an old salon hair drier and some chairs were brought in by the Bev and Rick Pemberton and Marilyn Dickson brought in some antique hair clips used to hold up the show’s description in the upper gallery.
Hoffman also thanked Becky Grosso and her model Khyla MacMurchy for adding further atmosphere by Grosso’s fantastic and colourful styling of MacMurchy’s hair for the opening.
The public is also invited to share some hair stories in the upper gallery by painting or writing an addition, he added.