Sightlines Opens at the Gallery@Artisan Square

SIGHTLINES: differing perspectives on photography opened at the Gallery @ Artisan Square last week. Sightlines presents the work of five artists, including three from Bowen, with vastly differing approaches to working with photography. The Artists' Reception on Sunday was well attended by the public. As well, the five photographers whose work was featured were on hand to meet gallery visitors and talk about their work. The exhibit continues until March 29.

About the Artists:

Robert Semeniuk is an internationally recognized photojournalist. His work has earned him over

forty award nominations, including multiple top honours in National Magazine Awards, The Science
Writers Association and The Canadian Association of Journalists.Cristina Viviani uses her camera to discover and reveal the beauty of abstract forms that lie, often overlooked, in the natural environment. Her simple/understated earth toned images contrast with Brendon Purdy’s travel photographs which are particularly sensuous both in colour and composition. Jacqueline Massey manipulates digital images from nature to produce delicate, spicy images in which the original material is barely recognizable.Carol Robb’s art pieces are highly inventive in every way: the collecting of materials to photograph, the lighting (she sometimes uses flashlights and matches), and the cutting and reassembling of the photographs. She starts from a place that is totally open-ended, and finishes with pieces that are both precise and delightfully amusing.

Tonight! Thursday, March 12

Get the Flock off the Island!

Yes, folks the rumours are true, and all of Bowen Island is buzzing with excitement! As many of you know, the Black Sheep are leaving Bowen for a 2 week tour of the UK in early May. Doc Morgan's has generously opened their doors to us for a Mammoth Fund Raiser and Gala Pub Night this coming Thursday, March 12! Doc's is offering a Special Pub Menu, with Bangers and Mash, Steak and Guinness Pie, and many other English delights! There'll be a silent auction, as well as as live auction, with truly mind boggling services and merchandise on offer, as well as a limerick contest, songs, stories, and dances from your favourite Bowen Island Morris Side, and much more - A Splendid Time Is Guaranteed For All!

Come by any time after 6 p.m. for a grand evening, the likes of which, in all modesty, have not been seen on Bowen since Before the Dawn of Time!

If you're coming for dinner, reservations are recommended (604.947/0108). Come early, stay late!

Coming Soon

As you may have heard, there are two great concerts, with some excellent musical talent, coming our way on Saturday, March 21. We are so fortunate on Bowen, it's like having a mini-music festival. Plan a full evening of entertainment, first by beginning your evening at the Gallery @ Artisan Square, and the following up the night by heading to the Bowen Island Community School. Details for the events follow.

Mel Watson will be performing on March 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Gallery @ Artisan Square. An independent touring and recording artist for over 20 years, Mel Watson has created a unique musical experience using modern technology and outstanding musical ability in a live performance setting to create breathtaking musical pieces, layered with guitar, counter melodies and vocalized percussion. Mel uses her powerful voice as an instrument, adding thought-provoking lyrics with breathtaking horn playing. In addition to supporting artists like Michael Frante, Bruce Cockburn, and the Neville Brothers to name a few, Mel has released over 14 independent albums on various Indie labels that have won her 19 Australian Music Awards for her musical ability including 9 awards for 'Most Outstanding Instrumentalist'. Mel has also been a guest musician on countless other independent releases as a highly respected session player, while working as an international touring/recording musician, in theatre, and in television. For over 12 years Mel toured and recorded with Australian Folk sensation 'Fruit' playing "music that stretches across genres from bluesy belts to scorching torch, from plaintive ballad to anthemic rock". Consider yourselves in for a real treat as Mel makes her way up the shores of the Pacific to this rock for an intimate Equinox performance at the Gallery at Artisan Square.

Tickets are $15 advance ($18 at the door, if available) and are available at Phoenix. Seating is limited.

An evening to raise funds for Global Agents for Change, two hot musical acts, great food, fun and dancing to boot. Mark Saturday, March 21 on the calendar, call up the babysitter, and plan to make the scene at the Bowen Island Community School.

The evening will begin with the crowd-pleasing entertainment of Barney Bentall, Shari Ulrich and Tom Taylor. They'll be followed by one of the busiest acoustic/roots bands on the West Coast - Headwater. This high energy and in-demand band is now becoming one of Canada’s strongest young bluegrass and folk acts. They will wind up the evening with a concert/dance in an event you won’t soon forget.

All proceeds from the show are going to a youth-managed microcredit, anti-poverty fund, run by Vancouver-based non-profit organization Global Agents for Change. This winter Bowen islanders, Jake Moir and Chris Perrin were admitted to GAC’s flagship project, Riding to Break the Cycle. This is a youth leadership bicycle tour in which 25 inspired youth will ride 4,000 km this summer – from the Netherlands to Turkey – in order to raise awareness and funds for microfinance projects in developing countries. The goal is to make $100,000 for a youth led anti-poverty fund.

