Island Mountain Arts - News - News at a Glance

Sonia Cornwall (1919 - 2006) Exhibition, Cariboo Cowboy, Opens July 18

Thu, 03 Jul 08 00:00:00 -0700

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Contact: Julie Fowler, Artistic Director/Curator

Toll Free: 1-800-442-ARTS (2787)

Tel: 250-994-3466 Fax: 250-994-3433

Email: media@imarts.com

CARIBOO COWBOY, AN EXHIBITION OF WORK BY COWBOY AND ARTIST
SONIA CORNWALL (1919 – 2006) OPENS AT THE
ISLAND MOUNTAIN ARTS GALLERY IN WELLS, BC JULY 18^TH, 2008

WELLS, BC, July 3, 2008…..The Island Mountain Arts Public Gallery in Wells, BC is pleased to announce the Opening of Cariboo Cowboy, paintings by prolific Cariboo artist, Sonia Cornwall (1919 – 2006) on Friday, July 18at 7:00pm. The exhibition, featuring works that illustrate Cornwall’s experience growing up on a ranch at 150 Mile House, runs until August 11.

Cornwall was born in Kamloops in 1919, and soon moved to the Onward Ranch, just south of Williams Lake with her mother and father, Vivien (1893 – 1990) and Charles Cowan (1863 – 1939). From one of the earliest ranching families in the Cariboo, Sonia Cornwall learned from a young age about life on the ranch and when her father died in 1939, she took up many of the duties associated with running it. Cornwall continued to ranch, alongside her husband Hugh Cornwall, for most of the rest of her life, living on the Jones Lake Ranch, once part of the Onward, until she died in 2006. In recognition for her and Hugh’s contributions to ranching in British Columbia, they were both inducted into the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2005.

Alongside her deep connection with ranching, Cornwall grew up around an extremely vibrant arts community, generated to a large degree by her mother Vivien Cowan who was also a painter and teacher of great note. Vivien Cowan began to seriously study art in the 1940s where she met the likes of Zelko Kujundzic, founder of the Kootenay School of the Arts and A.Y. Jackson, founding member of the Group of Seven and teacher at the Banff School, both of whom ended up spending much time at the Onward Ranch. Word spread in the Canadian artists community and over the years endless artists, including Lilias Torrance Newton, Joseph Plaskett, Takao Tanabe, Molly Bobak, Herbert Siebner and Jack Hardman, gravitated towards the Onward to paint, weave, do pottery, share and teach. The Cariboo Art Society, one of the first Art Society’s to be created outside of Vancouver was co-founded by Vivien Cowan and A.Y. Jackson in 1946.

Carrying on much in her mother’s footsteps, Cornwall welcomed to her ranch many a traveller, from artists to cowboys and everyone in between. As she got older and turned her ranch over to her daughter Mabel and her husband, Sonia’s focus turned more and more towards her art practice and she would often have people over to discuss art and look through her own impressive collection of art books and prominent Canadian artworks. Self taught, yet mentored by her mother and the many artists that she knew, Cornwall was extremely dedicated to her painting, in fact just before she passed away she was in Mexico further exploring her watercolour technique.

Cariboo Cowboy features over thirty paintings that reveal Cornwall’s connection to the rural landscape in which she lived: rolling grasslands, ever-changing skies, grazing cattle, stampedes and cowboys. The exhibition is curated by Julie Fowler, Artistic Director/Curator of Island Mountain Arts, with the help of Sonia Cornwall’s two daughters Mary and Mabel Cornwall.

For more information about Cariboo Cowboy, the Public Gallery, Island Mountain Arts School of the Arts or the ArtsWells Festival visit www.imarts.com or call 1-800-442-2787.

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Elvis Comes to Island Mountain Arts

Fri, 06 Jun 08 00:00:00 -0700

Elvis Lives On Through Kamloops Artist, Patricia Sellmer & Writer, Alexander Forbes in their Show...
Sun Records & Texaco Stadiums

Exhibition Opening & Artist Talk June 20th 7pm at the Island Mountain Arts Public Gallery
Show runs until July 14

Elvis Presley (1935 – 1977) is one of the most enigmatic characters of the 20th Century. Though he never toured outside of North America his musical reach touched all corners of the globe and crossed many cultural boundaries. The appeal that Elvis had, and still has over thirty years after his death, forever begs further investigation. Through the exhibition of artist Tricia Sellmer and poet Alexander Forbes entitled, Sun Records and Texaco Stadiums, one is prompted to delve into the mystery and charm that surrounds this man.

