ARTICLE

A LOVE OF ART STORY

 

 

In 1978, my husband and I moved into our first home in Vancouver, BC, and every night we would walk our dog. Part of our routine was to walk down Broadway, a major commercial street, past a few blocks of closed stores. One of those was Ygartua’s Apollo Gallery, and we always stopped to look at the art in the windows. We were quite intrigued by the paintings – they were large, imposing, detailed and impressive.

One Saturday we walked around the neighbourhood, and down Broadway. As we approached the gallery, my husband suggested that we go in, just to see the cost of a painting. We were met in the gallery by Bill Davey, Paul Ygartua’s father-in-law. He gave us the price of the painting we liked best – a large canvas of 3 native faces on a white background. Then he asked if we would like to meet the artist. Paul emerged from the back of the store, covered in paint, and gave us some background on the painting and the indigenous inspiration. We thanked him and started to leave, and he asked if we wanted to buy the painting. As new homeowners, we were house poor, and we told him we could not possibly afford $1500 for a piece of art – that was more than three months’ mortgage payments! Paul said that if we loved it, we could take it and pay him $50/month until it was paid off. Deal done – no contract, no paperwork. Paul brought the painting to our house and hung it on the wall for us. The painting became the focal point of our living room, and we were ecstatic. This also began our love of Paul’s artwork and talent.

Our second meeting with Paul was when my husband was chief of staff to the Mayor of Vancouver. The city was looking for a gift for their sister city, Yokohama, Japan. He recommended an Ygartua painting depicting Canada’s first peoples. The gift was a hit! 

That was the start. Over the past 44 years, we have become good friends with the Ygartuas, and we have acquired many pieces of Paul’s art. And while Paul is the talent behind the paintbrush, his wife Joanne has the business savvy – and it takes both of them to generate worldwide acclaim and sales of the artwork.

So, a few milestones in my art journey: When my brother-in-law Basil was visiting from Halifax for Expo 86, he was captivated by the gigantic mural that graced the UN Pavilion, which Paul had been commissioned to paint. Then Basil discovered that we had several of Paul’s paintings in our home, and he was especially taken by the first painting we had purchased. After a couple of years, we decided he should have it, and we packaged it up and sent it to him, where it still hangs in the entrance to his home.

We are a musical family, and we asked Paul to create artwork that showcased the instruments we like to play. He painted The Musicians and incorporated piano, saxophone and guitar, our favourites. It is the focal point of my living room, and also the focal point of discussion with my son, who thinks it should be his. Maybe someday…. I learned an interesting art belief from Joanne on July 1st, 1994. We were hosting a Canada Day party for family and friends. My father was chatting with Joanne, and he told her that he liked a new painting entitled Granville Island, hanging in our family room. Joanne told him that he should have it because art was meant to be shared. I was not involved in that conversation.

The next morning, as my father was packing his car to return home, I found him loading the painting into his car. When I questioned him on this, he said that Joanne said he should have it. Many years later I repossessed it, but only after my father had passed away. On a couple of occasions, I worked with Joanne to generate some media and marketing attention for Paul’s artwork. His unique Millennium Project marked the turn of the century in 2000, where he celebrated 38 of the most iconic faces and personalities of the 1900s with a 6’ by 6’ canvas. Although he rarely does prints, the limited edition of this painting has been enjoyed by many art enthusiasts.

Paul was commissioned to paint a mural outside the Beachcomber hot tub factory in Surrey, BC. At a party for the unveiling of the mural, I learned that his next project was going to be painting the ceiling of the president’s office, somewhat reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel so many years ago. Driving past the mural is now a tourist recommendation and favourite.

In 2003, the daughters of two dear friends of mine were getting married, and I wanted to give them something special. I arranged with Joanne to gift each of them a piece of Paul’s artwork. She worked with both of the couples to ensure that they chose a painting that they would love and treasure for years. These were the best wedding presents I have ever given! And another present – when an Aboriginal Gathering Place was developed at Douglas College in New Westminster, BC, I was happy to donate a beautiful painting for the opening of the facility.

I have many of Paul’s paintings in my home. Over the years I have bought and been given many more paintings than I have walls for. Several have been loaned to my sister, and to a close friend who is an art creator in her own right. My son and his wife, and my nephews, have identified the ones they want, and, in time, they will get them. So, Joanne’s belief that art should be shared lives on. I love the diversity of style and the vitality in all his works. Paul’s personality is just as colourful as the vibrant shades in his art. The range of creativity and innovation of style he showcases are truly impressive. On my walls you can see everything from formally dressed women on a beach in Vancouver in 1921, to a wild character at Carnival in Rio de Janeiro; to musicians, to Italian street scenes, to food, to faces. Many who love and admire Paul’s art argue that the faces are the hallmark of his work. Personalities do shine through – Paul captures the intensity of a singer belting out a song, the weathered visage of an aged man, and the power and passion of a festival performer. While I appreciate the faces and the people they represent, it’s the brilliant creativity across such a broad range of styles that I really love.

Born in England to a British mother and Basque father, (N.Spain) Ygartua is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, and has travelled to all corners of the world for inspiration and cultural immersion. Artworks depicting iconic buildings, outstanding events, and rich culture are fascinating. Equally impressive is the power and passion that goes into each and every project. He has a distinct and unique combination of creativity, motivation, and innovation – in combination, the recipe for artistic genius and world-class renown.

Carla Gail Tibbo MBA CAIP CMC
President, Incisive Marketing Inc.

 

 

 

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