A New Chapter at Portico Design Group Begins!

We at Portico Design Group are incredibly excited to announce a change in ownership as our Founder, Tara Wells, steps down to fully and completely enjoy her retirement. Natalia Kwasnicki and Heili Geelhoed, formerly known as Associate and Office Manager , will now be taking on the roles of Partner, Design and Partner, Operations as the new co-owners of Portico.

 

To all our clients, co-consultants, and colleagues, we want to assure you that it’s business as usual  and we want to thank you so much for your support over the last 25 years. We look forward to another wonderful 25 together in this new chapter!

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Restructuring and Long Term Growth

Portico Restructure - Blog

RESTRUCTURE OPTIMIZES PORTICO’S LONG TERM GROWTH

Portico Design Group announces today a restructuring of operations that will optimize business for the long term. Lynn Clarke, one of two principals of Portico Design, is now in charge of day-to-day company operations while co-principal and company founder, Tara Wells, is spearheading Portico’s re-launch into the United States.

“For our B.C. clients, it’s business as usual,” says Clarke. “They will continue to receive the best design solutions from our award winning team of interior designers.”

Before the recession that began in 2007-2008, Portico was active in a number of U.S. states, providing interior design services to the hospitality industry in Florida, Colorado, California and Nevada.

“As we all know, the resort and hotel development industry was hit extremely hard by the world-wide recession,” says Wells. “Now as the U.S economy is gaining strength, that industry is starting to rebound. With our previous experience in the U.S., we see an opportunity to get back into that market.”

In addition to managing daily operations, Clarke will continue to work with clients to facilitate outstanding design and oversee staff and projects. Wells will continue to have involvement in local projects, but will steadily move her focus to U.S. opportunities.

“One of the advantages for local developers,” says Clarke “is that we will be stronger and more dynamic.”

Portico Design Group, founded in 1992, provides full interior design services for clients in Canada and the United States. Clients include residential and commercial real estate developers, resort operators and private home owners

Lynn Clarke
lclarke@porticodesign.com

Tara Wells
twells@porticodesign.com

www.porticodesign.com

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and that’s a wrap for our food drive this year!

IMAG0130_111 boxes full of food for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. Thank you so much to everyone who helped us out this year. It’s going to be great delivering all of this to the food bank.

Happy Holidays to You and Yours, from Us and Ours!

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Congratulations Kulpreet!

Kulpreet Anant has truly earned the new title of “Associate” at Portico Design Group.   We welcome her to the management team.

Kulpreet has worked in both the Architectural and Interior Design fields.   In her 16 year career, she has designed interiors for luxury yachts, resorts, hotels, high rise towers and low rise multi family.

We are proud of Kulpreet’s achievements, dedication and great out of the box design.   Kulpreet holds a Bachelor of Architecture, R.I.D and is LEED AP.

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What are you doing this Canada Day

Why not spend some time Canada Day long weekend, exploring the many local art galleries we have in this great city showcasing some amazing Canadian talent and content. Whether you are looking for something playful and cheeky, or contemplative and informative, there is definitely something in store for you.

Hot Art Wet City Gallery and Shop– 2206 Main St., Vancouver

Great White North – A group art show tribute to 80’s Canadiana

Wednesday, June 19th – Saturday, July 13th

Bob and Doug McKenzie, SCTV, Bryan Adams, Degrassi, hockey without helmets, The Hanson Brothers, CBC, Mr. Dressup, David Suzuki, Corey Hart, The Beachcombers, Expo 86…do any of these ring a nostalgic bell to you? Then check out Hot Art Wet City for their 80’s Canadian pop-culture inspired show “Great White North”. Artists include Andrea Hooge, ARGH!!, Chris Bentzen, Brent Clowater, David Stein, DEDOS, Edaward Juan, Norma Jean Harvey, Exploding Haggis, Sharon Piekarski, Shary Contrary, Sheri Alexander and Alice Vogelaar. It’ll be a dooser, eh!

 

Monte Clark Gallery– #105-525 Great Northern Way, Vancouver

Tim Gardner

Thursday, June 13th – Saturday, July 13th

Gardner was born in Iowa city, but grew up in Canada and has called British Columbia home for most of his life. World renowned for his hyper-realistic portraits and landscapes done in watercolor or pastel, his latest showcase at Monte Clark combines these two major themes into one and the connection between the two. He presents to us landscapes with small figures surrounded by vast nature, and conversely, portraits as snapshots of the life of his subject and uses the landscape as more of a backdrop to provide us more information about the subject’s identity. While drawing from classical trends, Gardner gives as a more contemporary narrative with his ‘middle class’ subject matter and Canadian landscapes.

Tim Gardner, Roy with Red Cup, 2012, pastel on paper

The Contemporary Art Gallery – 555 Nelson Street, Vancouver

Itee Pootoogook – Buildings and Land

Friday, June 28th – Sunday, August 25th

This is the first solo exhibit in a public institution by Canadian artist Itee Pootoogook, hailing from Cape Droset, Nunavut. Pootoogook belongs to a group of young Inuit artists who are taking the traditions and skills taught to them by their parents and grandparents and reshaping them for a new contemporary audience. In his large graphite works, he shows us a glimpse into the everyday life of those living in the North. Not the traditional themes of igloos and fur-clad hunters, but of recognizable contemporary elements like TV, snowmobiles and soft drinks. Focusing on northern architecture and landscapes, Pootoogook has broken out of expectations and, instead of providing us with ‘Native Art’, has given us Contemporary art that is a reflection of his own life.

Itee Pootoogook, Bright Sunny Day, 2011, coloured pencil on paper

Gam Gallery –  110 East Hastings Street, Vancouver

Wastelands: Natasha Broad, Alex M.F. Quicho and Daniel Marcus Tatterton

Friday, June 7th – Friday, July 5th

This group show both playfully and seriously studies the dichotomy that is our own backyard: a cosmopolitan city perched just inches from a great wilderness. They look at the danger, fear and fascination that lie behind our contemporary relationship to nature and how disjunctive a place it is where the wild things and recreational Vancouverites attempt to co-exist. A mixed media show showcasing the works or 3 different artists all hailing from Vancouver.

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