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
I’m just in the process of updating my links to my podcast, “The Accidental Curator.” I originally published this podcast in April and a friend contacted me to let me know that it had picked up an irritating “time stamp” – like a metronome ticking away in the background – so I contacted Podbean (the host of all my podcasts) to see what could be done. I was encouraged to use their new Ai feature which quite easily corrected the problem. It also rewrote my – somewhat thin – descriptive preamble, and came up with what follows (definitely more enticing than what I wrote…it speaks more highly of myself than I do – It knows me so well😱)😆. This redo came out in June, so I’ve let it remain In this episode, of The Accidental Curator as follows:
“George Bathgate shares a gripping story titled “The Fourth Corner.” As he prepares to reopen his art gallery, George reflects on three significant car accidents he has witnessed over the years in his Kitsilano neighborhood. Each incident, occurring at different corners, serves as a vivid illustration of life’s unpredictability and the importance of staying vigilant.
From the bustling art gallery to the quaint Bruno’s Corner Cup Café, George’s narrative weaves through time and space, capturing the essence of community life and the ever-present potential for unexpected events. Tune in to hear how these experiences have shaped his outlook and to get a sneak peek into his upcoming book of short stories.
Join George for a compelling episode filled with reflection, humor, and a touch of suspense, reminding us all to approach life’s corners with caution and curiosity.”
Don’t worry, I have not, nor will not, let Ai write my stories nor do my voice. For me at least that would defeat the purpose of exercising creativity – so, here I am, warts & all.
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😊
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.
The Mayne Island Arts Council is having its bi-annual “Made on Mayne” event this coming Remembrance day long-weekend, which will add on an extra day of operations for the Gallery Café – Friday through Monday, 9 – 4 (except Sunday 10:15 – 4)
Made on Mayne is a great event and celebrates all things “Made on Mayne” (surprise!😆) with a particular focus on arts, crafts, and food & beverages. The Gallery has been participating in this event for the past 10 years since it was an annual gig known as the Fall Arts Crawl…it was fun then and has just expanded and gotten better with over 50 studios, galleries & roadside stands now participating…check it out:
The holiday is over, time to put Bathgate back to work😆 Just a quick note to let you all know that I’ll be opening Shavasana this coming weekend for three days (as usual) Saturday, Sunday & Monday.
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!🤔
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!
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.
My son is taking me to the Rolling Stones concert in Vancouver on Friday night, so I won’t be over until noon on Saturday. Hope to open up around 1:00pm on Saturday for a shorter day of operations.
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.
Art Gallery & Café 