Tickets are $30 (includes pizza/salad/dessert) and are on sale at Phoenix on Bowen. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. It will be a licensed event and will be such a unique evening that the CBC program Canada Live is taping the whole show for national broadcast.

Art Around Town

Now featured at the Bowen Community Library, artworks by Carol Fancy. Drop by to se

e on exhibit oil paintings, drawings, 35 mm photography, collage and constructs -- an eclectic display of engaging and affordable works. The work will be on display at the Old General Store in Snug Cove until April 1. The library is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The Arts Pacific Co-op Gallery's Featured Artist for the month of March is Janet Esseiva. Janet's vibrant acrylic works can be seen both in the display window and inside. You may have spotted some of her work in "The Snug" and the library will display new work from mid-June to mid-August. Check out Janet's website for more information. Gallery hours are: Wednesday-Sunday, noon - 4 p.m.

Crippen Spirits by Jane Esseiva

Call for Submissions

The Bowen Island Chamber of Commerce is once again producing the Bowen Guide -- aimed at enticing and informing visitors who come to Bowen's shores. As in the past, the Bowen Island Arts Council is planning to run a full-page advertisement, promoting local artists and their work. With the purchase of this ad space, the Guide will also run editorial regarding the local arts and cultural scene. The cost of the advertising is $1400 plus GST. To help offset this cost, we invite our artists to run a small 2"x 2" visual listing for the cost of $75. The Guide charges an additional $25 for listing on the pull-out map. Those interested in being included in the arts page should contact Jacqueline, via email at admin@biac.ca as soon as possible, as the art deadline is looming.

Do you have writing or publishing expertise you would like to share? A book you're launching? A great new piece of writing you would like to share? A performance you know people will love? Then complete an application to participate in the second annual Festival of Readers and Writers on Bowen

Island!

This year, the Festival will be held from Friday, July 10 to Sunday July 12, with expanded opportunities for presenters. You can apply to give a reading or a performance on Friday night at the opening night celebration, facilitate a workshop on Saturday or Sunday, participate in a panel discussion, host a storytelling session, or perform at the Saturday night gala.

The only criterion is that applications should relate in some way to writing and/or reading. Beyond that, the sky's the limit - writing poetry, novels, or short stories, writing for children/teens, freelance writing, business writing, making a living from writing, how to run a successful readers' group, screenwriting, song writing, writing for the Internet, blogging, inspirational writing, self-help books, how to blast writer's block, self-publishing, traditional publishing, marketing and promoting writing, the role of the writer and reader, storytelling-you name it!

Presenters included in the Festival will be paid an honorarium according to the type of event.

The deadline for applications is March 20. You can download an application form in Word format here and then email your completed application to admin@biac.ca. You can also choose to download and print a PDF version of the application form and mail or drop it in at The Gallery @ Artisan Square, Box 211, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G0.

If you have any questions or require more information, please contact Carol Cram at carolcram@gmail.com or Jacqueline Massey at admin@biac.ca.

Presented by the Bowen Island Arts Council

Pacific Cinémathèque and curator Heather Haley are seeking video-poem submissions from around the world for the annual Visible Verse screening and performance poetry celebration. SEE THE VOICE: Visible Verse is North America's sustaining venue for the presentation of new and artistically significant poetry video and film.

Official guidelines:

•    Visible Verse seeks video-poems, with a 15 minutes maximum duration.
•    Either official language of Canada is acceptable, though if the video is in French, an English-dubbed or-subtitled version is required for consideration. Videos may originate in any part of the world, however.
•    Works will be judged on true literary merit. The ideal video-poem is a wedding of word and image, the voice seen as well as heard.
•    Please, do not send documentaries, as they are outside the featured genre.
•    Videopoem producers should provide a brief bio, full name, and contact information in a cover letter. There is no official application form nor entry fee.

Send, at your own risk, video-poems and poetry films/preview copies (which cannot be returned) in DVD NTSC format to: VISIBLE VERSE c/o Pacific Cinémathèque, 200--1131 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2L7, Canada. Selected artists will be notified and receive a screening fee.

DEADLINE: Sept. 1, 2009

For more information contact Heather Haley at: hshaley@emspace.com

If you are staging an arts and cultural event and wish to be in our listing, please let us know. We'd be happy to include it in the weekly update, which is sent out to members of the Bowen Island Arts Council. Contact Jacqueline at admin@biac.ca with your information.

Arts & Culture Weekly Update