The Bookworm
The Bookworm, created by Scott Robertson in 2001, facilitated by the Abbotsford Downtown Business Association, has been stolen from Abbotsford's historic downtown core. The monetary value is $6,000, but the value to the community is much higher as a wonderful piece of public art. Anyone with information about the theft is asked to contact the Abbotsford Police Department at 604-859-5225 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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Mill Lake Cruise-in
Thanks so much to all who participated in the Mill Lake Cruise-in on July 14th! Your interest and time are greatly appreciated. Fabulous photos of this fun event can be viewed on our Facebook Page, courtesy of Doreen Jung! |
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Envision Concert Series July/August Performances
Saturday, July 21st
Jared Fowler Band
Old school rock 'n' roll, with poignant poetry and magnificent melodies.
6 - 8 PM, Mill Lake Park
Kariton Art Gallery Stage
2387 Ware St., Abbotsford
Saturday, July 28th
Two concerts, featuring:
Horizon
A wonderful blend of rock, blues, gospel and pop.
4 - 6 PM
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Groovedaddy
Smooth jazz, right down to your soul.
6 - 8 PM, Mill Lake Park
Kariton Art Gallery Stage
2387 Ware St., Abbotsford
Saturday, August 4th
Frank David
Jazz standard, American songbook, crooner songs from Sinatra, to Darin to Presley.
6 - 8 PM, Mill Lake Park
Kariton Art Gallery Stage
2387 Ware St., Abbotsford
Saturday, August 11th
The JC Celebration Band
Tribute to Johnny Cash in songs from 1958 to 2004.
6 - 8 PM, Mill Lake Park
Kariton Art Gallery Stage
2387 Ware St., Abbotsford
Saturday, August 18th
Mad Flower/Willis Taylor
Folksy, bluesy, alternative rock.
6 - 8 PM, Mill Lake Park
Kariton Art Gallery Stage
2387 Ware St., Abbotsford
Saturday, August 25th
Chantele Delaine & Ted Tosoff
An acoustic combination of soulful originals, blues classics and nostalgic covers.
6 - 8 PM, Mill Lake Park
Kariton Art Gallery Stage
2387 Ware St., Abbotsford
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| Volunteers Needed!
We are still in great need of casual volunteers to greet visitors at the Kariton Art Gallery. This is a minimum three hour weekly commitment, and your support, albeit casual, makes an enormous difference! Click here to download our volunteer application.
Volunteer gallery installation assistants are also needed for our August 16th and September 13th installations. Click here for more information and to download the application.
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| Welcome, New Member Groups!
We warmly welcome our newest member group to the Abbotsford Arts Council: BC Teen Challenge Women's Centre!
BC Teen Challenge is a one-year residential program in which individuals trapped by addiction can begin a new and changed life. As part of the theraputic process, the students at BC Teen Challenge Women's Centre in Abbotsford hand-craft beautiful jewelry, now being sold at the Kariton Boutique (see article below)! For more information on BC Teen Challenge Women's Centre, call (604) 575-3930 or visit bcteenchallenge. com.
Member groups of the Abbotsford Arts Council consist of a wide variety of arts, community, cultural and business organizations. Visit our website to view a list of all of our member groups and to register for membership online. |
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AAC Member Group Event Listings
The Abbotsford Arts Council will now be posting the event listings of our members and member groups in our Eye on the Arts newsletter. To submit your event listing for consideration, please email us the event's name, time, date, location and a succinct description of 50 words or less with "Member Event Listing" in the subject line. Submissions not meeting these criteria will not be considered. A listing in our newsletter is not guaranteed and dependant upon space, content and the amount of time available to compose the newsletter (an influx of volunteers could greatly facilitate this--wink wink). Our individual members and member groups are also welcome to post their events on our Facebook Page and on the bulletin board at the Kariton Art Gallery. |
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Executive Director's Message
"Are you an artist?" is a question I've been frequently asked since I started working with the Abbotsford Arts Council. "Um..well..." is typically my immediate response. I can't remember the last time I held a brush to paint on anything but our living room wall, and I quit playing the clarinet in eighth grade; BUT--I have enjoyed visual art at countless galleries, museums and cathedrals all over the world and at one point in my life could sing every single word of every single song in Roger's and Hammerstein's Sound of Music. Every. Single. Word.
