From March 1 to 26, the Sunshine Coast Arts Council presents Leonard Brett’s A Surrealist Alphabet at the Doris Crowston Gallery in the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre. The exhibition of paintings, watercolours, PhotoShop prints and engravings all revolve around Brett’s surrealist alphabet, developed over the last three years. Each letter’s image contains symbols and icons starting with their respective letter. Each image is accompanied with text that is a combination of word play, riddles and anagrams. Brett invites the viewer to become involved simultaneously with both the visual and the literal as they view each letter. An award-winning painter and print maker, Brett was a founding member, president and designer of the Dundarave Print Workshop on Granville Island in Vancouver.
The opening reception is on Wednesday, March 1 from 7 to 9 p.m., with a musical performance by special guests Anagram. On Saturday, March 4 at 1 p.m. Brett will be on hand at the gallery for a special Meet the Artist. The Arts Centre is at 5714 Medusa (corner of Trail) in Sechelt. See: www.sunshinecoastartscouncil.com for more.
Coffee House
The monthly Artesia Coffee House presented by the Coast Cultural Alliance will be held this Friday, Feb. 24, at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt. Featured this month is the young fiddle trio Gingersnaps and Shortbread with Erin and Kayla Payne and Cassidy Wieler. Now a resident on the Sunshine Coast, singer/songwriter/composer Michael Freidman, a former music director for CBC, will end the first set. Reading after the break is new young slam poet, Philip Stagger, followed by one of our favourite jazz duos, Karen Graves, sax/flute/vocals, and Budge Schachte on guitar. Come early for a good seat, enjoy treats by Trish, a slideshow of past performers and the current art exhibition. Tickets are $10 at the door (opens at 7 p.m.) with music starting at 8 p.m.
Antiques Roadshow
Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives presents their fundraising Antiques and Collectables Roadshow on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Trail Bay Mall, Sechelt. It’s $15 to have your first item appraised by experts, $20 for a second item and $30 for a collection. See sunshinecoastmuseum.ca or phone 604-886-8232 for more.
Celtic music
Nellie Quinn, fiddler from Victoria, and Chris Meredith, guitarist from Scotland, perform in a CD release concert on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Gibsons. These diverse fiddlers met through traditional session playing and they draw upon their experience as performers, tune collectors, instructors and collaborators as they reunite for what promises to be a very special evening of Celtic music. Quinn and Meredith as a folk duo combine fun, drama and spontaneity, and they will be releasing their first album together titled The Greenside Sessions. Opening the show is the Coast’s own Bad to the Bow. Tickets are $15 at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2884716, and Laedeli and Swish in Gibsons, and $20 at the door.
Satellite from London
The London Stage series continues at Raven’s Cry Theatre, Sechelt, with St. Joan on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. Gemma Arterton is Joan of Arc in George Bernard Shaw’s classic, broadcast live by satellite to Raven’s Cry from the Donmar Warehouse in London. Call 604-885-4597 for reservations and information.
Music and shopping
The Garage Sale with the Concert Band is an annual fundraiser for the Sunshine Coast Community Orchestra Association’s ensembles. It takes place on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Sechelt Band Hall. Shop while the Suncoast Concert Band rehearses in the hall. Coffee will be available while it lasts. No early birds, please.
This weekend
Valdy, the singer, guitarist and bassist songwriter, performs at the Heritage Playhouse, Gibsons on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. Tickets $20 advance at Laedeli Gifts & Cards, Sechelt Visitor Centre and share-there.com/heritageplayhouse, $25 at the door.
The Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival mid-winter weekend of music is on Feb. 25 and 26. The concerts are at 2 p.m.; tickets are $25 at www.penderharbourmusic.ca, Harbour Insurance in Madeira Park and the Sechelt Visitor Centre.
Tuesday Talk
Tuesday Talks continue at the Sechelt Library. Come on Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. to hear Olive Oil 101, a talk about the benefits of good oil from the Sunshine Coast Olive Oil Company that includes taste tests. Register for the talk at 604-885-3260 or [email protected]
Arts Building
It seems everyone on the Sunshine Coast has a creative side that comes out on paper, canvas or clothing. Have you thought about teaching others about your craft? Sharing your passion with aspiring artists? If so, the Arts Building in Gibsons wants to hear from you. See artsbuilding.org/introduce-people-to-your-passion
Organ concert
Music Arising! St. Hilda’s Recital Series presents Michael Dirk at the organ on Saturday, March 4 at 3 p.m. at St. Hilda’s Anglican Church in Sechelt. Dirk is the music director at St. John’s Shaughnessy Anglican Church in Van-couver and will perform works by composers Bach, Bédard, Franck, Sweelinck and Walton. The organist will be visible via big screen projection. Admission is by donation.
Seed
Join Green Films in partnership with One Straw Society for a fun precursor to Seedy Saturday and watch a new film from Collective Eye on Friday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. at Roberts Creek Hall. Seed: The Untold Story follows passionate seed-keepers protecting our 12,000 year-old food legacy. While biotech chemical companies control the majority of our seeds, farmers, scientists, lawyers and indigenous seed-keepers fight to defend the future of our food. Seed features Vandana Shiva, Dr. Jane Goodall, Andrew Kimbrell, Winona Laduke and Raj Patel, and is produced by Academy Award-winning actress Marisa Tomei, Marc Turtletaub and Phil Fairclough. Tickets are by donation at the door. Warm and delicious food will be available for purchase from Caspier Catering. For more information, contact Kym at [email protected]. The annual Seedy Saturday event is the following day, March 4, also at Roberts Creek Hall.
ArtsVest
Business for the Arts, Canada’s only national charitable organization that strengthens arts and culture in Canada by building partnerships between the private and cultural sectors, announced that its ArtsVest program will launch in five new regions in B.C. With funding support from the governments of BC and Canada, the program will reach communities on the Sunshine Coast. The workshop is on Tuesday, March 7, 1 to 5 p.m. at the Seaside Centre, 5790 Teredo St., Sechelt. Register for free at https://2017artsvest-sechelt.eventbrite.ca. The program is open to registered non-profit arts, culture and heritage organizations with an annual operating budget of under $1 million. ArtsVest works directly with small to mid-sized arts organizations, equipping them with in-depth training, tools and mentorship relationships. As an added incentive, ArtsVest participants can apply for matching grants. See www.artsvest.com/artsvest-bc
Noon deadline
Send your notice of arts events by Tuesday at noon for Friday’s newspaper to [email protected] or phone 604-886-4692. Please include a contact person’s phone number or email in your notice.
