Aliens Come to Visit Shavasana Gallery & Café

I was coming over to Mayne Island recently on the ferry when I noticed this flotilla of alien craft arriving from afar, enroute to Shavasana Gallery & Café.

When I arrived at Shavasana, there they were, politely waiting for me to open up. It was a bit of a challenge to understand them – given their very thick accents – but they did make it quite clear that their scouting party had come back recently with stories of a very comfortable little place on a charming island, with yummy baked goods, a delicious dark hot beverage, intriguing aural noises emanating from a small black device, and examples of primitive art.

Of course, I invited them in and made sure there was enough coffee and baked goodies to go around. Seating was pretty tight, although luckily they were quite thin and could sit two to a chair. They even bought a few works of art before they took off, including a piece by Famous Empty Sky as they’d “never seen collage before” and were hoping to donate it to their intergalactic museum as representative of the local culture.

As they wrapped up and prepared to board their vessels for the four-and-a-half light year trip home, I thanked them for coming and told them to please drop in if they were ever back in this quadrant of our galaxy. They assured me that they would, asking when exactly I too would be back on Mayne Island, so they could make plans to return.

Of course I told them Anita’s weekly schedule – Sunday/Monday & Tuesday, most weekends, and that I would be back the following days:

Saturday March 14, Sunday March 15 and Monday the 16th – roughly 9am to 4pm, except Sunday where doors open around 10:15.

They smiled (I think) and waved goodbye, and promised to return.

🛸👽👽👽🚀

Shavasana Gallery & Café will be open this coming weekend – Fri. Jan. 17 – Mon. Jan. 20… unless we’re invaded on the 20th!

Barring an invasion from our southern neighbours on Jan. 20, when DT is promising/threatening/”just kidding”/hallucinating that 100 executive orders will be implemented (including the possible invasion of Canada🤔🇨🇦) Shavasana Gallery & Café will be open for business. Who knows? perhaps when the first amphibious landing craft hit the beaches of Miners Bay, and the Marines come charging up the hill shouting “My Country, Right or Wrong!” they’ll be thirsty and tired by the time they reach the Gallery Café and want coffee and a cookie.

Now, of course I’ll be terribly upset by their aggressive behaviour, after they’ve breached my protective wall of Scotch Broom, and will likely greet them on my porch with my arms akimbo, a stern look on my face, and say something like, “Hey, that’s not very nice!”. I’ll be totally conflicted about serving them…but what if they want to buy some local arts or crafts…in American Dollars💵💲💲…for their girlfriends (or boyfriends, assuming they haven’t had time to rescind their DEI programs) back home. What to do my friends? I’ll be in a pickle that’s fer sher.

Perhaps when they arrive, they too will be smitten by the beauty and tranquility of SḴŦAḴ in SENĆOŦEN, and will feel the warmth of community that we share, and will lay down their arms and choose instead to work as Woofers on some of the local hobby farms. I can almost hear one of them ask, “Is it true that you guys have Health Care up here? I twisted my ankle jumping off the landing craft, and it’s kinda swollen.”

All right then! Shavasana Gallery & Café coming soon to an island near you – during these slower months, when I’m only open one weekend per month, I’ve decided to be open 4 days rather than my typical 3 day weekend in the summer, so, Friday Jan 17 through Monday Jan. 20th. Baked Goodies and hot coffee will be available, along with some beautiful examples of local talent gracing the walls and shelves of the Gallery. Hope to see you then!🙏❤️

Shavasana Gallery & Café will be open this coming weekend – Fri. Dec 13 – Mon. Dec 16

Yahoo! Looking forward to grabbing a ferry on Thursday to come over to Mayne Island and get ready for my last weekend of biz before I settle in to the annual flurry of Christmas activities here in Vancouver. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been doing this for 11 years which – strangely enough – makes me one of the longest-running owner/operator businesses on Mayne Island! (Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think only the FarmGate store has seniority – and Don McDougall was one of the first islanders I met when I came over on my bike to “look around” in 2013😊) It has been a wonderful journey, and I’d like to share my love & gratitude with all of you who have made this trip so enjoyable, fun, serene, raucous, meditative, healing, synchronistic, serendipitous, interesting & informative etc; (have I missed anything?😆)

So many great art shows (here are but a few photos of artists), so many fabulous jam sessions (again, but a sample), the delicious baked goods of many island bakers, and a constant stream of caffeine ☕️👍👍 for an endless parade of charming and fascinating folk that have enriched my life immeasurably ❤️

Please drop in and say hi! We’ve got expanded hours of operation this weekend from Friday Dec. 13 to Monday Dec. 16, 9 – 4 most days (except Sunday, 10:15 – 4) Cheers!

George

(ps. I’m getting closer to publishing my sequel to “All Roads at Any Time” but am not quite there yet, copies of “All Roads” would make great stocking stuffers and will be available at Shavasana this weekend😊

Shavasana Gallery & Café will be open next weekend – with extended hours: Fri. Nov. 29, Sat. 30th, Sun. Dec. 1st, & Mon. the 2nd

Here we are – the last few weeks of Fall, as we head into winter. It’s chilly, wet, and overcast – a perfect time to come to Shavasana Gallery & Café for a little warmth, art, tunes & hot coffee! I’m coming over from the big bad metropolis for the much needed, soothing balm of the lovely people & chill vibe of Mayne Island.🏝️🙏

As now seems to be my slower season routine, I’m coming over – at least one weekend per month – to open up, turn on the heat & the music, scare away the spiders, and put on a couple of pots of Mayne Island’s finest coffee (if I do say so myself😄) A little Saltspring dark & Ethical “Lush” medium for the java inclined and a great selection of tea, for those able to eschew the over-caffeinated pull of “the bean.”

We still have a great exhibit of art on the walls – with over 8 island artists maintaining their presence at Shavasana Gallery with over 30 works of art on display.

Please come on by – it would be great to see you!

George Bathgate

Curator/Barista/Artist

Shavasana Gallery & Café