Local artist Jackie Versfelt has just completed a painting of a photograph of the fire that destroyed the former Mussallem Motors building in downtown Maple Ridge this past fall.
Following a fire Nov. 10, demolition crews moved in and tore down the building at the corner of Lougheed Highway and 223rd Street at the end of March.
Former Maple Ridge mayor Solomon Mussallem founded the business in 1919, when it was named Haney Garage Ltd. on 224th Street, south of Lougheed Highway. The business made its last move to its location on Lougheed and 223rd Street in 1947.
Versfelt used a picture of the fire, taken by local photographer Aaron Land, and created a 2x3’ painting.
For the last several years, AK Designer Home Improvements, a local business owned by Alan Utting and Karen Ackimnko, had occupied the Mussallem building.
“Jackie has been painting for eight years and is an active member of The Federation of Canadian Artists and a member of our local Garibaldi Art Club. She was voted one of Maple Ridge’s favourite artists in 2017, and has recently completed this exceptional work of art, which she has titled, ‘Mussallem Motors – The End of an Era, 1947-2017,’” said Sherry Scott, who’s promoting the painting.
Versfelt is one of approximately 25 local artists who have their original works of art for sale at Expressions Art Gallery in Valley Fair Mall.