Tag Archives: Art

20th Annual Eastside Culture Crawl November 17-20

15 Nov

eastsidecrawl2016The Eastside Culture Crawl is back for 4 days starting Thursday, November 17th.  This is a special year as the Crawl celebrates its 20th anniversary.  This 4 day arts extravaganza features over 500 artists in and around the heart of East Vancouver. Artists with a variety of mediums open their studio doors so you can see first hand their working space, their creative process and of course meet the artisans. On the Crawl, you will meet painters, jewelers, sculptors, textile artists, furniture makers, weavers, potters, printmakers, wood carvers, photographers and so much more. The event grows each year and now comprises over 80 buildings from Main Street to Victoria Drive and First Avenue to Powell Street.  This year, the Crawl has a couple of new artists joining the event.

Engelbert Romero does fine arts photography and digital art and is located in Octopus Studios at 393 Powell Street.  Engelbert is a fine arts photographer originally from Venezuela.  His pieces aengelbertre based on architecture-inspired images.  He uses a digital camera to take photos of buildings, lines and patterns while keeping an eye out for unique shapes and forms.  He likes to capture images not evident to the naked eye.   We invite you to check out his work at Octopus Studios which we note is a hop skip and jump from the very popular McKenzie Room. We have featured one of his pieces below.

Aurelia Bizouard paints with tempered glass and plexiglass is located at 321 Railway Street in Railtown Studios.  Aurelia works in GLASSISM which is not easily defined but is a aureliatype of art working on glass and acrylic as a medium. She came up with the word GLASSISM, a visual art movement made out of paint on glass.  We invite you to check out  urelia’s beautiful pieces at Railtown Studios. She’s located a hop, skip and jump from Ask for Luigi. Of course, the Settlement Building is close to both these studios which offers bites, beer and wine.

While on the Crawl, we invite you to check out a very cool event happening at the Charles Clark Gallery located in Strange Fellow Brewing, 1345 Clark Drive. It is the 3rd Annual Film and Video Projection Series called Moving Art. This event takes place daily from November 17th – 20th from Noon to 11:00 pm.  Moving Art features evocative, art-based, contemporary silent films. So pop in and sample some great beer and check out art at the same time.  

What we love about the Eastside Culture Crawl is that there is no set schedule. You go where you want on The Crawl for as long as you want. There are of course so many great spots to stop for a bite and drink along the way. Whether you are in Strathcona, off the Drive, Railtown, Hastings Sunrise, Downtown Eastside or off the growing stretch off Clark Drive, there are countless options for coffee, beer, food and wine. To help guide you through some of the art available, the Eastside Culture Crawl has a great rundown of all the artists on their website including a printable .PDF map to help you find your way. The Crawl runs November 17th and 18th  from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 19th  and Sunday, November 20th from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. See you on the Crawl.

engelbertromero

The Art Of Magic At Havana Theatre Starting November 3rd

3 Nov

TheArtOfMagic.jpgCamilo Dominguez, also known as Camilo The Magician, brings his show The Art of Magic to Havana Theatre starting November 3rd.  Camilo was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia and started doing magic at the age of 4. At the age 15, he moved to Victoria where he explored and pursued acting and performing. He has been mastering his art form for many years now. His previous show Supernatural sold out shows across Canada and he invites you to check out his new show The Art of Magic. This show blends different forms of art and magic for what we hear will be a truly unforgettable experience. You are invited to join Camilo at Havana Theatre for an evening in which you create a masterpiece together.  Camilo wants to “make you believe the impossible”.  The Art of Magic runs at 8:00 pm November 3 to 5, 10 to 12 and 17 to 19. Tickets are available online for $30.

Opening Of New Exhibit As The Crow Flies At The Cultch Gallery November 2

31 Oct

asthecrowfliesThis Wednesday, November 2nd, The Cultch Gallery, 1895 Venables Street, invites you to the opening of a new exhibit.   The Cultch Gallery will help celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Eastside Culture Crawl Society.  The Cultch Gallery will be mounting a multi-venue salon-style exhibition titled As The Crow Flies. It will feature 70 artists who have participated in the Culture Crawl over the last 20 years. Those chosen to have their work exhibited include Andrea Armstrong, Suzy Baker, Olga Campbell, Deb Chaney, Ben Z Cooper, Melanie Ellery, Bernadine Fox, Louise Francis-Smith, Ken Gerberick, Shannon Harvey, Tannis Hopkins, Jason Husmillo, Kari Kristensen, Bernie Lee, Dzee Louise, Marta Musa, Lisa Ochowycz, Ross den Otter, Sherri Rogers, Lori Sokoluk, Katrina Stock, Michal Tkachenko and Alex Waber. You are invited to attend the opening reception of this new exhibit which will be held from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Wednesday,  November 2nd.  The exhibit runs until November 20th and can be viewed from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm Monday to Friday and 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Saturdays. Everyone is welcome to attend the opening reception.

