Creative Spirits, a select group of Fraser Valley artists, invites you to their show Focus on Art on Saturday September 16th from 10:00am-5:00pm. Enjoy originals, prints and cards designed in pastel, watercolour, acrylic, graphite and oil. All artists will be in attendance. The show will be at Colebrook United Church located at 5441 125A St in Surrey, BC. For details call Doris at 604-533-5775.

Tofino invites the public to join artists, artisans and performers from Clayoquot Sound in this two-day arts festival on Saturday September 9th and Sunday September 10th from 12:00pm-4:00pm. Cost is $10 for adults, $6 for students, free for children and Tofino Botanical Gardens (TBG) members. Admission covers both days. All proceeds go towards supporting the TBG Foundation. The Gardens are located at 1084 Pacific Rim Highway in Tofino, BC. For details call 250-725-1220.

The Sunshine Coast Arts Council invites artists to submit exhibition proposals. All visual art mediums will be considered. The exhibition schedule is planned for the following calendar year by the selection committee. The submission deadline is Sunday October 1st, 2006. For submission guidelines call 604-885-5412 and leave your fax number or address.

The North Vancouver Community Arts Council presents Art in Public Places at the District of North Vancouver Municipal Hall, 355 Queens Road in North Vancouver. The show will run until September 21st. Exhibits include photographic images from whirlwind travel by Charles Langdon and ceramic pieces with whimsical character by Susan Marczak. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm. For further information call Kimberly McErlean, Programme Coordinator, at 604-988-6844.

The ALFA Guild Gallery is now accepting submissions for their 2007 and 2008 summer season. Deadline is October 27th. Submission requirements are, description of proposed exhibit, CV or Biography, minimum of 10 slides or photos which are labelled with artist's name, title of work, medium, dimensions and date made, and an artist's statement. Please include a SASE for a return of submision package. Mail to: Selection Committee, ALFA Guild Gallery, Box 155, Naskup BC, V0G 1R0. For further information call Holly at 250-265-3737 or Denyse at 250-265-4998.

Bard on the Beach Festival and Eileen Fong Gallery present an art show with the theme of Shakespeare, his work, his life and his time by local artists. The show runs until Saturday September 30th at the Eileen Fong Gallery located on the 2nd floor of Tinseltown at 88 West Pender in Vancouver, BC. For details call 604-432-1347.

Queen's and Mount Allison Grad, Cavelle Macdonell, BFA, Bed has taught fine arts and design to thousands of people of all ages and abilities in Canada and the West Indies. Participants will be guided and inspired to discover their own unique voice and will gain practical art-making skills.

Haiku by Carie Helm & The Tao of Equus by Jaime Seward Plus New digital work by Robert Began.
Exhibitions Run from September 8th to October 6th 2006. Join the artists at the Opening Reception on September 9th at 7:00pm. Enjoy complimentary refreshments, musical entertainment and a haiku poetry reading. Admission is by donation.

Write your own haiku to share! Artists and Writers and anyone interested are invited to read their own original Haiku or to share a traditional Haiku at the opening. Please contact the gallery if you are interested.

In Gallery One: Haiku by Carie Helm. To investigate the effects of the labeling and naming of consumer items, Helm has written poetry in the traditional Japanese form of haiku to respond to the evocative names of house paint. The poems, succinct elaborations of each colours' name, are wonderfully nostalgic, taking the reader directly via imagery into a tiny snapshot of a perhaps larger story. Helm only differs from haiku convention by incorporating humour and taking in a wide range of subject areas (as opposed to being limited to the seasons). The result is a strikingly touching exhibition that draws the viewer into personal memories and experience through words and colour. Anybody want to buy some paint? Do not miss the interactive portion of this exhibition and the chance to write your own haiku. (Sara Wiens)

In Gallery Two: The Toa of Equus. Jaime Seward is a self taught emerging artist whose aim is to capture the true core energy or the raw truth of [her] subject (Seward). Focusing on, but not limited to, portraiture. Seward's work has been show at various locations in the Okanagan and the Lower Mainland. Each charming image conveys a story about its subject whether person or animal. The works, done in a variety of two-dimesional media, reflects the artist's aim for simplicity as the supreme excellence (Seward).

