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End of Summer Season Wrap-Up, Reflections & Projections

Posted on by Shavasana Art Gallery & Café

It’s early October, and I’m back in Vancouver, taking care of the Vancouver side of my life. This dual existence has its joys…and difficulties. Shavasana Gallery & Café has reached a stage in it’s life where its become a viable small business, and is greatly appreciated by those who walk through its doors…and I appreciate their positive energy and support. As I’ve said in previous posts, I love Mayne Island and the lovely friends and community which I have there. Something about running a little Gallery Café on a small island just seems to fit so well with my nature – I get a contact high from a bustling room full of good conversation, laughter and happy people.

But not all has been benign this year – even in our little corner of bliss it’s hard to ignore the troubles besetting the world and the impact that it has had on the well-being of everyone. Instability and uncertainty came knocking at Shavasana’s door last year when a disagreement between our landlords resulted in one half of the ownership of the 10 acre parcel we are on, decide to try and sell their “Undivided/Half-Interest” this year for an outrageous sum. Their antics – while unsettling – have provided ample material for a chapter in the sequel to my book “All Roads at Any Time” https://clayandbone.com/book-all-roads-at-any-time/ . Great material for a tragi-comic farce. Here are some photos from my “Good, Bad & Ugly” summer season:

Lovely card made by friends Margaret and Andrea; Friend Fil’s cat asking to have her picture taken next to my new book; Esnie & Joseph & the Smith Grandchildren; Brenda Dean’s big sign; Elwood the Wonder Dog; Springtime Clematis bloom; the ever-changing sky; Nelson the neighbour’s paying a visit; Broken floor tiles – a result of January’s broken-pipe flooding; Vicki & Pam’s 75th B’Day celebration; Cleaning up Tom Collinson & family’s grave; Monday Jam sessions; Wayne Thomas carvings with donated bouquet; Herbie (my best friend from Grade 1) and wife Lauri; big-hearted & wise neighbour Billie

A beautiful bouquet from Esnie & Joseph; my beautiful partner Cathy in a lavender field on Saltspring; positive Covid test in July which had me self-isolating at Shavasana for a week; Chicken soup from Famous Empty Sky & assorted fruit from friends while I was isolating; Island Trail construction on our property; Liam’s handwritten note’s for a jam song; the Church yard where we were having an AA meeting; High School friend Eric fixing my signage; Bob-the-seller landlord chatting with Joseph the bare-foot car-dwelling wanderer; Lemar – gone too soon😢; Bright, Cello-playing neighbour Justine; “The Van” leaving Mayne for repairs; my German friend of 50 years, Christiana and Thomas, visiting Mayne; Margaret & Andrea’s Tree Frog🐸(in this case, a hand frog😆) paying a visit; Hand-Crafted art gift/mementos by Mary Jack; Jam with Liam Bender, Gary Bradfield, Stephen Cropper, Mary Jack & others; Hrothgar Jackson & Jim Heshedahl on the porch; more porch jamming; Neighbour Jan Gumbmann and his daughter Mika’s cups; Checking out the Lighthouse (new home of the SGIAC) with Stephen & Joyce; typical ferry scene; Billie & George & Percy the Pig; 3 Gifted books by Jeremy Borsos, Joseph Loh & John O’Brien; Jody Waldie’s “Raven”

So, the “Good, the Bad & the Ugly”…I love the variety of life experience that Mayne & Shavasana Gallery offers. I’m grateful for all of it, even the bad and the ugly allows us to have a greater understanding and compassion for what lies out there – giving depth & breadth to this blessed gift of life.

As mentioned in recent posts on social media, I’ve entered my slower Fall/Winter season which means that my openings will be a little unscheduled and will be announced via group emails , website updates and Social Media blitz’s. I think I’ll likely be open on the 3rd week of October…but it might be the 4th!🤔

Cheers!

