The success of the Penticton Art Gallery’s 38th annual art auction has been spoiled with the disappearance of one of the paintings up for sale.
The Art Gallery is offering a reward and seeking the safe return of the landscape painting by Alberta artist Brent Laycock.
Gallery curator Paul Crawford was initially hoping the painting was taken by mistake.
“It’s been over a week now so I have to believe that something else happened. I certainly hope not, but it’s hard to believe otherwise at the moment,” Crawford said.
The piece was taken from the gallery on the night of June 27, at the conclusion of the Gallery’s annual art auction. The painting is 18 inches by 24 inches, acrylic on canvas board and signed on the lower right and reverse side.
It also has the artist’s old studio label taped to the middle of the canvas board on the reverse side of the painting with the following information printed on it:
Brent R. Laycock Studio, 2113 — 107 Avenue S.W., Calgary, ALberta, T2W 2X5, Telephone: (403)-281-3350. The painting also has remnants of a partial label from the West End Gallery in Edmonton on the reverse bottom portion of the painting.
“It really does suck. It puts a bit of a drag on what otherwise was a really successful evening for us,” Crawford said.
If found, return the painting to the Penticton Art Gallery at 199 Marina Way, or call 250-493-2928.