Zappacosta at Medici’s

Alfie Zappacosta is undeniably one of Canada’s premier songwriters and performers, with a string of chart-topping hits and a recording and acting career that has spanned 40 years. Medici’s is both honoured and proud to present Alfie Zappacosta in concert on Thursday, February 2nd at 7:30 PM. 

Zappacosta has a polished live concert performance that exposes his sophisticated, intimate and intense personality. His performances deliver a blend of acoustic, jazz and pop music, and of course the hits that originally brought Zappacosta to the world’s attention. You will hear them performed the way they were originally written and meant to be heard.

He penned and sang “Overload” exclusively for the multi-platinum soundtrack “Dirty Dancing”. Loverboy recorded Zappacosta’s “That’s Where The Money Goes” for their Wildside album. In 1988, he was awarded Juno awards for “Album of The Year’ and “Most Promising Artist”, an American Music Award for “Most Popular Album of The Year” and named the Canadian Publishers Music Association’s “Best Rock Star. He also starred in musicals by Andrew Lloyd Webber, as Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar and Che Guevara in Evita.

With a massive catalogue of songs in many genres, Zappacosta’s true art is in his words and his god-given voice. Zappacosta is a gifted artist and performer extraordinaire.

It’s a treat when an artist of this calibre comes by. Do not miss this!!!

Tickets are $25 in advance and seating is assigned. Some tickets have already sold, so don’t leave it too late.

We are at 522 Fairview Road in Oliver, phone 250-498-2228.

15723361_846837978752003_5737476552261389159_o

Screaming success

ripoffs 2016Here is a photo of the RipOff artists with their creations just after the bell rang on Saturday signalling the end of this year’s challenge.

Although the iconic painting, “The Scream” by Edvard Munch is considered a depressing picture, the RipOffs did their best to liven it up.   Each of the nine artists added an element from the previous nine years challenges: perhaps a dancing girl from Toulouse Lautrec, a cypress by Vincent van Gogh, or a tulip by Geoorgia O’Keeffe. In addition, the current challenge was to add an anachronism – often a reason for the “scream”. For example, a number of artists chose some form of industrialization or climate change in the background as their anachronism. Guest artist, Bethany Handfield with her encaustic talent was a delightful addition.

To celebrate the group’s 10th anniversary, a grand opening reception was held in “big blue”.  Guests were surrounded by previous year’s RipOff challenge pieces.  Shown together the impressive display gave kudos to the merits of the RipOff’s artistic achievements.

The artists wish to thank the Oliver Community Arts Council  for their support in mounting this year’s special anniversary challenge.

Who knows what the group will conjure up for next year.  Perhaps something acknowledging Canada’s 150th birthday….any suggestions?

Downsize in our direction

article-new_ehow_images_a07_bu_ng_sell-antique-china-800x800Start digging through your drawers and basements!

The Fall Art Show and Sale (FASS) committee is looking for some gently used but still classy items for the silent auction table at this event October 5-6.  The silent auction portion of the show and sale is vital for running the event in the black. It also attracts visitors to the event  — and repeat visitors, and visitors who linger at that!

To start you thinking, how about some of these suggestions: a glossy coffee table book, a basket of preserves, attractive candle holders, collectibles,  a set of kitchen utensils, table linens, a pretty vase, decorative items for the living room, or a gift you received but have never found a use for. Collectibles can range from porcelain figurines to retro toys to tools from “pioneer“ days.

For businesses interested in donating, gift certificates are  a great idea that bring people back to your door.

Please make sure your items are clean, show few if any signs of wear, and are in working order. We cannot accept large items too heavy for one person to lift. Remember, most items will need to sit on a table for display.

To donate, email OliverCAC at gmail.com or phone the committee at 250 498-3679.

Rockies documentary features Oliver artwork

Flyer Documentary, 2013, 3

The artwork of Oliver painter – and Swiss native —  Kurt Hutterli will be featured on the cover of a new DVD release, “Swiss Guides in the Canadian Rockies: Beyond Adventure”, a documentary produced by the Consulate General of Switzerland in Vancouver as part of the Swiss 100 Canada project. This year, Swiss 100 Canada celebrates 100 years of official relations between Switzerland and Western Canada.  The documentary, directed by  Josias Tschanz,  features interviews with mountaineering experts against a backdrop of stunning Canadian alpine scenery as they reflect on the impact Swiss mountaineers had on opening up the backcountry of the Canadian Rockies.

