Hitting the big time

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Local artist, Marianne Parsons has hit the top 40 – the top 40 Canadian fibre artists, that is.

She’s one of 40 individuals from across Canada invited to participate in “It’s Time For Colour”, a show and sale of small quilts organized by the Canadian Quilters Association (CQA) to raise funds for the Children’s Wish Foundation. From late fall until June, 2015, these quilts and note cards will tour Canada, with their final exhibition at CQA’s Quilt Canada in Lethbridge, AB, June 4-6, 2015.

Her donated quilt, ‘Apple Blossom Time’, shows how Marianne uses unexpected materials to create her artwork. Hand-painted used dryer sheets with their web-like structure become delicate new leaves. Net, painted cheesecloth and lining create a dappled background. Petals are burned from sheer synthetics with a candle and details are supplied with machine and hand embroidery.

For over 30 years, Marianne has been teaching fibre art techniques, both traditional and innovative. Her work features contemporary materials and techniques often borrowed from other mediums e.g. painting, metal work and printmaking. Along with rulers and rotary cutters in her studio, you will find everything from styrofoam, candles, wood burning tools, coffee bags, and sheer curtains to knitted metal and aluminum cans. Nothing is sacred. If it can be stitched, it is fair game.

Marianne’s quilts have travelled a great deal, representing Canada in Japan, New Zealand Europe, and the US in international shows. In 2013, she won one of the top Canadian art quilt awards for her piece, ‘Set in Stone’, depicting fossils and rocks.

She is one of many fibre artists who are members of the local Double O Quilters Guild that meets at the Oliver Community Hall from September to May each year. For more information on Marianne or the guild, call 250-498-2370.

Art show a shocker at Quail's Nest

norberto one“This is an excellent show! A real art statement! This show could hold its own in Toronto!” said RipOff Artist Enid Baker. “But I am not sure Oliver is ready for this”. The Artist “garcilazo” shows us the world through his eyes with powerful haunting paintings!

“Everybody suffers in the name of what, God, religion, money? Do we enjoy killing each other” he asks. “As the human race we are not evolving, but we sure know how to kill each other! We start young, we kill the souls of children with technology, as we separate them from nature”. If it bleeds it leads, is the media message we live in. Like a car wreck we slow down to see if we can see blood! We like violence! “garcilazo” proves this!

One painting that really hit me was a painting depicting the lynchings Billie Holiday sang about in the 50’s “Strange Fruit”.

Another the face is gone with just the yellow Jewish star on his shirt, Marion Boyd said “That is what happens when people hate groups of people, they don’t see an individuals face”.

This is a powerful art show! It is one to make us think. I know I am. And Oliver is ready for this! Open from 3-6 Friday and the Closing Reception 4 – 7 Saturday at the Quail’s Nest Arts Centre. Please come down and support the Artist “garcilazo”.

Photo and story Leza Macdonald. Press image for larger

Art show a shocker at Quail’s Nest

norberto one“This is an excellent show! A real art statement! This show could hold its own in Toronto!” said RipOff Artist Enid Baker. “But I am not sure Oliver is ready for this”. The Artist “garcilazo” shows us the world through his eyes with powerful haunting paintings!

“Everybody suffers in the name of what, God, religion, money? Do we enjoy killing each other” he asks. “As the human race we are not evolving, but we sure know how to kill each other! We start young, we kill the souls of children with technology, as we separate them from nature”. If it bleeds it leads, is the media message we live in. Like a car wreck we slow down to see if we can see blood! We like violence! “garcilazo” proves this!

One painting that really hit me was a painting depicting the lynchings Billie Holiday sang about in the 50’s “Strange Fruit”.

Another the face is gone with just the yellow Jewish star on his shirt, Marion Boyd said “That is what happens when people hate groups of people, they don’t see an individuals face”.

This is a powerful art show! It is one to make us think. I know I am. And Oliver is ready for this! Open from 3-6 Friday and the Closing Reception 4 – 7 Saturday at the Quail’s Nest Arts Centre. Please come down and support the Artist “garcilazo”.

Photo and story Leza Macdonald. Press image for larger

The wild life

steve

Oliver Art Gallery

 

Today’s wildlife paintings are a modern genre of the earliest paintings on
cave walls done by early man. Cave men mixed red and yellow ochre with fish
oil and painted their targeted food sources. Because they butchered these
animals they had a fair concept of the anatomy and looks of each animal.
Some of these paintings were naiive symbols, some realistic, and some
expressionistic and even bordering on abstract form.

Early painted portraits of kings, queens, aristocrats and even ordinary
people were often accompanied by animals that were their hunting dogs,
horses, foxes from the hunt, pheasants, grouse and deer that they shot. Most
of these were done in expressive realism and brought notoriety to the
persons who were depicted.

