Maskanna Italian Style Masks created by Ann Grundy

Walking into Kariton Gallery today was like walking into a Carnival. Everywhere you turned was a new and interesting mask or costume. Ann Grundy the artist was busy calmly telling people about her creations, or she would be taking little excited jumps across the floor when it would quite down. The drummer, part of "The Mask Trio". Doris Schroeder helped with the sewing of three of the costumes, Ann Grundy

Lioness Head with filigree and picture application.

Helmets, Hand made aluminum mask with paper mache beret, Gold studded helmet black/gold filigree.

Terracotta Warrior

Fun, fun , fun!

The show is on till June at Kariton Gallery in Abbotsford

http://www.wavejourney.com/MaskAnna.html

That's Not Art 2010

From That's not a finished room...to....

"That's Not Art 2010" art showThe set up...Wes Giesbrecht and April Schultz

My fiber art, clothing, acrylics, and the Dragonfly lamp, mixed medium.

Fiona Dick

Kauhanekreations

David Solomon

Steve Fultz, "Passion and Tsunai" patterns in the floor.

Jennifer

April and Brandon

Sami Christianson

Felicia Hildebrandt

Debra Blades mixed media collage.

Tanis Katie, check out her blog for more photo's of the event.

A good time was had by all. It's amazing what three novice organizers can do, thank you Josh, April and Brandon, it will be much smoother next time!

This is just a sample of what was displayed at the art show. I didn't include the music. If you were an artist at the show I would be happy to add your web address to this list. Let me know.

I can also add your name to your art if I missed your name.

http://www.jennifershepit.com/

http://www.debrascollageart.com/

http://www.wesgiesbrecht.com/

http://www.samichristianson.com/

http://www.feliciahildebrandt.com/

http://www.kauhanekreations.com/

http://myfavoritestrings.blogspot.com/

http://www.taniskatie.com

A Painter, A Potter, A Collaboration

Gwen Gregorig award winning Painter and Pat Schendel a ceramic artist using crystalline porcelain techniques are the first show at the Kariton Gallery after being renovated. The renovation was mostly paint and moving into the studio space which had been rented out.

Pat's crystalline porcelains entitled "Catch the Wave" are amazing. It was very difficult to not touch. She was recently in Maui and experienced a tsunami so she has continued with her wave in the pieces, which give them one of her unique touchs.

Gwen works with water color, oil and acrylics using bright colors in her floral and nature pieces.

Gwen also had miniatures of delicate floral and landscape.

We enjoyed the show hope you can make it. It's on till May 12, 2010.

Kariton Art Gallery

2387 Ware Street

www.abbotsfordartscouncil.org

Open Tuesday to Friday 9 am- 4 pm

Saturday to Sunday 12 pm-4 pm

That's Not Art 2010

Some friends of mine are putting on an art show and calling it "That's Not Art 2010" an Abbotsford alternative art show.

With a name like that I figured it was time to pull out the old boob fabric. My friend Anne dyed this fabric for me using Cd's as a resist. The fabric was a blah beige, but has a beautiful drape, texture and weight, dying it has given it new life. I have been pulling this fabric off the shelf for years and putting it back. I am looking for new inspiration to paint cut and sew this fabric. I am determand it will not go back on the shelf.

From Josh, April and Brandon

THAT’S NOT ART 2010Abbotsford’s Alternative Art Show

Good day, fellow creatives! Here is our promised update email… we’ve got the date, time and place for you, plus some other information you might find useful. For those of you who haven't received any info on the show yet, our concept is essentially an alternative art show - featuring different, strange, unusual, off-beat and/or otherwise non-traditional art.

All mediums of artistic expression - painting, music, sculpture, crafts, film, drama, spoken word, etc - are A-okay.

DATE & TIME & PLACE Saturday, May 8th 2010. We’ve rented the space from 9AM - 12PM. The show hours will be approximately 4PM – 11PM. We encourage you to stay for the duration, but this is an informal event. It will take place at 2190 West Railway St., Abbotsford.

WHAT WE PROVIDE
The space, music, parking spots, probably some furniture. We aren’t providing tables, hardware, setup equipment etc, although we might be able to arrange this for you if needed. You’ll need to cart in any essentials like chairs, easels, extension cords, lighting, etc. If you have specific lighting requirements, speak with us as we may be able to help you with lighting equipment

FOOD We’re considering a potluck-style food table. We (the show coordinators) will provide some food, but we encourage you to pitch in, since this is a sort of co-op event.

REFRESHMENTS Due to the liability issues for the space, it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to serve alcohol at this event, but we’d love to next year!

COSTS FOR ARTISTS
We’ll need an entry fee of $10, payable when you set up at the show. This is a non-profit event and any excess money goes to the Black Rock Artist’s Fund. This is the only cost to exhibitors and serves only to cover the small cost of renting the space, a bit of food and cleanup costsNO COMMISSION We've decided to waive the 5% commission on sales. We're keeping our costs low and we want you to keep the profits of your sales. There will be an opportunity to donate to the charity if you like, but this is not required

SHOW PROMOTION We will be promoting the show with posters, press releases, and word of mouth – we encourage exhibitors to help spread the word! Bring friends and family, make your own posters, send out emails! Most of all, we’d love to get together with fellow artists to celebrate art that is somewhere outside the mainstream. This one-night event is an experiment in community – and it’s going to be a blast!