The North Okanagan Artists Alternative Featured Members Wall Presents: Robert Began

Robert Began moved to Vernon from Europe eight years ago. Among the many new things he discovered here is his passion for playing with balance in visual arts - an exciting affair that started with learning some basic painting skills (he is a self taught artist) and keeps evolving through inspiration from inside and outside. Working as a software developer, digital media as art technique were a suspicious avenue to him.

It was only recently that he experienced his sense of balance kicking in when editing his digital photographs. This quickly transformed into a playfull session that yielded digital prints that brought the same delight to him as his paintings. Voila - another discovery! It wasn't much of a struggle to decide to share those images with others.

The semi-abstract prints are based on Robert's photographs of classic cars, taken during a few shows in Vernon. The whole process from entering the show grounds to framing a picture in a camera to transmogrifying it on a computer is, among other things, a symbol of the search for the essential beauty, of learning to see and feel beyond the mind and the five senses. What the hand holds (a brush or a mouse) doesn't matter as much as the willingness of the artist to be changed. The process has excitement and deep peace in it, and Robert hopes those are among the feelings his prints might offer to the viewers.

Robert also wants to say thanks to all those people who take the energy and resources to come to all the car shows and let their beautiful machines be seen and admired!

Presented by the Crafts Association of BC (CABC) Every Fridays, September 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29 from 10am to 2pm. Everyone welcome.

Vancouver, BC (August 30, 2006) The Crafts Association of BC will present fine craft demonstrations every Fridays in September from 10am to 2pm. Enjoy watching a piece of art being created and talk with the artisan and craftsperson to learn more about the art.

September's Fine Craft Demonstrations include:
Sept. 1 Emilie Kaplun (jewellery)
Sept. 8 Vivian Zuba (mailable art)
Sept. 15 Sylvie Roussel-Janssens (light sculptures) and Candace Thayer-Coe (paper marbling)
Sept. 22 Vivian Zuba (mailable art) and Emilie Kaplun (jewellery)
Sept. 29 Shirley Searle (jewellery)

Handcrafted jewellery by Emilie Kaplun (Sept. 1 & 22)Jewellery design has always been a passion and dream for Emilie Kaplun. She believes that personal ornamentation is a form of self-expression, and all of her pieces contain a spirit within them. A variety of materials are used from collected and created glass beads to Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls. Kaplun specializes in bridal tiaras that are original and timeless. Kaplun will demonstrate how she makes unique "wearable art" creations. Her work is sold in various stores throughout Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Washington State and BC.

Mailable art by Vivian Zuba (Sept. 8 & 22) Describing herself as a watcher compelled to observe people and especially their skin - that mundane and overlooked participant in all that we do, Vivian Zuba finds beauty in the colour and texture of skin. Light, through leaves or from neon signs, traffic lights, or the glow of the moon shifts and dances caressing and illuminating skin. Light lays patterns and textures that enhance and emphasize personality and circumstance.The medium that seems to best describe those moments for her, is cloth. The colours captured in the cloth by dyes, adds perhaps the most obvious dimension. But the simple pattern of the weave is logical and comforting, akin to our orderly streets and homes. Like our own skin cloth's very commonness allows for the exploration of beauty in the mundane normal life we all live. It elegantly captures the myriad of elements and quirks that comprise the fabric of life. Zuba will demonstrate how she transforms cloth into mailable art works.

