The Oliver Community Arts Council welcomes submissions from all BC artists for the 31st annual Fall Art Show and Sale, held Saturday October 4 – Sunday October 5 at the Oliver Community Centre. Theme: “Dreams and Visions”. Competition awards winners across nine categories: watercolour, oil, acrylic, fibre art, 3-dimensional, photography, other media, and two categories for junior artists (by age group). Overall award for “Best Interpretation of the Theme”.  Entry deadline: Saturday August 30, 4 pm.

Artists may submit up to 2 pieces of artwork.  If you choose to sell your artwork during the show, all sales will be charged 30% commission.

Art delivery, competition, public voting, reception, and awards ceremony on Saturday October 4.  Continuing show and sales on Sunday October 5 with Oliver’s Festival of the Grape admission ticket.

Art pickup Sunday October 5 by 6 p.m.  Entry form, fee structure and submission guidelines available here:

FASS 2014 Entry Form

FASS 2014 Terms & Guidelines

or look under “Forms” on the black ribbon at the top of the page. Membership forms are there as well.

First off, forget everything you think you know about concert bands. They are definitely NOT just Sousa marches anymore! Case in point: the Penticton Concert Band.

The Penticton Concert Band, under the direction of Gerald Nadeau, will open Music in the Park with some fantastic tunes on Thursday June 26. Catch the show a little later than the usual time. The band is set to start between 6:45 and 7, and will play through for about 90 minutes of great music. (All other Music in the Park concerts will run 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.). Come to the Oliver Community Stage (band shell), 6359 Park Drive.

The band has been working hard on new repertoire which is sure to please. The audience will enjoy a variety of styles and tunes, including Irish music from Lord of the Dance, the Gladiator movie soundtrack, classic rock (The Beatles, Queen), and even some disco! Get ready to dance the night away, folks!

Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Admission is by donation (suggested minimum $5 per adult), collected during the concert. Don’t forget to come early for the lively retail market and food vendors, 4:30 – 8:30 Thursday evenings in Oliver Community Park from June 19 to August 21.

The Band is grateful for the ongoing support of sponsors, donors, arts organizations, and local media whose make it possible to continue to offer concerts. Sponsors are listed on the band’s website at www.pentictonconcertband.ca Dedicated band members come to practice in Penticton regularly from all around the Okanagan and Similkameen.

The Band is always interested in auditioning new members who can play at an intermediate to advanced level. If interested, you can contact the band via the website on the “Contact” page, or call Gerald Nadeau at 250-809-2087.

First off, forget everything you think you know about concert bands. They are definitely NOT just Sousa marches anymore! Case in point: the Penticton Concert Band.

The Penticton Concert Band, under the direction of Gerald Nadeau, will open Music in the Park with some fantastic tunes on Thursday June 26. Catch the show a little later than the usual time. The band is set to start between 6:45 and 7, and will play through for about 90 minutes of great music. (All other Music in the Park concerts will run 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.). Come to the Oliver Community Stage (band shell), 6359 Park Drive.

The band has been working hard on new repertoire which is sure to please. The audience will enjoy a variety of styles and tunes, including Irish music from Lord of the Dance, the Gladiator movie soundtrack, classic rock (The Beatles, Queen), and even some disco! Get ready to dance the night away, folks!

Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Admission is by donation (suggested minimum $5 per adult), collected during the concert. Don’t forget to come early for the lively retail market and food vendors, 4:30 – 8:30 Thursday evenings in Oliver Community Park from June 19 to August 21.

The Band is grateful for the ongoing support of sponsors, donors, arts organizations, and local media whose make it possible to continue to offer concerts. Sponsors are listed on the band’s website at www.pentictonconcertband.ca Dedicated band members come to practice in Penticton regularly from all around the Okanagan and Similkameen.

The Band is always interested in auditioning new members who can play at an intermediate to advanced level. If interested, you can contact the band via the website on the “Contact” page, or call Gerald Nadeau at 250-809-2087.

She sure gets around! Or at least her artwork does! Dianne Bersea is owner of Manzanita Muse Studio with Jodi Forster (click on their website listing at right). Her work can be viewed at Tumbleweed Gallery this week. See poster below for details.  She is also featured in the Fabriano Watercolour Invitational International Exhibition, Fabriano, Italy from June 12 – July 6, 2014 with her piece “Rock Fish Coast, 21 x 29”, watercolour (pictured) If you can’t make it to Italy, be sure to visit Tumbleweed Gallery to view her glowing colours.