REGISTER Just shoot us an email to confirm that you’ll be there – that’s all there is to it!thatsnotart2010@gmail.com
We will be issuing further updates as the show approaches - any questions you might have can be sent to the email address

Josh, April, Brandon

Poverty Solutions 2010

Poverty Solutions 2010
On March 16th the Abbotsford Green Party of Canada and the Students for Sustainability put on a forum for positive ideas to make steps to eradicate poverty
We had a panel of people from non profit groups in our community. Womens Resource Society of the Fraser Valley Pam Willis, Community Services Sarbjit Gill, Salvation Army Debra Lowell, Atengard Community Project Dan Bryce.

The Women's Resource Society helps with housing and support for women and children through Transition Housing, Women's counseling, Outreach, Babies best chance, Pregnancy outreach, Education, Community Development, Housing, The Warm Zone and Fronya Thrift Boutique Store. One of their projects called the “Warm Zone” is a drop-in center for women in the streets. The Society went to women in the streets and asked them “How does good help look to you?” The Worm Zone has approximately 108 different women dropping in on a monthly bases, and 24 to 45 daily. The center provides a place to get warm, and clean up in a women only environment. They can wash their cloths and talk to Volunteers that will listen without judgment, and advise them or take them were they can get the help they may need. A hot evening meal is prepared twice a week and women have use of the kitchen where snacks can be made. The project is funded by the Federal Government through the status of Women Canada as well as the Province of British Columbia through the gaming Branch.

Community Services has been around since 1969. They have many programs, Welfare, Food Bank, Settlement Programs, Legal Advocates. ESL. Sarbjit works as a legal advocate. They had a case that effected 80 farm workers EI claims. EI studied a few of the people and found they had not worked the hours that they said and they would have to pay back EI with penalties that would be twice what they had been paid. EI took this further and decided all the workers were fraudulent with out checking into each case. 65 of the workers made successful appeals. It cost the government 2 million to collect 400 thousand.

The Salvation Army has many projects. Center of hope, Emergency Shelter, Outreach assistance, advocacy, 14 living suites on site, addiction counseling, thrift store, job training, buggy barn, and the Cascade Culinary Arts School. The Cascade has been a big success in training people with good skills and providing funding subsides. The classes are full. The Salvation Army has been successful at getting people in emergency shelters by providing the “buggy barn” so people can see that their possessions are locked in a secure place.
Atengard Community project is on Essendene Ave, in the heart of the old downtown. The group has renovated the top floor of the Fraser Valley Inn, using the original name “Atengard”. They have 19 units of affordable housing for young people. They have a common kitchen where meals are shared and everyone gets the chance to be a chief. Designing housing as a working community provides a sharing of resources, reduces social isolation and gives people a better sense of acceptance.

These four people represent a small portion of the people in our community that are doing, they are listeners, visionaries, unconditional givers, they see the real world and are following a path that helps the needs of the poor, the homeless, the orphans, the mentally ill, the immigrant's, people on the edge. We can't all be visionaries or run organizations but we can support what they do and trust that they know what they are doing. You can help your neighbors, and support local business, artist, food growers.

So many wonderful ideas were talked about and shared I have a few quotes that I may have embellished.
Pam Willis. “We should be mad, there are no Federal housing programs.”
Debra Lowell. “Everybody is worthy of love.”
Sarbjit Gill. “People say “they” can go to this and that social service for assistance, not thinking “they” are not different from “You”.
Dan Bryce. “Social Isolation creates instability.”
Gandhi. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world”

The last homeless count was 200, but 4000 people use the services provided. Those numbers will be going up unless we all do something about it.
Do not accept homelessness!
Do not accept band aid solutions that are given out disguised as the only help possible.
Call your MP and tell him we need housing!
Get to know your neighbors.
Volunteer
Donate GOOD FOOD
Get involved
Be careful about what you think you see, your interpretation may not be accurate.
If you know someone who is in potential need help them before they are in need.
We all have the potential of being in the position of needing help. Most of us in our daily lives don't need to ask for help but when the time comes that we do need to ask, can we? And if you see someone in need can you help them or give them permission to ask for help? A person can have a home and still be homeless if they are isolated from society.

I would like to see a guaranteed livable income
More housing that is designed for social wellness
Neighborhood vegetable gardens
Get back to better health care
A proportional voting system
To name a few.

Thank you to Pam Willis, Debra Lowell, Sarbjit Gill, and Dan Bryce for speaking and all the good works they do.
Thank you to all that care and were able to participate.
Thank you to the Green team Dan Bryce, Karen Durant, Steve Fultz, Regina Dalton Bill Walsh and I must include Alanna Dean and George Duffy who helped in the beginning but have moved to a new adventure.
Thank you to the Students for Sustainability Michelle Sylvest, Melissa Kendzierski.

Peace and love, just do