The Arts Centre has been filled with many joyful noises this week as our Summer Arts Programs for kids started.
Stories and puppets filled the morning with instructor Chrissi Travers in Play and Puppetry.
Students enjoyed acting out their favourite nursery rhymes and fairy tales with their own hand-crafted puppets and there were even a few songs sung too.
It was all glitter and glue in the afternoons with Art with Jannine as older students created 3D works using paper mâché and wood as well as making their own African paper bead jewelry.
Lots of fun is still to be had this summer.
Check out our brochure online or at the arts centre to find this summer’s classes for student’s ages three to 18.
This week’s Wednesdays on the Water concert will feature two local singer-songwriters/music teachers: Aidan Mayes and Mandy Cole. There is something distinctly Okanagan about this pair. A little bit country, a little bit folk, a little bit rock and roll, and a little bit different from everything else in the world.
From their humble beginnings busking at the Penticton market, the two quickly realized they had something special, discovering an almost instantaneous and insatiable appetite for their music within the community.
It wasn’t long before their voices were being heard from Osoyoos to Kelowna and all parts in between.
This year was a landmark year for this twosome as they not only stunned a sold out crowd at the world renowned Dream Café in their hometown Penticton, but also landed on festival bills alongside 54-40, City and Colour, Mother Mother, The Current Swell and Yukon Blonde.
While it’s easy to compare this duo to the folk/country harmonies of the Dixie Chicks, Blue Rodeo and Indigo Girls, comparisons such as these do no justice to the unique sounds Aidan and Mandy achieve through their similar, but different musical stylings.
So bring a lawn chair and a picnic to Spirit Square, Peach Orchard Beach at 6:30 p.m. and let these ladies keep you cool at the beach on a hot summer night.
The Featured Artist at the Art Centre continues this week with Maureen King.
Maureen was born and raised in Summerland but she is relatively new to the art community.
Since retiring from teaching in 2011, she has enjoyed exploring the world of art, with a special emphasis on acrylic painting.
Most recently, she has been exploring abstract art and finds this a refreshing challenge.
Maureen and many other local artists, will be taking part in the Art Walk from Aug. 1 to 31. She is also an active member of the Summerland Art Club, currently sitting in the president’s chair.
She highly recommends this club to anyone interested in pursuing their talent. Stop by the Art Centre July 15 to 18 to meet Maureen.
Carmen McDowell is the Summer Arts Program coordinator for the Summerland Community Arts Council, P.O. Box 1217, 9908 Main St., Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0.
