Manzanita's Judi Forster featured at new gallery

‘OCAC business member Judi Forster (of Manzanita Muse Studio) has a showing of masks and paintings at a new gallery in Penticton:

Poster2

Front Street Gallery Artists invite you to a Guest Artist opening celebration at 60 Front Street, Penticton.

Jodi Forster

October 18-31, 2013 

Opening Reception: Oct 18,    5 – 7pm

“For the past 20 years my art work has reflected my sensitive relationship with the physical and spiritual landscape of the Pacific Coast Rim. Recently moved to the Okanagan Valley, I look forward to the inspiration of this completely new landscape. Working intuitively with an array of mediums I enjoy the process of discovery whether exploring the rhythm of color in my watercolours and acrylics, or the sweep of sculptural form in wood and natural materials. I have frequently won awards for my carved masks, which are in collections throughout North America.”

Until December the gallery will be open Monday to Saturday from 10-4pm and will be open Sundays October 6 and 13.

Carol Avedon-Savage ~ Danny Johnson ~ Lynne Marand ~ Julie-Ann Miller ~ John Salsnek ~ Sharon Snow

60 Front Street , Penticton,BC, V2A 1H1 ~ ph 778-476-0016 ~ FrontStreetGalleryPenticton.com

Manzanita’s Judi Forster featured at new gallery

‘OCAC business member Judi Forster (of Manzanita Muse Studio) has a showing of masks and paintings at a new gallery in Penticton:

Poster2

Front Street Gallery Artists invite you to a Guest Artist opening celebration at 60 Front Street, Penticton.

Jodi Forster

October 18-31, 2013 

Opening Reception: Oct 18,    5 – 7pm

“For the past 20 years my art work has reflected my sensitive relationship with the physical and spiritual landscape of the Pacific Coast Rim. Recently moved to the Okanagan Valley, I look forward to the inspiration of this completely new landscape. Working intuitively with an array of mediums I enjoy the process of discovery whether exploring the rhythm of color in my watercolours and acrylics, or the sweep of sculptural form in wood and natural materials. I have frequently won awards for my carved masks, which are in collections throughout North America.”

Until December the gallery will be open Monday to Saturday from 10-4pm and will be open Sundays October 6 and 13.

Carol Avedon-Savage ~ Danny Johnson ~ Lynne Marand ~ Julie-Ann Miller ~ John Salsnek ~ Sharon Snow

60 Front Street , Penticton,BC, V2A 1H1 ~ ph 778-476-0016 ~ FrontStreetGalleryPenticton.com

See Staresina in September

Country Roadby Michael Jorden, B.Sc., M.B.A.

In March 2010, I received a phone call from Steve Staresina, an Oliver painter who I had known as one of the Oliver artists associated with the Quails Nest Arts Center. Steve had a vision that, because of the closure of an established commercial gallery on Oliver’s Main Street, an opportunity had arisen to create a new commercial gallery dedicated exclusively to local artists from the south Okanagan. He was determined to make sure Oliver continued to have a community art gallery. The Oliver Art Gallery – well into its third year – exists because of his vision. No dreams however – no matter how noble – are brought about without effort. A few hundred hours of ‘sweat equity’ were invested in bringing about this vision – by Steve in particular and his intrepid assistants including yours truly. In April 2010 the Oliver Art Gallery opened its doors with six members. Today it is a registered artists Co-operative with twenty one members and running like a well oiled machine.

This month, Steve is the featured artist at the Oliver Art Gallery. His choice of medium is oil and acrylic and his subject matter is the landscapes and people of western Canada. As a child living in Croatia, Steve was influenced by Roko Stokic, a wheelchair bound artist with whom he spent countless hours sketching hands, feet, faces and figures of friends and neighbours. He stood out among his peers and had his first art gallery show at the age of seven. He has had a varied career in business and the construction industry but has devoted himself to painting full time only since retirement. He is a participating member of a number of arts organizations including the Oliver Community Arts Council, Oliver Sagebrushers and the Oliver Art Gallery Artists Co-operative.

