Ann Nicholson's 16-panel Chilcotin War series raises the art of story telling to a new level as she fuses her native South African and bold Canadian symbolism to retell this little known chapter of B.C. history in vibrant oil on canvas.
Her show opens this weekend at the Gibsons Public Art Gallery with an artists' reception on Saturday, May 25 from 2 to 4 p.m. followed by an artist's talk at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 26.
A concurrent exhibition takes place in the Eve Smart Gallery, From the Heart, Black Ink paintings by Dina Dune. Her minimalist free style way of painting takes its roots in the Zen Asian Brush Technique of Sumi-e and philosophy.
For more info call 604-886-0531 or see GPAG on-line at www.gibsonspublicartgallery.ca.
This weekend
Pender Harbour Choir's 40th anniversary celebration concert is at St. Hilda's Anglican Church in Sechelt at 7 p.m. tonight, May 24.
Also tonight, Rosella Leslie reads from her new novel, The Federov Legacy, at the Arts Centre in Sechelt, at 7 p.m.
On Saturday at 7:30 p.m. check out Big Night Out with the Music Makers gang at the Sechelt Legion. And on Sunday, May 26 the Community Orchestra performs with special guests at 2:30 p.m. at the Raven's Cry Theatre in Sechelt.
Serenade music
Sérénade, a benefit concert for the Ruby Slipper Fund - original and familiar tunes exploring the diverse aspects of love, featuring vocalist Jena Wren and composer/lyricist Kenneth Norman Johnson at the grand piano. Musicians Peter Williams on cello and Barry O'Hara on sax will perform this Saturday, May 25 at 7 p.m. at St. John's United Church in Davis Bay.
If you miss this promising concert, then catch the next one on Saturday, June 1at 7 p.m. at the Performance Centre in Madeira Park. Tickets are $20 per person available at BlueWaters Books and Sechelt Visitors Centre.
Midds rocking
Join The Midds rock band at Boomer's Burger Bar in Sunnycrest Mall in Gibsons, this Saturday, May 25 at 7:30 p.m. for some family-friendly, lively local indie music. No cover charge.
Dance benefit
The inaugural Sunshine Coast Neil Falkner Outward Bound Youth Fundraiser will rock the Roberts Creek Hall this Saturday evening, May 25.
So far, previous fundraisers have sent a total of 17 at-risk youth on challenging, life-altering Outward Bound Wilderness Adventures (www.neilfalknerlegacy.ca/new).
Dance to the music of the Bigger Bits of String Band (Kaia Nielsen, Mark Lebell, Ken Dalgleish and John Rule). Aaron Malkin (of Superhero Boy Band) will be there to perform during breaks, and the Coast's own "Queenie" will MC. The on-line silent auction is underway right now and you can find it at http://www.32auctions.com/organizations/1466/auctions/8159.
Tickets are $15, available at Gaia's Fair Trade, MELOmania, Roberts Creek and Strait Music, Sechelt.
Nostalgia night
It's a Swing into Spring event - sure to be another greatcommunity dance party. George Grafton withJim Taylor and the company of Nostalgettes will lead you through the music of the 50's, 60's and 70's. Zocalo (Marine Drive, Gibsons) is again the sponsor of this fun event and you can buy your tickets there in advance. None will be sold at the door.
If you haven't made it to one of Nostalgia's shows before, don't miss this one. It's your music on Friday, May 31 at The Club (Christ the King Church on Gower Point Road in Gibsons). Doors at 7 show starts at 7:3 p.m. Please get your tickets early, as this event has sold out every show the last several years.
Lucky book
Mother Tongue Publishing of Salt Spring Island is pleased to announce thewinnerof its second Search for the Great BC Novel contest - Kathy Para of Gibsons for her debut novel, Lucky.
Para's novel was chosen from five short-listed novels. Lucky is an unflinching novel set in the Middle East and Canada. It tells the story of Anika Lund, an ambitious Canadian freelance war photographer seeking to photograph an infamous terrorist, and her best friend and translator, Viva, whose husband disappeared in Syria. In the fall of 2004, they gain access to Iraqi resistance fighters, and entrance to the broken city of Fallujah, igniting a series of terrifying events.
Lucky will be published this fall by Mother Tongue Publishing and launched in Vancouver and Gibsons. Para is an award-winning, multi-genre writer. An MFA graduate of the UBC Creative Writing program, she has been published in Geist, Room of One's Own, Vancouver Review, and Grain.
Art demo
Artist Brian Romer of Sechelt will be doing an acrylic painting demo on Wednesday, May 29 from 10 a.m. to noon in West Vancouver at the monthly salon of the Ferry Building Gallery (1414 Argyle, West Vancouver). Fee is $8.
Tuesday deadline
Let me know about your arts event by 5 p.m. Tuesday for Friday's paper. E-mail [email protected] or phone 604-886-4692.
