Bill Brownridge Painting Hockey - Media Release

First Toronto show for artist Bill Brownridge - “The Mocassin Goalie” - opens April 6 at Mayberry Fine Art in Yorkville

Artist’s colourful hockey paintings prized by NHL players and coaches, hockey purists.

The Exhibition

Bill Brownridge – Painting Hockey

When: April 6-19 

Where: Mayberry Fine Art (110 Yorkville Ave.) in Toronto

What: 15 medium- and large-size acrylic paintings priced from $3,000 to $12,000

BIO - BILL BROWNRIDGE

• Born in Rosetown, Sask., in 1932, artist and author Bill Brownridge has enjoyed a life-long love affair with hockey.

• Born with spina bifida, Brownridge was unable to wear skates, but that didn’t stop him from playing the game he loved.

• As a child, he played goal wearing moccasins and became known as “The Moccasin Goalie,” which was subsequently the title of the first, best-selling children’s book he wrote and illustrated in 1995. Two other books followed – The Final Game and Victory at Paradise Hill. The three combined sold over 80,000 copies. (The three books will be available for purchase at Mayberry Fine Art during the show.)

• Many of Brownridge’s expressive paintings depict hockey in simpler, more innocent times – games of shinny on neighbourhood rinks and on frozen ponds. His works celebrate life and childhood, and rekindle memories.

• Not being able to run and play like other children, the budding artist often used his leisure time to study human movement, to observe the light and colour of the world around him. He began to draw and paint, eventually studying art at college. After a long career as a graphic designer in the advertising world, Brownridge turned to his art full-time in 1995.

• Professional hockey has also been a part of his life. His brother Bob played in the AHL for a time and won the Allen Cup (1946) with the Calgary Stampeders.

• Brownridge designed the first Calgary Flames jersey.

• In 1981 at the request of the Calgary Olympic bid committee, he produced a series of serigraphs depicting various Olympic sports. His art was used in print and film as part of the successful Olympic bid and later hung in Canada Olympic Park.

• Theo Fleury, Darryl Sutter, Al McGinnis and Doug Risebrough are among the NHL stars who have purchased his work, as have coaches Dave King, Harry Sinden and Glenn Sather.

• Most recently, Hockey Canada commissioned Brownridge to paint a commemorative piece for the 2012 World Juniors in Calgary as a gift for VIPs. A print was also presented to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

• Brownridge now lives on Salt Spring Island, B.C. Read more about his story on his Heart of Hockey website.

My dream has always been to lace on a pair of skates. I have watched with envy on a sunny, windy winter day as skaters glide across the ice effortlessly, as if pushed by the wind. I will always yearn to join them. -- Bill Brownridge

Brownridge on his Favourite Teams and Players:

Having lived in Calgary, I'm a Flames fan. I also like Vancouver in the west and Toronto. In my youth, there were only six teams in the NHL and Toronto was my favorite team. I greatly admire Sidney Crosby, Pavel Datsyuk and Jarome Iginla. Any player whose focus is skill, consistency,and fair play.

 About Mayberry Fine Art

Mayberry Fine Art, with 40 years of experience in the art business, opened its new galleries in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District in 2002 and in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood in 2010. The gallery represents a broad range of historical Canadian works and prominent contemporary artists from across Canada. To learn more, visit www.mayberryfineart.com