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Arts briefs

Head into the deep Jan. 15

Do you have your tickets yet? Better get them soon: Arc'teryx's annual Deep Winter Photo Challenge is always a sold-out affair. This year should be no exception, with six incredible photographers - Ilja Herb, Blake Jorgenson, Andrew Strain, Robin O'Neill, John Scarth and Tim Zimmerman - on the roster.

Here's how it works: they have only three days to shoot during Whistler's legendary January storm cycle. Each shooter takes their team of handpicked athletes into the backcountry for shots, and on the fourth day they set their best images to music. On Saturday, Jan. 15, they present their slideshow to an audience of 1,000 people, as well as a panel of industry judges, at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, all in hopes of being crowned "King of Storms" for 2011 and taking home some of the $6,000 prize purse.

Tickets to the event are $17; get yours by calling 1-800-766-0449 or visiting Whistler Blackcomb Guest Relations. For more information on the competition, or more on the competitors, visit deepwinterphoto.com.

 

Add to Pique's Olympic highlight reel

 

This time last year, the community of Whistler was on edge, anxiously anticipating the arrival of the Olympic torch and the hordes of athletes, international visitors and media that were sure to follow for the 2010 Winter Games.

Writers and staff here at Pique Newsmagazine spent plenty of time covering the Olympic and Paralympic Games, sharing stories from the lead-up to the wrap-up of all the action. And now, with the one-year anniversary of the main event almost upon us, we're calling on you, the Whistler residents and readers, to share your most memorable Games moments with us.

We're looking for short stories (maximum 250 words) and photos that capture your epic Olympic moments: brushes with greatness, Olympic gold moments, the best candid shots of the beloved Captain Canada, costumed super-fans, encounters with international visitors and those loveable Smurfs and late-night shenanigans, just to give you a few ideas. The top entries will win some great prizes and be published in the Feb. 10th issue of Pique, just in time for the Whistler Winter Arts Festival, which runs from Feb. 11 to 13.

Send your submissions to andrew@piquenewsmagazine.com by Thursday, Feb. 3, or upload images to Pique's Facebook page.

 

Tale-telling and other activities at the SLCC

 

There's more to do at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre than just check out their exhibits (though they have made two new impressive additions to the gallery recently).

During the month of January, the centre is hosting a weekly storytelling session with Lil'wat Nation's Tanina Williams and Squamish Nation's Vanessa Campbell. They share traditional stories and folklore of their people at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. each Sunday, with the sessions included in admission to the centre.

If getting hands-on is more your thing, join in the drum-making workshop with Squamish Nation's Alice Guss on Sunday, Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. Guss will teach participants to make a 14-inch traditional deer hide drum and stick and share insight on why drumming is so important to her people. The cost to take part in the workshop is $130, which includes all materials and admission to the SLCC's exhibits. To sign up for the course, contact tsawaysia@hotmail.com or call 604-897-1421.

 

Imre, Keith recognized for excellence

 

The Sea to Sky corridor is home to many talented artists, but two truly stood out this year: Lani Imre and Paige Keith. The two women have been selected as recipients of the 2010 Artist Award of Excellence, an annual designation awarded by the Whistler Arts Council (WAC) and La Bocca Restaurant, taking home $1,000 prize along with the honour.

Lani Imre, a painter, won the award in the Professional Artist category. She lives in Squamish part-time, and has studied at the Kootenay School of the Arts and the Nova Scotia School of Art and Design University. Her work focuses on large-scale mixed media paintings featuring "an entourage of virtualized female characters," but she also has an extensive background in sculptural ceramics, drawing, printmaking and painting.

Paige Keith, a sketch artist and painter, received the honour in the Emerging artist category. Keith has lived in Whistler since she was four years old. She began her career as a sketch artist and painter as a teen, receiving formal training at a two-week intensive art academy, which allowed her to find her own personal technique and passion. Now, she is pursuing her Honours degree in Fine Art at the University of Victoria.