George Bathgate

Curator/Proprietor

Shavasana Art Gallery & Café

Closing Night Celebration! Friday, Sept. 27th 6pm – 8pm

Posted on by Shavasana Art Gallery & Café

Our current exhibit – Island Eclectic – has been charming visitors to the Gallery for 5 months and we’ve decided it’s time to have an “end of season” party!* The original 10 artists which launched our season (Dell Maxwell, Bill Maylone, Linda Church, Ranjeet Dhaliwal, Stephen Cropper, Tina Farmilo, Robbin Yager, Jody Waldie, Wayne Thomas and Famous Empty Sky) were joined later in the summer by Joseph Loh, and, if I throw myself in the mix, we became the “Group of Twelve” sometime in August. From my perspective (as I spend a lot of time in the Gallery) I feel absolutely blessed to be surrounded by so much creative energy & beauty…it’s a pretty good gig!🙏

So please come on down and join us for Art & Conversation & a delicious array of appetizers & yummy fruit punch! (Coffee and tea will also be available)

Date: Friday, September 27th, 6pm – 8pm

Location: Shavasana Gallery & Café, 457 Village Bay Road

Phone: 604-418-3846

Hope to see you there!

Cheers!

George Bathgate

*PS. This is also the last weekend of Shavasana Gallery & Café’s regular summer hours, before I head into my intermittent Fall/Winter schedule with its more selective weekend openings – ciao!

Yard sale for the Southern Gulf Islands Arts Council – Sept 14, 10 – 4

Posted on by Shavasana Art Gallery & Café
Arts on Mayne is planning a studio garage sale! Come browse and buy on Saturday September 14 at Shavasana Gallery’s outdoor space!

The proceeds will benefit Mayne’s branch of the Southern Gulf Islands Arts Council. Artists and those searching for gifts for aspiring artists will be inspired by new-to-you art supplies at reasonable prices! Everything from canvas to paper, coloured pencils to paints, and fabric to findings will be on sale from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Artists wishing to donate from their studios please contact Kriss Boggild, kriss@krissboggild.ca to arrange for a drop-off at Shavasana.

“Meet the Artists Night” Friday, June 14, 6pm-8pm

Posted on by Shavasana Art Gallery & Café

Shavasana Gallery & Café is hosting our first major Art Opening of the year on Friday, June 14, 6 to 8 pm. “Meet the Artists Night” gives you a great opportunity to mix and mingle with 10 of Mayne Island’s most talented artists, who are all exhibiting as part of our “Island Eclectic” exhibit.

Beautiful paintings, collages, multimedia, felt work, sculpture, photography, and carvings by island artists: Linda Church, Stephen Cropper, Ranjeet Dhaliwal, Famous Empty Sky, Tina Farmilo, Dell Maxwell, Bill Maylone, Wayne Thomas, Jody Waldie, and Robbin Yager will be available for viewing anytime between 6 and 8ish pm.

Please come on by and join us for a selection of appetizers, sweet treats, and fruit punch – coffee and tea will also be available.

Hope to see you all then!

Cheers!

George Bathgate

Curator, Artist, and a pretty good Barista

Shavasana Gallery & Café

Book Reading at Shavasana Gallery & Café – May 24, 2:00 – 3:30

Posted on by Shavasana Art Gallery & Café

I’m going to be reading from my new book “All Roads at Any Time” this Friday May 24 from 2pm until about 3:30pm, at Shavasana Gallery & Café on Mayne Island.

I’m planning on reading one story from my book, then taking a short break to give everyone a chance to grab a coffee or tea while I field any questions that may arise.

Following this, I’d like to read a new short story that I wrote recently called, “The Panic Attack” which will – hopefully – make it’s way into Volume 2 – the follow-up book of story stories that I am currently working on. After this we’ll stop for a little Q & A session.

As a self-published author I can also field any questions that the audience may have about the self-publishing process and what to expect after that…writing and publishing are – as I am discovering – the first 2 steps in a rather long and circuitous journey (but…it’s worth it! 😅)

Hope you can join us!

Cheers!

George Bathgate

Author/Curator

Let the Summer Hours Begin!

Posted on by Shavasana Art Gallery & Café

OK, I might be a little optimistic to call them “summer hours” when, as I write this on April 30, it’s only 8 degrees outside, overcast and threatening rain…but I’m optimistic!

The Fall/Winter/Spring-ish season was good, managed to keep the hearth fires alive by coming over once or twice each month to open up, stir the embers, throw another log on the flames, and visit with my Mayne Island chums. The slower season also gave me more time to hang out with my partner Cathy, and with my Vancouver family, which includes my new grandson Mateo…he’s a cutie!

