We offer local Arts & Crafts in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Sit and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee or tea and nibble on a home-made cookie or locally made pastry
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!
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!😄
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!
I am pleased to be welcoming Deborah Strong and her beautiful artwork back to the walls of Shavasana Gallery & Café, August 25 – October 1. Her show is called “Feather and Bone”, and is a collection of Drawings which celebrate the life of birds, and Deborah’s love and appreciation of our little feathered friends.
As the attached poster attests, we are having an Art Opening to kick off Deborah’s exhibit at Shavasana Gallery, on Friday August 25th, 7pm – 8:30pm. Deborah will be there mingling with the guests, and we will be having “Light Refreshments” (Nibblies, a fruit punch and free tea and coffee)…please join us! It’ll be great to see you🙏😊
Cheers! …..George
(ps. I’d also like to mention that it was Deborah Strong who offered her Formatting skills to help save my new book project, “All Roads at Any Time”*, when I was mired in Amazon self-publishing hell. Thanks Deborah! I couldn’t have done it without you!🙏
Yes! We are having and Art Opening for Jerryann Hamilton & Abigail Hain’s new show, “Textures of Mayne” on Friday August 4th between 7 and 9 pm.
Although Jerryann and I hung the show a few weeks ago, as a “soft-opening”, Abigail has been in Scotland so we’ve been awaiting her return to have our official “Meet the Artist” night this coming Friday.
Here are a few photos of the exhibit:
Just of a few examples of Abby’s & Jerryann’s varied talents working on fabric, paper, canvas & seashell!
Thus far, the show has been very well-received, by islanders and visitors as well. I am writing this from my home in Kitsilano, getting ready to head back to Mayne Island tomorrow to begin preparations for our Friday night event – which is in two days! Rumour has it that Abby’s husband Alistair is a great cook and will be preparing some of the food for our event…hopefully it doesn’t include fresh Haggis flown in from Scotland!
And here are a few more photos of this beautiful show:
Shavasana Gallery & Café is very pleased to announce that Elisabeth Jahren will be gracing the walls of the gallery with her beautiful acrylic abstract paintings for the next month, from June 16 to July 16!
Elisabeth is truly a renaissance woman with her many talents and accomplishments. While most island residents will – no doubt – be aware of her contributions to our community as the island’s veterinarian, she is also an accomplished piano player and accordionist, performing regularly at island venues (and even recently in Italy! with violist, Chris Redsell).
I became aware of her considerable artistic abilities perhaps 4 or 5 years ago when I began to notice examples of her paintings being posted on Social Media. I was immediately taken with her creative imagery and imaginative style, making sophisticated use of colour, shape & concept. Since that initial viewing, and subsequent opportunities to see her work in person, I have been consistently impressed with the many pieces she has managed to produce. And now she’s bringing her work to Shavasana Gallery – Im thrilled!
Here are just a few examples of Elisabeth’s work. I love her ability to experiment with form and colour and expand her creative style. As of this writing I have not seen which paintings she’s bringing to the Gallery so these are just a few possibilities I’ve selected from Social Media. It’s going to be a surprise for me – and you!
We are having an Art Opening on Saturday June 17 from 7pm to 9pm, at Shavasana Gallery & Café, 457 Village Bay Road – Refreshments will be served. Please come and join us!🙏
ps. There’s a rumour that Elisabeth may also entertain the guests with a little piano interlude on the Blüthner, accompanied by Stephen Cropper
The rumours were true! Elisabeth and operatic singer Stephen Cropper entertained the guests with three songs for piano and two for accordion.
Refreshments for the evening comprised appetizers made by Elisabeth’s friend Natela, and a fruit punch provide by Shavasana Gallery – here’s a look at some of the yummy offerings that the guests enjoyed
And a few more examples of Elisabeth’s gorgeous work
It has been wonderful having Joseph’s art gracing the walls of Shavasana Gallery these past three weeks. The opening on Friday May 12th was vibrant and well-attended with well over 40 people dropping by to view the art, enjoy some treats prepared by Sue Duncan, or grab a glass of punch and mingle with the other guests – but unfortunately, we must get ready for a new show in mid-June which will make this coming Sunday June 11th the last day to come in and enjoy his work.
So, please take some time – if you haven’t already – and drop into Shavasana Gallery & Café this weekend for a visit, and a chance to see Joseph’s show!
Shavasana Gallery & Café is pleased to be hosting a beautiful selection of artist – Joseph Synn Kune Loh’s – paintings, which will go on exhibit at the Gallery May 12 and run through til June 11.
“Molecular Language” a 24″ x 24″ Acrylic on canvas, and “The Wall” a 16″ x 20″ Acrylic on Canvas
Joseph and his lovely partner Esnie Shum moved to Mayne Island just over a year ago and have become immersed in all that Mayne Island has to offer. This show exhibits 13 of Joseph’s paintings and gives a good indication of his talent and range of expression.
“Entering Mind Field” a 24″ x 36″ Acrylic on Canvas (sacred site activation, inspired by going to15 pyramids in Mexico), “Remove dagger be a compassionate vessel” a 12″ x 12″Acrylic on Canvas, “Celebration” a 30″ x 30″ Acrylic on Canvas (Beings from hidden dimensions reveal their form), “Changing Dimensions (1 & 2)” a 26″ x 41″ acrylic on paper, framed (the other page of reality), “The Golden Vision Reappears” a 36″ x 48″ Acrylic on Canvas (about a seeker’s journey going up the mountain meeting masters along the way)
Due to size restrictions at the Gallery we were unable to exhibit some of his larger pieces (see photos below) but I’m sure if you ask, he’d be happy to take you to his studio for a private viewing.
“The childhood dreams of mountains and streams a permanent possession“… 3″ x 5″ acrylic painting, and, Joseph and I standing in front of “Childhood Dreams of Mountains and Streams”, a 6″ x 12″ Acrylic Diptych
Here is a brief Bio about Joseph and his spiritual, creative & artistic journey:
“Joseph Loh was born in China in 1947. He grew up in Hong Kong and went to the United States to study in 1965. He graduated in 1969 with a BA in Psychology from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. While studying for a MA degree in Cultural Psychology at Queen’s University, he went to Paris, fell in love with the art world and decided to become an artist. Returning to Toronto, he joined the Ontario College of Art and began life as a visual artist. His first solo exhibition was in 1978 with Merten Gallery in Toronto. His first public collection was with Norcen Energy Resource. What followed was forty years of dedicated pursuit of creative adventure. Along the way he had published a book of poetry, Journey to Camatkara, and a journal, Ping Pong, Parkinson’s and the Art of staying in the game. While travelling in Mexico around the millenium, he also composed and performed his own music and poetry.”
We are having an Opening Night Celebration of Joseph’s art on Friday May 12 from 7pm til 9pm. Please drop by for a chance to meet the artist and to see Joseph’s work up close.Refreshments will be served!😊
Hey 👋 – just preparing to re-open the Gallery/Café this coming weekend to participate in the Made on Mayne Spring Tour 2023 Event. The Southern Gulf Islands Arts Council has created this popular event and it’s a nice kick-off for the beginning of the busy season. Usually lots of happy people milling around looking at arts & crafts – what could be better! 😆
I will also be open holiday Monday…here are my hours for the weekend:
Two stories, or memoirs, today – Joseph Synn Kune Loh’s short story “The Astrologer”, and Transient Epileptic Amnesia by – G. Bathgate…one is a young man’s encounter at a New Age Conference in Montreal, and the other is one more good reason why you should avoid a life of excess😊
Art Gallery & Café 