Swiss alpine guides had accompanied English mountaineers in the Rockies during the 1800s, but it wasn’t until a fatal climbing accident on Mount Lefroy in 1896 that the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) hotels hired Swiss guides to work for the mountain parks. Between 1899 and 1954 Swiss alpinists led hundreds of first ascents and taught safe climbing techniques to thousands of climbers. They also laid some of the most beautiful mountain trails, most notably the stone pathways in the Lake O’Hara region of Yoho National Park. Arguably, their skills training, and enthusiasm, helped to create the current cultural appreciation of the Canadian Rockies, together with a desire to preserve this remarkable landscape.

Kurt Hutterli

Kurt Hutterli (pictured at left) explains how he was personally contacted to help with this Swiss 100 Canada project:

“A while ago I got a phone call from the Consul General of Switzerland in Vancouver, Urs Strausak. He told me about the projects planned for the Centennial Celebrations of the diplomatic relations between Switzerland and British  Columbia. One of the projects was a documentary about the Swiss guides in the Canadian Rockies by director Josias Tschanz (Counting Ants Productions) and produced by the Swiss government through the Consulate General of Switzerland in Vancouver. Urs Strausak asked me for ideas for the cover of the DVD. I sent him a copy of my RipOff Artists painting from 2010. All the people involved in the production of the movie liked it and it was decided to use the painting also for the flyers and the posters.”

Feuz on Saddleback Mt

Hutterli’s painting (above at top) was originally created as part of the 2010 challenge by Oliver’s RipOff Artists to recreate the iconic work by Group of Seven artist Lawren Harris, “Mount Lefroy”. Kurt’s contribution to the multimedia event was a whimisical interpretation that blended two famous works: Harris’ Mount Lefroy painting (below), and a black and white photograph of Swiss alpinist Eduard Feuz Jr  guiding an unidentified visitor up Saddleback Mountain in the Lake Louise region near Mount Lefroy (at left).

Lawren-Harris-Mount-Lefroy-500x500

Hutterli’s work often blends reality and fantasy. True to form, Kurt let his
imagination run wild in naming the “unidentified visitor” clutching Feuz’s hand in the photograph. He titled his piece “Ed Feuz Jr Guiding Emily Carr at Mount Lefroy”, giving a teasing doff of the cap to another BC artist! Hutterli delights in blurring the lines between legend and history in his art, whether working in oils or three-dimensional installations. Hutterli further describes this particular piece as “a contribution to BC mythology”.

The trailer for “Swiss Guides in the Canadian Rockies: Beyond Adventure” can be viewed here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=00ndBrrgCmw

More about Swiss100Canada is here: www.Swiss100Canada.com 

The premiere screening of the documentary is on Sunday June 23 at 5:30 at the Banff Centre, Margaret Greenham Theatre. No word yet on the release of the DVD to the public, but Kurt will keep you posted!

Friday June 21: Due to the heavy rain and flooding, and out of respect for those affected in Southern Alberta, the Consulate General of Switzerland in Vancouver has cancelled the Premiere Screening that was to be held in Banff this Sunday, June 23rd, 2013. The documentary Swiss Guides in the Canadian Rockies – Beyond Adventure will be screened at a later to be determined date.

Logo CH-CA-LikeMinded_RBW

Canada's own Jean Valjean performs in Oliver

Burgess 1

Forget Les Miserables at the movie theatre. Nothing compares to hearing Mr Les Miz in person! Canada’s premier musical tenor, Michael Burgess, is slated to perform on Saturday August 3, at 7 pm at the Oliver Bandshell, brought to you by the Oliver Community Arts Council.  Really? Truly? Yes.

A small number of early-bird tickets will be sold to generate  funds necessary to cover upfront expenses. They are already selling like hotcakes, so contact the arts council to reserve yours fast. They will be sold for the unbelievably (non-refundable) low price of $20 each, a steal when Burgess commands tickets for three to five times that price.