Here’s what the Tumbleweed Gallery website says about Dianne’s work:

“Dianne works in a variety of media, including watercolor, acrylic, pen & ink, pencils, watercolor pencils and watercolor crayons. Dianne brings to all her work the knowledge and discipline of careers in graphic design; fine art; natural history illustration, and; exhibit design for Canada’s national parks. She is also an accomplished watercolor painter known for her bold colours and strong images that have been described by a viewer as providing a “magic window.”  

“As an artist I become part of the landscape, a silent witness to its mood and beauty. All my work is a direct response to the act of living, working, breathing my inspiration. I love spending hours in quiet communion with nature — drawing, watercolour sketching, becoming attuned to the smallest sound or movement. “Although I often take photographs as reference, I find that photography rarely captures what my eye and heart sees. Sometimes my best work is done from the simplest plein air sketches. These provide inspiration for studio explorations where I can bring rich colors, natural designs and imagination into play. There is always a fine balance between intuition and technical manipulation in the finished work.

”I’m enjoying this new-to-me Okanagan landscape, both spiritual and physical, natural and human-made. My work is evolving as I explore this Valley’s natural and built environment. I see my work becoming more focused on smaller scale images with a portrait approach to nature’s animate subjects, utilizing a variety of media with a warmer, more complex palette.”

Dianne has been a professional artist for more than 35 years with creative beginnings in the wild places of Canada’s western province — from a riverside log cabin to a lighthouse station on the blustery outer coast of Vancouver Island. Dianne currently lives on a ranch near Okanagan Falls. Dianne brings to all her work the knowledge and discipline of careers in graphic design; fine art; natural history illustration, and: exhibit design for Canada’s national parks. She is an accomplished watercolour & acrylic painter known for her strong images of coastal and interior landscapes, and the landscape’s precious inhabitants.

Local Chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists Exhibition

at

Shatford Centre/Okanagan School of the Arts

“Colour & Harmony” June 25 – July 30, 2014 The Artists of the South Okanagan-Similkameen are pleased to announce the opening of their latest exhibition. In collaboration with Shatford Centre, and timed to complement the activities of the summer music school running at Okanagan School of the Arts, the show will be in place from June 25 to July 30.

Located at Shatford Centre in Penticton, “Colour & Harmony” can be viewed Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Artisans, artists, and food vendors are encouraged to register their booth for Oliver’s Music / Art Market in the Park on any Thursday evenings from June 21 – September 4, 4:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Oliver Community Park. Come once, or come all summer. A joint collaboration of the Oliver Community Arts Council and Oliver Parks and Recreation. We want to grow this into the best sunset festival in the valley! Come grow the event with us! Register here: Oliver Art Market Vendor Form and return to the Oliver Parks and Recreation office.

We’re not the only art market out there, so here are a couple of ideas if you want to hit some other venues in the South Okanagan:

The Penticton and District Arts Council runs Art under the Trees on the 100 block of Main Street on Saturdays from 8:30 – 1 p.m. until the Labour Day weekend.  A comprehensive registration package is available here: Art Under the Trees Penticton Application  More info is available at Leir House:  250-492-7997 or  artisan220 @ hotmail.com.

On Saturday August 30, See Ya Later Ranch hosts the Dog Days of Summer event at the ranch in aid of the BCSPCA. They invite local artists and businesses to showcase their products and services in return for a $25 donation to the SPCA. The $25 donation is payable directly to the SPCA and in return you would be allocated tented space, table and chair. After August 1, the donation is $30, so book sooner rather than later!  See Ya Later promotes the event via websites, social media, print advertising and through the winery, and attracts an audience of approximately 200 – 300 people to this event. For more information, click here for a registration form: Dog Days at See Ya Later Ranch Registration Form

Sunsets on Thursdays — where will you be? The community park of course!

The arts council is gearing up for a great summer music festival. While Music in the Park has expanded to include food vendors, a four-hour arts market, and other activities, at its heart is still the music. Check out the lineup for every Thursday evening of the summer:

June 26: Penticton Concert Band: Repertoire includes the soundtrack of Gladiator, Irish music from Lord of the Dance, classic rock (Beatles, Queen), and even some disco! Who knows? Maybe a little big band jazz and classics, thrown in. You name it, they play it. And how!

July 3: Nankama Drum and Dance: With Bobby Bovenzi firing up the crowd, can you say “audience involvement”? You won’t be able to stop tapping along to these funky West African rhythms and moves. Drums for everyone!

July 10: Brickhouse: a special ticketed concert as part of the Oliver Sunshine Festival (an independent Oliver Parks and Recreation event)

July 17: Aidan Mayes and Mandy Cole: Sweet soulful harmonies from these stars of Soundstage Penticton’s Les Miz. Contestants in CBC Searchlight with a new CD in the works. Big voices, beautiful sound.