Steve’s work will dominate the gallery during September. Come and view his art Tuesday through Saturdays between 11:00AM and 4:00PM at 6046 Main Street in Oliver.

The Oliver Art Gallery is also presenting Art Classes for the fall. Come in and register for drawing classes, painting classes, pastels and more.

Your entries needed for Fall Art Show and Sale

FASS 2013 Poster - Rev

The time has come to reveal your original masterpiece. The Oliver Community Arts Council ask you to enter in any one of 8 categories and have your art displayed in the 30th annual Fall Art Show and Sale. If you haven’t already created your Rembrandt or Picasso, or perhaps your Michelangelo, there’s still time to unleash your originality and fill in an entry form. Download one here:   FASS 2013 Entry Form

The deadline, Friday, September 13th, is fast approaching.  This year’s show is Saturday, October 5th and Sunday, October 6th. Saturday is free and open to all visitors from 3 -9. You receive a ballot and are asked to vote your favourites in each category. That evening the votes are tallied and winners awarded prizes during the opening reception from 7 – 9 pm. Sunday’s admission is only through a Festival of the Grape ticket. Come by and see the display of brilliant local creativity in the community centre, while taking a break from the Festival on the centre’s grounds.

This year we are honoured to have 2 wonderful featured artists. Glenn Clark of Penticton, known by his hockey team mural on the Elks Club wall and his beautifully painted landscapes of the Okanagan. As well, we’re delighted to showcase our own quilting magician, Marianne Parsons. Her artistic quilts have achieved high honours and this year she was recognized at the highest level with a win at the National Quilt Show.

As you look around at the artwork, take your time to view the The Desert Sage Spinners and Weavers display of their “cottages” on the floor and The “Ripoff Artists” annual challenge of “Kandinsky” on the stage.

All the artwork entered in the show is for sale. An ideal chance to purchase that piece of artwork you’ve been looking for. You’ll also want to take a look at the silent auction offerings. All sorts of enticing deals to tempt you. Separate auction items are placed for your bid each day. You’re sure to find something special to take home.

If you’re downsizing or saving something to give away, Please think of us. We’ll be glad to accept your good used, new, items of interest for the silent auction. Email, “attention Bernice” or “Silent Auction” or “FASS” to OliverCAC @ gmail.com   We’ll make arrangements to pick up.

Download entry form for Fall Art Show and Sale

ken-hale-fass

The Fall Art Show and Sale (FASS) is always the arts council’s biggest event, and this year we’re celebrating our 35th anniversary!  In honour of that milestone, and to encourage the absolute best work, the arts council has announced the theme this year is “Artist’s Choice” .

Works across all visual media are welcome: Photography, Fibre Arts, Three-Dimensional (sculpture, metalwork, jewelry, woodcarving, basketry, etc),  Oils, Acrylics, Watercolours, Other Media (mixed media, encaustic, pen and ink, charcoal, etc) , and Emerging Artists (under 18 years of age).  Up to two (2) works may be submitted per artist. The public judges and awards prizes in each category, and also selects Best in Show. All works must be for sale.  Please read the entry form for details about readying your work for competition.

The annual competition, exhibit and sale will be on Saturday October 5 and Sunday October 6 this year. As usual, it is held in conjunction with Oliver’s Festival of the Grape at the Oliver Community Centre.

The deadline for  registration is Friday September 13 at 4 p.m.  Please note: artwork is not submitted until the morning of October 5, so  artists have an extra three weeks to complete a work in progress.

Download your entry form by clicking on this link: FASS 2013 Entry Form Print double- sided.

Horse logger and painter displays stunning work in May

Mowing with the Bay Team 2010[1]submitted by Steve Staresina, Oliver Art Gallery

Here we are, with the passing of April and the completion of BC Arts and Culture week. Well, the Oliver Art Gallery is proud to push on with the theme by announcing its new Feature Artist for the month of May.

Rod Gould, Horse Logger/Painter will be displaying his many works on our feature walls, from April 30, to May 28th.

Rod, an avid outdoors man, has spent most of his life hunting, fishing, farming and logging with his horses on his 1500 acre wilderness ranch. While he had painted and followed his love of art all along, lately he is finding himself out in the weather slapping paint on canvas more and more.