Foto Friday – Vancouver Mural Fest – Amazing Street Art

26 Aug

 

MuralFestPolarBear2Did you catch Vancouver’s Inaugural Mural Fest on Saturday, August 20th?  We caught some of it and were excited by the energy, artistry and collaboration that went into this amazing event.  If you missed the festival, you have ample time to take a walk and/or cycle anytime and take in the newest murals created on the East side of the city.  Many of the murals are located in and around the Mount Pleasant area, but there are a few spread out a bit further like the walls of MakerLabs.  We actually had the pleasure of meeting one of the artists, Ben Tour, just prior to the inaugural event whose mural is now located at 49th Parallel Coffee on Main Street. We enjoyed a fun evening hosted by Ford Canada celebrating the Vancouver Mural Fest with a scavenger hunt and an opportunity to drive the new Ford Fusion 2017. The icing on the cake for that evening was the opportunity to create our own graffiti street art under the guidance of Ben Tour, but we won’t be showcasing ours. We’ll leave that to the true artists. Speaking of which, we have included some photos of some of the new murals that went up during the Vancouver Mural Fest. There are some 40 odd murals so these photos are only a small representation of what was created, but we have to say the polar bear in a bottle is our personal favourite. We understand this was created by an  international artist, but the message within the bottle speaks volumes.  We look forward to checking out more of the murals and encourage you to take a walk and/or cycle to see what’s been created. There are, of course, lots of stops along the way to refresh, be it beer, coffee or ice cream along the way.  We are looking forward to seeing what next year brings and give high marks to all those that helped make this event happen in Vancouver.

 

The Drive Coffee Bar (formerly Café Napoli) Featuring East Van Artists

15 Aug

Clint EastwoodWe recently sat down with Kenny Vannucci, co-owner of The Drive Coffee Bar (formerly Café Napoli) on Commercial Drive near 1st Avenue.  This coffee shop has been transformed from its former space with white walls, a unique coffee bar and some beautiful brick work. One feature wall in the back showcases all of Kenny’s photos taken around East Van. The rest of the space has been set aside to showcase East Van artists.  The Drive Coffee Bar doesn’t take commissions, but encourages the artists to host a gallery night during the month. The current artist featured caught our eye, Kathryn McPhee.  She has a great eye for colour and applies elements of graffiti and animation.  She uses oil pastels, acrylics and spray paint. Kathryn has been drawing and painting since she was a child and currently works out of The Arts Factory which is a mixed-use arts facility in a transformed warehouse at 281 Industrial Avenue.   Last year, Kathryn participated in the Eastside Culture Crawl for the first time and her work was showcased at the Firehall Culture Crawl Exhibition which featured the works of new artists. She currently keeps busy with commissioned works, but she will be hosting a Gallery Night at The Drive Coffee Bar on Wednesday, August 24th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.  Kathryn will be on hand to chat and has some local musicians lined up for the evening including Sadie Campbell and Cam Labelle doing an acoustic set. Stop by and check out this talented artist and this great new space on the Drive.

Til Death – The Six Wives of Henry VIII At The Rio Theatre September 8–18, 2016

9 Aug

TilDeathSixWivesThe Vancouver Fringe Festival is coming September 8-18, 2016 and will be showcased at various  venues throughout the City.  One show that caught our eye is ‘Til Death’ – The Six Wives of Henry VIII which will take the stage at the Rio Theatre September 8 – 18, 2016. This show was Pick of the Fringe in 2012 and is a fast paced one woman show showcasing the six wines of Henry VIII.  You will meet the Betrayed Wife, The Scheming Wife, The Peacemaker, The Ugly German, The Tarty One and the One In Love with Someone Else.   We understand that the show starts off in the afterlife in a bizarre waiting room of sorts. One by one, the wives of Henry VIII arrive, much to the shock and dismay of each previous wife. What culminates is the heated frenzy of an ex-wives club where these women swap stories, toss Anne Boleyn’s head around, pick on the ugly German one, and, most importantly, fight for the right to be acknowledged as Henry’s true bride and eternal partner. But when Henry arrives, everything changes. This production is brought to you by Monster Theatre and under the direction of Tara Travis who is an actor-writer-puppeteer and artistic producer with a long list of works to her name.

What people are saying about Til Death:

 “Travis’s energetic charm and flashes of emotional depth impress.”
Colin Thomas, Georgia Straight

“Travis puts on a dazzling display of comedy acting.”
Stephen Hunt, Calgary Herald

Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII gets under way at the Rio Theatre on September 8th and runs till September 18th. Tickets are available online at Vancouver Fringe Festival.

Exhibit Opening Every Day in Every Way At The Cultch Gallery August 4th

3 Aug

Deborah-Leigh-225x300The Gallery at The Cultch invites you to an opening reception this Thursday, August 4th. It is a group exhibition from Kickstart Disability Arts & Culture which features artists living with disabilities.  We are thrilled to see some great artists in this mix including one we’ve featured here at ILiveInEastVan.com, that being L.J. Throstle.  Other artists include Deborah Leigh, whose work is pictured to the left, Dawn Margaret Enman, Take5 and Trish Smith.  All the artists will be on hand for this reception which kicks off at 6:00 pm and runs till 8:00 pm. This is a free event and everyone is welcome to attend.  If you miss the opening reception, the exhibit will run until August 27th. 