July 24: Steve Jones and the Patio Bandits: This classic rock’n’roll band keeps the oldies going with Eagles and Beatles covers, and mix it up with some originals. This is our FEED THE VALLEY Concert, sponsored by Valley First Credit Union. Along with your concert donation, please bring canned and dry goods for the Oliver Food Bank.

July 31: Diva Night: Hilary Drummond, Carol Sheridan, and Samantha Marsel are three lovely local ladies who definitely know how sweet it is to sing

August 7: Andi Zack and Ken Johnson are home on holiday from Nashville. Andi has a new tune on the country charts to share with you. Welcome home this small-town girl dun good!

August 14: Rising Stars Two emerging talents making names for themselves! Kansas Lee Hatherly, CBC Searchlight singer-songwriter from Osoyoos. Matthew Thomas of Oliver, plays keyboard and vocals.

August 21: Jazz Out West: Iris Larratt’s gorgeous, smooth vocals on all the big ballads and jazz standards. Each year is a different musical theme. Backed by handsome gents Jim Wyse, Bob Park, and Bob Larratt.

The action starts at 4:30 p.m. Come early for the art market and food vendors.Let the kids cool off in the public pool while you’re at it.  Bring a lawnchair or blanket for your picnic supper. At 6:30, sit back and enjoy the 90 minute concert. Don’t forget to make a donation! Then meander your way home past the market vendors, staying open until 8:30 p.m. It’s just another perfect sunset in Oliver!

Bookmarks coming soon! Pick yours up starting June 23 at the Tourist Information Centre at the historic CPR Station, or at every concert.

When the sun sinks in the west on Thursday evenings is the time Oliver’s musicians and artists are set to entertain all summer long.  A vibrant market and concert series at the Oliver Community Park is the result of a new collaboration between Oliver Parks and Recreation and the Oliver Community Arts Council.

Starting Thursday June 19, Oliver Parks and Recreation hosts a weekly artisan market in the community park from 4:30 – 8:30 p.m.  The festival kicks into high gear the following Thursday when Music in the Park moves from the historic CPR Station to the Community Stage bandshell for all its performances. The Penticton Concert Band opens the series on Thursday June 26, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

“There’s always a lot going on at Parks and Rec,” says manager Carol Sheridan, “But this event? This is the one I am really excited about. Our goal is to make this the best outdoor concert series and night market in the South Okanagan – a “must do” experience for residents and visitors alike.”

Sheridan is responsible for the food vendors and art market portion of the weekly festival. She is still accepting vendor applications and extends an invitation to those who wish to promote their art, artisan products, fresh produce, baked goods, preserves or merchandise. “To ensure a success, we’re making this really affordable for vendors.” Food vendors will be charged $30 per night and will be limited to three food vendors per market. Other market vendors will be charged $15 per market, or are encouraged to join the Oliver Arts Council to receive a discounted price of $10 per market. Information booths are welcome and are free, but still require an application.

“Together, we’re offering a complete entertainment package at sunset every Thursday in the park,” says Penelope Johnson, arts council president. The art market promises to be a creative place for locals and tourists to shop. Food vendors on site will encourage shoppers to linger until the 6:30 p.m. concert time, with supper picnicking in the park.  Children’s activities such as face painting, games, and arts and crafts will be available at most markets. Musical performances will span the genres from country to classic rock to jazz to indie and world beat. To wind down the evening, the market and food vendors will remain open an extra half hour to 8:30 p.m.

Music in the Park continues as admission by donation. The lineup includes the Penticton Concert Band, Nankama Drum and Dance, Aidan Hayes and Mandy Cole, Steve Jones and the Patio Bandits, Divas Night, Nashville singer Andi Zack, Rising Stars Night, and concludes with Jazz Out West on Thursday August 21. Oliver Parks and Recreation will host a couple of special ticketed concerts: Brickhouse on July 10 to kick off the Sunshine Festival weekend and a Mexican Fiesta to close out the season on September 4.

The joint planning committee is bursting with optimism about the new venture. “I was thinking about stepping back this year,” laughs one Music in the Park organizer, Sally Franks, “but this is just too exciting to miss!” Adds Johnson, “It’s a win-win for everyone: artists, musicians, Parks and Rec, the arts council … but most of all the audience.”

Market vendor applications are available on the Oliver Parks and Recreation website www.oliverrecreation.ca or by phoning 250-498-4985. More information about Music in the Park and arts council memberships is available from OliverCAC @ gmail.com

Special note: Also on Thursdays beginning June 19, the Oliver Country Market A-Fair starts the day off right with wholesome produce available in Lions Park from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm until late September.