Lawrence of Arabia had his portrait done sitting on a camel. Exotic women
posed with lions and leopards.

Wildlife painting is so accepted and respected that there is a North
American Center for Wildlife Painting in Jacksonhole, Wyoming that is
visited by fans of this kind of painting from all over the world. Man’s
appreciation of his natural surroundings and the animals, fish and birds
within it make this a popular art form. A former Osoyoos resident, Fran
Jenkins, has had her large sculpted stone bears
exhibited here and for sale. The stone she used was mined locally in Kettle
River country.

Many artistic approaches are used to portray wildlife -in realism like
Robert Bateman, in impressionism like Eduard Degas’ horses or in abstract
form like Picasso’s animals.

At the Oliver Art Gallery we have a talented wildlife artist, Cameron
Ogilvie and also Bianca Craig. All of this Gallery’s artists have tried
their hand at wildlife paintings to exhibit in Sept. so please join us and
vote for your favorite!

The Gallery is pocated at 6046 Main Street, in Oliver and open Tuesday
Saturday from 11:00AM – 4PM. We have two new artists that have joined the
Oliver Art Gallery. Jan Crawford from Penticton and Mina Battagin from
Osoyoos.
Come and see their paintings and all the wildlife art during September.
Look forward to the October Theme. In October we will be featuring Figures
of the human form.

Art work by Steve Staresina

Created by Kurt

A Triumphant Dictator and His Supreme Commander

Kurt Hutterli, a 3-D artist who often works with found objects, recently submitted this entry into the “ReVision: the Art of Recycling 2014 Exhibition” and was accepted by the jury. The exhibition will take place on Granville Island in Vancouver from Friday September 5th to Sunday September 7th.

Kurt explains the title of his work: “My statement: ‘A Triumphant Dictator and his Supreme Commander’ are connected with all the bad and sad news about dictators oppressing their own people and attacking other nations.”

The two objects are part of his ongoing installation project “The Museum of Unknown Civilizations”. Kurt creates art on the border between fantasy and history. By assembling his artwork from found objects such as rusted tools, appliance parts, wood, old glass, metal and plastic fragments, the result resembles  an “artifact” that has been unearthed from some hitherto unknown society. Kurt then imagines what the fantastical creation may have been used for or represented within that civilization, and adds it to his collection as if it were some archaeological find.

Tick tick tick ….. FASS!

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submitted by Marion Trimble, FASS committee chair

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”.

APPLICATION deadline: Saturday August 31, 4 pm.

NOTE: This deadline is JUST for your entry form paperwork, NOT your artwork! You still have over a month to create your art! 

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. Admission into the Community Centre for the Art Show on both days is by donation in return for a chance on a prize draw.

A change to this year’s guidelines makes it possible for artists either to sell or only to display their entries. There are a few more changes to note in this year’s show.

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.  You can also request forms from olivercac @ gmail.com.

If you are an artist who finds inspiration in unexpected places and likes to represent the world creatively as you see it, then we want to see it, too. It’s time to awaken your imagination and share your talent with the world by revealing your “Dreams and Visions” in the Oliver Fall Art Show and Sale.

The faces and moods of Jazz Out West

JOW9Jazz Out West delighted a small but enthusiastic crowd on a rainy Thursday evening, August 21st,, the last of the Music in the Park concerts for 2014. Professional musicians all, the quartet put heart and soul into each number.

JOW11Iris Larratt’s expressive, husky vocals wrenched every emotion out of the lyrics, from the high-spirited “Boogy Woogy Bugle Boy” to the heart-wrenching “By the Time I Get to Phoenix”. She has a way of connecting with the audience like no one else. Jim Wyse kept the cool, steady focus on the ivories during the instrumentals. Bob Larratt’s spontaneous grin behind the stand-up bass let the audience know the groove was good. Bob Park’s backbeat on the drums let loose on occasion with some rollicking rhythmic solos.

Jazz is an exercise both in concentrated listening and in daring harmonies and rhythms. Take a look at some of the faces to see how in touch with the music and in tune with each other this quartet is.JOW7JOW4 JOW15

The Music in the Park committee would like to thank their sponsor, Valley First Credit Union, and their “Feed the Valley” program. Our partner, Oliver Parks and Recreation, is greatly appreciated for their programme support, personnel and financial aid. Kudos to all the musicians who put on a fantastic show every week. AND a big THANK YOU to our generous and enthusiastic audiences. Some of you came out to nearly every performance, rain or shine. YOU know we have the best darned music right here in the South Okanagan!

