“Those Were the Days” is the theme chosen for the 27th annual Fall Art Show and Sale, October 2 and 3, 2010. The Oliver Community Arts Council has been planning this year’s event with inspiration drawn from the Oliver and District Heritage Society.
Museum director Darryl Mackenzie is thrilled about the collaboration between the two organizations on the art show. For him, art and history are a natural pairing: “It is important to reflect on our heritage from time to time. What are the sights, sounds and stories that we want to keep alive in our collective memory? How do we connect with the landscape? Are there special places that make us feel we are ‘home’?”
Artists are encouraged to begin creating their entries as soon as possible. The Oliver arts council intends the theme to be general enough to inspire the widest possible creativity. Some artists may take the opportunity to delve into local history by visiting the Oliver Heritage Museum and Archives or the regional library. But Mackenzie brainstorms a few other ideas: “When we use the theme ‘Those were the days’, we can let our imagination run wild. What days are we referring to? The 1880s? 1920s? How about something that happened last week that we will look fondly on in the future?” Besides the area’s pioneer history, an artist may be inspired by their own childhood, a favourite personal memory, or even a fanciful revisionist view of their favourite historical period.
The Fall Art Show and Sale accepts entries from all media including painting, photography, fibre arts, mixed media, and three-dimensional (which includes sculpture, leather work, pottery, woodwork, jewelry, metalwork, and other objets d’art). A special category, Emerging Artists, encourages submissions from youth 19 and under. Although the majority of artists reside in the South Okanagan, the show and sale is open to all artists across BC. Based on the number of entries, the Oliver Community Arts Council reserves the right to limit and jury submissions. Voting for winners, however, is entirely done by public ballot. All category winners and an overall Best in Show receive awards.
The Fall Art Show and Sale has been held in conjunction with the Festival of the Grape for several years. The two-day art show has grown to include live jazz music, a classy silent auction, refreshments, and exhibits of artists at work. The event attracts hundreds of visitors each year. This fall, the arts council anticipates an historical display from the Oliver and District Heritage Society will be a crowd pleaser in the non-competitive portion of the show. The silent auction will continue the same theme, with antique objects offered for bid.
Entry forms will be available at Handworks Gallery and on line at www.oliverartscouncil.org by the third week of April. Deadline for submissions will be the second week of September. For more information about the Fall Art Show and Sale, or for an emailed entry form, artists may contact olivercac@gmail.com.
The Sage Valley Voices present
OLIVER COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL
School students and working adults will appreciate a new set of fine art classes beginning this fall at the Quail’s Nest Arts Centre.
Cost: $50 / year ($25 in September, $25 in January) OR $5 / class
The first act, Sand Mountain Matchmaking, is a tender romance coupled with some bawdy humour. The second tale “Why the Lord Come to Sand Mountain” is a moral fable with some magical elements and a dose of slapstick comedy. The Lord and St Peter, disguised as travel-worn circuit preachers, visit Sand Mountain for a mysterious reason. Pictured at left are Darryl Mackenzie as St Peter, Patrick Turner as the Prosper Valley Farmer, and Paul Everest as The Lord.
Teenage cast member Wesley Frederick (pictured at left) shrugs into his baggy overalls. He plays the unusual character Fourteen Children, a role requiring the actor to represent all the siblings in one Appalachian family. Wesley’s last appearance with SOAP was as one of the von Trapp children in The Sound of Musi
Diane Gludovatz, assistant director, powers up the sound equipment and helps to fit cast members with their head mics. At the Tinhorn Creek Winery venue, voice amplification will be a necessity. “Can we run a level test, please?” she calls. Next, she points to the youngest cast member, eight year old Kaleb Mailey (pictured at left as Vester with Aimee Grice as Rebecca). “And Kaleb’s head set doesn’t fit properly. We’ll have to use a lavalier mic instead.”
