Lost and Found and Broken, an exhibition by Derek von Essen, opens this weekend at the Gibsons Public Art Gallery. In parallel, in the Eve Smart Gallery, Nature’s Gallery Underfoot: A Visual Meditation is an exhibition of photographs by Bodhi Drope. The opening reception for these shows is on Saturday, April 9 from 2 to 4 p.m. Von Essen writes: “I recycle and recontextualize discarded objects to create and overcome compositional challenges of combining the materials.” He will give a talk on Saturday, April 16 at 2 p.m.: Expanding your Creative Arsenal with Everything but the Kitchen Sink. Admission is free, donations welcomed.
Bodhi Drope’s exhibition is about looking not seeing, and asks the question: “Am I unconsciously imposing bias on what I see?” He has assembled this exhibition to highlight phenomenon from nature where one’s unconscious projections contribute to the veil obscuring conscious seeing. He will lead a guided visual meditation workshop on Sunday, April 17, 2 to 3:30 p.m. All ages welcome; no meditation experience required. Admission is free, donations welcomed. For further information, contact Michael Aze: 604-886-0531.
Coffee House
This Friday, April 8, at 7:30 p.m. the monthly Coffee House in Madeira Park at the School of Music features Definitely Diva, Lynne and Reg Dickson, Teal Loverock and Keiran Semple. Refreshments are available. Suggested donation is $10.
JavaJazz
JavaJazz presents A Musical Journey Around the World. Featured artist will be multi-talented musician Miles Black. The vocal jazz ensemble will be accompanied by the band of Miles Black, piano, Tim Enns, drums, Sacha Fassaert, guitar, and Boyd Norman, bass. Concert is on Saturday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Bethel Baptist Church in Sechelt. Tickets are $20 at the Sechelt Visitor Centre, Strait Music, Blackberry Shop or from any JavaJazz member. Partial proceeds will support Sunshine Coast Association of Community Living and the Bethel building fund.
Author reading
EarthFair Books in Madeira Park is hosting local author, artist and poet George Connell from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 9. He’s cheeky, funny and live.
Swedish visitor
On Saturday, April 9, the S.C. Jazz and Entertainment Society presents an evening of sublime music from Sweden with Lisen Rylander Love (sax/voice/electronics) and special guests Viviane Houle (voice) and Barry Taylor (percussion) at 8 p.m. at the Gumboot Café, Roberts Creek. Suggested donation is $10.
Also on Sunday, April 10, Lot 5 presents a vocal and electronic workshop with Rylander Love. The Swedish composer/performer is currently composer in residence in Vancouver, working with the jazz community. Fee is $20; preregister for location info by emailing [email protected]
Ray Day
Musician Ray McNally will be performing a variety of live original folk and rock music at Persephone Brewing on 1053 Stewart Rd. in Gibsons this Sunday, April 10 at 2 p.m. Come on by to this free event.
Jazz Group of Seven
John Fredrickson of the Jazz Group of Seven tells us about jazz in support of a concert on April 10 in Madeira Park. Ever since its birth in New Orleans early in the 20th century, jazz has continued to evolve from the work songs and spirituals of the African-American field workers. Heavily influenced by the blues, jazz also borrowed rhythms from the popular rags, quadrilles and marches. What is the key to the distinctive nature of jazz and its long-lasting appeal? Improvisation!
All through its existence, jazz players have asked “why don’t we try this?” So Dixieland jazz evolved to swing in the ‘30s. Although the rhythms changed, the bands became larger and the arrangements more complex, it was still the music of the people. Its appeal began to wane in the mid-1940s with the introduction of be-bop – a format far more rhythmically and harmonically sophisticated. Jazz had started to become an art form, and in so doing caused audiences to search for something else. Along came Bill Haley with Rock Around the Clock and the rival rock ‘n roll genre was born.
Now gospel, R&B, fusion and funk have been added to the traditional Dixie-swing-bop mix – and you can hear it all when Karen Graves joins the Jazz Group of Seven in All That Jazz at 2 p.m. on April 10 at the Pender Harbour School of Music. Tickets are at Strait Music in Sechelt and EarthFair in Madeira Park. Adults cost $20, 12 and under, $10. Find PayPal ticketing at [email protected]
FOPA
On Monday, April 11 the 43rd Sunshine Coast Festival of Performing Arts 2016 opens with adjudicated concerts at various locations. Find times and more info at www.coastfestival.com
Rogue fundraiser
The first annual Rogue Arts Festival fundraiser, Going Rogue, is at the Roberts Creek Hall on Saturday, April 16 with doors at 8 p.m., music at 9. Tickets are $20 at MELOmania or online via roguefest.ca. The local Sing You Sinners will be opening for Vancouver’s Staggers & Jaggs with between sets by DJ little d doing electro-swing styles. Sure to be one heck of a toe-tapping night for folks aged 19 plus.
DSdanse
Becoming is a new performance from DSdanse Youth Dance Company on April 15 (8 p.m.) and April 16 (2 p.m.) at the Heritage Playhouse, Gibsons. These young women are superb at their art. Tickets are at Laedeli in Gibsons and at share-there.com, or phone 604-886-0020 for more.
Only Animal geo-caching
The Only Animal’s artists create hidden artistic treasure troves on ecological themes. The next event is geo-caching. Choose the easy, family loop, or the expert trail on Saturday, April 16 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wear sensible shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. Treasure Trail is a part of a year of art in, around and in support of the expanded Mt. Elphinstone Provincial Park by The Only Animal. Treasure Trail is free. For more info and coordinates to the start of the trail, go to www.theonlyanimal.com or to the official event page at www.geocaching.com. The Only Animal is directed by Kendra Fanconi, with Kelly Backs of Tree Studios, Dean Schutz, Cody Chancellor, Jen Norquist, kids from Roberts Creek Elementary School and geo-cache aficionado Anthony Liam Kearns.
Wearable art
Calling all painters, textile artists, dressmakers and tailors! The Landing Gallery and the Coast Cultural Alliance are looking for artists to participate in a collaborative project to create wearable art in the form of painted/embellished women’s jackets. Each jacket will be made through a partnership between a painter and a textile artist and the resulting works will be sold at a gala fashion show that will kick off the Art Crawl experience in October. Select your own partner or find one at an information session on Sunday, April 17 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Sew Easy store in Trail Bay Mall, Sechelt. Interested? Contact event organizers Ruth Rodgers ([email protected]) or Nell Burns ([email protected]) for more information and/or to register for the information session.
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.
