Alex Mentes

Alex Mentes was born 1959, in Calgary, Alberta. He graduated from The Alberta College of Art in 1985 with a major in Printmaking and a minor in Drawing. He moved to B. C. where he lived in Kitwanga for 11 years and fell in love with super- natural British Columbia’s beautiful scenery and landscape. For the past seven years he has enjoyed living in Kelowna.

He is a member of the Kelowna Sculptor Network Society where he is the secretary. Presently he is one of six Artists working out of the “Sculptures in Progress Gallery” which is in the Rotary Centre For The Arts.

He has shown and sold his art in Hazelton B.C., Calgary, New Orleans, and in 2004, had a piece of work in the Kelowna Art Gallery in the show- “Looking Back,” Reflections of the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire. In 2006 was in the Kelowna Art Gallery members show. Some of his Photos were published in the book “Okanagan Mountain Park Fire: a Time of Unity.”

In 2005 Alex showed his art work in The Art Gallery : Unique, located in Naramata B.C.

Alex took part in the “Connecting Links Project” at the Kelowna Memorial Arena plaza on Ellis Street. He was one of twelve sculptors from the Kelowna Sculptors Network Society participating in the project. The project started May 5, 2005 and finished in August. This was a project where the Artists sculpted outdoors in the view of the public where they could interact with the Artists.

His interests are family, nature, art, photography, computer graphics, sculpture, carving,
drawing and fishing.

ARTIST STATEMENT:

I mostly like to work with conceptual ideas and symbolism. Some of my influences are
Emily Carr, Albert Durer, M. C. Escher. Nature has had a profound influence on my art work. I believe that all nature is created by design, therefore there has to be a Designer.