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
After a rather long and unexpected hiatus, Shavasana Gallery & Café will be re-opening this coming weekend from Saturday Feb. 10, to Monday Feb. 12 9am til 4pm (except Sunday 10:15 til 4).
My intentions to open up in January, were thwarted by 2 weekends of snow and cold, and, that second winter wallop with temperatures below -12, wound up bursting some pipes requiring the honest & hardworking plumber, David Rae, to come around and work his magic. Long story short, I was unable to open up on my third weekend attempt in January until Dave got the wet stuff running again.
All is well now, and water – that essential ingredient for a good cup of coffee – will be flowing through the new pipes and taps again.
We had a lovely Art Opening on Friday Aug 25, with a well-attended appreciative crowd, enjoying Deborah’s beautiful selection of coloured-pencil drawings of Birds.
Black Oystercatcher, Great Horned Owl, Song Sparrow, House Wren, Kinglet and Swallow (click on the third photo to see a Kingfisher and a Downy Woodpecker)
Over the last several days since the Opening, I’ve had many guests drop in to admire Deborah’s exhibit, and some have compared her work to that of James Fenwick Lansdowne, and even John James Audubon – both of whom had a fascination with birds and an uncanny ability to capture them using only watercoulours, oils and – in Deborah’s case – coloured pencil on illustration board and clayboard cradled panel.
Yellow-Rumped Warbler (click on the photo to see a pair of Goldeneye Ducks, a Chickadee and House Wren), Swallows, Pileated Woodpecker, and Great Grey Owl
It seems that everyone has a favourite bird, or a fondness for a particular encounter with a feathered friend, which has been driving sales of particular bird species. I became fond of House Wrens when I put up a wooden bird box on the back of Shavasana Gallery about 7 years ago, which was promptly occupied by a little wren family who returned annually for many years to have their babies. In this exhibit, Deborah’s depictions of birds are species she has witnessed locally (with the exception of the Great Grey Owl).
Young Barred Owl, “The Watering Hole” with 9 different species of bird…and Deborah! On hanging day having some fun placing all the art with yours truly😊
Deborah’s show, “Feather and Bone” runs until October 1st – Don’t Miss It!
Here’s a short story I wrote several years ago, about how young, self-absorbed drunks on a bus could have inadvertently added fuel to the revolutionary fires that were building – in pre-revolutionary Iran. And a review of Joseph Synn Kune Loh’s exhibit, “Who Am I” by Bill Maylone…click the attached link for the podcast:
I just wanted to send out a quick note to let people know that my new book, “All Roads at Any Time” is now on the shelves of Mayne Islands best bookstore – Books on Mayne! The ever-wonderful Gail Noonan has agreed to stock my little book of short stories, which is a blessing as I am not open throughout the Christmas season and am thrilled that it at least has a venue through which to be purchased🙏
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas & a healthy, happy & peaceful New Year. Sorry I can’t be over there this holiday season to share in the festivities with you❤️
Yes, Christmas is now officially less than a month away😱 I’m not sure how it’s possible that I’ve allowed myself to be busier now – in my “off season” – than I was during my regular May – October “summer season” (which also happened to be my busiest year yet at the Gallery) but here I am at 7pm Monday night, at a Starbucks in Kitsilano…updating my website to let everyone know about my upcoming weekend Hours of Operation.
I’m rambling…probably a little too caffeinated, which goes with the territory when one spends too much time in coffee shops doing online work😆. Anyways, I hope you are all well and that I have a chance to see you when I’m over on Mayne this weekend, and the coffee is hot and the Open sign is up👍
Hours of Operation:
Friday Dec. 1, 9am – 4pm
Saturday Dec 2, 9am – 4pm
Sunday Dec. 3, 10:15 – 2:30ish (leaving early to attend the Noonan/Heshedahl/Jackson concert at the Church)
Just a quick note to let you all know that I am intending to open up this coming weekend to participate in the bi-annual “Made on Mayne” event put on by the Southern Gulf Islands Arts Council – a fun event celebrating all things, “made on Mayne”.
Shavasana Art Gallery & Café hours:
Friday Nov. 10, 9am – 4pm
Saturday Nov. 11, 9am – 4pm
Sunday Nov. 12, 10:15am – 4pm
Monday Nov. 13, 9am – 4pm
Famous Empty Sky will be exhibiting some of her fascinating collage work, Bill Maylone will display some of his beautiful Suiseki rock creations with perhaps a painting or two, and there will be an eclectic mix of other artists and craftspersons – regional and local – showing off their creativity.
Come on by for a delicious coffee or tea and a yummy baked good while you take time to appreciate all the art & creativity that Mayne Island has to offer
I am now operating under my Fall/Winter schedule and will be open intermittently until about March, with an expectation to be open weekly by May 2024.
So…I will be open this coming weekend as follows:
Saturday Oct. 21 9am – 4pm
Sunday Oct. 22 10:15 – 4pm
Monday Oct. 23 9 – 4
There will be hot coffee and tea ad a selection of yummy cookies and squares – there will be art on display but it’s what I refer to as “The Show Between Shows”…a collection of art that will fill the walls until I sort out what’s happening in 2024 when – hopefully – regular art shows will recommence🙏
Art in the Library presents a solo show by Joseph Loh, October 4th to November 11th., entitled: “Who am I?”
Joseph writes:
“The show comprises a group of graphite pencil drawings on paper inspired by an art gallery owner who challenged me”, “I know you can paint but can you draw as well?”, she asked. “What can I draw?”, I replied. She said: “Something I have not seen before.”
The result is this series of works created in the mid 80’s. The drawings became a detour in Joseph’s art career.
After visiting sacred sites in Mexico, he took up drawing again and created a series called “Molecular Language”, which are also being shown.
If you would like to meet the artist, Joseph Loh will be on hand in the Library Saturday, October 7th from 1:00 to 3:00.
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!🙏
I’ve just completed this project, managing to wade through the complexities of self-publishing using Amazon KDP, and am happy to announce that my book of short stories (twelve in all), “All Roads at Any Time”…has been published in paperback form, and is now available for purchase.
What’s it about? Here’s a little descriptive from the back cover:
“This collection shares the experiences of a young long-haired wanderer dodging mass murderers, muggings, revolutions, drug overdoses and other narrow escapes in the 70’s, to the unexpected heroics of a New Wave dilettante in Ottawa, and young dad in Vancouver in the 80’s. It navigates its way through some of the unanticipated side-effects of the long journey to sobriety, and ultimately drops you off on a sweet island of bliss and healing in the current era.”
Writing, which I enjoy, was the easy part. Formatting a WordDoc and cover design were beyond my ken, and I was saved from these struggles by Deborah Strong and Teresa Gustafson of TG Design respectively – for which I am most grateful.
I haven’t yet started work on the eBook version, or the Audiobook, but if you’d like to pick up a paperback copy of “All Roads at Any Time”, there are currently 3 ways to do so. The first way, would be to go to Amazon and buy it directly, just click this link:
Or, copies will be available at Shavasana Gallery & Café https://shavasana.ca/ (457 Village Bay Road, Mayne Island, B.C – usually open Saturday through Monday)…I was surprised and delighted to see this happen last weekend when I put out a stack of books:
Or, thirdly, you could order a copy (or copies) through me and I will get it to you either directly (if we are in close proximity), or via mail. The book is $19.95 Canadian and I imagine postage will be $4 or $5 (I haven’t calculated that yet). To reach me directly you can either send me a message through this website, or via email at: gbathgate@telus.net , or give me a call or text at: 604-418-3846.
Art Gallery & Café 