This week the Gibsons Public Art Gallery opens a show, Debris Fields, an exhibition of oils and acrylics by Barbara Langmaid with an opening reception on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. Debris Fields is an ongoing body of work triggered by the tsunami in Japan in March 2011. Langmaid quotes lines from Spanish poet Antonio Machado: “Mankind owns four things / That are no good at sea: / Rudder, anchor, oars, / And the fear of going down.”
She writes: “I grew up in earthquake-prone California, with real fears (not just rumours) of tidal waves. When the tsunami hit – first Thailand and Sri Lanka in 2005 and then Japan in 2011 – I was riveted to all available images, struck by the fragility of our human-scaled lives and taken back to the bones of my memories in and of the sea. Exhibition continues until March 5 and viewing times are Thursdays to Mondays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call Michael Aze: 604-886-0531.
This weekend
• A Family Valentine’s dance with the Creek Big Band is on at Christian Life Assembly on Saturday from 7:30 to 11 p.m. at the church, 730 School Road, Gibsons. This is an all-ages, no-alcohol event to support local Syrian refugee families.
• The Bob Marley Birthday Bash with the Hoolicans is at the Roberts Creek Legion on Saturday, with music starting at 9 p.m.
• Elvis tribute artist Ben Klein channels the King at the Sechelt Legion on Saturday, starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25.
• Coast Salish weaving series curators’ talk is at the Sunshine Coast Museum in Gibsons, this Saturday at 1 p.m. Alison Pascal (Squamish Lilwat Cultural Centre) and Raquel Joe (Tems Swiya Museum) take you into the heart of Coast Salish weaving culture. Admission by donation.
Snow events
Many events were rescheduled after the snow storm last weekend.
• The Welcome Beach Community association is now presenting the first in the Coopers Green concert series, Kicking Off 2017, on Friday, Feb. 17 with smooth folk country soul from Tube Radio. Hear Boyd Norman, Gary McGuire, Brent Fitzsimmons, Ian McLatchie and Andrew Bate with special guest Simon Paradis.
Tickets are $20 at Welcome Woods Market and Halfmoon Bay General Store. Tickets for the original show will be valid for the new date or can be exchanged for the April 7 or June 2 events.
• A Meet the Artists session planned for the Arts Centre last weekend with exhibiting artists Megan Mansbridge, Mieke Bray and Mary Dolman was postponed to a later date.
• A dance recital from Coast Academy of Dance pre-professional dancers in Gibsons was also postponed and tentatively planned for March.
Toastmasters
Heard of Toastmasters but aren’t really sure what they do? Want to take your communication skills to a new level? You are invited to four open houses in Gibsons and Sechelt as part of Fall in Love with Toastmasters Month. Each meeting is free and open to the public. The first open house is Feb. 15 at 7 a.m. in Gibsons at Harmony Hall (morningstarstoastmasters.com). The second is Friday, Feb. 17 for advanced Toastmasters, a dinner meeting at Sita’s in Gibsons (beachcomberstm.wordpress.com). The third open house on Feb. 28 is held at the Arts Centre, Sechelt, at 6:15 p.m. (604-989-3600), and the fourth is a special meeting at the Garden Hotel in Gibsons (604-315-4328).
Creative workshops
Several more workshops in the Real Life, Real Creativity series will be held at Zocalo in Lower Gibsons. Tapestry Weaving 101 with Janna Maria Vallee is on Saturday, Feb. 11 from noon to 5 p.m. Learn how to weave tapestry on a lap loom. Register and find out what to bring by emailing [email protected]. Gelli-Arts Printing, Collage and Design with Donna Swain is on Feb. 13, 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In this course you will be exploring new ways to make textural collage with the Gelli-plate. Register by email ([email protected]) to find out fee and material costs.
Chakra Alignment Dance and Bracelet Workshop with Jan Jensen and Kim Fenton is on Thursday, Feb. 16 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn about how colour and movement can affect and strengthen your chakras. Jensen will lead you through simple movements to awaken and align these sacred centres, and Fenton will show you how to create felted bracelets to empower you. Register at [email protected] or at [email protected] to find out cost. Free Expressions with Jan Jensen is on Friday, Feb. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This workshop uses a blend of activities in both mixed media and movement to celebrate the creative spirit in all of us. Register at [email protected]
Big Art with Donna Swain is on Feb. 19, 20 and 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For info and registration, email [email protected], or call 604-885-5047.
Casino Night
Coasting Along Theatre Society is fundraising for their sixth annual presentation of The Nutcracker with Casino Night, to be held on Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Seaside Centre in Sechelt, starting at 7 p.m. This year’s event includes nine professional dealers from Casino Royale in Vancouver to keep the craps, roulette, black jack and poker games going all evening. Gibsons Party Rentals will transform the Seaside Centre into a mini-Vegas and there will be live music with the jazz trio Crook, catering by CasPier Catering, a cash bar, prizes and raffles. Tickets are $35 which includes admission, a drink ticket, and $100 of casino bucks. Tickets are available at Lucky’s Smokehouse, Pretty Natty Duds, Strait Coffee, Giggle n’ Bloom, and Peggy Sue’s, or by calling 604-989-6050. See www.coastingalongtheatre.org for more.
On the horizon
On Feb. 25, High Bar Gang returns to the Raven’s Cry Theatre in Sechelt. The Gang includes Barney Bentall, Shari Ulrich, Wendy Bird, Colin Nairne, Dave Barber, Kirby Barber and Rob Becker. These veterans of the Canadian music scene combine forces on their unique take on old time bluegrass, and they perform with special guests Joe Stanton and Simon Paradis. Tickets are $25 at Raven’s Cry, Sechelt Visitor Centre, Laedeli, MELOmania, EarthFair Store and at www.stantonparadis.com.
Gallery year ahead
Are you an artist with a body of work to exhibit? Or do you have a vision for a compelling community group installation, with the time and skill set required to turn the idea into reality? All creative people are invited to help Gibsons Public Art Gallery plan for a future exhibition year.
If you know of an amazing local artist whose work you think should be featured in an exhibit at GPAG, encourage that artist to submit. Get your ideas down on paper now and handed in to the Gallery by March 31. See www.gpag.ca/submissions for more information.
Noon deadline
Send your notice of arts events by Tuesday at noon for Friday’s newspaper to [email protected] or phone 604-886-4692. Please include a contact person’s phone number or email in your notice.