Japanese suminagashi paper marbling by Candace Thayer-Coe (Sept. 15) Suminagashi, a Japanese word meaning "ink floating," is the oldest form of marbling dating back 800 plus years. It may have originated in China and was later introduced to Japan where it flourished and gained popularity. Members of Japan's royal household and the elite practiced it. This art embodies the eastern notion of relinquishing control over a medium, any slight breeze or vibration affects the ink patterns. The gentle rhythm that results from repeatedly touching the brushes to the water's surface has a calming Zen-like, almost meditative effect. Candace is a paper artist using craft and artistic expression to create works of art. She studied and practiced Japanese and Western paper making in the Philippines. Her favourite papers are those that have a good surface for marbling Ð Japanese "Suminagashi" and Turkish "Ebru" or "Cloud Art". In her studio she produces one-of-a-kind marbled sheets on commercial paper and her own handmade paper. Her vision is the re-emergence of the ancient craft of marbling and creating an awareness of its artistic capabilities and promise.

Light sculpture making by Sylvie Roussel-Janssens (Sept. 15) Sylvie Roussel-Janssens will be exhibiting her sculptural installation on themes related to history and the environment in our Gallery during September. She describes her work in the following manner: "With translucent materials such as glass and fabric, held with welded wire and steel, she create sculptures for indoor or outdoor environments. For the last five years light has been very important in her work. The artwork presented in the show represents one aspect of her diversified sculptural production." All of her pieces are made of welded wire (recycled coat hangers) and two layers of polyester lining. Watch Roussel-Janssens as she creates lightweight and shock-resistant artworks that have sculptural qualities and can be illuminated.

Jewellery by Shirley Searle (Sept. 29) Shirley Searle was "raised with a pair of pliers in my hand" as her family had a lapidary business in Vancouver and she learned gemstone cutting and silversmithing at an early age. She continued with her jewellery making as a hobby through various careers, but the jewellery bug was still there and she found myself "back at the bench" a few years ago. Searle specializes in Ear Curls jewellery, which was inspired by the current fashion of multiple piercings. They are earrings that go up the ear to give the illusion of several piercings but need only one. Her repertoire now includes many other items including leather Hair Wraps which give a braided look but require no braiding, Ear Cuffs, hammered silver items, beaded "Boas", bracelets, necklaces, anklets and even a Sterling Silver Martini Spoon. Searle has shown her work across Canada including Alberta, BC, Toronto, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.

The North Vancouver Community Arts Council invites you to Art in Public Places featuring artists: Lloyd Skelton & Andrea Raeburn

September 21 - October 26 Opening Reception: Thursday September 21, 6:30 pm

Andrea Raeburn: glass works
Lloyd Skelton: photographics

hosted by Presentation House Gallery for YYZ Books, Toronto
Thursday September 21, from 8 – 10pm at PHG 
Peter MacCallum: Material World
Photographs
Interiors: 1986 – 2004 / Concrete Industries: 1998 – 2004
Edited by Rebecca Diederichs
Published by YYZ Books, Toronto & Museum | London

This stunning monograph surveys Toronto photographer Peter MacCallum’s depictions of industrial and commercial interiors. MacCallum closely and quietly observes the particulars of industrial processes and the vernacular architecture of the modern industrial workplace. 109 duotone plates  demonstrate the sheer beauty of Macallum’s images and their importance as a documentary record of industry. Three critical essays, from well known authorities within Canadian art as well an interview with the artist give readers insight into the depth and complexity of MacCallum’s work.  

September 16 to November 5, 2006

Edward Burtynsky, Manufacturing #17, Deda Chicken Processing Plant, Dehui City, Jilin Province, China,2005, chromogenic print, 58 x 68 inches. Courtesy of Charles Cowles Gallery, New York

ILLUSTRATED LECTURE by Ed Burtynsky,
Tuesday, October 10 at 12:30 pm at Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour Street.
Admission is FREE

The Opus Visual Arts Newsletter welcomes submissions related to calls for submissions, fundraising initiatives, art events, and unique art initiatives being undertaken by non-profit visual arts organizations or groups, with a focus on Canadian art practices and events occurring within Western Canada predominately.

We try to include all submissions we receive, however due to space restrictions this is not always possible. Late submissions will be considered for our online newsletter located at www.opusframing.com