The mission of the Okanagan Institute is to contribute to the quality of creative engagement in the Okanagan through publications, events and collaborations.
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HeART Cart at Hospice House
A CHAPBOOK FEATURING AN ESSAY BY KAREN CLOSE
The HeART Cart is an open invitation to enjoy the process of creating according to your own heART. It is dedicated to the memory of Nel Clark whose loving spirit inspired friends and family. It has been made possible by their generosity and admiration for her passion. The Celebration of Life service held for Nel, October 2, 2010
was animated by a collection of her paintings, photographs of her creating them
and wonderful anecdotes from younger family members about how her creativity
and artful love of play had enriched their lives.
Henri Matisse, one of the great painters and idealists of the twentieth century, understood
any passionate expression of life is art. Like Nel, he buoyed his spirit creating art from his bed until he died in 1954. In what is perhaps his most famous image, The Dance, with its circle of stamping, twisting figures, Matisse celebrates his love for creative expression. He reminds us of the energy it takes to live life to its fullest.
I do not literally paint that table, but the emotion it produces upon me. It has bothered me all my life that I do not paint like everybody else. An artist must possess Nature. He must identify
himself with her rhythm ... express himself in his own language ... the essential thing is to put oneself in a frame of mind which is close to that of prayer. I would like to recapture that freshness of vision which is characteristic of extreme youth when all the world is new to it. - HENRI MATISSE
During her stay at Hospice, as her speaking voice began to fail, Nel continued to fill her
days joyously expressing her feelings in paint and sharing her "creative outpourings"
with friends and family. When friends came to visit she invited them to join her
in the painting experience.
Thus begins the essay HeART Cart at Hospice House by Karen Close, now a chapbook from the Okanagan Institute. Karen Close is a painter and author of two books. Her heART FIT classes at the Rotary Centre for the Arts, Kelowna, lead participants to "honour the urge to create ... for ourselves and for others."
Published in association with the Central Okanagan Hospice Association.
20 pages | paperback | 5 x 8.5 inches
Sage-ing is the process of approaching aging as a positive journey filled with wisdom, learning and possibility. It affirms the importance of the older years and teaches how to harvest life's wisdom and transform it into a legacy for future generations. Sage-ing addresses spiritual development, interpersonal relationships, communication skills, service work and social aspects of aging. The Sage-ing Guild
Mounting clinical evidence supports emerging understanding that creative exploration of one's life experiences enhances wisdom, health and wellbeing. To learn more about studies in arts and health, visit www.creativeaging.org
The intent of Sage-ing With Creative Spirit is to recruit and stimulate ambassadors who will spread awareness of the vital contributions of the arts to lifelong learning, creative expression, health and well-being. Intergenerational weekly classes in a variety of artistic creative expressions will train participants to move into the community to recruit and engage others to explore their creativity.
Check www.sage-ing.com and click Kelowna Programs for an updated schedule of current sessions.
The program is sponsored by The Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors Program.
Sage-ing with Creative Spirit will enhance our community's understanding and participation in ArtsCare. Beginning in the new year, we will present the program at the Rotary Centre for the Arts. Sage-ing is a term borrowed from Shirley MacLaine and her book Sage-ing While Age-ing.
"Someone venerated for the possession of wisdom, judgment, and experience" is a sage - certainly a goal to be sought and there is mounting evidence illustrating that creative exploration of one's life experiences enhances wisdom, health and wellbeing. For a further understanding of this emerging field visit www.creativeaging.org
Below are specific details from the grant application. If you feel you might like to become part of the program and facilitate a series of classes, please contact Karen Close at keclose@yahoo.com. The grant provides money to pay facilitators.
We hope to include the following options for creative expression: gardening, drama, personal story writing, clay work, weaving but we're open to suggestions of any expressive forms you might like to facilitate.
Classes will be held at the Rotary Centre for the Arts and should be sheduled on Tuesdays between 12 noon and 8pm (can go until 11pm). Classes will be free to attendees except for supplies. The program will run from February until November 2010 and faciltitation of individual classes can be 4 to 8 weeks or longer if demand is good. Seniors is broadly interpreted from middle age onwards.
Sage-ing with Creative Spirit will recruit and stimulate senior ambassadors to spread awareness of the vital contributions of the arts to lifelong learning, creative expression, health and well-being. Intergenerational weekly classes in artistic expressions and guest lecturers will create confident seniors ready to move into the community to recruit and engage others in creative expression.
Project Objectives
To encourage seniors to explore untapped personal creative resources and to value the vital power of creativity for themselves and the community.
To inform seniors about recent studies proving how artistic engagement enhances the function of the aging brain and builds self esteem (Dr. Gene D. Cohen)
To help seniors become role models for those at any age to explore creative potential.
To build seniors' confidence to lead creativity workshops
To develop opportunities for seniors to lead creativity sessions with other community groups.
Sage-ing with Creative Spirit will engage seniors to be role models and leaders within a community initiative seeking to promote understanding of the personal benefits of creative engagement for all ages. Authentic creative expression calls upon the wisdom, experience and talents that are the gift of age. The program invites seniors to feel dignity as they develop their cultural appreciation and understanding. A sense of community is enhanced when people create together and share the importance of creative expression with others in the community.
Sage-ing with Creative Spirit stresses why seniors' experience is integral to intergenerational community arts classes. It encourages seniors to value the personal and community worth of their creative activities and creates opportunities for them to meet regularly and share their understanding with each other, their families and others in the community. It creates ambassadors to spread community awareness of the vital contributions of the arts to lifelong learning, creative expression, health and well-being.