Indeed Elvis Aaron Presley reached the greatest of those heights becoming arguably the most famous musician that has ever lived. He has garnered fans so dedicated that they still arrive by the hundreds of thousands each year to pay homage in Graceland, or spend their lives literally becoming him, by dressing in his likeness and touring the world singing his beloved music.

Questions come to mind as one does the sock hop amongst the images put to canvas by Tricia Sellmer. Portraits – some lighter, some darker – following Elvis through the stages of his career, radiate the essence of a man so strong and captivating, whose emotion rises to the surface with bold painterly strokes. These alongside a series of paintings of popular culture icons, synonymous with Elvis, including an ice cream sundae, Cadillac and juke box, reveal Sellmer’s own curiosity and love affair with nostalgia that punctuates the imagery.

Further building the picture, Alexander Forbes’ poetry mirrors the mystery explored through the artwork. Like Sellmer’s paintings, Forbes examines both the dark and light sides of Elvis’ life, such as the record shop in Vancouver that he was rumoured to have visited in his poem, Elvis in Vancouver. “Every musician ended up at Al’s grocery and record store at least once,” writes Forbes. Also contemplating the ambiguity of Elvis’death, Forbes poem Two Days, asks the reader to ponder the fact that Elvis died at the same age that his mother did – forty-two – and only two days from the anniversary of her death. “Imagine what he must have felt, two days before he died,” writes Forbes.

The images of Tricia Sellmer and the words of Alexander Forbes in Sun Records and Texaco Stadiums pay homage to Elvis Presley, one of the world’s most loved and praised icons of our time. Together their works beg of the viewer to dig deeper into the myths that surround this larger than life character. As much as he lived his life in front of an audience, whether it was on the 1956 television history-making-episode of Ed Sullivan where they couldn’t film his swinging hips; or in his thirty-one Hollywood movies made between 1956 and 1969, there is much about Elvis that one can never know. Sellmer and Forbes offer one more exploration into the man behind the myth, helping to honour his legacy, incite thoughtful reflection, and remind the audience that Elvis indeed lives on.

To find out more about this exhibition both artists will be present at the Opening in order to talk about their work and answer questions. For more information about the Island Mountain Arts School of the Arts, Public Gallery or the ArtsWells Festival visit www.imarts.com or call 1-800-442-2787.

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ArtsWells Festival Line-up Announced

Sun, 01 Jun 08 00:00:00 -0700

THE 5TH ANNUAL ARTSWELLS FESTIVAL OF ALL THINGS ART, AUGUST 1 – 4
EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE UNTIL JUNE 30TH

SPECIAL TICKET PRICE FOR WELLS/BARKERVILLE/BOWRON LAKE RESIDENTS AND WORKERS
ADULT WEEKEND PASS ONLY $20 – MUST BE PURCHASED BY JULY 25!

WELLS, BC, May 4, 2008…..Island Mountain Arts in Wells/Barkerville, British Columbia is very pleased to announce its spectacular line up of musicians, performers, and artists of all kinds for the 5^th Annual ArtsWells Festival this August 1 – 4.

Growing bigger and better every year, the ArtsWells Festival features over forty musical acts in a variety of genres, on six different stages from Friday night to Monday evening. The Festival is also hosting the 9^th Annual International One Minute Play Festival on Sunday night, professional theatre performances at the Sunset Theatre, workshops in a diverse array of artistic pursuits, a visual art walk around the town, fun stuff for kids and discounts to local attractions and businesses including BC’s largest heritage site, Barkerville Historic Town.

Some highlights from the 2008 musical line up include performances by: country crooner – Carolyn Mark; spoken word blues crew – The CR Avery Band; award-winning bluegrass band – The D. Rangers from Winnipeg; the tropical sounds of Blue Island Trio; rising urban music star – Green TaRA; northern BC’s own groovy funk band – Mamaguroove; top spoken word poet – Shane Koyczan and The Short Story Long ; fingerstyle champion – Don Alder; Eastern electronica fusion act – KaremetiK Collective; multi-instrumentalist – Shane Philip; country folk band – Headwater; West African world beat band – Jarimba; country/folk/celtic trio – The Pucks; radical folk - The Joey Only Outlaw Band; folk rocker from Calgary – Kris Demeanor; queen of country – Linda McRae and many, many more.

Beyond the music the ArtsWells Festival showcases over 30 workshops in everything from stilt walking and poi, drumming and dance, laughter yoga, writing, book-making and all arts in between. The One Minute Play Festival with host Paul Crawford is another perennial favourite where all are welcome to compete for cash prizes. Also in the performance arena, the historic Sunset Theatre will be featuring a play all weekend called the Fred Wells Show: The Wizard of the Cariboo, starring, James Douglas. For visual arts one can peruse the six arts galleries in Wells and participate the in Art Flag project to decorate historic Pooley Street. All this along with face painting, games and arts for kids make the ArtsWells Festival perfect for the whole family.

