Arts and Entertainment
Maggiolly Arts hosts Marlene Madole for two day of classes in August
August 6, 2026 · 0 Comments
By Constance Scrafield
The Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (CSPWC) is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Forty years ago, in 1985, the Royal Collection Trust was established together with curators to increase the representation of Canadian watercolour painters in the Royal Collection.
Canadian Marlene Madole is “over the moon” that her fresh fruit watercolour painting has been chosen as a gift to King Charles III through the Royal Collection Trust for private display with the Royal Collection Trust. This is to complete a process begun 40 years ago, in 1985, to increase the representation of Canadian watercolour painters in the Royal Collection.
Madole has been a life member and twice president of the CSPWC.
His Majesty King Charles III is an accomplished watercolour painter and has long been an Honourary Member of CSPWC.
Madole’s chosen painting is a watercolour titled “Shadowscape II, Grapes,” a part of her First Fruits series of studio works based on the fruit grown on a family farm in Vernon, B.C.
The painting was selected as the final part of a highly competitive and international juried process conducted by the CSPWC, together with curators of the Royal Collection Trust.
Twenty-five of eighty-six paintings from artists across Canada were chosen, and of those, Madole’s painting has been sent as the final installment to the Royal Collection Trust in Windsor Castle, England, joining the original paintings deposited for the society’s 60th Anniversary in 1985.
Although Madole’s base is in Glen Williams, she is one of the many fine artists who have come to Maggiolly’s Art from far and wide to conduct classes, and many are promised to return in the future.
The range of subjects in the way of creating art on a palette or other surface, the broad spectrum of style choices and the inclination to host classes for all ages as well, speak to the owners’ love of the subject of teaching art.
Much more than an arts supply store, Maggiolly, owned by Carl and Emily, has set its sights on being a premier centre for interesting approaches to art, attracting celebrity artists who come to teach and serving as something of a community centre.
Madole’s status in the world of art,, with her painting now lodged in the collection of fine works at Windsor Castle, is a tribute to the philosophy fr excellence being promoted at this local shop.
A half-page watercolour, part of Madole’s artist statement, explains, “Shadowscape II, Grapes is from the First Fruit Series, watercolours of colourful ripe larger-than-life fruit, fruit still growing in the landscape. Each painting is a close-up of a specific vine or tree, in a single Okanagan Valley orchard owned by my family over 90 years.”
Madole has maintained a studio space at The Williams Mill in Glen Williams for over 30 years, exhibiting internationally and teaching at leading institutions such as The McMichael Canadian Art Collection, the Royal Ontario Museum, and The Varley Gallery.
The significance of Madole’s painting being part of the Royal Collection is part of what puts Canada on the world map of artists producing not only fine work but also innovative, fresh, and determinedly produced by hand without the involvement of technology.
And Maggiolly on Broadway is its own part of that.
Classes with Madole at Maggiolly are coming up as a special on Aug. 11 and 18.
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