A Burnaby artist’s explorations of water are on the walls of the Water Shed Arts Café in Langley for the month of February.
Of Water, featuring the photography and paintings of Julie Prescott, is on show from Feb. 1 to 29. An artist talk is set for Tuesday, Feb. 2 from 7 to 9 p.m.
Prescott got interested in photography as a little girl, waiting outside her father’s darkroom doors.
“As a grownup, taking photos gives me a deep appreciate of life’s minutiae … of texture and tone, shadow and light … and brings me moments of utter and deep connection to the world,” she writes in an artist’s statement. “It reminds me that we truly are just one tiny part of a glorious whole … that nature isn’t something external to us: it IS us.”
She writes, too, of her reverence for water: “Such a wondrous thing: serene yet forceful, life giving and sustaining. Transmutable. Energetic and responsive to emotions, it soothes and exhilarates us; and we, in turn, can change its very form with our feelings … with music.”
Intrigued? Stop by the café to see Prescott’s work for yourself.
The café is at 11-20349 88th Ave. in Langley. It’s open Monday to Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Sunday).
For more about the artist, check out her website at www.julieprescott.com.
*
Artists, don’t forget about your chance to take part in the Luminescence exhibition at Deer Lake Gallery.
The Burnaby Arts Council has a call out for artists to present two- and three-dimensional works embodying what art and light represent. Works chosen will be part of an exhibition at the gallery in March.
Artists are also sought to offer light-related workshops for its opening day, March 19.
Check out www.burnabyartscouncil.org for the details. The deadline is Jan. 29.
*
A young Burnaby performer is in contention for a prestigious award at McGill University.
Nicholas Burns, a 21-year-old from Burnaby, is a finalist for the McGill University $25,000 Elizabeth Wirth Vocal Award, presented annually to an exceptional voice student at McGill’s Schulich School of Music “in recognition of outstanding accomplishment as a singer and significant promise for an international career,” as the school’s website notes.
Nicholas, countertenor, is a Burnaby Central graduate who formerly sang with Carrie Taylor’s school choirs. He also studied voice privately with Craig Tompkins at the Royal Oak Conservatory.
He has also been cast for the upcoming male lead role of Bertarido in McGill Opera’s Rodelinda, by Handel.
Congratulations and best wishes to Nicholas – and thanks to his dad, Jeffrey, for letting us know!
*
Do you have a personal or family story that you would love to tell?
The Burnaby Public Library can help.
The library’s McGill branch is hosting an introductory workshop in memoir writing, led by author Claudia Cornwall.
The workshop looks at how to get started, offers some writing exercises to get creative juices flowing and covers topics such as different ways to tell a story and which books can provide a model.
Cornwall will also be leading a discussion, with time to touch on ethical questions around privacy – particularly if family members are uncomfortable with the project you’re working on.
The workshop is set for Thursday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. at the McGill branch of Burnaby Public Library, 4595 Albert St. Call 604-299-8955 for information, or sign up online at www.bpl.bc.ca/events.
*
Is there a small artist in your home?
Kids who are into art can find camaraderie at Kidz Club Art Nights offered by the Burnaby Art Gallery once a month.
The Thursday night sessions give kids a chance to get their hands on art, take part in gallery scavenger hunts, enjoy games and storytelling and more. Light bites, music and supervision are provided for the seven- to 12-year-old participants.
Each month has a different theme. The Feb. 25 session is about Light and Shadow and the March 31 session is called Crazy About Colour.
Check out the Burnaby Art Gallery’s program brochure at www.burnabyartgallery.ca to find out more.
There are also a couple of programs coming up at the gallery for young artists, both starting Feb. 20 and running for four Saturdays.
Six- to nine-year-olds can take part in Mixed Media: Paper Sculpture and Assemblage, while four- to six-year-olds can take part in A Bug’s Life: Macro Art, which incorporates drawing, mixed media and printmaking.
*
Are you ready for your close-up?
Your family can get in on the fun at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts on Saturday, Feb. 6 when the centre hosts an Art on the Spot session in family portraiture.
The sessions include props and dress-up, inspired by the portraits of photographer Irving Penn, a celebrated American photographer known for his portraits and fashion photography.
Photographs will be taken by Shadbolt staff members on your phone.
Call 604-291-6864 for all the details, or just turn up at the Shadbolt Centre (6450 Deer Lake Ave.) anytime between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
See www.shadboltcentre.com for more.
*
Get ready to travel north.
The next exhibition at the Burnaby Arts Council’s Deer Lake Gallery is Arctic Sojourn: Painted Observations of Iqaluit and Cape Dorset, by Nicola Tibbetts.
The exhibition is set to run Feb. 13 to March 12, with an opening reception on Saturday, Feb. 13 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Deer Lake Gallery is at 6584 Deer lake Ave., and it’s open Tuesdays through Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m., with free admission. Check out www.burnabyartscouncil.org for more details.
*
Do you have an item for Lively City? Send arts and entertainment items to Julie, [email protected], or find her on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