"We are blessed with many wonderful and talented artists here in Whistler and in the Sea to Sky Corridor. Lani Imre and Paige Keith greatly deserve this award and congratulations for excelling in their field," Joan Pitman, Chair of the Whistler Arts Council board of directors, said in a release. "We are grateful to La Bocca Restaurant and the Arts and Culture Legacy Fund for providing the funding required to offer these awards of excellence."

Both Imre and Keith were chosen based on the quality of their body of work coupled with the idea and intention behind their work, the effectiveness of their artistic practice, the impact their art has on those experiencing it, and the contribution their work has made to the development of their own artistic practice, the art form and the arts in general. They were selected by a panel of jurors who evaluated their work for concept, calibre, clarity and focus, originality and vitality, artistic risk and quality of presentation.

 

Rich Glass wins photography award

 

On top of the two Artistic Excellence awards mentioned above, WAC has also just announced that the recipient of the Photographers Workshop Bursary is Whistler resident, Rich Glass.

The award is worth $1,000 towards photography workshop tuition fees and was provided through a legacy fund from the Whistler Photographic Society. The purpose of the award is to increase the knowledge and expertise of a photographer living in the Sea to Sky corridor by offering financial assistance to allow them to participate in a multi-day workshop of the winner's choice. The bursary winner will then play a role in further development of photographers in the Sea to Sky corridor by sharing the knowledge gained from the workshop in a community-based seminar or exhibition, fireside discussion or workshop.

Glass, a Whistler-based professional photographer, was selected by a jury of professional photographers out of a pool of talented Sea to Sky residents. He has chosen to attend the Rich Clarkson Sports Photography Workshop in Colorado Springs, Colorado, one of the most popular workshops in America.

"I will take this opportunity to learn more about editing for publication and to study the larger world of photography," Glass said in a release. "I am confident that taking this workshop will push my creativity to a new level."

"I'm thrilled that one of our local photographers has the chance to learn from a renowned master of photography in Colorado," Leanna Rathkelly, past-chair of the Whistler Photographic Society, said. "There are fabulous photo workshops offered around the world, but it takes time and money to get there. For Rich Glass to be able to take this workshop and share what he has learned with his peers and fans will also benefit the photography community in Whistler."

 

Reel Alternatives: Fathers & Sons

 

While the 10th annual Whistler Film Festival came to a close in December, there are still more independent films to come, courtesy of the Whistler Film Festival Society. The WFFS is presenting three more films as part of their annual Reel Alternatives screening series. The first film is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. at Village 8.

It will be the Whistler premiere of Carl Bessai's Fathers & Sons, a brilliant comedy that explores the universal and sometimes very complex relationships that a varied group of men share with their fathers.

"Reel Alternatives offers film-goers the opportunity to experience some of the year's top indies and get Whistlerites in the mood to see some fabulous films that are otherwise not available," WFF's artistic director, Stacey Donen, said in a release.

Subscription packages for Reel Alternatives screenings are available at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com, and ranging in price from $10 to $30. Tickets to individual screenings are $10 in advance online, or $12 at the door one hour before each screening, based on availability.

 

Riding on the Roof with John Hetherington

 

Have you always wanted to visit Everest Base Camp, but haven't managed to make the trip just yet? Well, come out and live vicariously through the tales of Whistler resident John Hetherington, as he presents Riding on the Roof of the World - A 1,000-Kilometre Mountain Bike Ride from Lhasa, Tibet to Kathmandu, Nepal. Hetheringtons's presentation will chronicle his three-week journey through a remote land that is undergoing a period of rapid change. His bicycle journey included time spent at 17,000-feet elevation and a ride to Mount Everest Base Camp, complete with photos that Hetherington took during his travels.

The presentation is first of a series being organized by the Whistler Museum, scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. The remainder of the presentations, which feature a wide range of speakers and topics, are scheduled to take place on the third Wednesday of each month. The cost to attend is $7 or just $5 for Whistler Museum members (a Whistler Museum membership is $25). Complimentary tea and coffee will be served, while wine and beer will also be available for a small fee.

This first presentation in the series is also the perfect excuse to come check out the new museum, which officially reopened last December. For more information on the event, visit www.whistlermuseum.org. n