Books and Bags at the library . .  and dancing. Alex and Frida from Mexico City, their family is okay, were dancing up a storm in the parking lot of the Oliver Library. I saw them a couple of times and had to find out more.

Alex and Frida are married, teach dance in Mexico City and are bicycling through the valley. As dancers they just needed to dance for awhile and the library parking lot was a perfect stage. Enjoy the rest of your trip and thank you for the performance!

The Spirit Animal Wild Woman Workshop is coming along very well. I am busy busy busy with it all, loving every min but could do with a few extra hours every day! And Sleep is highly over rated!!

Shelley, the Monkey, and she is a little monkey!! Took the longest in makeup! But the final photo! Oh ya!

The beautiful Jennifer, found her spirit in the desert. And yes I had to be very careful where I stepped, because we could see a few – TWO – Snake tracks where we were shooting. It was a beautiful shoot.

Our trickster, Polly, was an amazing Raven. So much fun to photo and even more fun to go out to lunch with in full make up.

It is very interesting how people react to the make up.

Two more Wild Women, then the moment of truth on Friday morning!

I can’t wait!

Friends of the Oliver Library Bag Raffle

The Friends of the Oliver Library are holding a fund raising raffle to enhance our local public library.

The 70+ bags have been handcrafted and donated by members of the Double O Quilters and the Desert Sage Spinners and Weavers, as well as other individual members of the community. Each one is a uniquer work of art!

Tickets are $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00 and are available from members of the Friends of the Oliver Library.

Tickets will also be available in the Library. Times will be posted soon.

Draw will take place Saturday Dec 9th at 1:00 pm at the Library.

Story by Cathy Pidduck.

Photos by Leza

Chief Clarence Louie is awarded the Freedom of the Municipality Award for his great contribution to Oliver’s native and non-native community! Congratulations!Opening ceremonies from the young Oysooyos Indian band drummers. I love the sound, it feels like life, like my heart beating.

The crowd listen, laughs and cheer as Chief Louie is introduced.

Mayor Hovanes presents the award to Chief Louie.

The truth has to be told, not his-story but our truth.

Please read the words.

Original treaties were for native and non-natives to work together. Let’s get back to business relationships.

Chief Louie is proud of his people and has lots of hope for the future of the young ones.

Cub reporter Kiera at the school library!

In the library you can be anyone, anything when you read a book.

Your imagination can run wild by reading murder mysteries or just reading a simple comedy book.

This is our library and the books we find are ones we will remember reading. Even if we were forced to read them.

Photos and story by Kiera, oliveronline.ca cub reporter

Peace and reflections on life.

The Penticton Art Gallery is hosting The Mystical Art of Tibet, September 13 – 17.

There is a peaceful excitement in the gallery as the Monks build the beautiful Mandala of Akshobhya. This Mandala has a healing element, very suitable for the surrounding exhibit that explores Canada’s relationship and history with the First Nations Community.

The children’s art show is a must see! There is a piece by the young and talented Miss Phoenix, Granddaughter of Linda Anderson, the amazing Okanagan Nation Artist.

Pots of coloured sand hold the magic to come.

The skill and focus to create this Mandala was an education for me as I have never seen this done. I thought it was done by hand pinching the sand into place.

These are their tools called Chakpur. The funnel shaped Chakpur scoops up the sand then the monks use the stick shaped Chakpur to vibrate the funnel. They rub the stick against the ridges of the funnel. The faster they rub the faster the sand comes out. Very controllable. I was amazed to try this.

There is a table in the gallery to try Sand Painting yourself. Artist and Wild Woman Diane Gane as her spirit animal an Owl, thought the process was a hoot!

Please visit the Penticton Art Gallery to experience the quiet amazement of the Mandala of Akshobhya! On till the 17th, closing ceremonies Sunday 4 – 5pm.

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It is that time of the year when Oliver lets the Artist out!

Leann, Janice and President of the Sagebrushes Sally Franks and my partner in crime, invite new members to this creative group.

The Sagebrushers have been meeting together for over 50 years. You can see a sample of their work on Main street at their gallery. Entrance between Sue’s Oliver Shoe and Fashion and the bakery.

It is a supportive group and as you can see Bev is styling Lynn’s live canvas with a little henna. Looking good Ladies!!

Katherine an incredible talent in collage carefully cuts out shapes and shades for her next masterpiece . . and I mean masterpiece!

The sagebrushes meet every Tuesday at 9:00 a little later for some of us that don’t do first thing in the morning.

They self teach and have other instructors as well. Next week is Peter Scott for drawing class. Sharpen those pencil and get your self down to the Quail’s Nest across from the airport.

It is fun, good friendships are made and you just might find out you can draw a straight line.

A great weekend in Oliver. Saturday night I was out with the ladies to see “Big Sugar” at Tinhorn Winery.

Nothing like rocking and rolling at an outside concert!

Only in Canada! Eh!

The Wild Women are out in full force.Sue James Butterfly was fluttering around the library. I do love what can be done with an MOG dress, some make up and wait till you see the full look! Flutter by beautiful butterfly.

Hilary is the perfect Lynx. Her hair is the crowning glory to her costume. Wait till you see her Spirit Animal on the prowl.

More Wild Woman to come. I am totally enjoying the fact that these ladies let me paint them, put them in an uncomfortable position and promise them they will love the photo. This is the most fun Wild Woman so far. Can’t wait for them to paint their self portraits!

What is the Wild Wild Woman Workshop?

Since 2010, I have facilitated a Wild Woman Workshop. This year we are our spirit animals. The ladies, like Aimee and Tiffany let me make them up, do their hair, this year we sent these two off to the dressmaker, Dianne Gibson for wardrobe.

I get to design their fantasy photograph, then all the ladies get together for a two day work shop to paint themselves from the photos. It is fun, empowering and we all bond in a very special way. This is really out side of the box for most of them.

Tiffany’s spirt animal is an Owl. Here she is with her hair and make up done minus her lips. The final photos will be revealed to the ladies when they are together and ready to paint.Aimee’s spirt animal is a peacock, she is looking very sedate compared to the final photo, we did not use that blue fabric. I just love how the ladies let me paint their faces. A very different canvas for me.

This year the workshop booked up very fast. With individual permission I will post the Wild Women’s pre photos. The final show will be at . . the Leza Macdonald Art Gallery on Main St. in Oliver.

Dianne the dressmaker, Tiffany, the wee one, Aimee and the photog!

Next year the theme is Steampunk!