Artist Michelle Williams is unveiling a new work commissioned by the City of New Westminster’s museum and arts services departments.
Home is Where the Heart(Beat) Is will be unveiled at a special event, including an artist talk, on Thursday, Nov. 9 from 5 to 7 p.m. on the third floor at Anvil Centre.
“The work I have created encompasses the ever longing frustration and struggle I go through on a daily basis with my identity, and the constant struggles the First Nations community in Vancouver goes through with the public, society and the government,” Williams says in a statement. “I use contemporary forms in my paintings to showcase a self-portrait of myself and all the Aboriginal people and issues at hand in my own eyes, as well as forms on their own in abstract form, displaying my knowledge and methods, and playing with modern and traditions.”
The unveiling event is free and open to everyone.
LITERARY FUN
Love writing in all its forms? Be sure to check out some upcoming events by the Royal City Literary Arts Society.
On Thursday, Nov. 2, you can drop in to Room 411 at the Anvil Centre to enjoy Tellers of Short Tales, featuring author Patricia Sandberg and hosted by Nasreen Pevjack. The presentation is part of a monthly program of readings designed for fans of the short story genre. It runs from 6 to 8 p.m.
On Tuesday, Nov. 7, it's time for the regular Songwriters Open Mic Night, 7 to 9 p.m. at the Heritage Grill, led by Enrico Renz, Lawren Nemeth and Poul Bech.
On Wednesday, Nov. 8, Alan Girling hosts the next Wordplay event from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Buy-Low Foods community room at 555 Sixth St. Wordplay is an idea-generating drop-in series for writers in all genres.
Later in the month, you can catch the next In Their Words event on Thursday, Nov. 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Anvil Centre. Alan Girling hosts the evening, which includes featured speakers Cynthia Sharp reading work by Timothy Findley, Deborah Kelly reading work by Rumi, and Pauline Probyn reading work by Patricia Highsmith.The In Their Words events happen on the third Thursday of every other month. Speakers present their favourite author from any genre – poetry, non-fiction, fiction or drama – and include a brief commentary about the author and what the speaker loves about their work. Each presentation includes a short Q-and-A session. In Their Words happens in Room 411A at the Anvil, 777 Columbia St.
For poetry lovers, the society also offers up Poetry New Westminster events on Sunday afternoons, running from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Heritage Grill’s back room, 447 Columbia St. Each Sunday features two poets and an open mic session, and it’s always free to attend. Sessions don’t happen on holiday weekends. Search for Poetry New Westminster on Facebook for more information about the group and to find details about each session.
For more on everything the Royal City Literary Arts Society is up to, be sure to visit www.rclas.com.
CULTURE CRAWL
A New Westminster native is one of the artists featured in this year’s Eastside Culture Crawl. The four-day celebration of visual arts and design returns Nov. 16 to 19, in more than 500 artists’ studios, homes and garages throughout the east side of Vancouver.
Among them is mixed media artist Lauren Brevner, who grew up in New Westminster in a family of mixed heritage. In 2009, she moved to Osaka, Japan, in the hopes of reconnecting with her roots.
There, she apprenticed under renowned artist Sin Nakayamal and began her own work as an artist.
Brevner works out of the Kim Heng Noodle Building, 617 Gore Ave., in a second-floor studio.
The Eastside Culture Crawl runs Nov. 16 to 19, Thursday and Friday from 5 to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. See www.culturecrawl.ca for all the details.
COMEDY ONSTAGE
Golden Age Theatre is at it again.
The Century House theatre group is back with Aged to Perfection, a comedy written and directed by Carla Krens.
The show stars Michael Anthony, George Bosnick, Peter Brown, Claudette Campbell, Mildred Johnson, Maria Kollar, Carla Krens and Ursula McNamara.
It’s on Friday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 25 at 1:30 p.m. at Century House, 620 Eighth St. Tickets are $8 for members, or $10 for non-members, available at the front desk or at the door.
Refreshments will be served after show.
ARTISTS CALLED
Calling all artists.
New Westminster MLA Judy Darcy is calling for artists to submit designs for her annual holiday card. A $250 honorarium will be awarded for selected artwork.
For details, email [email protected]. The deadline is Nov. 13.
Do you have an item for Lively City? Send arts and entertainment ideas to Julie, [email protected].