Regular advance tickets, at $25 apiece,  will be sold at local vendors once the first 100 early birds are gone. Ticket price at the door will be $35. Stay tuned for the announcement of vendors in Oliver, Osoyoos, and Penticton,

Early bird tickets can be purchased  from committee members Bernice Myllyniemi, Penelope Johnson, Mary Fry and Stephanie Salsnek. Contact olivercac @ gmail.com and include in your request the number of tickets and preferred payment. Credit card payment can also be received directly by calling Paw Prints Studio and Gallery at 250.498-4732

A popular singer, tenor, and actor,  Michael Burgess was born in Saskatchewan but raised in Toronto. He made his professional debut in The Fantasticks (Edmonton 1968), but came to national prominence as Jean Valjean in the long-running original Canadian staging of Les Misérables (1989-92). Later, he was Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha (Edmonton 1992, Toronto 1993), and appeared in the musicals Ten Lost Years, Blood Brothers, The Fantasticks, and Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. He created the role of Victor Frankenstein in the world premiere of Frankenstein . . . Do You Dream (Hamilton, 1 Nov 2003), and of Sound Man in Brian Finley’s Rapunzel (Westben Arts Festival, 10 Jun 2005).

Although without extensive opera training, Burgess sang his first opera role in 1974 (La Bohème, at Toronto’s Dell Cabaret Theatre), and has sung for Dallas Civic Opera, Western Opera Theatre, San Francisco Opera, and Virginia Opera. As Captain Corcoran, he performed in HMS Pinafore for the Stratford Festival in 1981. He was tenor soloist in Messiah with the Bach Elgar Choir (1996), and MacHeath in The Beggar’s Opera for Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre (1995).

Perenially popular among show-tune aficionados for his solo pop concerts and soulful yet virile demeanour, Burgess has toured extensively in Canada (often accompanied by Doug Riley), and has performed with the Vancouver, Edmonton and Winnipeg symphony orchestras and the Calgary Philharmonic. His signature song is “Bring Him Home” from Les Misérables made doubly famous beyond the theatre world when Kurt Browning used his version to perform in the 1990 World Figure Skating Championships.

He is also known in Canada for his frequent vocal performances of national anthems. Hockey fans are sure to have heard his heartfelt renditions that blow the roof off the stadium. Burgess was also the first individual to sing “O Canada” at the baseball World Series, in Atlanta in 1992

The Vancouver Sun praised Burgess’s “intense performance” as Jean Valjean: “Burgess is exquisitely moving when he sings the show’s one beautiful song, ‘Bring Him Home’ . . . .” (26 Jul 1990). Maclean’s said, “Burgess is an affecting Valjean: a solid masculine presence whose soaring spirit is captured by a pulsing tenor” (27 Mar 1989). Burgess holds the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal. and recently was presented with the Order of Ontario.

Burgess performed last summer in Penticton, with 3000 in attendance. Tickets to another concert scheduled for this summer have already sold out — within days,, and at much higher prices. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear the glorious tenor which is … Michael Burgess.

Canada’s own Jean Valjean performs in Oliver

Burgess 1

Forget Les Miserables at the movie theatre. Nothing compares to hearing Mr Les Miz in person! Canada’s premier musical tenor, Michael Burgess, is slated to perform on Saturday August 3, at 7 pm at the Oliver Bandshell, brought to you by the Oliver Community Arts Council.  Really? Truly? Yes.

A small number of early-bird tickets will be sold to generate  funds necessary to cover upfront expenses. They are already selling like hotcakes, so contact the arts council to reserve yours fast. They will be sold for the unbelievably (non-refundable) low price of $20 each, a steal when Burgess commands tickets for three to five times that price.

Regular advance tickets, at $25 apiece,  will be sold at local vendors once the first 100 early birds are gone. Ticket price at the door will be $35. Stay tuned for the announcement of vendors in Oliver, Osoyoos, and Penticton,

Early bird tickets can be purchased  from committee members Bernice Myllyniemi, Penelope Johnson, Mary Fry and Stephanie Salsnek. Contact olivercac @ gmail.com and include in your request the number of tickets and preferred payment. Credit card payment can also be received directly by calling Paw Prints Studio and Gallery at 250.498-4732

A popular singer, tenor, and actor,  Michael Burgess was born in Saskatchewan but raised in Toronto. He made his professional debut in The Fantasticks (Edmonton 1968), but came to national prominence as Jean Valjean in the long-running original Canadian staging of Les Misérables (1989-92). Later, he was Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha (Edmonton 1992, Toronto 1993), and appeared in the musicals Ten Lost Years, Blood Brothers, The Fantasticks, and Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. He created the role of Victor Frankenstein in the world premiere of Frankenstein . . . Do You Dream (Hamilton, 1 Nov 2003), and of Sound Man in Brian Finley’s Rapunzel (Westben Arts Festival, 10 Jun 2005).

