"WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" ~ #29 ~ VICTOR McQUADE

 

Next up in my; "Where Are They Now?" series is Prairie alum, pianist and recording artist, Victor McQuade.

Victor started his career at age 10 when his pragmatic Mennonite mother started him playing in church on a weekly basis. That naturally lead him to PBI for the music program and the wonderful experiences with Men of Song and the quartet. While at Prairie he was privileged to study under Kathleen Dearing.

After graduation, VIctor started the music program at Institut Biblique Bethel in Sherbrooke. QC. During his time there, he edited and published a French hymnal that was used in most of the Evangelical churches in Quebec as well as in other places around the francophone world.

Victor carried on the tradition of touring with a vocal ensemble for the Bible school. All of his experience touring for Prairie served him well. At the same time, he was music director in a local Baptist church.

In Victor's words, "Some of the best years of my music career were the last couple of years at PBI when I was with the Men of Song and Men of Song Quartet."

Victor then went on to work for Word Music as a sales rep in Ontario. During that time he recorded an album of solo piano for easy listening and meditation for the French market in Quebec. Key Impressions 1 went so well that he recorded volume 2 and 3 as well as Peaceful Praise and a Christmas album.

Victor currently participates in music in his local church as well as doing some composing and musical arrangements for other musicians. He often get requests for his music but now most of the time he just gives it away.

Victor and his wife have 3 children and one grandchild and live in Ontario, Canada.

"WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" ~ #28 ~ BIKA (Paul Steinhauer)

Next up in my; "Where Are They Now" series is Prairie alum and former staff member who in the art community is known as Bika.

The artist’s name, BIKA, was given to Paul Steinhauer as a boy growing up in the Caribbean island of Haiti. It means “aggie” the shooter in the game marbles. Because Paul’s head when shaved for rainy season always gleamed brighter than those of his boyhood friends, he earned the nickname, “marble head or shooter head”. In 1990 when Bika returned to Haiti after the tragic loss of his only child and daughter in a car accident, his brother suggested that he paint as therapy for healing from grief.

A graphic designer for 25 years, Bika turned to fine art in order to celebrate the beautiful life and legacy left by his sixteen year old who loved art and dancing. Since 1990 Bika has enlarged his prolific genres, becoming an acclaimed Canadian Caribbean artist.

I have known Paul since the early eighties where he spent countless hours at our kitchen table churning out articles and copy on our old typewriter late into the night and sometimes the wee hours of the morning. I also spent many hours with him in the art department helping with the layout on the Overcomer and Young Pilot.

In addition to Paul being able to beat me in a 100 yard foot race, he designed the logo for my very first, "real" recording studio ~ Suite Sound Studios. I am also honoured to own one of Bika's original paintings.

Paul lives in California where he is still active as an artist.

"WHERE ARE THEY NOW" ~ #27 ~ GERRY THOMPSON

Continuing on in my little series, "Where Are They Now", today I am featuring Gerry Thompson. Former alum and staff member at Prairie College, Gerry is an award winning artist whose works are found all over the world. She has been featured in books, magazines and gallery shows. Gerry was good friends with both my Mom and my mother in law and when Catherine Kirk Rendall and I were married she gifted us with a lovely print of some prairie elevators. I am not an art critic but in my opinion Gerry's treatment of water, glass and porcelain is 2nd to none. Many times you will think you are looking at a photograph. 

(Note: many of the folks I will be featuring are of the artsy variety . . . musicians, authors, painters, etc. as that is my interest and what I follow. If you can offer support by liking them on social media, purchasing some of their products and spreading the word, I am sure that would be much appreciated!)  

Check out Gerry's website below . . . www.gerrythompson.ca

"WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" #26 ~ J. DOUGLAS THOMPSON

Next up in my, "Where Are They Now?" series is former staff kid, photographer, graphics designer and painter, J. Douglas Thompson.

Although Doug is a "little" older than me, our families have some strong connections going back many years. Doug's father, John served at Prairie College in marketing and development and was a man of considerable art talent himself. This gene has passed on to his children. My Dad worked with John and has often told me that he was, "way ahead of his time" in his ideas for branding, advertising and marketing. My father in law, Doug Kirk, produced a radio program with John back in the day and found him a delight to work with.

Back to Doug . . . Doug's use of light in his paintings and specifically his skies is absolutely stunning! Many of Doug's paintings incorporate the themes of storms and of solitary trees battling the winds against incredible odds. This is in part a reflection of Doug's own life and journey and the fact that there have been more than a few dark days, trauma and trials that have been dealt his way.

Doug also has a blog entitled: Reflections of a Wandering Artist.

From Doug's blog: "Reflections of a Wandering Artist are musings of a struggling wayfarer who has slipped, sipped and swallowed at the rim of life's light, dark storms, and misty shadows. Beauty and brokenness, daily fare of all earths fellow pilgrims draws him to consider that light demands darkness to truly sparkle. These thoughts are primarily for the encouragement and kind cajoling of fellow strugglers, that hope and joy are found in silence, solitude, and surrendered thankfulness at our Creator's lap, Abba."

Hot off the press is Doug's brand new coffee table book entitled: "Radiance Through The Rain" of which I am proud to say I have a signed copy and value it greatly.

If you are ever in the Prince Edward County region of Ontario, be sure and stop in and visit Doug and his gallery.

Check out the website of Artist: J. Douglas Thompson and explore some of his paintings and photography: jdthompson.net

"WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" - #25 - KELVIN SAWATZKY

 

Next up in my, "Where Are They Now?" series is former staff kid and PHS alum, Kelvin Sawatzky. Sawatzky is a Saskatchewan born landscape and portrait artist who has been painting full-time since 1975.

He first began visiting and painting the Fort McMurray area in 1978; along with his wife Marjorie and their two sons, Jackson and Sawyer, the region has been their full-time home since 1985.

Sawatzky works mostly in oils and many of his canvases feature the lakes, the rivers, and the forests of the region. His work has been exhibited in numerous individual and group shows and is represented in collections, both private and public, throughout the world.

In addition to operating his studio/gallery, Sawatzky also conducts private art classes. Currently his paintings can be seen at his studio at the River City Centre. Kelvin also has a gallery in Edmonton.

A WORKMAN IS WORTHY OF HIS HIRE . . . Coming soon . . .

 

A labourer is worthy of his hire, that someone should be properly recompensed for effort. The saying, first used by Chaucer, is recorded from the late 14th century, and is originally of biblical origin (Luke 10:7)

"WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" #24 ~ HELEN PARK

 

Next up in my, "Where Are They Now" series is songwriter and PCA alum, Helen Park. 

Helen Park is a South Korean-born composer based in New York City. She is a 2018 Lucille Lortel Award Winner and the recipient of the 2018 Richard Rodgers Award. Best known for her score on the musical KPOP, Park was nominated for Best Original Score at the Tony Awards, as well as three Drama Desk Awards.

Park was born in Busan, South Korea, and moved to Canada in her third year of middle school to attend PCA. She attended New York University where she received her MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from the Tisch School of the Arts. Park is also an alumna of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop.

Park is a composer-lyricist, music producer and orchestrator for the Broadway musical KPOP. She is also a songwriter for Over the Moon, a Netflixmusical animated feature film directed by Glen Keane, which was released on October 23, 2020.

(courtesy of Wikipedia)