To WOW or not to WOW

For those of you who packed your lawn chairs and water bottles down to the wharf last night hoping to see the Salmon Armenians, I want to explain how the WOW! concert rain policy works. Our sound technician, Bryan, nice guy, requires about two hours to set up the electrical equipment. The sound check is at 6:15pm, so that puts him at the park around 4pm. If it's raining, he can't set up electrical equipment. If it's a shower and we expect it to end within an hour, then he can hang around and then start setting up double-time around 5pm. If it looks like it's going to rain for a while, then we're basically finished. The band also requires some time to set up before the sound check. If it starts raining during the concert, it's not as bad, things can be tarped. However, because there are no gutters on the gazebo, a lot of water finds its way onto the stage, damaging the musician's equipment.

So, if it's raining at 4pm, and the forecast is for more rain, we cancel the concert. If the sun busts through at 6:30pm and everyone gets excited, wanders down to the park and finds it cancelled.... well, now you know why. To find out if a concert is cancelled, listen to EZ Rock (we always tell them first) or call the Arts Council office 832-6807 (we will put a message on the answering machine).

SAGA's AGM

You know your organization is doing a good job when hardly anyone attends your AGM. With a dismal turnout of 9 people over and above the board of directors, I should feel complimented. However, I would have liked more people to see the slide show I prepared of our "year in review" with 130 fun photos of our wonderful events and exhibitions. Thank you Roger at DIA for arranging that DVD projector - it's good to have friends in high places (he's on the second floor). I think I'll make a youtube video of it, because, darn it, we have a good time presenting art in this town.

OCP and rain

My first OCP meeting. We went over the terms of reference and the overall planning schedule - not too much fun. However, the exciting part is still to come. This community is at a cross-roads. We can choose what kind of city we're going to be - a city of tourism, arts and culture, where people come just to bask in the character of our town and experience our terminal coolness. Or, a retirement village. Or, a city of shopping. Oh wait, Vernon is a city of shopping, so is Kelowna, and Kamloops. Hmmm. Maybe we should think about where the niche is.

And what is with the rain? We need it so bad, but please don't rain on WOW!

Gerry Marchand opening reception

It's not a surprise, Salmon Arm folks don't come out in droves to an opening reception for an out-of-town artist.  However, the few who did come to the June 5 opening of Gerry Marchand's "In Search of Light" (he's from Vernon) were the ones who genuinely wanted to be there.  First, some lovely words by Louise Wallace - her business Mediability is the sponsor of the show.  She said that as her high-school art teacher in North Bay, Ontario (quite a coincidence, hey?) Gerry emphasized creativity over a specific talent in drawing or painting. Seeing how creative she is in her web design business, it's clear that it was a gift for her.  A couple of other former students came, ones who'd never attended an opening before.  One of them ended up singing old songs with the other crooners, leaning in to read Tom Brighouse's score as he played the Kuwai with soul and charm.  A few others had seen one or two of Gerry's works elsewhere and felt a certain draw to come and see this show.  Gerry and his wife, Marie, are lovely people, easy to talk to.  They were delighted with the reception.  Gerry will be back on June 18 to talk at "Coffee Break" at 2:30pm.  

Interview with Kay McCracken

Hello all, Margaret Chrumka here. For those of you who don’t know, or just wonder… I work a few hours a week for both the gallery and the arts council and I pull the Umbrella arts council newsletter together each month.

In preparation for the June Umbrella, I had hoped to connect with Kay McCracken to do a face-to-face interview about her new book – A Raven in My Heart. We couldn’t seem to manage a meeting, so I ended up quickly sending her a few questions via email. I was so pleased with her responses and she enjoyed the process, so we decided to post our Q and A. Kay’s book launch is set for 7pm, June 13 at the Gallery.

What was the name of your bookstore? 

Reflections, plain and simple. Ironically the bookshop reflected things back to me that hastened me along on my spiritual journey.

How long was it open - when did it open and when did it close? 

I opened it the beginning of September 1993 and it closed December 31^st, 1998, about 5 and a half years.

Why did you close it? 

The “final nail in the coffin” was the “beautification of Shuswap Street,” which was the two and a half months that Shuswap Street was barricaded at both ends of the block as men and machinery tore up the street. Even the sidewalks disappeared! That travesty was right on the heels of the fire of ’98, and the evacuation of Salmon Arm. Eventually health issues and burnout played a part, too.

How was it the impetus for your book? Was it?

Well, this was a story begging to be told. When I moved to Salmon Arm to open a bookstore named Reflections, I felt like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. Like Alice, far from finding an idyllic garden, I found myself in a world that had its own nonsensical rules. 

When do you think you developed this connection with Raven? Have you always lived in BC and had this connection? Is this something that evolved as you worked at the store?

Raven first came to me when my plans to move to Salmon Arm and open a bookstore were well under way. Raven is a powerful Trickster for First Nations people, and in mythology he’s the figure who embodies paradox and change. It’s probably no mistake that this mysterious bird began showing up—in person as well as symbolically—as I was at the threshold of middle age. With seismic hormonal changes playing havoc with mind, body, and spirit, it was if the spirit of Trickster taunted me. I began to learn as much as I could about the iconic bird.

How long have you been working on the book?

I began writing the book a couple of months after I closed Reflections. It was either that or go crazy. I found that the process of writing helped me make sense of what had happened. Opening the door to creativity was the most healing and the most beautiful thing I could have done for myself. So, off and on over a ten-year period, and hundreds of drafts later, I have something I’m proud of. 

Can you easily describe how you feel as it is about to be released?

I’ve gone through a lot of different feelings about releasing something as personal as this book is. A memoir is so much more damning than a novel. It’s your life, your feelings (and failings), your family and friends that are being written about. Thankfully, the fear (what will they think) has been mostly replaced by positive feelings of joy at the opportunity to share my labour of love with people.

 

Wednesday on the Wharf begins

That Jacob Verburg... what a guy.  He's been so laid back these past few months, working away quietly and happily, getting everything lined up for Wednesday On the Wharf.  Yesterday he was beside himself with stress, getting all the last minute details worked out for the very first concert of the year, bless him.  But what a way to start the season - Dan Engelland played to a crowd of about 300 people on a beautiful sunny Shuswap evening.  What could be better.  And Jacob has created quite the amazing line-up for this year, there are several bands on the schedule that we've not seen at WOW yet.  It looks like it's going to be a fabulous season.