September 22 to December 1 (10 weeks) “Get Into The Act” - FILM, STAGE & GAMES! Ages 7-11 Mondays 4 – 6 pm Come “GET INTO THE ACT” and see where your special talent shines!  Students will experience Improv, Theatre Games, Acting for Stage, Audition Techniques and Acting for Film using scripts from your favourite stage plays and movies. The class culminates in a final performance ON STAGE in the theatre! September 23 to February 17 (20 weeks) -- ONLY FIVE SPOTS LEFT! Hairspray – Performance Troupe Ages 12-17 Tuesdays 4 – 6 pm A Feel Good Romantic Comedy – pulsating with musical Excitement - Big Hair.  Big Heart.  Big Hit! It’s 1962 - the '50s are out and change is in the air! Baltimore's Tracy Turnblad, a girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, has only one passion -- to dance on the local TV dance program, "The Corny Collins Show" Her dream becomes a reality and Tracy is transformed overnight from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity. With Songs Like Mama I’m A Big Girl Now, I Can Hear the Bells,  Good Morning Baltimore, You Can’t Stop the Beat and many more!!  These celebrities will give a final on stage performance. October 1 to December 3 (10 weeks) Stage Struck Teens – FILM, STAGE & GAMES! Ages 12-17 Wednesdays 4 – 6 pm This class is geared toward the “teenage actor” with an in-depth study of techniques needed for auditioning, acting for the stage and ON CAMERA using scripts from your favourite plays and movies.  Students will get a chance to try their hand at improv and theatre games as we explore the fundamentals of acting. The students will give a final performance in the theatre. September 20 to December 13 (12 weeks) THE WIZARD OF OZ Ages 7-12 Saturdays 9 – 11 am The Wizard of Oz is everybody's cherished favorite, perennial fantasy musical .  All of its images (the Yellow Brick Road, the Kansas twister), characters (Auntie Em, Toto, Dorothy, the Wicked Witch), dialogue ("Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!", "We're not in Kansas anymore," "Follow the Yellow Brick Road," and  the film's final line: "There's no place like home"), and music ("Over the Rainbow", “Follow the Yellow Brick Road”) have become indelibly favourites.  Join us for this musical adventure as Dorothy, a lonely Kansas farm girl, dreams of a better place free from torment against her dog Toto from a hateful neighbor spinster. She plans to run away but during a fierce tornado, she is struck on the head and transported to a land 'beyond the rainbow' …  ... ADULT CLASSES! ... ADULT CLASSES! ... ADULT CLASSES! ...  September 26 to December 12 (12 weeks) Broadway Dance with Tracy Ross Ages 13 to Adult Fridays 4:30 – 5:30 pm Whether you need to hone your skills for that special performance, are looking to get into better shape, or just want to have some fun, Tracy Ross will put you through your paces. This class encompasses all ages and ability levels and touches on  dance movements from jazz, tap, modern, theatre, hip-hop and more. October 20 to December 8 (8 weeks) Adult Improv! Ages 17 to Adult Mondays 7 – 9 pm One of our most popular classes! Whether you have taken an improv class before or you are a “newbie,” Mark Reinelt always makes it fresh, fun and exciting. Think outside the box and play with comedic improvisation from story structure and acceptance, to playing both simple and complex games and wide open scenes, limited only by both your and the audiences imaginations. Class includes ensemble improvisation and scene work, character level, styles genre and political and social satire with creation and performance. (Participants must be able to LAUGH!) September 15 to December 12 (12 weeks) KAS Morning Boot Camp Workout Ages 13 to Adult Mon, Wed, Fri 7 - 8am To help you get into great shape, reduce stress, lose weight, increase energy, build confidence and form new friendships. Why spend time shut indoors, sweating on that treadmill while staring at the world outside when you could be outside getting fit, losing weight, and having fun? This is an opportunity to slim down a size, end the effects of stress, and set into motion you goal to get into top shape this year.

Register online at KelownaActorsStudio.com or call  250 862 2867

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03 Sep 2008

Fall for Art this Season!

The Kelowna Art Gallery is currently recruiting volunteer docents for its 2008 / 2009 School Tour Program. Volunteering as a docent offers a terrific opportunity to work with the public and expand your knowledge of the visual arts.

The word “docent” comes from the Latin verb “docere” which means to instruct, teach or inform. At the Kelowna Art Gallery, docents work as volunteer guides, escorting school groups through the Gallery. You will be required to volunteer approximately two-and-a-half hours per week, plus you must attend exhibition information meetings held approximately once every six weeks. As a docent, you will receive a free membership to the Gallery; selected exhibition catalogues, the opportunity to meet artists and curators, and the chance to attend workshops, artist talks and information sessions regarding current issues in art education.

Training will begin at the end of September, and the Gallery provides all the training necessary to lead the tours. Your training will include instruction on styles, art history, child development and teaching methods. This is guaranteed to give you all the preparation you will need to feel confident in working with a group of children in an active program.

For more information, please contact Ren⁄e Burgess Head of Public Programming 250 762-2226, ext 310.