His paintings are his attempt in expressing his appreciation, of the life he has had the privilege of living and to pay tribute to some of the good and honest horses he has worked with. His paintings speak, of the sparkle of first light on a mountain river, or times past when horses broke the ground and skidded the logs.

Rod occasionally works in watercolour, but mainly he paints in oil. It is the chosen medium of his artistic heroes, like Tom Thomson, Carl Rungius and N.C. Wyeth. He spends a lot of his time painting outdoors, or creating plein air sketches that later become a large studio painting.

Mendicino 2010The Oliver Art Gallery is privileged to have Rod Gould as one of its 20 artists, displaying a variety of mediums and styles from realism to abstract, for the pleasure of all comers. Ceramics and jewelry have also been added as extra variety for a diversity of choice to shoppers.

There is also ongoing art classes offered at the gallery:

Pencil Drawing

Sunday Mornings, – 9:00 – 11:00AM.

Six weeks, starting Sunday May 5, through to June 9th.

Cost; $ 60.00

Artist teacher, – Steve Staresina

Every artist needs to be able to draw before they can paint. Learn the basic drawing techniques, for landscapes, animals and the human body.

Painting – Acrylics for Beginners

Monday Evenings – 6:30 – 9:00PM

Six weeks, Starting Monday, May 6 through June 10.

Cost; $ 60.00

Artist teacher – Steve Staresina

This will be a teaching Class for beginners. You will learn about the supplies, products and techniques. If you wondered if you had it in you to become a painter, this is where you will find out. A list of supplies will be available upon registration.

Portrait Drawing with Pastels

Monday Mornings – 9:00 – 11:30

Two weeks, starting May 13 and 20th.

Cost; $45.00

Artist teacher – Sharon Leonard

This will be a two session lesson, where you will be able to draw a portrait of your choice. Bring your own photograph to work from. (Picture should be clear and show all features, like the eyes).

Drop in to view, Rod Gould’s Art, and the many other beautiful pieces on display.

Oliver Art Gallery

6046 Main Street, Oliver BC

Fall Art Show and Sale is FASS-t approaching

This popular annual event is on Saturday October 1 – Sunday October 2 at the Oliver Community Centre, in conjunction with the Festival of the Grape. See poster for details.

View many interpretations of the “Outside the Box” theme in eight artistic categories: photography,  fibre arts, 3 -D, oils, acrylics, watercolours, other media, and a category for young “emerging artists”.

Saturday is a great day to see the show for free,  from 3 – 9 p.m. View the artwork, vote for your favourites, purchase artwork, bid in the silent auction,  and tour fascinating non-competitive displays such as the RipOff Artists American Gothic and demonstrations. Visit the arts council information booth. In the evening, nibble at the reception, listen to live entertainment, and be present for the announcement of category winners and “Best Interpretation of the Theme” (our version of Best in Show).

The Sunday entrance is free only with your paid entrance to the Festival of the Grape. The exhibits and sale continue, as does the silent auction. Meet the artists. View the category winners and the  overall “Best in Show”. Did your favourites win?

Watch for cute little wine glass tags commemorating poster art from the last four art shows. They make great souvenirs as well as being handy to wear on your Festival of the Grape glass on Sunday. 

Bring your chequebook because, in addition to the great art, arts council memberships, souvenirs and gift items on sale, you will definitely want to enter the silent auction!

The silent auction is looking absolutely fantastic this year! The auction continues the “Outside the Box” theme. Bid on dozens of tempting hand-painted boxes laden with various themed goods.  Each box is filled with items such as “a night at the theatre”, “home preserves”, “vacation”, “outdoor living”, “games night”, “school days”, “kitchenware”, “gardening”, “coffee bar” , “tea for two” or “bath and beauty”, just to name a few.   Each filled box makes an attractive gift or keep it for yourself and display it at home.

