Published...

Ok, another bragging & proud daughter moment...

I was at the newstand yesterday, when I remember that the newest issue of Cloth * Paper * Scissors was out, I was curious as a year ago they had a contest for designing minature mixed media homes which Randi had entered. I immediately opened up the magazine to find the home sweet home feature section, and noticed that after hundreds of entries they narrowed it down to 95 homes that they featured in a 7 page spread - and sure enough mom's house made the cut (page 79 bottom row 2nd one in).
(No surprise to anyone who knows mom, that even in her crafts her love of real estate is evident - as per the home sweet home.)

Congratulations!

Art Start: Fairy Wings Worshop

Perfect timing… Halloween being just around the corner and the Art Start weekend featured a “fairy wing” workshop. For those who haven’t seen the stunning wings around the island, at many events, the wings are hand crafted by a very talented young group of ladies on the island or participants of their workshops.

From start to finish Hayden & Genny, (wing creators extraordinaire), led the workshop with 12 eager participant of all ages. In three hours, the wire frames that sat at the tables to start were hand shaped, covered with nylons, vividly painted on & decorated with glue, flowers, and of course glitter. The results were amazing! Gabriola has 12 more sets of wings, thanks to the Arts Council & everyone for putting on this spectacular workshop.

More than just an address.

Make your house sign an art statement and you could win a prize ! The fun "Gabriola Sign Contest" event is being presented by the Gabriola Arts Council and will surely add some personality to the streets of Gabriola. This contest is open to all residents of Gabriola, register and find out more information at Artworks Cofee Bar. Categories: best individual residence address sign, best neighborhood of signs, best business sign and the best art studio sign. $15 application fee. Voting will take place at the Fall Fair on Saturday, Sept. 12th.
Let's see some art on the streets !

The Empty Bowl Project Part Two

On May 30th, we took the opportunity to drop into Sunstone pottery, on Gabriola to create our bowls for Hunger in support of People for a Healthy Community's Emergency Food Depot.

On walking into the pottery studio, we felt fortunate to have the talent if many exceptionally tallented local potters who came out to lend their support and guide us in molding, creating & glazing our bowls for hunger. We spent time sculpting, creating & re-creating the bowls - trying to get them just right, only to look at Emma & Jane (4 years old) and realize who had created the master pieces!

The bowls are now finished, thanks to Potter Graham Sheehan and his colleagues, and will be on display at Artworks from 18 June to 24 June, 2009. The bowls are up for silent auction, so you can bid on your favorite bowl (or for those who just want to donate bid on bowls 37 to 40 - they may not be beautiful but they were created with joy!)

All proceeds from this event go to Gabriola's Emergency Food Depot - so it's a great cause, & helps our community locally.

Gabriola's First Theatre Festival - August 21 - 23rd, 2009

What a weekend it's going to be... 7 main stage productions, the launching of a young peoples theatre company & so much, much more! With so much local talent on display, you'll want to get your tickets early so as not to be disappointed - ticket information as well as information on the festival and the 7 main stage shows can be found by visiting: www.gabriolatheatrefestival.ca .

Alongside the productions to be found on the main stage, the weekend will be jam packed with additional activites in the Village area including;

Razberry's Jazz Cafe - in between theatre shows look for the open stage between Rasberry's & Artworks where you'll find a variety of local musicians and entertainers.

The Gabriola Lions - legendary pancake breakfast will be served on Saturday the 22nd between 9:00 - 11:00 am.

Street Art - come by and be enthralled and inspired by the work of more than 50 local island artisans who will be displaying their work.

Gabriola Home & Garden Tour 2009

Well hopefully everyone is enjoying watching their gardens grow and flourish with all the beautiful weather, even if you don't have a garden there's a unique opportunity to view some gardens that are rarely open to the public.

Gabriola's 11th annual Home & Garden Tour will be held this year on the 28th June 2009, there will be 9 private homes/gardens that will be open and two local nurseries, so you can go & shop after viewing all the inspiration of others.

Tickets are $20.00 and all proceeds go to People for a Healthy Community, right here on Gabriola and is their largest fundraiser of the year. It helps to support local programs such as our Emergency Food Depot, Violence Prevention porgrams, the Christmas Bureau, Social Soupls, Gardening Projects, and so much more.

The hand selected locations are carefully choosen to represent a variety of west-coast gardening &/or unique island homes, this year there are 5 new locations that have never been on the tour before, including culinary gardens, and everything from new to well established gardens. This fundraiser tries to showcase and give a glimpse of island life.

Make sure to get your tickets early for this popular event... Tickets are available at Artworks, Wheelbarrel Nursery & WildRose Garden Center her on the island. In Nanaimo at Dig This, Falconer Books & Carpe Diem, or you can hold tickets with a Visa or Mastercard by contacing Diana Mumford at #250-247-9092 or by email at: dmumford@shaw.ca .

