The Cowichan Valley Arts Council is launching into a busy fall as their Watershed: Through the Lens of Art exhibit continues until Sept. 25 at the gallery at the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan.
“How long does it take for water to go from Lake Cowichan to the Cowichan estuary? Take a picture of yourself as a lamprey. Come and visit a very special interactive art show,” invites CVAC.
The show includes fine art pieces as well as projects from Cowichan Green Community, and the Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society. There are also children’s activities, handouts and quizzes for all ages, so bring the family.
CVAC gallery hours are Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, noon until 4 p.m.
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CVAC is also inviting local classes to design and paint their own canvas nature banner connecting nature and art to “celebrate the natural ecosystems of the Cowichan Valley.”
Participation is free, but you must register for your banner by Sept. 10 and finish it by Sept. 25. The banners will be supplied by CVAC and will be displayed at the Cowichan Community Centre from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15.
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Back by popular demand, CVAC is once again hosting the annual LEGO art show from Nov. 29 to Dec. 18.
Registration is free and the deadline for entries is Nov. 22. The theme is the ideal house, though classes and family groups can build a whole town. So it’s time to let your imagination run riot, and plan what your perfect house would look like.
New this year are LEGO races on Dec. 4. Teams will build from a mystery bag of pieces to come up with a creation in 10 minutes.
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Looking for art supplies? CVAC has an opportunity for you. The group is holding an art supply sale on Saturday, Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cowichan Community Centre.
They will have paints, paper, good quality brushes, easels, vintage picture frames and more, at what they promise will be “bargain prices”.
If you want to try out some different mediums or just work on your own project with a small group around you, CVAC is also beginning Open Studio Tuesdays on Sept. 14 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Space is limited so contact 250-746-1633 to reserve your spot.
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The Cowichan Performing Arts Centre has a musical show coming up this September that you won’t want to miss.
Juno Award winning Phil Dwyer will be streaming live from the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre stage on Friday, Sept. 24 starting at 7:30 p.m.
Dwyer is a jazz musician so renowned that on Dec. 30, 2013 he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada for “his contributions to jazz as a performer, composer and producer, and for increasing access to music education in his community.”
In January 2015 he was recognized by the Royal Conservatory of Music as an Honorary Fellow.
He has had an illustrious 30-year-career, reads his biography on the CPAC website, collaborating with “a storied roster of great musical artists, crossing stylistic and geographic borders.”
He has appeared on 10 Juno Award-winning recordings, and more than 30 nominated recordings.
And music is just what he does in his spare time, as Dwyer is a practicing lawyer in Qualicum Beach with his own firm.
Tickets for the show are by minimum donation of $10. Go to cowichanpac.ca to get them.
Juno Award-winning jazz musician Phil Dwyer will do a live broadcast from the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre on Friday, Sept. 24. (Photo courtesy of CPAC)
