Spokane Artist’S Work Displayed In Deer Park

Thu., Sept. 2, 1999

By Kevin Blocker kevinb@spokesman.com

An artist who married a cattleman, despite being raised by a father who was a proponent of health food in the early 1900s, will have her work on display with two other artists this month at the Crawford Gallery in Deer Park.

The gallery is currently closed but will re-open Tuesday. It will open with a display titled, “A Quality of Light and Life” which will run Tuesday through Sept. 30.

A public reception for the artists will be held Sept. 9 from 5 to 7 p.m.

One of the artists featured is J. Vivian Pendell, 83. Her abstract works are inspired by natural ponds and wildlife outside the window of her home on the West Plains of Spokane.

Born in Pilot, Rock, Ore., and the third of seven children, most of Pendell’s life has been spent in the Spokane area.

She began attending art classes from Dean Maude Sutton at Spokane University at age 9.

Her father, Lloyd Stuart, was an early proponent of health food, even marketing a whole grain cereal - “Dynamite” - that failed.

Being more than slightly ahead of his time translated into mostly poverty for the family, Pendell said. She later married Claude Pendell, an auctioneer and cattleman from Spokane in 1932 and remained married until his death in 1991.

“Through hard times and good, raising a family of five children, I have continued to paint or be involved in art and the art community,” Pendell said.

Also featured are the ceramic works by Deer Park’s Sandy Beechinor and representational watercolors by Katherine Haynes, who draws her inspiration from the Kootenai Valley near Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

Beechinor, a student at Spokane Falls Community College, has studied drawing, watercolor, modern art history and ceramics.

As for Haynes, in 1978 she took the first of many workshops with internationally known watercolorist, Zoltan Szabo.

Her favorite subjects are landscapes, florals and outdoor closeups.

The Crawford Gallery is located in the Deer Park Community Center complex in the lower level of City Hall, 316 E. Crawford St. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

Exhibitor application guidelines may be obtained by calling the Deer Park Arts Commission at 276-8884.

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