Sage-ing with Creative Spirit is under the direction of Karen Close, leader of HeART FIT, a program she has coordinated for two years and held at the centre since February 2008. Since its inception heART FIT has attracted new seniors, from a variety of backgrounds. She and a group of seniors seek to evolve community perception about how the arts contribute to community health and well being. They have developed program philosophy and design, and will chair the advisory board.
Exercise is the Best Medicine
Gareth Jones PhD. CEP., Human Kinetics - Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC Okanagan
MUSIC AND MEMORIES
A Celebration for Hospice Saturday 21 November 2009, 7pm
Okanagan College Theatre, Kelowna Musical performances and readings honouring our loved ones and caregivers.
The ArtsCare program of the Okanagan Institute at Okanagan College presents Music and Memories to support the programs of the Central Okanagan Hospice Association.
FEATURED MUSICAL PERFORMERSCANDESCA
While continuing her international operatic career, Soprano Alexandra Babbel has extended an invitation to young women to join her in the pursuit of musical excellence. Candesca, which means beginning to shine, is the result.
"More than anything I want the next generation to know that there is so much beauty in the arts... these talented young women have much to give! Music is for sharing ...there is so much joy in giving it away!"
Candesca is an award-winning singing ensemble of young women, ages 14-18, based in Kelowna, B.C. Selected by audition, each member has a solid musical foundation with backgrounds that vary from high level instrumentalists and composers to musical theatre performers and actors. They excel in competitions both vocally and instrumentally as well as being honour roll students and cultural ambassadors in their community. These lovely musical maidens combine attention to detail with the beauty of their angelic voices, to inspire audiences with a youthful interpretation of the traditional classics. Their repertoire includes Gregorian chant, classical art song from a variety of cultures and medieval arrangements of contemporary music, much of which is sung a Capella.
Established only three years ago Candesca has already risen to acclaim, performing for the three tenors, Romanza, and entertaining nearly 3,500 audience members at the Canadian School of Ballet's performances of The Nutcracker Suite Ballet. Their most recent achievement is a first place finish in this year's Kelowna Kiwanis Music Festival.
Candesca returned from its first European tour including a stop in Kelowna's sister city of Veendam. Not only has Candesca performed their repertoire for a variety of European audiences; they also be studied art and music history, architecture, public speaking and etiquette. The tour prepared the young ladies to become ambassadors of culture and classical music within the Canadian school system. Their message will be one of hope and joy in the Arts. Alexandra has toured extensively throughout the globe and performed with Candesca on their first European tour in 2008. They have no begun their second CD.
GORDEN JAMES
Gorden James is a singer/songwriter who resides in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Along with performing his originals Gord is an acoustic artist who likes to put his own spin on versions of popular songs from many genres. Gord's debut CD, Heart of the Matter, can now be heard across Canada and in various countries in Europe.
Some of Gord's milestones include winning the Northern B.C. Discovery 2002, a singer/songwriter contest sponsored by Country radio across Canada, Factor, and Country Music Television. His runner-up finish at the regional for Western Canada in Vancouver, B.C. show this performer has plenty to offer.
Gord is also a HevyD music artist which is a website that helps promote indie artists around the world and stay tuned for some exciting news with regards to a cross Canada promotion with HevyD's. You can find Gord's music at gordenjames.com , HevyDmusic.com, Itunes.
CELEBRATION SINGERS
The Celebration Singers have been entertaining Okanagan audiences for 12 years and have built a solid reputation for providing top quality entertainment with high calibre vocal performances, colourful costumes and lively choreography.
The Celebration Singers were founded in 1997. The group features around 22 auditioned women's voices, all residents of the Okanagan Valley; from students to doctors and ranging in age from 20 something to 60 plus. The singers' ultimate goal is to provide audiences with the highest quality of musical performance and entertainment by developing vocal and performance skills at a local, national and international level. In 2008 the group visited Cuba for a musical exchange with 4 professional Cuban choirs.
The Celebration Singers have performed many different styles of music from classical and sacred to musicals, folk, pop, Motown, Blues and country and have produced both a Celtic and a Christmas CD.
Celebration Singers' current artistic director is Sue Skinner who is a career singer, music conductor and teacher and who has worked as an opera singer in Germany, appearing with the Edmonton, Seattle and Calgary Operas. In addition to leading the Celebration Singers, Skinner also directs Kelowna's Unity Choir. Along with accompanist Gladys Klonteig, Sue began working with the Celebration Singers in January of 2009.
THE MALARKEYS
The Malarkeys are a Celtic rock band from Kelowna, B.C. This dynamic group specializes in traditional and contemporary Celtic music, done with an original flair. All the band members have years of experience performing, writing, and arranging music. Their combined backgrounds have travelled through delta blues to Scottish ballads, with a detour or two through British pop and Canadian rock.
Karl Hourigan plays electric and acoustic guitar and penny whistle, and sings lead and harmony vocals. Karl was born in Ireland, so he's the real deal, although his years of living in BC means his accent is straight up Canadian westcoast, eh? Gail Hourigan plays bass, and sings; she can't wait for their next show. Lisa Grekul (Dr. G!) was with the band from the beginning, playing keyboards and singing, adding her great talent to the whole affair. She took a leave in May 2009 due to the increasing demands of her hectic career. The newest member is fiddler Eddie Plotnikoff. New drummer Jay Dallamore replaced original skin beater Ryan Campbell late in 2008.
As well as years of experience performing in Alberta and British Columbia, the band writes original music that they like to describe as "Celtic mash-ups" or "pop goes the Celtic"!
»For information on ArtsCare meetings and projects, go HERE.»A Directory of ArtsCare Members is HERE.
ArtsCare events are presented by the Okanagan Institute
in association with Okanagan College.
ArtsCare events are presented by the Okanagan Institute