Image by Deborah Leigh

Tremors – Festival Featuring Emerging Talent August 11-20, 2016

28 Jul

Tremors2016In 2007, Rumble Theatre created the Tremors Festival which was originally a two week run of plays created by emerging companies. In 2014, they devised a new model for this festival which focused on providing mentorship to individual emerging artists rather than emerging companies. Tremors is now a vehicle for emerging artists to build networks, receive professional mentorship, develop their craft and work on exciting plays. Each show is directed, designed, stage managed, and performed by a company of emerging artists working with the guidance of professional mentors. Rumble Theatre is thrilled to present their 2016 edition of Tremors. They’ve selected three outstanding scripts specifically Dry Land by Ruby Rae Spiegel, Better Angels: A Parable by Andrea Scott, and Bull by Mike Bartlett along with an assembly of emerging artists to direct, design and perform each show. For two weeks, these three plays will be performed simultaneously in different rooms of the Italian Cultural Centre.  They are saying it’s “like a Cineplex of theatre…with a bar!” and we quite like the sound of that.

Dry Land by Ruby Rae SpiegelAnais West and Shauna Griffin in Dry Land.jpg

Ester is a swimmer trying to stay afloat. Amy is curled up on the locker room floor. Dry Land dives into the lives of two teen girls and explores what happens in one high school locker room after everybody’s left.

Britney Buren in Better Angels.jpgBetter Angels: A Parable by Andrea Scott

Akosua moves from Ghana to Canada for a better life and finds a special kind of hell tailored just for her. Think slavery is over? Think again, as liars get caught in their own webs.

 


Adam Olgui and Lucy McNulty in Bull.JPGBull by Mike Bartlett

Audiences get ringside seats as three coworkers fight to keep their jobs. Brutal and hard-hitting, Bull is an unflinching look at a toxic corporate culture from which no one escapes unscathed

Dry Land begins its evening performance at 7:00 pm/9:15 pm, Better Angels at 7:15 pm/9:00 pm and Bull at 7:30 pm/9:30 pm.   Matinees for each show are Dry Land 1:00 pm, Better Angels at 1:15 pm and Bull at 1:30 pm. Ticket prices are $10 for matinees, $15 for evening shows. Best deal is 2 shows for $25. To purchase your tickets visit ArtsPoints.

Photo Credit: Tim Matheson.

Artful Sundays Return To Napier Greenway August 7th – September 4th

26 Jul

ArtfulSunday2016

Artful Sundays return to the Britannia Community Centre this summer. This is an outdoor visual arts market that begins Sunday, August 7th, 2016 and will run every consecutive Sunday until September 4th. This event now in its 16th year will feature local artists, special events, artist demonstrations, workshops and more. There will also be lots of live music on hand and we’ve set out below who will be on hand for each Sunday. The event will take place in the Napier Greenway at Napier Street & Commercial Drive from Noon – 5:00 p.m.

 August 7

Workshop: Mixed Media Button Making with Dianne Wood & Helen Spaxman
Live Music with Backspin Noon – 2:30 pm
Live Music with Russell Shumsky & Bud Kurz 2:30 – 5:00 pm

August 14

Workshop: Poetry Scrolls With James Melcher
Live Music with Illiteratty Noon – 2:30 pm
Live Music with Creaking Planks 2:30 – 5:00 pm

August 21

Workshop: Pasta Jewellery with Paula Luther
Live Music with Tim Sars & Wynston Minckler Noon – 2:30 pm
Live Music with Doug Thordarson 2:30 – 5:00 pm

August 28

Workshop: Print Making with Paddi McGrath
Live Music with Cosmic Wink & John Lyon Noon – 2:30 pm
Live Music with Rio Samaya 2:30 – 5:00 pm

September 4

Workshop: Colouring Table with Trish Mitchell
Live Music with the Soda Crackers Noon – 2:30 pm
Live Music with Katheryn Petersen & Squeeze Box Circle Orchestra 2:30 – 5 pm

There is a long line of local artists on hand for this weekly event. If you wish to know which artisan will be on hand on any given day, we invite you check the Facebook page for Artful Sundays. We invite you to come out and support this great community event.

 

The Fakespeare Festival At The York Theatre August 3-28

29 Jun

Fakespeare 

Shakespeare fans take note.  Awkward Stage Production is bringing The Fakespeare Festival “Like Shakespeare, Only Better” to The York Theatre from August 3rd to August 28th. They will be bringing you two shows that will alternate each night.  First up is TITUS, The Light and Delightful Musical Comedy of Titus Andronicus which was the Pick of the Fringe last year.  The writers of this production, Andrew Wade and Jenny Andersen, are expanding this Fringe hit to a two act musical.   We hear the Vancouver Sun gave this show 5 stars, so we think this just might be something to see.  TITUS kicks off on August 6th. The festival begins on August 3rd with Shakespeare parodies Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet starting things off. Tickets for the shows are available online through The Cultch and prices range from $20 to $35 with $5 on the preview nights which for TITUS is August 5th and for Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet is August 3rd.