It’s Sunday, Feb. 25th and I’m sitting in one of my neighbourhood cafés, on Broadway in Vancouver, just penning a few words to let you know that I am planning on opening the Gallery Café this coming weekend. Despite my commitment to my slow season, which allows me to spend more time with my partner Cathy in Kitsilano, I always miss Mayne Island, my little island business, and all the lovely people that I call my friends, and who make up the broader community there.

One thing I absolutely love about running my little gig on Mayne, are the oft-times unique and enriching experiences that I have there. When I was over, earlier in February, my friend Peter brought his friend Adam in for a coffee. Adam saw my little window table – which looks out over Active Pass and where I do

some of my own creative work – and noticed my collection of paintbrushes. “Are those your brushes?” he asked. “Yes,” I replied. “Do you have any paints?” he continued, “and canvases?” “I do, but I haven’t used them in a while so I’m not sure of their condition.” “Well, if you give me a canvas & some paints, I’ll paint you a picture.”

Thrilled by this offer – and curious to see what Adam had in mind – I hauled out my collection of paints and a canvas and let him have at it. He went right to work and within half an hour produced the above image.

Adam is an Ojibway resident of a small reserve on the shores of Lake Nippigon, and produced this image of a “Bondabée” (sp?) which is a being that his mother and her brother saw many years ago, when they were young, crawl out of Lake Nippigon and up onto the stairs of their local church. She described it as part man, part woman, and part mermaid. Anyway, as mentioned, these moments are – for me – pure gold. If you’d like to see the Bondabée, it’s on the wall at Shavasana winking at you as you walk in the front door…come on down!

Hours:

Saturday, March 2, 9pm – 4pm

Sunday, March 3, 10:15am – 4pm

Monday, March 4, 9am – 4pm

Cheers!

George