Artists and Architects

A Fred Hollingworth designed studio and carport, has been given a last-minute reprieve from the bulldozer, as the District of North Vancouver looks for a way to save the structures, according to an article by Brent Richter in the North Shore News this week. I spent quite a bit of time in that studio with… Continue reading Selwyn Pullan’s Studio

Arthur Erickson is featured in an exhibition at the West Vancouver Art Museum with photos by Selwyn Pullan I dropped by the West Vancouver Art Museum Wednesday and joined a tour led by curator, Hilary Letwin. If you haven’t been there before, the Museum is by the Municipal Hall on 17th Street, just off Marine… Continue reading Arthur Erickson’s Pad  

Frits Jacobsen arrived in Vancouver in 1968. He was a prolific artist and  captured some of Vancouver’s iconic and long-gone buildings such as Birks, the Englesea Lodge, and the Orillia on Robson Street. He also drew some that have survived. Two that I’ve seen are the Manhattan Apartments on Thurlow and Main Street’s Heritage Hall.… Continue reading Frits Jacobsen: Anatomy of an East Van House

Part of the Shogun mini-series based on James book is being filmed in North Vancouver’s Princess Park. Story from Sensational Vancouver Princess Park: I was walking in Princess Park this morning and noticed that a film crew is preparing to shoot some scenes for a mini-series based on James Clavell’s 1975 book Shogun. While North… Continue reading Scenes from James Clavell’s Shogun filmed in Princess Park

BC Binning wasn’t just an important artist; as a teacher, he influenced architects such as Arthur Erickson, Ron Thom and Fred Hollingsworth. Where are his missing murals? From Vancouver Exposed: Searching for the City’s Hidden History Artist and teacher: BC Binning wasn’t just an important artist; as a teacher, he influenced architects such as Arthur… Continue reading BC Binning’s Missing Murals

Charles Marega died on March 27, 1939. And, while you may not know his name you will know his work. Those are his two lion statues at the south end of the Lions Gate Bridge. And while the lions may be his most well known work, Charles (or Carlos as he was christened) was a… Continue reading The work of Charles Marega (1871-1939)

Update: Frank passed away in December 2020 I dropped around to see Frank Molnar this week and was happy to see that he’s painting again. Frank is pushing 80 now and he’s not in great health, but you could never tell this from his work. I met Frank several years ago when I profiled him… Continue reading The Life and Art of Frank Molnar

There is a chapter on West Coast Modern Artists and Architects in Sensational Vancouver. If you love West Coast modern like I do, check out the art and architecture exhibit at the West Vancouver Museum this summer. Work from all the greats is there—Fred Hollingsworth, Arthur Erickson, B.C. Binning, Ned Pratt, Ron Thom, Gordon Smith,… Continue reading West Coast Modern on Display

Arthur Erickson is one of Canada’s most famous architects, yet his own house and garden ranks #8 on Heritage Vancouver’s top 10 endangered sites for 2014.  Arthur Erickson’s fingerprints are all over some of Metro Vancouver’s most iconic buildings—the Museum of Anthropology, Simon Fraser University and dozens of residential houses. Unusual for an architect, Erickson… Continue reading Arthur Erickson’s House and Garden are on the Endangered List

I’ve been posting pictures of the BC Electric Building on Facebook this week, but I haven’t posted this one—it’s on the back of Sensational Vancouver and in the chapter on West Coast Modern. The photo was shot by Selwyn Pullan in 1957, the same year BC Electric completed this ground breaking piece of architecture. While… Continue reading The incredible photography of Selwyn Pullan

Barry Downs architect designed his gorgeous West Coast Modern house in West Vancouver in 1979. He lived there until his death in July 2022 at 92. From Sensational Vancouver Barry Downs house sits on top of a cliff 120 feet above West Vancouver’s Garrow Bay. The house is almost invisible from the busy street and… Continue reading West Coast Modern and Architect Barry Downs

Tom Carter is a Vancouver-based artist known for exploring the city’s gritty urban environments. Heritage Loft: I visited Tom Carter in his heritage loft a couple of weeks ago. It was the same afternoon that we climbed up to the top of the Sun Tower, in what was in 1912, the tallest building in the… Continue reading Meet Tom Carter Artist

I spent the afternoon with architect Peter Pratt at his home in the British Properties yesterday. Peter’s father Ned Pratt designed the house in the early 1950s and lived there for most of his life. You’ve likely never heard of Ned Pratt, I hadn’t until recently, and I find that really interesting because he may… Continue reading Ned Pratt’s West Coast Modern House

In honour of International Women’s Day on Friday March 8, it seems fitting to feature Victoria print maker Pat Martin Bates. An excerpt from Sensational Victoria: At 85, Pat Martin Bates is still strikingly beautiful. The day I visit her she has a scarf wrapped around her dark hair and she’s wearing a jacket full… Continue reading International Women’s Day: Meet Pat Martin Bates

The story of Ron Thom and Boyd house appears in Sensational Vancouver Kerry McPhedran is selling the house she bought in 1972. It’s not because she wants to—as a freelance writer, it’s her retirement plan, and because of its tony West Vancouver address, it comes with a hefty $1.9 million price tag—too steep for most… Continue reading Boyd House

When it comes to West Coast architecture, Fred Hollingsworth is a rock star. He invented the Neoteric style —affordable family housing with simple post and beam construction.

Sylvia Holland was the first registered female architect in British Columbia. After her husband died, she took her two children and moved to Los Angeles where she worked for Universal Studios and later MGM as a background artist. Walt Disney hired her as one of his first women animators. See the full story in Sensational… Continue reading Sylvia Holland (1900-1974)

Last month Coastal Boats Near Sidney sold for $1.14 million, propelling E.J. Hughes into an exclusive group of 12 Canadian artists who have sold paintings for more than a million dollars. I love his work and thought he had always lived on Vancouver Island, so I was interested in his Vancouver connection. Edward John Hughes… Continue reading E.J. Hughes

Fred Thornton Hollingsworth met Frank Lloyd Wright in 1951 and turned down a job to work with the legend. Instead the architect stayed in Canada and is responsible for the look of post war North Vancouver.

Most municipalities have a heritage inventory that includes houses built before 1940. Makes sense doesn’t it? When you think heritage you think old. But actually heritage can be 20 years old, and that can surprise a new home owner wanting to renovate or demolish who is suddenly hauled in front of a heritage commission.