The scenes are of natural West Coast beauty, but their roots lie in the Czech Republic.
The work of artist Frank Pochyly is on display at the Plaskett Gallery in Natural West Coast Vibes, underway until Friday, July 29.
A gallery write-up notes that Pochyly, who came to Canada with his family in 1969, is a self-taught artist. He also picked up the artistic gene — and some training — from his own father, who had years of formal art training and a university degree in architecture.
One of Pochyly’s first creative endeavours was designing and manufacturing his own line of skiwear, featuring the bold lines and colours of the mid-1980s — the same bright and strong colours he uses in his paintings today.
But Pochyly didn’t always pursue his artistic endeavours; he went through what he calls an “artistically unproductive period” in his mid-20s.
But the artistic gene was stirred back into life after a trip to Europe in 1993, when, in Paris, he had the chance to see the works of Picasso, Cezanne and Van Gogh.
Then, 25 years after his family had escaped the Czech Republic, he went back to his homeland with his father. There, he saw some of his father’s best works, which had been left behind, and he was able to spend time with artists.
He reports that he was surrounded by such an immense amount of creativity and art that he couldn’t leave it behind.
“Upon his return home, he purchased some canvases and paint and hasn’t stopped painting since,” the gallery write-up says.
Pochyly now lives in Coquitlam with his wife and two children.
Plaskett Gallery is at Massey Theatre, 735 Eighth Ave. It’s open Tuesday to Friday, 1 to 4 p.m., or by appointment. Call 604-517-5900.
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