SOSS Art Class

Linda Anderson Artist has left the building.

However she has had 3 paintings collected and “Your eyes are home” is still in the Gallery for your collecting pleasure. Linda will be bringing in paintings to display, so do stop by and see what she is up to. Such a pleasure living with Linda’s show!

We still have lots of kids art on display and I will show my private collection of Steampunk for the next month. Diane Gane has a few pieces for you collecting pleasure as well. More of her work to come soon.

December’s feature artist is Jean Aubin. So looking forward to that show!

And the South Okanagan Secondary School Art Class will be guests. What are these young Artists up to. I have only had a peek. More on them tomorrow!

Just a wee bit of what is happening in Oliver.

During Art class at the Gallery, Bella got a huge surprise! A visit from Santa just for her because she got sick and could not go see him when he was in Oliver.She was very surprised and in awe to have rock star Santa all to herself and her Christmas list had only one item on it.

Somehow Bella was prepared with treats to give Santa, (thank you Grandma Mo). Bella said she wasn’t that surprised to see him because she had seen the little Reindeer in the sky before she came to class. After he left she saw him fly down the valley to go home to the North Pole. Love imagination!

PS The best part was when she drew Santa she wanted to see a close up so she could get the colour of his eyes right!! Makes me smile!

This year Canadian Grandmothers have launched a wonderful book, “Powered by Love” that is already a critical read for anyone who is working on HIV&AIDS policy and funding internationally.

It puts grandmothers at the heart of the response to AIDS and gives voice to their expertise in sub-Saharan Africa at the frontlines around AIDS and in Canada around fundraising, awareness raising, and a new solidarity model.

The publishers of “Powered by Love” have been bowled over by the way Canadian grandmothers have mobilized to ensure that African grandmothers are heard and heeded and given prominence in sharing their stories of triumphs over adversity.

You can purchase the book at Coles in Penticton .

The Canadian grandmothers movement is now celebrated the world over.  There are 240 groups across Canada including the Oliver group that meets the first Thursday of each month at 1 pm in the United Church basement and is aways happy to welcome new members.

We are all part of a remarkable solidarity and social justice journey.  Stephen Lewis sums up the Canadian Grandmothers Campaign emphatically:  “It’s really quite remarkable to see what time and generosity and compassion have wrought.

Out of the despair of AIDS has come a powerful social movement, uniting two continents in abashed solidarity.”

Since its beginning in 2006, the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaing has exploded into an unstoppable movement of dynamic women who, alongside the Stephen Lewis Foundation, developed an entirely new model of development, built on a mutual respect and a deep appreciation for the dignity, intelligence and courage of African grandmothers.  More than $25 million has been raised to fund grassroots project in Africas.

Marion Boyd

Oliver Parks and Recreation is celebrating another successful event at the Community Hall. The annual Santa’s Workshop and Pancake Breakfast took place on Saturday November 25^th. Participating families enjoyed a range of holiday festivities including gingerbread cookie decorating, ornament making and crafts, musical entertainment, and photos with Santa Claus.

The musical entertainment during the event began with the Oliver Elementary School Choir followed by the Oliver Elementary Handbells Team, both directed by Lori Martine. Finishing up the event, families were treated to the musical talents of Kelan and Laura Harty.

Event organizer, Shauna Isted, as well as the staff at Oliver Parks and Recreation would like to thank their amazing crew of volunteers for making this event possible. Pat Aldridge, Dave Aldridge, Bob Cameron, Neha Chahal, Judy Harvey, Innis Harvey, Cody Isted, Gale Kleckner, Larry Larson, Polly McKay, Cobie Mackey, Linda Magoffin, Dennis Magoffin, Cathy Pidduck, Ron Pidduck, Ingrid Plattmann, Carol Renninger, Jose Rodrigues, Helen Simpson, Vlasta Svehla, Carol Young, Dale Young, members of the Painted Chair, and the Oliver Ambassadors – Aaliyah Chapman, Brooke Tanner, and Abby Teigen. Thank you for all the hard work you have put into setting up and running this holiday event.

Look out for the next event run by Oliver Parks and Recreation. Saturday December 16^th will be the Ugly Sweater Christmas Skate at the Oliver Arena. From 6:00PM – 8:00PM, enjoy free skating, hot chocolate, and festive decorations. Prizes will be awarded to the best Christmas sweater. Free skate rentals while supplies last.

   Oliver’s Saturday started with Breakfast with Santa.

With one of our fav photogs on hand to document the occasion. Yuppers Dot still uses her film camera!

And I have been very, very, very  good . . . most of the time. . . .

It was last day of Arty Smarty. This beautiful birdcage was created after the structured class project. I love to see what their little minds can make from the “stuff” table.

In the afternoon, at Pur Zen,  just down the street from the gallery, I heard rumours of a Burlesque class . . . Great music, feathers everywhere, gloves coming off with their teeth so much fun! For info on this workshop and other classes connect with Teresa.

And that was Saturday, shut the Gallery down for the night and I just love the way Diane Gane’s “The EmBODYment of Peter Max” looks in the Christmas Window.

Linda Anderson’s work still graces the Feature Artist wall. That girl can paint. Three paintings have been collected.

And now on to Saturday night at the Frank Venables Theatre for an evening of Christmas Trees, this one is ours. The Dressmaker was the brains and talent, I was the braun and helper and Beyond Bliss is our support system!

Oh and a wee splash of local Rosés and Bubblys were enjoyed.

There were prizes, more on that later . . .

The Dressmaker Dianne, the fabulous Deb Martin our theatre manager, with our own delightful Doorman, Chester, he will be at Ladies night, more on that later, and me. Please note Dianne and my hats, made by the Dressmaker. . . .

. . . well because of our styling hats . . . we won the door prizes.

Yuppers I took home the Bubbly!

Stoneboat makes a few great bubblys. How lucky was I?

There were two chocolates in the glasses, however they did not make it to Sunday morning for their closeup!

Just another awesome day in our awesome community!

This was what I shall call my first Gallery Christmas and I had a great time. The Christmas Lite Up at the Gallery and Beyond Bliss started with hot chocolate, marshmellows, wiped cream and cookies from Pat Walley and the Eastern Star.

Lincoln thinks that it is pretty good hot chocolate.

There was singing . . .

and firetrucks . . .

and inside drawing with hot chocolate and candy canes . . .

and a girl has got to be pampered . . .

And the winners of one of my sculpture and 2 one hour classes in the Gallery . . . to be announce.

And it all ended with fireworks, enjoyed from the kids drawing table. It was a very nice beginning to the Christmas Season. Thank you to the organizers and all who stopped by Beyond Bliss and the Gallery.

The Dressmaker Dianne Gibson dressing the Beyond Bliss, Oliveronline.ca-Leza Macdonald Art Gallery and The Dressmakers combined tree . . . . and it only got more beautiful.

Enjoy the tree and others in the Frank Venables Lobby Saturday November 25 – 7:30
BE MERRY – EAT & DRINK
Presented by the Oliver Tourism Association
(Formerly Rosé Revolution)

Join us for the reincarnation of the Rosé Revolution, bringing back our fabulous local rosés along with some of the seasonal favourites from the wineries including sparkling wines, port and bold Reds.