Although without extensive opera training, Burgess sang his first opera role in 1974 (La Bohème, at Toronto’s Dell Cabaret Theatre), and has sung for Dallas Civic Opera, Western Opera Theatre, San Francisco Opera, and Virginia Opera. As Captain Corcoran, he performed in HMS Pinafore for the Stratford Festival in 1981. He was tenor soloist in Messiah with the Bach Elgar Choir (1996), and MacHeath in The Beggar’s Opera for Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre (1995).

Perenially popular among show-tune aficionados for his solo pop concerts and soulful yet virile demeanour, Burgess has toured extensively in Canada (often accompanied by Doug Riley), and has performed with the Vancouver, Edmonton and Winnipeg symphony orchestras and the Calgary Philharmonic. His signature song is “Bring Him Home” from Les Misérables made doubly famous beyond the theatre world when Kurt Browning used his version to perform in the 1990 World Figure Skating Championships.

He is also known in Canada for his frequent vocal performances of national anthems. Hockey fans are sure to have heard his heartfelt renditions that blow the roof off the stadium. Burgess was also the first individual to sing “O Canada” at the baseball World Series, in Atlanta in 1992

The Vancouver Sun praised Burgess’s “intense performance” as Jean Valjean: “Burgess is exquisitely moving when he sings the show’s one beautiful song, ‘Bring Him Home’ . . . .” (26 Jul 1990). Maclean’s said, “Burgess is an affecting Valjean: a solid masculine presence whose soaring spirit is captured by a pulsing tenor” (27 Mar 1989). Burgess holds the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal. and recently was presented with the Order of Ontario.

Burgess performed last summer in Penticton, with 3000 in attendance. Tickets to another concert scheduled for this summer have already sold out — within days,, and at much higher prices. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear the glorious tenor which is … Michael Burgess.

Collection of short stories stirs many emotions

IMG_1023Author Gail Prior recently entertained members of the arts council with a short reading from her collection of short stories and poems, The Cap, during the April Arts Jam! gathering of the OCAC membership. Earlier, she marketed her book at the Spring Arts Faire. Didn’t pick up a copy? It’s not too late!

Gail’s early retirement from a career in social work opened the doors to hone her writing gift.

She moved from the coast to the sunny Okanagan and began to write seriously. She was encouraged by joining the Penticton Writers and Publishers group, as well the River Writers in Arizona. Previously she produced a weekly vegetarian cooking column for a small newspaper in the Gulf Islands.  Her stories and poems have appeared in a variety of publications. The Cap is self-published.

thecap

Gail divides her living and writing time between Oliver, B.C., Little Bear Lake, Saskatchewan and Bullhead City, Arizona.

Copies of The Cap can be ordered directly via her email gaileyprior @ gmail.com for a special price for OCAC members  of $10. Not an arts council member? You can still get one at the regular price. Here are some of her readers’ comments, from the A2Z Books website:

Loved Gail’s book, The Cap. We can all identify with the characters who experience love and loss in life. Quick read and definitely left me wanting more!

Beautiful cover and photos. I related easily to feelings in stories. The Cap story made me cry.

Gail’s stories take us into the minds and emotions of her characters. Most of us can relate to stories about love and loss; it can be loss of a parent, or parents, or a lover~ we can empathize.

Makes a great little gift for Mom – and not just on Mother’s Day!

Something looks different, you say?

Today we are launching a new theme for the arts council’s website. We’re still the same blog with the same url (address), using the same WordPress publishing platform, and all the same content, just an updated layout. Here are some things you might notice:

* improved readability : larger text, cleaner background, and more noticeable menu headings

* changeable banner image. It’s so easy now! We can regularly feature new artwork, highlight current projects and events, pop in our quail logo, or surprise you with a photo  Feel free to contribute something for the banner!

* Comments! Click on the new Comments “bubble” that pops up beside each article heading and turns green when you roll your cursor over it. Why not leave a comment on this article telling us what you think.

Patience! The layout is still being tweaked. Let us know what’s working for you and what isn’t.

Thank you to Jack Bennest (Oliver Daily News) for local guidance on switching to the new design, and to our web host The Friendly Computer Guy for backing us up to make sure we didn’t lose the whole site in the process!

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.

Cull your book shelves now for good cause

FOTOL

These Friends Of The Oliver Library (FOTOL) are definitely nuts about books! They are hard at work sorting books in preparation for the

15th Annual Summer Book Sale

Saturday, July 6th

9:00a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Oliver Regional Library parking lot

Proceeds go to the Library’s Summer Reading Club for Children. Additional book donations are welcomed and can be left at the Library now. Many thanks!

Photo Credit:  Heather Frank