Arrive on Thursday, July 31st and take in the pre-festival concert at the Sunset Theatre with the awe-inspiring virtuoso Brazilian guitar player and percussionist, Celso Machado and fingerstyle champ, Don Alder. Tickets $25, $5 off for ArtsWells pass holders and Island Mountain Arts members.

Tickets for the 2008 ArtsWells Festival are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the IMA gallery at 1-800-442-2787. Call by June 30 and buy your pass for the early bird rate of $40 and $20 for youth. Regular priced tickets are $60 for Adults and $30 for youth. Kids 12 and under are free. The Fred Wells Show at the Sunset Theatre is a separate ticketed event.

ArtsWells is seeking more volunteers to help make this summer’s festival better than ever. Those that can volunteer twelve hours or more can receive festival passes, camping, plus meals at the ArtsWells kitchen, run by Martin Comtois of the Ashcroft Opera House.

For more information about the ArtsWells Festival, Island Mountain Arts School of the Arts or the Public Gallery visit www.imarts.com or call 1-800-442-2787.

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Beata Polanska Exhibition - Where Do I Come From? - Opens May 16

Fri, 02 May 08 00:00:00 -0700

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Contact: Julie Fowler
Toll Free: 1-800-442-ARTS (2787)
Tel: 250-994-3466 Fax: 250-994-3433
Email: media@imarts.com

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION BY NORTHERN BC ARTIST, BEATA POLANSKA,
OPENS AT THE ISLAND MOUNTAIN ARTS GALLERY IN WELLS MAY 16^TH

WELLS, BC, April 29, 2008…..The Island Mountain Arts Public Gallery in Wells, BC is pleased to announce the Opening of northern BC artist, Beata Polanska’s Exhibition of photography, Where Do I Come From? Images from Poland on Friday, May 16^th, 2008 at 7:00pm. The Exhibition runs until June 16th.

“This series of images is inspired by the mood of places familiar to me since childhood,” explains Polanska who took the photos in or around three Polish cities; Warszawa, Lublin and Nysa. The latter two, located on the outskirts of the country (Lublin by the eastern border with Belarus and Ukraine, and Nysa in the South West).

“[These places] have largely escaped the commercialization, and glossification imported with the new world order,” says Polanska who is interested in the story that these abstract architectural images portray. “Their stories can be guessed from the layers, cracks, peeling paint, bulging veins, lined and wrinkled faces, and broken glass panes.”

Beata Polanska grew up in Poland when the sounds of rock and roll were only faintly audible from across the wall. She took her first photos with a Russian made Smiena, and sharpened her dark room skills in a government run youth cultural center.

At the age of 20, she gave into wanderlust and lived in France, Italy, Toronto, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, finally settling in northern British Columbia where she has worked as a speech-language pathologist for the past 15 years.

To find out more about this fascinating exhibition and life story, Polanska will be present at the Opening in order to talk about her work and answer questions.

For more information about the Island Mountain Arts School of the Arts, Public Gallery or the ArtsWells Festival visit www.imarts.com or call 1-800-442-2787.

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IMA Grows It's Endowment Fund to Over $50,000 in First Year!

Thu, 17 Apr 08 00:00:00 -0700

After a successful summer fundraiser, where thanks to over thirty artists who donated works to Island Mountain Arts for a 30^th Anniversary Exhibition and Auction, and thanks to Levis Online Auctions in Calgary, the organization was able to invest $10,000 in an endowment fund. The fund was established in order to provide ongoing scholarships for programs at the IMA School of the Arts including the Toni Onley Artists’ Project for Professional and Emerging Artists.

“Our goal was to raise at least $10,000 so that we could apply to the Vancouver Foundation’s BC Renaissance Fund, which matches monies raised to start endowments,” said Dennis Bogle, President of IMA. But thanks to the Quesnel Community Foundation, which also matched the Island Mountain Arts $10,000 investment, the organization was able to approach the Vancouver Foundation with a $20,000 endowment.

“We are very excited about the potential to grow our endowment fund after seeing what our first $10,000 could do,” said IMA’s Artistic Director/Curator, Julie Fowler. “We hope it will help Island Mountain Arts to be sustainable for another thirty years.”

Fowler went on to say, that in addition to the BC Renaissance Fund, Island Mountain Arts also applied to an endowment-matching program through Heritage Canada that fetched the organization a further $10,535, bringing the total fund to $50,535.