Between now and the festival, watch for our travelling “Outside the Box” display! The 6-foot tall stack of boxes looks like the poster graphic.  Can you find it around town? Thank you to Beyond Bliss, Medici’s Gelateria, Interior Savings  Credit Union, Valley First Credit Union, and the Oliver Regional Library for hosting the box stack so far! Please patronize these community-minded  businesses and institutions!

Shhh! Artists busy at work… How about YOU?

We know there are many artists out there already working on their submissions to the Fall Art Show and Sale. How about YOU? There’s still time to send in your entry form! The deadline for the form is September 9, 2011.

The theme is “Outside the Box”, and can be interpreted literally or figuratively. There may be an actual box somewhere in your creation, or perhaps the “box” is more of a metaphorical construct. Maybe what you create reflects how you are thinking outside the normal parameters, or outside your usual medium or perspective. The theme is meant to celebrate what is quirky, inventive, freed from constraint, or just plain different! What’s outside YOUR box? 

For an entry form, visit Lauralee’s Treasure Cellar on Main Street or the Oliver Visitor Centre. Email OliverCAC @gmail.com to ask for a copy emailed to you or simply download the form here by clicking on the link. 2011 FASS Entry Form Print out on one sheet of 8x 11 using both sides of the page, and fold in half.

It’s also under “Forms” at the top of this screen.

The Fall Art Show and Sale is the arts council’s largest event of the year, visited by hundreds of locals and tourists. Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your artwork!

"Roadside Geology" at Heritage AGM

Have you ever looked around this great valley we live in and wonder just what it is you seeing? What forces came together to make McIntyre Bluff or Balancing Rock? How were the precious metals deposited here? What is it about the geology that makes this such a good wine growing area?

As the special presentation for our Annual General Member’s meeting this year, the Oliver and District Heritage Society is fortunate to welcome well-known geologist, author, and artist Dr. Murray Roed, who will answer some of these questions. The public is welcome.

Accompanying the presentation will be a display of Murray’s artwork. As a self-taught artist, Murray has put his love of geology to the fore within beautiful landscapes that adorn his books. Some of Roed’s artwork, capturing the backbones of the Okanagan Valley on canvas, is presented here. More about this wonderful artist can be found at his websites:

http://www.worldarttours.net/MARbiognew.html
http://geoscapes.ca/

Murray has a new book fresh off the presses called Okanagan Geology South: Geologic Highlights of the South Okanagan, British Columbia. This book describes the geologic development of the Valley clearly and concisely. It also provides maps for ‘roadside geology’. By following the maps and directions, you can take a self-guided tour of the major geologic features of the South Okanagan. This is a unique and well-appointed addition to the resources that aid in the understanding of the natural environment that surrounds us. Murray will be talking about the development and purpose of the book, introducing some of the unique geologic finds in our area. Murray will be signing copies of his book, which will be available at the AGM.

The local arts community will add to the exhibit with their own works on display. To round out the evening, there will be an opportunity to taste local wines.

All of this takes place on

Wednesday, May 18
 7 PM
Quail’s Nest Art Centre
34274 – 95th St.,  Oliver

We welcome everyone to come and enjoy this unique opportunity as we celebrate another year of development in the heritage of the Oliver area!

For further information, please call Lynn at the archives, 250-498-4027, or Darryl at the museum, 250-498-0490.

“Roadside Geology” at Heritage AGM

Have you ever looked around this great valley we live in and wonder just what it is you seeing? What forces came together to make McIntyre Bluff or Balancing Rock? How were the precious metals deposited here? What is it about the geology that makes this such a good wine growing area?

As the special presentation for our Annual General Member’s meeting this year, the Oliver and District Heritage Society is fortunate to welcome well-known geologist, author, and artist Dr. Murray Roed, who will answer some of these questions. The public is welcome.

