This is the last weekend to check out Tony Overweel’s exhibit of pastel works at the Bookstore on Perron. It’s a milestone moment for the Edmonton-based artist as he wraps up making his big dĂ©but in St. Albert.
It’s also notable for being one of his rare solo shows. He last teamed up with Father Douglas, Diane Plasse and Maria Sieben for the group show Harmony at the Centre d'arts visuels de l'Alberta in Edmonton’s French Quarter back in the summer.
Although he was born in Holland, he has since become a huge fan of this province’s spectacular and varied natural scenes and settings.
“I just like the country,” he admitted, describing his devotion to recreating these landscapes. “It’s all about Alberta. It’s a unique province to me: mountains, prairies, all the seasons, hay bales and snow …”
The way he even talks about canola fields demonstrates how totally in love he is.
“They’re perfect! The yellow and the blue sky? I mean, you can’t go wrong. They really sing!”
He has brought this marvelous collection of 20 works to the bookstore’s Gallery 7. He also has a display at the Bay 12 Gallery in the Village at Pigeon Lake, a venue that opened just last summer with the help of local painter Doris Charest.
Finding unique galleries such as these two is one way that Overweel helps to connect with his audiences and it also distinguishes himself as an artist, too.
“I’m trying to get some different venues that I can show my stuff. You usually have to think a year ahead of time for people to organize something for you. This one just came at me.”
His choice of medium also works toward that goal as pastel is not very common, at least in these parts. While he dabbles in oils, he said that he prefers pastels because it keeps him connected to the skills that he developed and honed while he was a tradesman.
It just feels good, he said.
“The pastel medium is what I like because it’s a drawing medium very much like the drafting that I did for 45 years in the architectural business. It’s an extension of that. Now that I’m retired, I put the computer and stuff aside and start with the hand again. It keeps me busy.”
Overweel’s pastels will stay on display until Monday. The Bookstore on Perron is located at 7 Perron St. Call 780-458-3155 or visit the store’s Facebook page for more information.
