Gerry Mazer might be considered a new visual artist on the scene but he’s no spring chicken. The retired St. Albert resident has a burgeoning career as a painter and a photographer who keeps busy with his practice and even busier with extra art classes that he takes to further develop his skills.
“I pretty well have two classes going all the time, one day a week at the seniors’ centre and at Hidden Talent,” he remarked. “I’ve been doing that since we moved here in 2008.”
Mazer has had showings of his work in St. Albert Place and now he’s about to get his big dĂ©but in one of the least likely, but still high profile galleries in Edmonton. Starting tomorrow, and for the next two full months, his new solo exhibit of 20 acrylic and oil works will be at the Blue Curve Gallery in the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.
The former school superintendent and city councillor from Grande Prairie admitted that he wouldn’t have heard about the location if he hadn’t needed to be at the facility for the more obvious reason in the first place.
“Doctors discovered I wasn’t getting quite enough blood into parts of my heart. One thing led to another and another, and I ended up having a bypass operation at the Mazankowski [Alberta Heart Institute] and then I was sent to the cardiac clinic [at the Glenrose].”
While registering for the clinic, he handed over his artistic business card to the nurse. She thought it was quite good, he said, and encouraged him to apply for the two-month stint. The Blue Curve is apparently one of three galleries at the centre, but it’s the largest and gets the most foot traffic.
Among the works that will be on display include a lovely representation of the Northern Lights, the image that graces his homepage at www.gerrymazer.ca.
Mazer gives credit to his teachers, Harvey Kucher at the seniors’ centre and Laura Watmough at Hidden Talent, for giving him the skills to put together a proper picture. He credits himself, however, for sticking with it, promoting himself properly and seizing opportunities when they present themselves.
“I’m quite excited about it. It’s a first and I hope it continues into the future. I’ve been accumulating for the past four or five years and I’ve got nowhere to put them. I either have to start selling them or giving them away or something,” he laughed.
The Blue Curve Gallery is located in the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital at 10230 111 Avenue.
