Open Studio
FIRST NATIONS ARTIST STUDIO
October 23 – 25 & October 28 – November 1, 12pm – 4pm
Raven’s Eye Studio, 458 E. Hastings
On weekday afternoons during the Festival, the artists of the Raven’s Eye Studio will open the doors to host an ongoing First Nations artist studio. A group of artists work in the studio on a regular basis and they are happy to talk with you. See the artwork, talk to the artists. Artists include studio coordinator Jerry Whitehead, painter and muralist, and sculptor Gary Oliver. Make sure you take the opportunity to talk with Jerry about the spectacular mural, Through the Eye of the Raven, on the side of the Orwell Hotel where the studio is based on the ground floor. Free
Visual Arts
EDGE GRAIN Randy S. Tait, traditional Gixtsan/ Nisga’a carver
Artist reception: Monday October 28, 4pm – 5pm
Carnegie 3rd floor Gallery, 401
Main Exhibition October 4 to 28 (some pieces “on tour” October 11-13)
A carver since 1982, Randy carves totem poles, masks, feast bowls, paddles and plaques. The legends and stories of the Gixtsan / Nisga’a are a treasure trove of inspiration for Randy. His carvings, mainly in red and yellow, tell the stories of his nation’s rich heritage. Before the arrival of the missionaries, the Gixtsan/ Nisga’a people were animists; every living thing has a soul, a purpose and deserves respect. Some of the traditional images Randy uses acknowledge the power of the natural world, of which everyone is part of. Free
Workshop
PAPER DECORATIONS
Monday October 28, 4pm – 6pm
DTES Neighbourhood House, 573 E. Hastings
Isabel Ramirez, Mexican folklorista and energetic advocate for the Downtown Eastside community, leads a workshop for the family drop-in program at the DTES Neighbourhood House. For special Day of the Dead celebrations Isabel will help participants make tissue paper flowers and other decorations to wear and to decorate the Neighbourhood House. Free
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Cultural Sharing
ABORIGINAL FEAST
Monday October 28, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Carnegie Community Centre Theatre, 401 Main
See below for ticket information
Culturally specific events bring a sense of belonging and camaraderie to an otherwise isolated and disenfranchised Aboriginal population. Carnegie’s weekly Cultural Sharing Program, now in its twenty-fifth year, offers First Nations people from across North America an opportunity to share cultural events such as Pow Wows, cultural trips, singing and drumming, and to make arts & crafts. The Carnegie kitchen is cooking up a delicious menu for the feast, and the Festival presents singers and drummers from the Coast Salish Territory and beyond: Sam George will welcome us to Coast Salish territory, and special guests Git Hayetsk Dancers led by Mike Dangeli will share traditional feast songs of the Northern Nations of the Northwest Coast. Admission is free but you will need a ticket for the dinner. Tickets are available on a first-come first-serve basis at the Cultural Sharing group on the afternoon of Monday October 21. On Monday October 28 only, the day of the Feast, the remaining tickets will be available from the Carnegie third floor program office. After 4:30pm on Monday, any remaining tickets will be available at the door of the Theatre on a first-come, first-serve basis. Free
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