Painting orangutans in the rain forest of British Columbia
seems natural and right to me. Just as a grey wolf can be felt standing
at the studio door when wolves are being painted, so red ape figures
can
be felt sitting in the trees above. Often, when a night wind roars over
my cabin, I think of artist Emily Carr in the 1930 s, hearing a similar
wind on the other side of her canvas caravan roof. She was attracted to
the mystery of the forest, regarding the wild as a place to meet her
god... "Only out in the open was there room for Him. He was like a
great
breathing among the trees." ~ Emily Carr. It was primatologist,
Biruté Galdikas, that inspired me to paint orangutans. Professor
Galdikas sees these great apes as our kin, who have never left the
Garden of Eden, and through life with them recognizes "That there is no
separation between ourselves and nature". Inspired by these two great
women and the mysteries we share, and taking the forest as the first
cathedral, I have painted "Orangutans and Forest Window". ~ Gloria
Massé ~
Gloria Massé was born in Windsor, Ontario in 1942. She holds
a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of British Columbia.
Gloria currently lives and works on Gambier Island off the coast of
British Columbia. Most of Gloria's pieces featured here are for sale,
she may also be commissioned for her talents.
We
are pleased to have the opportunity to present Gloria's work here at
the
4TH Line's Affairs of the Art.
At Xchanges Gallery 1982
A large painting on its way to the Whistler mountain gallery via the
Gambier Water Taxi
barge. 
Commotion by the ocean on Gambier Island July
26 next to the Gambier Island Art GalleryKeats
Island Website Events BC Ferries Water Taxi Eastbourne
Community Association ECA Keats Landing Wharf Dock Swimming
Park Fishing Bulletin Board Leaseholders Association Melody Point
Plumper Cove Barnabas Camp West Beach Deer Bear Trails Ferry Gambier
Gibsons Cottage Cabin View Mountains Islands Ocean Seclusion
PUBLICATIONS: Bentley-Mays, John. Three
Vancouver Artists, The Globe and Mail, 1984. Perry, Art. Works by
Massé, Focus on Grass, The Province, June 2, 1984. Rosenberg,
Ann. Review of Artropolis 90, The Vancouver Sun, 1990. Rosenberg, Ann.
Lured into Wolf Lore by Harmonious Painting, The Vancouver Sun, June
13,
1991. Lindberg, Ted. Alexandra Kikeakos/Gloria Massé
Gambier water taxi is available for trips
anywhere in Howe Sound near Vancouver BC. Keats Islan Gambier Island
Bowen Island Horseshoe Bay Langdale Gibsons Britania Beach Woodfibre
Port Mellon Camp Potlatch Camp Firum Camp Latona Scouts Lions Bay
Furrie
Creek Water Taxi Trips
Commotion by the ocean on Gambier Island July
26 take the gambier water taxi to new brighton on gambier island for
live music and fun -- please do not BYOB to protect the Gambier store
liquor license.
- Paintings, Charles H. Scott Gallery, Emily
Carr College of Art and Design, Oct. 5- 28 1984 Catalogue. Poser,
Carol.
Gloria Massé - Paintings and Drawings, Vanguard, October, 1982.
COLLECTIONS: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C. Art Gallery of
Greater Victoria, B.C. EXHIBITIONS: 1996 Orangutan - Forest Windows,
John Ramsey Gallery, Vancouver, B.C. 1995 Wolf, Diane Farris Gallery,
Vancouver, B.C. 1993 Grasses, Fields of Praise, Diane Farris Gallery,
Vancouver, B.C. 1991 Seeking Wolves, Diane Farris Gallery, Vancouver,
B.C. 1990 Recent Painting, Diane Farris Gallery, Vancouver, B.C. 1989
Wolves, Diane Farris Gallery, Vancouver, B.C. 1988 Wild Mangoes and
Fish, Diane Farris Gallery, Vancouver, B.C. 1987 Grasses, Diane Farris
Gallery, Vancouver, B.C. 1982 Gloria Massé - Paintings and
Drawings, Surrey Art Centre, Surrey, B.C. ---------------- Gloria
Massé lives in a humble abode deep in the rainforest of Gambier
Island, west of Vancouver. She paints that which thrills her to be
alive, the things that touch her deeply. Her brushes are drawn to the
wild: fur and claws of bears and wolves, feathers and scales of birds
and fishes, and the silk and raw linen of wild flowers and grasses. In
some of her paintings she uses familiar vegetation as a path by which
to
approach the mystery of an animal. The sculptural quality of the
animals
interests her. She sees the light reflecting from the transparent hair
on the massive back of a bear as being similar to Monet's haystack
paintings. She is fascinated by texture: grass and hair, so similar,
provide the opportunity for thousands of brush strokes, often in
transparent layers. In this way, a bear or wolf in motion becomes grass
running. Her love for colour is seen in the warmth of earth in raw
sienna, burnt sienna, the ochres and umbers. Greens, reds, blues and
purples are used for expressing emotion or simply for their raw or
delicate beauty. "The cedar, fir and hemlock trees tower over my
studio;
the winds from the north and music help to keep me in touch with the
muse, the earth and the animal within." Gambier Island Lake - A three
hour hike through forest to Gambier Lake which is nestled between two
mountains. The hike is not strenuous but has some long grinds and some
areas that are rocky underfoot. The lake is small, beautiful
and was still cold in June. Campsites are limited with two good ones by
the lake and others in the forest. The best campsite is located at the
end of the lake - it has a large area for tent and gear, a beach with
walk in entry to the lake and a great view. The second best campsite is
located just to the left after you cross the logs that make the bridge
over the lake's outflow stream. (There are actually two sites there.)
If
these two are taken, there are sites in the forest that are quite nice
and cool. Lake access is limited due to the wetlands around the lake,
fish are plentiful, and the setting is beautiful. Getting to Gambier
Island - Take the Langdale Ferry from Horseshoe Bay, then transfer to
the small Gambier Island water taxi ferry for the trip to New Brighton.
Walk from the dock on Gambier Island to the store and check
out the map there. Head up the road and follow the signs from there.
Check the ferry schedule for your return trip because there may be
quite
a time between ferries, you can use this time to have a great meal at
the store or just hang out on the lawn with a cold brew. GAMBIER ISLAND
is located approximately 17 miles from Vancouver, in Howe Sound. There
are walking trails, swimming, fishing from the government docks for the
children, blackberry picking in the summer, bird watching, and abundant
wild life. The world's smallest art gallery is located across the road
from you, right beside the Gambier General Store. The store can provide
you with groceries, a bite to eat and a cold beer or glass of wine on a
hot summer day. If you visit us in the late spring fresh raspberries
are
ready to be picked outside the kitchen door. On Saturday of the August
long weekend the Gambier Island Community Centre holds its annual craft
fair.