Medici’s is proud and pleased as punch to give you a peek into our amazing Summer Music Series…as the great Janis once stated “ honey, we got the music”. We start Saturday June 21^st with A Night At The Opera when Opera Meets Broadway. This will be an amazing night of true vocal excellence as the beautifully trained voices of baritone Brandon Thornhill and soprano Taylor Pardell accompanied by concert pianist Glen Stevenson will fill the night air with Sinatra, Gershwin, Puccini, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more. The acoustics at Medici’ were made for this.

The 2^nd leg of our series is truly our summer classic. Kenny Shaw and Brian Temple on Saturday August 2. They’re still old, still funny and they still can really sing…and they are sooo back. They own the summer concert scene. Medici’s undisputed best sell-out show of the last two summer are back for another kick at your youthful, musical memories. These guys are a high-powered comedy duo aiming directly at the funny bone of baby boomer audiences. Both of these music veterans have been performing for decades and are celebrated entertainers in their home region of the Pacific Northwest. Their two are not only achingly funny, but they also deliver the goods with hot guitar licks and perfect harmonies.

The 3^rd leg…The Home Run ball…the legendary Sylvia Tyson and the ladies of Quartette will take to the stage Saturday August 16 with an intimate acoustic version of their tour program. Since their debut in 1993, the four members of Quartette have been both publicly and critically acclaimed for their lush harmonies and delightfully diverse repertoire. Cindy Church, Caitlin Hanford, Gwen Swick, and Sylvia Tyson are seasoned singer/songwriters whose influences range from blues and gospel to folk and country to jazz and pop. This will be the crown jewel of our Summer Series. Priced a bit higher than our usual ticket for a quality of performance though the roof! Opera…Comedy with sweet harmony…..and finally four Canadian icons of music….limited seating…maximum entertainment. Medici’s is at 522 Fairview Road in Oliver…250-498-2228

Medici’s is proud and pleased as punch to give you a peek into our amazing Summer Music Series…as the great Janis once stated “ honey, we got the music”. We start Saturday June 21^st with A Night At The Opera when Opera Meets Broadway. This will be an amazing night of true vocal excellence as the beautifully trained voices of baritone Brandon Thornhill and soprano Taylor Pardell accompanied by concert pianist Glen Stevenson will fill the night air with Sinatra, Gershwin, Puccini, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more. The acoustics at Medici’ were made for this.

The 2^nd leg of our series is truly our summer classic. Kenny Shaw and Brian Temple on Saturday August 2. They’re still old, still funny and they still can really sing…and they are sooo back. They own the summer concert scene. Medici’s undisputed best sell-out show of the last two summer are back for another kick at your youthful, musical memories. These guys are a high-powered comedy duo aiming directly at the funny bone of baby boomer audiences. Both of these music veterans have been performing for decades and are celebrated entertainers in their home region of the Pacific Northwest. Their two are not only achingly funny, but they also deliver the goods with hot guitar licks and perfect harmonies.

The 3^rd leg…The Home Run ball…the legendary Sylvia Tyson and the ladies of Quartette will take to the stage Saturday August 16 with an intimate acoustic version of their tour program. Since their debut in 1993, the four members of Quartette have been both publicly and critically acclaimed for their lush harmonies and delightfully diverse repertoire. Cindy Church, Caitlin Hanford, Gwen Swick, and Sylvia Tyson are seasoned singer/songwriters whose influences range from blues and gospel to folk and country to jazz and pop. This will be the crown jewel of our Summer Series. Priced a bit higher than our usual ticket for a quality of performance though the roof! Opera…Comedy with sweet harmony…..and finally four Canadian icons of music….limited seating…maximum entertainment. Medici’s is at 522 Fairview Road in Oliver…250-498-2228

A Night At The Opera……On Broadway!

Join us for a musical evening of Sinatra, Gershwin, Puccini, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more…  This will be an evening of truly incredible music of the highest calibre. Beautifully trained voices accompanied by a gifted concert pianist. 

Brandon Thornhill and Taylor Pardell have recently received their Masters in Music from UBC and have performed numerous concerts and operas over the past two years with the UBC Opera Ensemble, The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, The Okanagan Symphony, as well as National and International engagements. These two young artists are just now crossing the threshold into fabulous professional careers on the international music stage. Several years ago we brought the fabulous voice of Tony Caruso on the Medici stage. Brandon and Taylor come from and are both cut from the same mold of vocal training and excellence.

Concert pianist Glen Stevenson has toured extensively with numerous shows and performers. He has performed at many International Hotels and onboard many a Cruise Ship. We welcome back Glen who along with these two gifted young vocalists will deliver an exquisite and unforgettable evening of music and song.