Have suggestions for next year’s musical lineup? Recommendations on how to deliver the programme better? We’d love to hear from you. Email the arts council at olivercac @ gmail.com with your thoughts. JOW             JOW14

Recommended by a local artist

De Vine Arts De Vine Arts Showcase will have twelve Summerland artist displaying stained glass, oils, pastels, acrylics, watercolours, unique pottery, jewelry creations, and photography. These also can be purchased. Location: 13011 Lakeshore Drive S,  Summerland

Jazz Out West this evening

Jazz Out West - Aug 23 2012 004Jazz Out West

Thursday August 21, 2014

Concert: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Market and Food Vendor: 4:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Oliver Community Stage (band shell)

Admission by Donation

Bring a chair or blanket

This marks the last concert in the Music in the Park series. If you haven’t been to one this summer, this is your last opportunity! Sultry smooth vocals by Juno-nominated singer, Iris Larratt, and cool instrumentation by the three lads. A perennial favourite.

Great sound, great stage, shelter provided (tent) and tables for your picnic. Don’t forget some extra cash for the market and food vendor.

Can you fit inside the door?

LiveMusicFriday Night Live at Medici’s is getting HUGE. Host Marcel Morneau is starting to hav trouble getting all the performers on in one night. Two weeks ago Elyssa and Spencer blew the room away with their cabaret style violin/guitar performance.. We have some great local performers and a growing throng of open mic regulars. We crank up the music shortly after 7:00. Come join Rollie, Joe 5-0, Mathew, Sasha ,Saradaye, Evelyn and sink into some music and fun.

Bring your instrument, bring the music inside you and come be part of the nights sounds. We are licensed. We have beer, wine, coffees with a kick and our usual great appie platters and sweet treats. Friday Aug 22nd at 7:00 PM. 522 Fairview Road. 250-498-2228. Cover at the door? No chance!!

Four great ladies of song = Quartette

Quartett 1

The four great ladies of Canadian music Caitlin Hanford, Gwen Swick, Cindy Church and the amazing Sylvia Tyson played to a packed house at Medici’s Gelateria & Coffee House in Oliver last Saturday night.

Quartette, as they are known, delivered soulful, rich and pure harmonies to an audience that could not get enough. The venue, so intimate and acoustically superb, gave their fans an auditory glimpse into the heart of some of the best performers our country has to off’er. The evening was perfect.Sylvia TysonSylvia Tyson & Cindy Church 1

Rising Stars shine brightly for audience

Kayla Dawn 2“Rising Stars”, the next-to-last Music in the Park concert of the season, was perhaps the concert packing the biggest surprise of the summer. Young singer-songwriters Kayla Dawn Turnbull, Matthew Thomas, and Kansas Lee Hatherly set the audience on its ear on Thursday night — literally as well as figuratively. Belying their youth, each performer showed maturity in their song writing, confident musicianship, and powerful vocals. All three have received awards and other commendations for their musical talents, have produced CDs, and aim to make music their profession. The small audience was well-rewarded for coming out in spite of the threat of rain. The skies cleared, the sun shone, and the music sparkled like stars.

Kayla Dawn (top photo) opened the concert with a mix of covers and her own compositions. “Tallest Tree”, played on ukelele, described Kayla’s personal happy place high above ground. The optimistic piece was a smile from beginning to end. “Into the Wild”, inspired by the novel and film of the same name, reminded the audience that escape from civilization is not the answer: relationships are.  Perhaps the song that most struck a chord with the crowd was “Worthy”, a tribute to a mentor.  Kayla’s brand new CD “Never Give Up” is available through Amazon. Matthew 4

Matthew Thomas, a local music teacher and award-winning pianist, accompanied himself on guitar (middle photo). His self-deprecating humour soon had the audience laughing. First sharing that his highschool education had been completed at home, Thomas launched into “Homeschooled through Highschool”, an hilarious commentary on the social drawbacks of his education. Each verse described his most awkward moments trying to fit in with his more social peers, including teen fashion, dating, and slang. Songs from his three CDs can be purchased on iTunes and CD Baby.

Kansas Lee (bottom photo) wowed the audience with her incredible vocal range. Reminiscent of a young Joni Mitchell, the 21-year old appeared completely entranced in her own music, notes soaring high effortlessly before dropping to a husky alto. Baby boomers in the audience resonated with her interpretations of “Chelsea Hotel” by Leonard Cohen and “The Weight”  by The Band. But her own compositions, putting her range to best use, most impressed the crowd. “The Wrong Place”, set in an Oliver pub, is a reflection on life in a small town, and how the wrong place may just be the right place to find out who you are. And guaranteed, no one will ever forget Kansas Lee’s evocative imitation of an owl — you had to be there to experience it.  Her songs can be heard on SoundCloud.

Kansas Lee 5Thursday August 21 is the last concert of the Music in the Park season. 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Relax to the smooth ballads of Jazz Out West, featuring Iris Larratt on vocals and backed up by three cool cats: Jim Wyse on piano, Bob Larratt on stand-up bass, and Bob Park on drums. It is sure to be an elegant finish to a great musical season!