Accompanying the presentation will be a display of Murray’s artwork. As a self-taught artist, Murray has put his love of geology to the fore within beautiful landscapes that adorn his books. Some of Roed’s artwork, capturing the backbones of the Okanagan Valley on canvas, is presented here. More about this wonderful artist can be found at his websites:

http://www.worldarttours.net/MARbiognew.html
http://geoscapes.ca/

Murray has a new book fresh off the presses called Okanagan Geology South: Geologic Highlights of the South Okanagan, British Columbia. This book describes the geologic development of the Valley clearly and concisely. It also provides maps for ‘roadside geology’. By following the maps and directions, you can take a self-guided tour of the major geologic features of the South Okanagan. This is a unique and well-appointed addition to the resources that aid in the understanding of the natural environment that surrounds us. Murray will be talking about the development and purpose of the book, introducing some of the unique geologic finds in our area. Murray will be signing copies of his book, which will be available at the AGM.

The local arts community will add to the exhibit with their own works on display. To round out the evening, there will be an opportunity to taste local wines.

All of this takes place on

Wednesday, May 18
 7 PM
Quail’s Nest Art Centre
34274 – 95th St.,  Oliver

We welcome everyone to come and enjoy this unique opportunity as we celebrate another year of development in the heritage of the Oliver area!

For further information, please call Lynn at the archives, 250-498-4027, or Darryl at the museum, 250-498-0490.

Leza Macdonald exhibit at the Quail's Nest

Locals will know Leza Macdonald’s work around Oliver: the south panel of the Kiwanis mural on Sawmill Road is her handiwork, as are some of the art panels brightening empty storefronts downtown.  Now Leza has her own show – and what a varied collection of artwork she has on display!  From vibrant acrylics to muted pen and inks, portraits to wildlife and wider scenes, there’s quite the selection to view … and purchase!

Meet Leza on Saturday April 9 from 1 – 4 p.m. at the Quail’s Nest or make an appointment to view throughout the month of April.

Leza Macdonald exhibit at the Quail’s Nest

Locals will know Leza Macdonald’s work around Oliver: the south panel of the Kiwanis mural on Sawmill Road is her handiwork, as are some of the art panels brightening empty storefronts downtown.  Now Leza has her own show – and what a varied collection of artwork she has on display!  From vibrant acrylics to muted pen and inks, portraits to wildlife and wider scenes, there’s quite the selection to view … and purchase!

Meet Leza on Saturday April 9 from 1 – 4 p.m. at the Quail’s Nest or make an appointment to view throughout the month of April.

Fibre Madness Challenge winds up

Local fibre artist Terry Irvine has completed a creative challenge: designing and creating one new work per day during the month of February. What a great way to beat the February blues!

Here is the second set of photos from her project. Scroll down the page to find the article  detailing the first installment.

“The seemingly dye resistant flowers accepted the colour when immersed in my acid dyes. Success!” says Terry.

Here is a whole bouquet of  acid dye flower brooches :

 

Terry completed two sets of hot pads wirth coasters, each in an animal paw design.  The first photo shows the blue and white set before the felting process. It was created using thick handspun and a store bought edging yarn after knitting. The next photo shows the set after felting.

 

The third shows the results of the second set.

  Terry comments on the process:  “The coasters didn’t felt that easily by hand so I gathered some other things that needed felting and put them all together in the washing machine. The next day the hot pad was ready for felting, but nothing else was. Interestingly enough, the machine felted coasters were thicker and fluffier than the hand felted hot pad, which was surprising and, if ya think about it, opposite how you’d want them for functionality.”

Irvine also tried her hand at felting a water bottle carrier. However, felting is a mysterious process that doesn’t always give you what you expect:

“This was already knitted [before the challenge started], but needed finishing, ends sewn in or twisted for design elements, a border added to finish the top edge and felting and was one of those items added to make a load in the washer worthwhile. Its purpose when knitted was to be a bottle carrier complete with handles.

As you can see, it is so not a bottle carrier, but a uniquely shaped vase!”

And here’s a bit of whimsy: “I wanted a container for tissues in the car that could be crushed and otherwise abused and still look good. The final project is smaller than it should be, but I was able to try out my handspun ‘eyelash’ yarn and really like the result. I coulda checked the washing machine sooner, but…….”

Terry also sent a photo showcasing the whole Fibre Madness collection, nicely arranged on a fallen log. Congratulations Terry!

Want to comment? Email olivercac@gmail.com and we’ll publish it or forward it to Terry per your request. Are you an OCAC member with a project of your own? Let us know!