I can barely sew the button back onto my pants that fit just last week, and my theatre experience includes playing Annie Oakley in a three minute skit at a variety show in twelfth grade; BUT--my favourite TV show is Project Runway, and when Mozart or Puccini come to a nearby local opera house--I'm so there.
I appreciate many different types of art in so many ways, but to say that I'm not an artist myself would be somewhat inaccurate. With my background in communications and my love for writing, I create my own masterpieces using the written word.
Successfully crafting an engaging brochure, press release, grant, and even this newsletter, takes a bit of artistry, which has served me well as a communications professional. Each piece is a challenge, but I thoroughly enjoy the process by which I surmount each one and am usually pleased with the final product (except for my college economics papers--those weren't enjoyable to write. At all.).
Written communication is my art, and I'm happy to have the opportunity to use it for the benefit of the local arts community as the Executive Director of the Abbotsford Arts Council. In the months and years ahead, I hope my strengths and massive appreciation for the arts will not only help engage our community in the arts, but also provide local artists with a strong, collective voice by which their interests and talents--whether they be visual, musical, theatrical, literary or otherwise--can be shared with the world.
Thank you so incredibly much for the opportunity to be a voice for the arts in Abbotsford.
Warm regards,
Gail Gromaski
Executive Director
Abbotsford Arts Council
Kariton Art Gallery and Boutique2387 Ware Street (Mill Lake Park)PO Box 336, Abbotsford, BC V2T 6Z6 Phone: 604-852-9358
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The concerts in the park begin!
The Envision Concert in the Park Series has been officially launched! Live performances by talented local musicians will continue each Saturday night throughout the summer with a special "double concert" on July 28th, from 4 to 8pm! Check out the upcoming concerts listed on the left sidebar of this newsletter for more details, or visit our website to view the entire 2012 Envision Concert Series Schedule.
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The Waxed Surface - Kathleen Menges
 We are excited to announce our upcoming show at the Kariton Art Gallery: "The Waxed Surface" by Abbotsford's own contemporary fine artist, Kathleen Menges! The show features several abstract paintings in cold wax and oil medium. Read more... |
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Call for Artists:
2013 Kariton Art Gallery Exhibitions
Application Deadline: August 31st, 2012
 The Kariton Art Gallery will continue to accept applications for 2013 gallery exhibitions until August 31st. Click here for more information and to download an application. |
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Call for Artists:
Snowflake Christmas Market
November 24th & 25th, 2012
Application Deadline: July 31st!
Formerly known as the "Abbotsford Christmas Craft Fair," the Snowflake Christmas Market of Handmade Art and Design marks the Abbotsford Arts Council's 32nd year of hosting artisan markets during the holiday season. This year's market will be a "pop-up" event in an unused business space in Abbotsford and is accepting all art mediums. All items will be juried, and vendors take home 100% of the profit on items sold at the market.
We will be accepting vendor applications for the Snowflake Christmas Market until July 31st. Stop by our website or the Kariton Art Gallery to grab an application while you still can!
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Call for Nominations:
The Ninth Annual Arty Awards!
October 27th, 2012
Nomination Deadline: August 31st, 2012
 | | Ann Grundy - Outstanding Emerging Artist, 2011 |
Do you know an incredibly talented artist? It could be your friend, co-worker, aunt or even your child. The Abbotsford Arts Council is currently accepting applications for the Ninth Annual Arty Awards to honour and recognize those individuals or groups who have achieved excellence in their art as well as youth artists and arts advocates who have contributed significantly to the arts scene in our community. Read more...
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Kariton Arts Boutique Featured Artists:
BC Teen Challenge Students, Jewelry Designers
Open House: August 25th & 26th, 1-4PM 
BC Teen Challenge is a one year residential support program for men and women ages 19 years and older who are trapped by life-controlling addictions. The students at BC Teen Challenge's Women Centre in Abbotsford make jewelry to discover and cultivate new skills while building confidence and self-esteem. The Abbotsford Arts Council is now selling this amazing hand-crafted jewelry in the Kariton Arts Boutique and has selected the students of BC Teen Challenge as our Featured Boutique Artists for the month of August. Come meet these talented women and view their work at our Featured Boutique Artist Open House, to be held August 25th and 26th, from 1pm to 4pm.
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