Mateo slurping a popsicle on a recent visit to Saltspring Island

May is also the beginning of our new show at Shavasana Gallery…the show is called “Island Eclectic” and features 9 of Mayne Islands most talented & creative artists. I am thrilled to be hosting & exhibiting their assembled brilliance😎…here’s a poster made recently by one of their talented lot – Bill Maylone – which will give you further details:

As mentioned at the outset, I am beginning my summer hours this weekend, so likely won’t be posting as much on this website or social media unless there is a change in my days/hours, or an event to announce (we are expecting to have a “Meet the Artist Night” on June 14…details to come) So, until further notice:

Hours of Operation:

Saturday 9am – 4pm

Sunday 10:15 – 4pm

Monday 9am – 4pm

Please come on by for a coffee or tea and a chance to view the 30+ pieces we have assembled for this show!😄

See you then!

George

SHAVASANA GALLERY & CAFÉ WILL BE OPENING Sat. Apr. 20, TIL MON. APR. 22

Posted on by Shavasana Art Gallery & Café

I’m just making arrangements to open Shavasana Gallery Café for what is, ostensibly, the last weekend of my slower Winter/Fall/Early Spring season. If my previous weekend over on Mayne for the “Made on Mayne” event was any indicator (Mar. 29 – Apr.1) it’s going to be a very busy “Summer Season” which, for me, runs May through October.

The current show, 9 of Mayne Islands most talented artists, in no particular order: Bill Maylone, Linda Church, Ranjeet Dhaliwal, Dell Maxwell, Stephen Cropper, Tina Farmilo, Jodie Waldie, Famous Empty Sky, and Robbin Yager (and I’ve thrown in a few of my pieces in an act of unabashed self-promotion🤣)

Shavasana Gallery has become a little cultural hub (if I may say so myself) with art, crafts, hot coffee, spirited conversations, and Monday afternoon jam sessions. A large part of the joy I receive when I open up my shop is visits by friends & off-island visitors who drop in – (kids and dogs – and yes, sometimes cats – are always welcome, and add their own brand of joy to an already happy mix…there are treats!)

Esnie Shum & Joseph Loh hanging out with the Smith grandkids

Hours of Operation:

Sat. April 20. 9am – 4pm

Sunday Apr. 21, 10:15am – 4pm

Monday Apr. 22, 9am – 4pm

Please drop by for a coffee and a chance to view all the beautiful art!

Cheers!

George

Shavasana Gallery & Café will be opening Fri. Mar. 29 til Mon. Apr. 1

Posted on by Shavasana Art Gallery & Café

Dear Friends…It’s Sunday March 24th and I’m sitting at my local Starbucks in Kitsilano – getting ready for my annual Just Push Play Theatre Society AGM https://justpushplayaudiomotion.wordpress.com/ (our 35th I believe) – and taking a little time, in what appears to be a very busy week coming up, to announce the “soft opening” of my new 2024 season at Shavasana Gallery & Café (my 11th!)

I’m coming over to participate in the bi-annual “Made on Mayne” event which is a really cool celebration of all things, “made on Mayne”…art, crafts, clothing, food – beer!…you name it, if it’s made on Mayne Island – we celebrate it, with a well-organized tour of all the local studios, shops, roadside stands, businesses & more! It’s a fun & informative couple of days with maps, websites & posters (thank you Arts on Mayne! https://www.artsontheislands.org/mayne.html ) and is definitely worth checking out👍

I’m changing my format this year – rather than the 4 or 5 rotating shows I’ve had in previous years (1 artist for 1 month) , I’ll be welcoming 5 new artists (Robbin Yagger, Linda Church, Ranjeet Dhaliwal, Dell Maxwell, and Stephen Cropper)and 4 returning artists (Famous Empty Sky, Bill Maylone, Tina Farmilo, and Jody Waldie) to join me for the Made on Mayne event, with the option to leave their art up or change it – as they see fit – throughout my May to October season. We are planning on having a “Meet the Artists” night sometime in June, the details of which are still to be determined, this may be followed-up with some kind of closing party at the end of season…also TBD.

I’m looking forward to hosting you all at next weekends “Made on Mayne Crawl”…drop in for a coffee and a chance to check out the fabulous talent we’ll be exhibiting!

Hours of Operation:

Friday March 29, 9am – 4pm

Saturday March 30, 9am – 4pm

Sunday March 31, 10:15 – 4pm

Monday April 1, 9am – 4pm

Hope to see you then!

Cheers!

George Bathgate