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
The sun is out, it feels like spring may have finally arrived, I’m heading to Mayne Island on Thursday and Tucker Carlson just got fired. Bliss.🤣
Yes, I’m heading over to Mayne this coming weekend to fire up the coffee pot, kick out the spiders, put out some cookies and maybe – hopefully – finally be able to put out my “nice weather chairs” for my outdoor-view craving friends & customers. Here’s my schedule for this weekend:
Just letting you all know that I will be opening the Gallery Café this coming Friday March 17 through Sunday March 19.
I just finished my taxes this morning and am in dire need of some therapeutic “island time.”😊
I also left a new mask, half-finished, when I was over earlier this month – keeping fresh in the fridge – and need to return and complete it before the clay hardens and dries out. I’m including a couple of photos of “Full Buck Moon – Version 3” to give you an idea of what the new mask will look like.
Hope some of you can drop in and say hi while I’m over!
Cheers!
George
*During my off season – roughly November through April – I do use Shavasana Gallery as
Just a quick note to let you all know that Shavasana Gallery & Café will be open this coming weekend. I’m changing my normal hours slightly and will be starting on Thursday 9 – 4, giving me one more day on the blessed rock.😊
Hours:
Thursday 9 – 4
Friday 9 – 4
Saturday 9 – 4
Sunday 10:15 – 4
I know that the picture I’ve attached looks a little “Christmassy” but I think it’s a great cozy rendition of Shavasana in Winter –
Just getting ready to re-open the Gallery Café for the Easter Weekend, which happens to coincide with the “Made on Mayne” (image attached) event sponsored by the Southern Gulf Islands Arts Council. This will be similar to the Fall Studio Tour which ran last November and was a great success, but has now grown to include all things “Made on Mayne”. I am also the lucky recipient of a new show by Famous Empty Sky and her beautiful collage work. We’ll be hanging her new – hitherto unseen – show on Thursday in preparation for our Friday to Monday showings.
I feel quite fortunate to be welcoming back Famous Empty Sky as my first art show after two years of pandemic event precautions. As I’m sure you are all aware “Group Events”, like Art Openings have not only been discouraged, they have been banned. So, getting together with her and her husband Jim to hang the show on April 14th for an Easter Weekend Opening was a real treat. To illustrate how “rusty” I have become during this time, I am only now (May 2) editing my “Current Exhibits” page to reflect this new show that we have – something I would normally do prior to each new opening. And, in fact, we did not put together a big evening soirée as we would normally do, but chose to promote the show over the course of the first 4 days of its run, to avoid big crowds out of respect for attendees lingering precautions – but things are improving.🙏 I think the 8 dozen cupcakes that Famous Empty Sky baked to hand out to guests may have helped people to overcome their anxieties about public places😆
Famous Empty Sky’s , new exhibit is called her “In Isolation Series”, which showcased her beautiful array of new collage-works – this show should be up and running throughout May & possibly longer (except for the pieces we sold! 😆) I’m not sure where she gets her energy but the 8 dozen cupcakes (as shown) which she baked were a big hit with our grateful guests. We were also treated to some lovely jamming by her husband Jim Heshedahl and friends (Rodger Cove (Hrothgar Jackson), Kurt Dahl, & Brendan Brown).
Please drop by during our hours of operation to enjoy these gorgeous collages…(sorry, cupcakes are all gone, I ate the last one!😆)
Hours of Operation:
Friday & Saturday: 9am – 4pm
Sunday: 10:30 – 4pm
Monday: 9am – 4pm
It’s promising to be a fabulous event, please come on by!
I’m just on the ferry heading to Tsawassen and have an hour, or so, to devote some words and attention to our new Art Show at Shavasana Gallery. Famous Empty Sky has returned to Shavasana for her third exhibit in as many years and she is sharing the stage with good friend and fellow artist, Angie Carson, who is back with her second show.
We had a fabulous opening on the evening of Friday September 6…the weather was cooperating, there was a great turnout of friends and art appreciators, Empty Sky had baked two delicious cakes & Angie brought a multitude of fruit & custard tarts. Guests were serenaded by the gentle guitar of Jim Heshedahl, and Rosalie Ripley even stepped in to contribute her beautiful voice to some of the arrangements.
And the Art! Empty Sky is a renowned Collage & MultiMedia artist and she has created a new series of pieces that reflect the title of the show “Images & Icons”. The majority of her new pieces are beautiful collages which include images of spiritual leaders from the various spiritual traditions – Buddha figures prominently; the Virgin of Guadalupe; Ganesh; Goddess of Mercy; Lohan and others. Her collages are vibrant and playful and draw the viewer in for deeper more reflective viewing. One young purchaser was moved to tears by her purchase! (she said that purchasing art has this effect on her as a very personal experience…perhaps it was the Blue Buddha effect!)…when asked how long it took her to produce a piece of art Empty Sky replied, “A lifetime”…so true.