(Also for the third year in a row, there will be the auction of a Sheila Norgate painting, which she so kindly donated for the use of our posters)! So bid big...

Visit the online website at: http://www.gabriolatour.islandbrowser.com

Tiller's Folly in Concert on Gabriola Island

The Gabriola Arts Council is pleased to welcome Tiller's Folly,the Pacific Northwest’s internationally traveled, virtuosic ambassadors of song.

Tiller’s Folly features lead vocalist and guitarist Bruce Coughlan, fiddle/mandolin player Nolan Murray, and bass player/vocalist Laurence Knight.

"This full-throated Canadian Celtic group, a cross between Stan Rogers and the Clancy Brothers, is on a stirring crusade. It wants to establish an oral story-telling tradition for the settlers, fishers, natives, loggers and adventurers of the misty West Coast."Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun

Opening for Tiller's Folly is Gabriola's very own Myles Black & The Pearly Whites.

Advance tickets: $15 at Artworks

Tickets at the door (if available): $18

Randi will be on the door for the evening - so make sure to say hi!

Artists in the Village

Saturdays is a busy place in the Village, as people come out to the Farmers Market on Gabriola, and then proceed to the Village to finish up shopping, have a cup of coffee with friends, or perhaps pick up a fishing rod – for the afternoon. Well in the summer, there’s another reason to stop by the Village. The Gabriola Art’s council is featuring a different two artists each Saturday through until 5th September. It’s a great opportunity to come and meet some of the islands local artists who will display their art under the tents.

The Gabriola Arts council will also be selling art, by some very talented islanders, on magnets, ready to grace any metal surface in your home, and a great island keepsake. This year, there is a choice of 5 different magnets from artists such as; Dianna Bonder, Rick Cranston, Tammy Hudgeon, Rohana Laing & Sheila Norgate. If your not able to make it there on Saturday, they are also available at Gabriola Artworks. Cost is $5 each or the full set for $20 (receipt for charitable donation available). The funds will enable the Arts Council to continue to support artists and bring art to the Gabriola community.

Gabriola B&B Association Hosts Open House

Gabriola is a destination for many tourists whether it be to enjoy the kayaking around the gulf islands sea shore, scuba diving, a wonderful golf course, walking trails, our summer time markets, the island winery, & a visit to some of the many artisans that make Gabriola there home…

If you would like to stay overnight on Gabriola Island and explore the island in greater depth, there are many Bed and Breakfast establishments located either on the waterfront or near the ocean.

You are invited this Sunday, 3 May 2009 - to tour the 12 bed and breakfasts that comprise the Gabriola Bed and Breakfast Association from noon to 3:00. Maps and brochures available at Art Works and Beaches Convenience Store. The B&B associations website can also be found online at: http://www.gabriola-accommodation.com/accommodation.com/ , where there is photos, write ups and links to the B&B's personal webpages.

*Be sure to stop by Jupiter Ranch on the tour, who are also featuring an art sale of works by two very talented ladies on the island, Sylvie Milman & Tammy Hudgeon.

Roots Show

Be prepared to be dazzled as you enter the ROOTS show, hosted at Artworks in the Village, there are still three days left to treat your eyes to this community art event.

This years theme really challenged the artists... We were very impressed with the creativity that was invoked by this show and the ages and diversity of the participants.

If you have a chance to go, have a look at Melinda Wilde's painting as it tells a very interesting story about family in a beautiful way. Another piece that I found intriguing is Donna Zakreski's quilt, she has a very artistic approach to quilting. Of course, I need to mention the family members who also have their pieces in the show, Randi's "14 carrots" incorporates her love of quilting into an amazing fiber art piece, and Bianca, my 6 year old niece for her brilliant painting entitled Hungry, after her neighborhood rabbit - who gave grief to her garden! (Congratulations B. on the sale of your very first piece- with her family roots I'm sure it's the first of many more to come...)

There is also a silent auction which has numerous items; from the beautiful driftwood coffee table, to tempting jewellery, island services & so much more, it's a great place to stock up on gifts for friends and family, while supporting the Gabriola Arts Council.

Art Online

Gabriola is filled with artists and art lovers, here is a new website dedicated for artists wanting to sell and art collectors wanting to add to their collection. Recenlty, Jenn Chemago, the artist and owner contacted me and let me know about her new enterprise. Jenn and I are friends from our student days in the art studios of Malaspina University College and UVIC.

As a special promotion, and a way of getting more island art out into the world, anyone who currently registers on the site will have lifetime free membership. If you have a moment,visit the site http://www.oneworldartonline.com/ .