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03 Sep 2008

Exhibitions run from Thursday, September 4th to Saturday, September 27th
Opening Reception is Saturday, September 6th at 7pm
 
In Gallery One:
 
Jorden and David Doody - the coming night
 
Jorden & David are both recent graduates from the UBC-O Fine Arts Department. Although each artist offers a uniquely individual approach to the discourse of visual arts, they share a common focus on the materialism of cultural codification. Their combined individual practices have been heavily influenced by world travel and the cross pollination of mass media, ritual and fetishistic cultures. Jorden & David Doody have worked exclusively as a collaborative team for the past seven years. Their practice moves freely from video to sculpture, painting and collage. This exhibition features work recently completed.

In Gallery Two:

kevin mcpherson eckhoff - Typortraits

Local writer, studio artist at Gallery Vertigo and instructor at Okanagan College, kevin mcpherson eckhoff presents an exhibition of "typortraits". The word, typortraits, describes an interesting body of works that reflects an equally interestinng aesthetic that straddles the border between art and text in a provocative and compelling exploration.

Artist Statement:

This series of portraits began in 2004, while I was finishing my bachelorâs degree at Okanagan University College. I had taken creative writing classes with Mary Ellen Holland and a ãSpecial Topics in Sociology: Feminismä course with Patty Tomic, which encouraged me to think about the ways identity, the body, and language interact with one another. In my final project for the Sociology class, I included an image made using a single stencil cut out of sticker paper and inked using a typewriter. Since then, I began using multiple sticker stencils and various typing patterns in order to create more detailed images, most of which are faces of iconic artists, performers, and friends.  (Eckhoff)

There are several writers and artists who have used typewriters as a visual rather than textual medium. Steve McCafferyâs two Carnival projects or Gert & Uwe Tobiasâs surreal scenes both participate within abstract modes of art. My ãtyportraitsä draw heavily upon principles of found poetry. The first portraits I created, Leon Trotsky and Woody Allen,  were taken from late-sixties issues of Horizon magazine. I chose these two portraits primarily for practical reasons: the images were in black and white with fairly distinct shadow gradations and they fit well onto an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. Moreover, both photos were accompanied by articles that offered suitable text for the typewriter portraits.  (Eckhoff)

The other subjects I have featured in these portraits have entered my life through various avenues, from having conversations with friends to reading comics. I feel the aesthetics of found art encourage an attitude towards the world as a place of unanticipated beauty. The neologism of the series title, typortraits, points both to the typewriter as a means of artistic production and to the inevitability of error in representation: the typo. I hope that this work advocates the consideration of various intersections: text as art, happenstance as collaboration, identity as multifaceted. Lastly, I would like to thank the individuals who have helped these pieces make their way into the world via literary magazines and anthologies, including the editors at Descant and filling station, Rob McLennan at Chaudiere Books for Decalogue IIII, and Derek Beaulieu for Holy Beep and the ‹ Press chapbook, typortraits.  (Eckhoff)

In the Window Gallery

Kevin Michael Witzke - Field and Forest

Born in Vernon, B.C. Canada, Kevin Michael Witzke currently  lives and works in Kelowna. He received a Diploma of Fine Arts from Okanagan University College in 2004 and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2007 from UBC Okanagan. A large abstract acrylic is on exhibition in the gallery's window on 30th Avenue this month.

Artist Statement:

I have to admit I have a fascination with colour and human history.

My studies in anthropology and archaeology have stirred my interest in subjects such as time, culture, language, myths, legends and folklore.  My work delves into the human spirit and our relationship with the land and with each other.  Working in combinations of paint, colour and light, I braid these ideas through my work. (Witzke)

As an abstract painter, ãwhatä I paint often is abstract in nature.  I find painting in an abstract way allows me to bypass our expectations of what something looks like, and explore the soul of the ideas I am working with.   I like to use my canvases as if they were windows.  This allows the painting to become a constructed world of energy for you peer into.  I also explore how colour can help build meaning, mood and emotion within both my work and the viewer.  I experiment with the optics colour with paint layers and unconventional painting techniques. (Witzke)

Featured North Okanagan Artists Alternative Members Wall

Betty L. Fahlman

Nakusp artist Betty Fahlman has several watercolours on display on the Featured Members Wall this month. Stop by to see what else this new North Okanagan Artists Alternative member has to add to the local arts scene. (Three large acrylic on canvas works were featured in the window last month.) Using watercolour and graphite on paper, the artist works from landscape and what results is a textural surface that addresses the tactile qualities of nature.

"I feel the subject matter and mood dictates the medium. The subject matter of my paintings is taken from my surroundings. The beauty of the surrounding landscape informs my work although the underlying political effects also influence what I choose to paint." (Fahlman)

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02 Sep 2008

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By the Book

THE INSIDE TRACK ON PUBLISHING
» Thursday 4 September 2008 | 5 pm
» The Bohemian Café, 524 Bernard Avenue
An informal afternoon hour showcasing people and ideas featured in Okanagan ARTS. Join us as publisher, editor and writer Jim Taylor, professor and writer John Lent and publisher Robert MacDonald offer different perspectives on how to survive and thrive in the ever-changing media world.