“I would certainly encourage other arts organizations, or any non-profit organizations to consider starting an endowment fund. It has been a great experience to work with the Quesnel Community Foundation and there is so much potential to make your investment grow,” said Fowler.

Island Mountain Arts is already planning for another big online auction in 2009, and this summer is running a raffle with numerous prizes including an original work by artist David T. Alexander, who is also one of the senior artist mentors at this summer’s Toni Onley Artists’ Project.

For more information about the Island Mountain Arts School of the Arts, Public Gallery or the ArtsWells Festival visit www.imarts.com.

Help Wanted! IMA Seaking Creative, Motivated Individuals for 2008 Summer Staff

Tue, 08 Apr 08 00:00:00 -0700

It’s that time of year again! IMA is soliciting applications from energetic, creative folks who are passionate about the arts to fill six possible positions this summer. (All positions are subject to funding.) For more details on each job, click on the job title. We have four openings specifically for students which are:

- Summer Gallery Program Manager - May to August
- Summer Program Liaison - June to August
- Program Outreach Assistant - May to September
- Special Events and Marketing Co-coordinator - May to September

We also have two job openings related to the ArtsWells Festival (applicants to these two positions must be EI eligible) which are:

- Public Art Coordinator - April to November
- Community Liaison - April to November

For more information or to submit a resume, call (1-800-442-2787) or email (finance@imarts.com) the IMA office (we are open from Tuesday to Thursday). Deadline to submit resumes is April 18, 2008.

Eat Your Art Out Fundraiser a Huge Success!!

Wed, 02 Apr 08 00:00:00 -0700

The Eat Your Art Out Fundraising Dinner held by IMA on March 8 was a huge success and with 100 people in attendance IMA was able to raise about $3000! The night started out with an amazing dance presentation by Quesnel's own Giddha Team. They enthralled the audience with their theatrical dancing and incredible outfits. Afterwards a beautiful Indian dinner was served up by IMA board members and volunteers. Many thanks to Head Cook Sharon Brown for a mouth-watering feast! Cass Chowdhury's Gulab Jamun dessert was a huge hit served up with hot Chai. After dinner the Giddha team stepped back into the spotlight with not one, but two fashion shows! There was also a silent auction and an amazing raffle comprised of donations from local and regional businesses. Felice Trotter-Wanner and Tod Church added something special with their beautiful Indian wares set up for sale. Needless to say, everyone left with a smile on their face.

Many heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers who made the evening possible as well as all the sponsors and donors and especially the Quesnel Giddha Team for their amazing contribution to the evening. And of course a special thanks to everyone who attended the event, we hope you had as much fun as we did! As with everything IMA does, this spectacular event would not have been possible without our dedicated volunteers!

EAT YOUR ART OUT! A Tasty Fundraiser Announced for Island Mountain Arts

Fri, 08 Feb 08 00:00:00 -0800

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Contact: Julie Fowler
Toll Free: 1-800-442-ARTS (2787)
Tel: 250-994-3466 Fax: 250-994-3433
Email: media@imarts.com

EAT YOUR ART OUT! – ISLAND MOUNTAIN ARTS ANNOUCES A UNIQUE AND TASTY FUNDRAISER

WELLS, BC, February 6th, 2008….Island Mountain Arts, the thirty-year old arts organization in historic Wells, BC that runs an annual School of the Arts, Public Gallery and the ever growing ArtsWells Festival is hosting a series of fundraising dinners through the month of March called “Eat Your Art Out!”

Kicking off with an East Indian themed full course dinner at the Wells Community Hall Banquet Room on March 8^th with food prepared by Wells’ resident chef, Sharon Brown and entertainment by Quesnel’s own Indian dance troupe – Giddha Team, “Eat Your Art Out” also aims to host twenty “rolling” dinners around the province in a variety of culinary flavours.

The rolling dinners will take place in the homes of Island Mountain Arts supporters who are willing to champion a meal for their friends and collect donations in support of the non-profit organization. IMA has created a “How to Host” package for all those that are willing to be part of this creative fundraiser, which includes some special prizes for those who attend and entry into the larger draw to win an original Toni Onley Serigraph Print (valued at $1000).

“As the artists, art enthusiasts, students and members, who support the programming at IMA, are from all over the province and country, we thought that this rolling dinner idea would be a fun way to get them involved no matter where they live. Big or small, the rolling dinners are a great opportunity to get together with your friends and share a meal in support of the arts,” says organizer and member of the IMA Board, Cariboo songstress, Yael Wand.