Angie Carson never fails to amaze with her range of ability and talent. She is able to move comfortably between impressionistic landscapes (this piece is just gorgeous)
to expressionism, whimsy, cubist abstracts & collage (here are but a few examples):
Did I mention that she also won a Blue Ribbon at this year’s Fall Fair for growing the tallest Sunflower on Mayne Island? Her talents know no bounds! 🙂
(here is her prize entry being proudly displayed at Shavasana Gallery for public viewing)
I always like to do a walkthrough video of each new art exhibition at Shavasana Gallery when I find a quiet moment. A great way to participate in the beauty of Empty Sky’s and Angie’s art if you are unable to attend in person. The show runs until October 6 and is the last show of our season, so please drop in! – cheers!
We are just preparing for our final art exhibit of the season, Famous Empty Sky is returning to Shavasana Gallery with her friend Angie Carson (nee Liudzius) with a brand new show called, “Images and Icons”. I know that the artists have been busy creating new and exciting pieces for this show which is self-described as “quirky mixed media art”. I’m pleased to be welcoming F.E.S. back for her third exhibit at the Gallery which will also be Angie’s second show here. Although I’ve seen glimpses of Empty Sky’s colourful & thought-provoking new work, the talents of both women will arrive as a delightful surprise when we hang the new show next Thursday September the 5th.
We are having an opening reception on the evening of Friday September 6th between 6 and 8 pm. Please come by for a chance to meet the artists and to hear the Gentle Guitar of Jim Heshedahl. Refreshments and merriment will also be on hand – so don’t miss it! 🙂
Shavasana Gallery is located at 457 Village Bay Road, Mayne Island – Hope to see you there!
We are just gearing up for our first show of the summer season and are very pleased to welcome the beautiful work of Deborah Strong to the walls of Shavasana Gallery and Café. Deborah has created a collection of new coloured pencil drawings of birds which stems from her passion for the animals which populate this region of the world.
There will be an Opening/Reception on Friday July 5 from 7 until 9pm, please drop by for a chance to meet the artist and see Deborah’s newest works! Refreshments will be served!
Shavasana Gallery is located at 457 Village Bay Road, Mayne Island – Hope to see you there!
It’s Sunday June the 9th – a day after we launched our first show of the 2019 season – and I’m taking a quiet moment to do a little Website (and F’Book) update. The new show is a collaboration between artist Nicole Rittemann and her mother Linda Dzus. These two women bring a variety of talents to the walls of Shavasana Gallery. Their art exhibit includes photos on canvas, acrylic and oil paintings on canvas and canvas panel, art cards and paintings on rocks – an eclectic mix!
Here’s a picture of Linda and Nicole working tirelessly (with me) to hang and arrange the art the day before the show – it was fun working with these two. It’s always at least a 3 or 4 hour job depending on the number of pieces, but I always find it enjoyable to see the new work that will reside on the walls of the Gallery for the next month – Galleries are, by their nature, constantly changing
The Opening Reception ran from noon til 3 on Saturday and was quite well-attended – despite the many things that were occurring on Mayne Island at the same time. The island has a small population of 1,000 people but it’s a busy little place. While our show was humming along with happy guests, the farmers market, the ladies church auxiliary clothing sale, a celebration of life, and a conservancy demonstration were all taking place at the same time. Clever islanders are usually able to strategically plan their days to weave multiple events into their – surprisingly – busy schedules.
Here are Linda and Nicole (and I) shortly before the opening reception, standing in front of the kitchen island laden with snacks and a generous bowl of fruit punch. The fifty to sixty guests ensured that there was very little left to pack up at the end of the 3-hour show.
I always like to do a walkthrough video of the show after the crowds have gone home so I can keep a record of the exhibit and include a wee commentary on individual pieces – here it is below, have a look:
The show runs until July 1st, come on by and have a look at Linda & Nicole’s art if you have a chance – cheers!
It’s Sunday evening in mid-October. The fire ban has been lifted on this small water-challenged island on which I reside, and residents are taking this opportunity to clear months of accumulated debris by having autumnal fires. These are the first fires we have seen in 4 or 5 months, and smoke now drifts down the cool valleys of this picturesque enclave.
Donna Williams – one of two artists who are showing with me right now – and I, hung her and Joella Grymaloski’s art several days ago. We are just gearing up for her Artist’s Opening on Friday October the 20th at 7 o’clock, and had decided to have a “soft opening” on Friday the 13th when her and Joella’s beautiful and beguiling pieces were made accessible to visitors to Shavasana Art Gallery & Café.
The show is called “Nature of Reflections” and centres around Donna’s intriguing collection of abstract photographs which were captured on a recent trip to Toronto. The compelling images are shots of the downtown urban landscape as viewed through reflections in high-rise glass towers. The effect is almost painterly in some instances and reveals the beauty of glass in its ability to capture and change reflected shape and colour.
This collection is beautifully complemented by Joella’s quilting artistry and her sewing and painting talents which she displays so nicely with a series of hanging prayer flags.
If you happen to be reading this before October the 20th please join us at the opening on Friday night. There will be refreshments, Conviviality and Art – and a chance to meet the artists! Below is a little walkthrough video to give you a better idea of what you might see at the show, which runs until November the 5th. Hope to see you there (or, in this case -here! 🙂 )
We have a fabulous show opening tonight – Nov. 11, 2016 – showcasing the talents of Trish Mitchell (Mosaics, Mixed Media, Collage) and Angie Carson (Acrylics, Portraits)…here are some photos of the show and a video which will give you a taste of the beauty that is being exhibited here!
Art Gallery & Café 