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» This is a free event. Refreshments will be available at a modest cost.
» Seating is limited, please reserve yours HERE

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Insiders Open the Books on Publishing

Making a living as a writer is no easy task, but lots of people do. The demand for thoughtful, stylish and well-crafted writing continues unabated by the changes is the media environment. Publishers of all types depend on writers to provide the bedrock materials that keep them in business.

Learning how to successfully navigate the publishing world is also no easy task. Book and magazine publishers are struggling to find writers who understand the dynamics of their business and the needs of readers. The Web and new media companies have a seemingly limitless need for researchers, writers and editors who can deliver appropriate texts in a timely and audience-sensitive manner. There are thousands of specialist publishers that require writers and editors who understand the information needs of specialists in a broad range of professional fields, including health and medicine, science and engineering, business and economics, and many others. Many other sectors are rich in creative opportunities: the nonprofit and association sectors, hobbies and avocations, sports and recreation, nature and the environment, religion and lifestyles. In other words, the explosion of information presents a world of opportunities to those who have the skills, the drive and the imagination to find an informed voice, a robust audience, and a practical approach to identifying appropriate opportunities.

This week writers and readers can learn more about how the publishing world works when the Okanagan Institute Express series of public events hosts By the Book: The Inside Track on Publishing on Thursday September 4, 5 pm at the Bohemian Café. Publisher, editor and writer Jim Taylor, professor and writer John Lent and publisher Robert MacDonald offer different perspectives on how to survive and thrive in the ever-changing media world - including making good money for your work.

Jim Taylor is known in publishing circles as the editor's editor. Author of 17 books, he's the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the publishing house Wood Lake Books. Recently he was honoured with a lifetime membership to the Editors' Association of Canada for his achievements and development of the program Eight-Step Editing, which helps writers and editors identify and fix the most common obstacles to readership. He has been the managing editor of the United Church of Canada's national magazine and the founding editor of a professional clergy journal.

John Lent has taught creative writing and literature at Okanagan College for twenty-six years. He has published seven books, read from his work in many cities in Canada, the USA, France and England, and written numerous scholarly articles. He is a founding member of Kalamalka Press and the Kalamalka Institute for Working Writers which serves writers in the Okanagan by enabling them to acquire professional self-sufficiency, a high level of knowledge of commercial and literary genres and the skills required to succeed in those markets. Lent is also a singer/songwriter in the Lent / Fraser / Wall Trio.

Robert MacDonald has had a long and distinguished career in publishing. He was the Director of the Publishing Workshops at the University of Toronto and the Banff Centre for fifteen years. He was a founder of the Canadian Periodical Publishers Association and the Graphic Arts in the Public Service Foundation. He has consulted for - and started - book, magazine and multimedia publishing companies in Canada and the US. He is the publisher, editor and designer of Okanagan Arts and Okanagan Home magazines, and the Director of the Okanagan Institute.

By the Book: The Inside Track on Publishing is a free event, and takes place at the Bohemian Café. This marks the 56th event the Okanagan Institute has held since the Express series got underway in July 2007. Since that time, the series has played host to many Okanagan luminaries, including former deputy secretary general of Amnesty International Derek Evans, artists Lee Claremont and Gary Pearson, BC Book Award nominee Don Gayton, CBC Literary prize winner poet Harold Rhenisch, distinguished editor and author Jim Taylor, animator and filmmaker Jim Cliffe, architect Jim Meiklejohn, and others from a variety of creative fields.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER ONLINE CLICK HERE

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01 Sep 2008

Don't miss a minute...
A fabulous event such as the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival demands a fabulous evening of revelry to follow. Featuring live music, fabulous artwork, fantastic wine, and a funky, vibrant atmosphere, WAM! is the exclusive late night event to attend during this year's Wine Festival.

Experience artists at work, sample locally produced artisan breads and cheeses and enjoy gourmet truffles paired with a delicious variety of fine Okanagan wines while partying the night away!

Voted the 'Best Cultural Attraction' this year by WestJet's Up! In-Flight Magazine, the Rotary Centre for the Arts is the perfect venue for family, friends and out-of-town guests to enjoy wine art and music in a casual, upbeat atmosphere.

Tickets to the event are $50 per guest and can be purchased by calling (250) 717.5304 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.ca. Ticket holders will also receive fifty WAM! dollars to be used during the event towards the purchase of any art or gift items from participating venues. Join us for this exclusive Saturday evening soiree and finish your Wine Festival experience off with a WAM!

About the Rotary Centre for the Arts

Located in the heart of Kelowna's Cultural District, the Rotary Centre for the Arts is a multi-disciplinary visual and performing arts centre and a rental venue providing enjoyment of a wide array of events and festivals. At the RCA, the community can experience artists and performers in action, and share in the excitement of developing and strengthening art and culture in the Okanagan.

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29 Aug 2008