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Photos courtesy Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens and Gallery
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Photos courtesy Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens and Gallery
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Photos courtesy Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens and Gallery
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Photos courtesy Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens and Gallery
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Photos courtesy Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens and Gallery
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Photos courtesy Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens and Gallery
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Photos courtesy Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens and Gallery
By Perry Mack - Photos courtesy Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens and Gallery
Always on the hunt for new experiences at attractions, events and activities across North America, I often overlook the great opportunities that are close to home. Most recently one that appears in travel guides such as Trip Advisor, the AAA Tour Book, Fodor’s and Frommer’s which have selected this site as a unique travel experience. Geert Maas’ art has been shown in New York, London, Paris, and in prestigious exhibitions in Canada, throughout Europe, Japan and the U.S.A. I’ve only just discovered it, and yet his sculpture gardens and gallery are minutes from my office (and only minutes from a five orchard RV parks).
Maas and his family were born in the Netherlands where he did his formal art training in drawing, painting, sculpture and applied art. In 1979, he with his wife Elly and their three children immigrated to Kelowna, British Columbia. They were attracted to the area for its climate, and the space and beauty around their new property on, what was at the time, the outskirts of the city.
Their plan was to set up a studio, make part of their home into an art gallery, and to be surrounded by outdoor sculptures and art installations in the gardens, similar to what they enjoyed in the Netherlands, but here in the rolling landscape of the Okanagan Valley. These rolling hills remain an ongoing inspiration for the artist. The activities related to beaches around the many lakes influence his artistic endeavours. The theme of On the Beach has been explored extensively, and some of his bronze group sculptures are acquired for permanent public art collections.
“My work often deals with relationships,” says Maas, “people behave differently alone than together, and portraying more than one figure creates tension. The physical placing and spacing of the various figures determines the emotional content of the work. It should raise questions. What does a certain distance or closeness signify? Where are the important connections? How do we ascribe meaning to interactions?”
The first year they spent on finishing a 4-year old A-frame cedar house, adding a studio and gallery, as well as developing the landscaping. Soon after, the Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens and Gallery was opened to the public. It is the only Sculpture Garden of its kind in British Columbia, featuring one of the largest collections of bronze sculptures in Canada. Other artworks include paintings, wall sculptures, medals, etchings, and serigraphy, exclusively by Geert Maas. Another facet is changing exhibitions, events and workshops held on the premises.
“I often create universal simplified images. Many of my pieces examine fundamental social questions and reflect my fascination with the human condition.”
This expression exaggerates the voluminous, rotund and voluptuous, celebrating life in its abundance. He completes every aspect of his work in bronze in the studio except for the casting. This includes making the originals in clay, making moulds and the wax positives, grinding, sanding, polishing and creating the varied patinas and finishing work. This allows flexibility in manipulating hues and surface finishes to his own satisfaction resulting in quite different effects to identical castings, giving the individual works their own, unique quality.
“I am attracted to bronze because it is so durable. Someone once said I make art because I don’t want to die. But art made from less durable material eventually dies too! I want my work to survive, so I choose bronze. It’s also a great medium in which to work. No other material allows such a variety of finishing possibilities: I can manipulate the final shape, texture and colour of a work. The relative lack of technical limitations of bronze allows me to express myself completely.”
Art lovers will find Maas’ celebrated 2 and 3-dimensional works in various sizes in a wide variety of materials including bronze, aluminum, stainless steel, stoneware, multimedia, acrylic, lacquer, and oils.
Many of the artist’s works are available for purchase, and include a Certificate of Authenticity. The Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens and Gallery in Kelowna are generally open year-round. During the summer season, hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., otherwise by appointment, or by chance, and admission is by donation.
The nearby orchard RV parks are Orchard Hill RV (orchardhillrv.com), Orchard Valley RV Park (orchardvalleyrvpark.com), Apple Valley Orchard & RV Park (applevalleyrv.com), Quails View Farm RV Park (quailsviewfarm.com) and Scenic View RV (scenicviewrv.ca). These RV parks are restricted to ten or less sites and are located on farm land. Check the websites as amenities vary.
If you are looking for a unique RV experience and an inspiring nearby attraction, you’ve discovered the perfect combination.
Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens and Gallery Inc.. 250 Reynolds Road, Kelowna BC V1V 2G7
Phone 250-860-7012, maas@geertmaas.org www.geertmaas.org
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