Dragon Meet! April 29th

Represented by the auspicious dragon in Chinese mythology, 2012 is a very special year for the arts on Denman. May 19th and 20th will mark the Silver Jubilee for the annual Pottery Studio Tour, and our own legendary dragon will definitely be helping celebrate the occasion. Enjoy the ‘warm up’ this month with a visit to the dragon’s lair on Sunday, April 29th!

World renowned potter Gordon Hutchens first encountered a climbing-hill-dragon kiln (also known as an ‘Anagama’), at the age of 14 on a visit to Japan. Under the guidance of master builder Dr. Yukio Yamamoto almost thirty years later, Hutchens realized a long-held dream with the construction of his own Tozan Anagama kiln, right here on Denman.

Tozan means East Mountain, and indicates the region in China where this particular style of kiln originated. One of only two of its kind in North America today, Hutchens’ fire-breathing giant now awakens each spring in the forest not far from his Wren Road studio. This dragon’s enormous appetite for wood must be satiated with round the clock feedings for days. Potters attend from near and far to participate in the communal ritual that is an Anagama firing. As a special feature in honor of this anniversary year, members of the public will have the rare opportunity to observe this ancient ritual on April 29th, between 1:00 and 4:00 pm.

Many of the most beautiful results from this firing will be on display over the official Pottery Studio tour weekend, May 19th and 20th. A total of twelve venues are featured this year, including the Denman Arts Centre gallery.A 25 year retrospective will celebrate the history of creativity through clay on the island, including both past and present tour participants, as well as others!  www.denmanpottery2012.blogspot.com

Hours for Thursday evenings will be 6pm-9pm, kitchen open from 6pm-8:30pm

This Thursday April 5th, Randy Duncan!

Stay tuned to this space for more details on the tour, coming soon!

Deadline for inclusion is now passed. FMI contact tour organizer Francesca “Tachi” Barker at denman.studio.tour@gmail.com

The Vancouver Island Symphony performance has been cancelled.

The Arts Denman Marketing Project is proud to announce the launch of our beautiful Denman Island Art Studio Map for 2011!  The map allows you to take a self-guided tour of  Art Studios on the island, and features 21 island artists, working in diverse media including painting, printmaking, fibre arts, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, collage, book arts, shrine making, and more.

Two thousand copies of  the 14″ x 17″ print version of the map/brochure will be available to visitors, travelers, and locals, starting the third week of June, throughout the Comox Valley and beyond! If you just can’t wait to get your hands on one, we’ve created a smaller version of the map that you can download and print out yourself. Click here (front) and here (back) to download the PDF, then print the front, flip over your paper and reinsert to print the back, then fold along the dotted white lines.

The gorgeous watercolour painting  on which our map is based was created by artist Jane Fawkes.

The creation and printing of this beautiful map was made possible by  an economic enhancement grant from Denman Works!, the support of generous community sponsors, and the support of Arts Denman.

Presented by Bill Engleson

On April 4th, I‘ll lead off the April feast with a powerful award-winning film from 1952 about the effects war on children, René Clément’s   Forbidden Games.

Roger Eberts says: “… Here is a film about children using their powers of fantasy and denial to deal with death in wartime. A modern film would back away from the horror and soften and sentimentalize it. It would become a “children’s film…”

On April 11th I will screen a personal favourite, the 1968 version of Carson McCullers beautiful novel, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, starring Sondra Locke and Alan Arkin (both in Oscar nominated performances.)

One reviewer says:  “… a series of oblique, self-contained scenes – with excellent performances all round and superb camerawork from James Wong Howe – the film has much the same haunting, poetic quality as the Carson McCullers novel (her first) on which it is based.”

On April 18th, a marvellous evocation of life in the coal mines of Wales, John Ford’s beautiful 1941 epic, How Green Was My Valley starring Walter Pidgeon and, Roddy McDowell.

MaryAnn Johansson captures the films essence: “Moving and touching, How Green Was My Valley is a classic coming-of-age story.”

The final April film, scheduled for April 25^th is Michael Curtiz’s 1958 drama, King Creole starring Elvis Presley.

One astute reviewer observes: “King Creole” is one of the best Elvis movies if not the best. It still has that formula to it as Elvis acts hunky, looks good and sings various songs but unlike many of his other movies it has a storyline which is more than just a vehicle for his talents. ”

Admission by donation to the Arts Centre. Films start at 7:30 pm

Third Thursday of every month, 7:30 to 10 sharpish.   The Denman Audio Arts Collective Society hosts an Open Stage in the Back Hall once a month.   Everyone welcome to attend.   Instrumental, singing, spoken word, groups – “all age performers!”.  Always a packed house.

Want to perform?  Sign up starts at 7:00.

Coffee/tea/juice/sweets concession is available.

Admission $3 includes your society membership.

Contact:  Al Treen, President 250-335-2988