With the lofty goal of trying to raise $10 000 in order to help support the operations of the organization, “Eat You Art Out” is calling on all its supporters to eat, drink and donate what they can to help make this event a great success. For those interested in hosting a dinner, all the details are listed on the IMA website at www.imarts.com.

For those of you in the Cariboo who are able to attend the ‘kick off’ East Indian themed dinner in Wells on March 8^th, tickets are $40/ea or $275 for a table of eight. RSVP (no later than March 3rd) by contacting Island Mountain Arts at 1.800.442.278 or info@imarts.com. Tickets are also available at River Valley Health on Reid Street in Quesnel (cash only please). The full course meal includes a beer or wine of your choice. There will also be a no host bar featuring selected wines by Kelowna’s award-winning House of Rose Winery. No minors please.

There’s More: Come ready to raffle: original artworks by Paula Scott, Caroline Anders, Wells Get-a-ways and many more prizes. Stay the night: Dinner Guests receive a 10% discount at the Historic Wells Hotel. Reserve early: 1.800.860.2299 or 250.994.3427, www.wellshotel.com. For a list of other accommodations contact Island Mountain Arts.

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Scholarships and Mentors for the 2008 Toni Onley Artists' Project Announced

Fri, 08 Feb 08 00:00:00 -0800

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Contact: Julie Fowler, Artistic Director/Curator
Toll Free: 1-800-442-ARTS (2787)
Email: media@imarts.com

ISLAND MOUNTAIN ARTS SCHOOL OF THE ARTS ANNOUNCES CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE
2008 TONI ONLEY ARTISTS’ PROJECT FOR PROFRESSIONAL AND EMERGING ARTISTS

WELLS, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, February 1^st, 2008….Island Mountain Arts School of the Arts is pleased to announce scholarship opportunities for visual artists to the juried 2008 Toni Onley Artists’ Project for Professional and Emerging Artists (formerly named the Wells Artists’ Project). Two four-day scholarships to cover tuition are available*. The 2008 program will feature the internationally renowned artists, Peter von Tiesenhausen and David Alexander as senior mentors over the course of the program which runs over nine days from Saturday, July 19 – Sunday, July 27, 2008 (with a day off in the middle). Participants will be provided studio space and direct and peer group mentorship with daily one on one critiques with the mentor artists and peers.

*If you are an artist from the Cariboo Region you are eligible to apply to the Sonia Cornwall Scholarship, which covers the full 8-day tuition. Some bursaries are also available, visit www.imarts.com for details.

How is it funded?
Island Mountain Arts Gallery and Summer School of the Arts is a not-for-profit society founded in 1977 in the historic, central interior community of Wells, British Columbia, Canada. You can access their web page at www.imarts.com or contact the Artistic Director/Curator, Julie Fowler at 1-800-442-2787 or by e-mail at media@imarts.com.

How much is it?
Each scholarship is worth $430 and can be applied to the eight-day program should the recipient wish to take advantage of the full eight-days of 2008 Project.

What are the Selection Criteria?
Based on a review of the application materials and the following considerations, Island Mountain Arts will select two individuals to receive scholarships. Scholarships will be awarded through a juried process based on the following criteria. Island Mountain Arts reserves the right to change these criteria if the submissions warrant.

Applications must include the following:

Ø       Show a commitment to their art practice.
Ø       A letter stating what they hope to gain from this experience
Ø       Provide a current CV and artist statement
Ø       Provide 6 - 10 images of artwork created in the last year either as slides or digital images.
Ø       A commitment to attend the course if accepted

What is the application deadline?
Thursday, May 9th, 2008 (successful applicants will be notified no later than May 30th)

How do I apply for this scholarship?
Mail the above requested information to:

Toni Onley Artists’ Project - Scholarship
Island Mountain Arts
PO Box 65, Wells, BC, V0K 2R0, Canada

For more information about the 2008 Toni Onley Artists’ Project visit www.imarts.com.

Island Mountain Arts - News - News at a Glance

Sonia Cornwall (1919 - 2006) Exhibition, Cariboo Cowboy, Opens July 18

Elvis Comes to Island Mountain Arts

ArtsWells Festival Line-up Announced

Beata Polanska Exhibition - Where Do I Come From? - Opens May 16

IMA Grows It's Endowment Fund to Over $50,000 in First Year!

Help Wanted! IMA Seaking Creative, Motivated Individuals for 2008 Summer Staff

Eat Your Art Out Fundraiser a Huge Success!!

EAT YOUR ART OUT! A Tasty Fundraiser Announced for Island Mountain Arts

Scholarships and Mentors for the 2008 Toni Onley Artists' Project Announced

NEWS RELEASEFor Immediate Release

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release