Medici’s Gelateria and Coffee House at 522 Fairview Road in Oliver. 250-498-2228… Saturday June 21..Doors open at 6:30. Concert at 7:30. Tickets are $25 and available at Medici’s and Beyond Bliss in Oliver and Dolce’s in Osoyoos.

A Night At The Opera……On Broadway!

Join us for a musical evening of Sinatra, Gershwin, Puccini, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more…  This will be an evening of truly incredible music of the highest calibre. Beautifully trained voices accompanied by a gifted concert pianist. 

Brandon Thornhill and Taylor Pardell have recently received their Masters in Music from UBC and have performed numerous concerts and operas over the past two years with the UBC Opera Ensemble, The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, The Okanagan Symphony, as well as National and International engagements. These two young artists are just now crossing the threshold into fabulous professional careers on the international music stage. Several years ago we brought the fabulous voice of Tony Caruso on the Medici stage. Brandon and Taylor come from and are both cut from the same mold of vocal training and excellence.

Concert pianist Glen Stevenson has toured extensively with numerous shows and performers. He has performed at many International Hotels and onboard many a Cruise Ship. We welcome back Glen who along with these two gifted young vocalists will deliver an exquisite and unforgettable evening of music and song.

Medici’s Gelateria and Coffee House at 522 Fairview Road in Oliver. 250-498-2228… Saturday June 21..Doors open at 6:30. Concert at 7:30. Tickets are $25 and available at Medici’s and Beyond Bliss in Oliver and Dolce’s in Osoyoos.

The hilarious, wacky and unpredictable antics of the Little Sisters of Hoboken will be returning this fall when the South Okanagan Amateur Players (SOAP) present Dan Goggin’s musical Nunset Boulevard.

SOAP presented the original Nunsense musical in 1998. Nunset Boulevard is the sixth in the series, although each stands on its own in terms of plot. This time, the five singing nuns are heading to Tinseltown. They are thrilled at the prospect of performing at the Hollywood Bowl until they discover they are booked into the Hollywood Bowl-A-Rama, not the famous “Bowl!” But when they hear that a big-time producer is auditioning people for a new movie musical about the life of Dolores Hart, the famous movie star who became a nun, their spirits soar! Could this be their big break?

Veteran SOAP director Ray Turner, who directed the original Nunsense in 1998, returns to direct a brand new cast. SOSS music teacher Lisa Ante will be the musical director.

The production will run the last two weekends of November but auditions are being held now to allow the selected cast members to become familiar with their roles and songs.

The cast consists of:

Rev. Mother Mary Regina is an Irish nun — a Sophie Tucker type. She was born into a circus family of tightrope walkers and was a tightrope walker herself. She entered the convent honouring a promise she made to the Lord when she saved her parents from drowning. Vocally, she needs to be a belter. (i.e. a powerful voice)

Sister Mary Hubert is the Mistress of Novices. She was born in New Jersey and wanted to be a nun all her life. She is constantly getting Reverend Mother out of predicaments and feels she should really be Mother Superior. She is something like a Drill Instructor, claiming her methods are “gentle but firm”. She needs to be a strong singer as she does the big gospel finale.

Sister Robert Anne, a streetwise nun from Brooklyn, New York. She is tough as nails but has a sentimental side. The students love her because she “speaks their language” She spent part of her childhood in reform school and later had to decide between the convent and show business. With this show she might just be able to have it all. Vocally, she needs to have a wide range and be a strong belter with a good head voice for ballads.

Sister Mary Amnesia is an endearing nun, a Goldie Hawn-Gracie Allen type) who can’t remember who she is because a crucifix felon her head. She is constantly causing problems through her naïve take on life. She has a puppet named Sister Mary Annette who is very risqué. Vocally, she needs to be a legitimate soprano but with a workable belt range.

Sister Mary Leo is a dancer and wants to dedicate her life to God as the first nun ballerina. Reverend Mother insists on the traditional habit and will not let her wear a tutu. This is a course of endless frustration for her. She is young and has a lot to learn. She needs to be a good singer, leaning toward legit and less belting.

Auditions will be held on Monday, June 9 in the boardroom above the Osoyoos Art Gallery on Main Street in Osoyoos and on Wednesday, June 11 in the studio building of the Quail’s Nest Arts Centre in Oliver. Both begin at 7 pm. Those interested in auditioning are asked to be bring two selections to sing, one acapella and one accompanied. They will also be asked to do a reading from the play.

More information can be obtained by e-mailing soap @ telus.net or visiting www.soplayers.ca