New West Artists want you to pop in to their pop up art show, on this weekend.
Summer Sensations pop up art show is on Saturday and Sunday, July 15 and 16 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 52 Sixth St. (the old Brick and Mortar location at Sixth and Carnarvon streets). The show will feature artworks, photography, cards and jewelry made by members of New West Artists.
The pop up event is sponsored by Brick and Mortar Living and the Arts Council of New Westminster and it’s free to attend.
Poetic Justice on this Sunday
Catch Brian Brett and Allan Safarik on stage at Poetic Justice, happening Sunday, July 16.
Brett is a former journalist and well-known poet, memoir and fiction writer. He has written 13 books and in 2011, he won the CBC poetry prize for his work To Your Scattered Bodies Go.
Born in Vancouver and raised in borth Burnaby, Safarik currently lives in Dundurn, Sask., and is the author of 16 books of poetry. His 2013 historical novel, Swedes' Ferry has remained on the McNally Robinson fiction best-seller list for the past four years.
“This month’s duo will be a reunion of sorts. Brian Brett and Allan Safarik, both accomplished poets, once ran a literary press here on the West Coast under the imprint, Blackfish Press. During the ’70s and early ’80s, they published many high-profile poets without any funding from provincial or federal sources,” Poetic Justice manager James Felton wrote in an email.
The event gets underway at 11:30 a.m. at Boston Pizza, 1045 Columbia St. Poetic Justice also includes an open mike portion but be sure to get there early to sign up or you might be disappointed.
Get to the park
Queen’s Park band shell is the place to be for literary fans this summer.
The Royal Literary Arts Society has begun two new programs for art fans. The first, Mosaic of the Arts, runs every Monday in July and August (except long weekends) and is a celebration of the arts, featuring works by painters, musicians, writers, poets and performers. Hosts include Nasreen Pejvack, Merril Hall, Lavana LaBrey, Janet Kvammen and Julia Schoennagel. The evening runs 5:30 to 8 p.m. Catch the next Mosaic of the Arts on Monday, July 17.
On Wednesdays in July and August, drop by the band shell for Poetry in the Park 2017.
Sponsored by the City of New Westminster, Poetry in the Park is a family-friendly event that runs from 6 to 8 p.m. bring a chair, a blanket and a picnic and take in some great poetry. Oh, and for the budding poets among us, there’s an open mike portion.
The next Poetry in the Park event is on Wednesday, July 19, featuring poets Alan Girling and Franci Louann.
Both Mosaic of the Arts and Poetry in the Park are completely free. For more information, go to https://rclas.com.
New exhibit at the Plaskett Gallery
There’s a new exhibit to check out at the Plaskett Gallery.
Aqua Stadium features work by Margaret Lawther, following on her previous work: Shadows.
“In this series, Margaret examines reflections on still pools of water in city parks,” reads a release. “The reflections served to foreground and assert the flatness of the picture plane while relating to the more representational aspects of the trees and foliage.”
Aqua Stadium runs until Aug. 31.
The Plaskett Gallery is located at the Massey Theatre and is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, by appointment and during performances in the Massey Theatre.
Sign up for the Crawl
New West Artists is looking for members to take part in the New West Cultural Crawl Aug. 12 and 13.
The two-day festival celebrates all things art and gives the community a glimpse into the world of an artist with studio tours, paint-ins and other special events at arts, culture and heritage destinations around the city.
New West Artists will display their work on the first floor of the Anvil Centre. For a $50 fee, artists will get a four-by-seven-foot wall space (salon-style hanging allowed), according to a press release.
No commission will be taken. There is no theme and all mediums are welcome. Payment must be made by Saturday, July 15. Email [email protected] to register.
Do it for the kids
Have a laugh or two all for a good cause at the Heritage Grill next week.
Improv troupe The Radical will be at the Columbia Street restaurant for a fundraiser for Green Room Theatre Camp, which supports teens to write, perform and produce their own shows.
“Blending rapid-fire humor with character-driven storytelling, The Radical have been producing and performing shows throughout Greater Vancouver,” reads a note about the show.
The show is by donation, with a suggested donation of $5. It runs from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19 at the Heritage Grill, 447 Columbia St.
