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Arts briefs

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 all of 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 February 10th issue of the 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.

 

Last call for powder hounds

 

The Whistler Arts Council is on the lookout for Sea to Sky- and B.C.-based photographers to throw down during their epic annual sports action photography competition, Out of Bounds: Tales from the Backcountry.

This is the sixth year for the contest and exhibition, which showcases emerging and professional backcountry sport photographers while promoting mountain culture and B.C. based athletes. But the deadline for application is looming: photographers have only until this Friday (Jan. 7) to submit their images of skiing and snowboarding in the B.C. backcountry.

All entries will be judged by a panel of industry professionals, athletes and photographers based on artistic merit, composition, technical skill and adherence to focus on the theme, Out of Bounds: Tales from the Backcountry (so, no photos taken from chairlifts, please). Selected photographers will receive an honorarium to assist in printing costs. Ultimately, a People's Choice Award and Best of Show will be presented, along with trips into Whistler's scenic backcountry courtesy of Coast Range Heliskiing. Images that have been digitally manipulated or developed into artwork will be eligible for entry in the competition, but they will be judged in a separate category and are not eligible for the heliskiing prize.

The Out of Bounds opening reception will take place on Friday, Feb. 4 at Millennium Place. The free exhibit will remain on display in the gallery throughout February. For more information and application details, visit artswhistler.com.


Whistler, inside the snow globe

 

A local online producer of action sports video content, Switchback Entertainment, has created quite a stir in the social media sphere this week with the release of their short film project, "Whistler Blackcomb XXS."

The film, which runs just shy of four minutes and 20 seconds, features a "day in the life" of a miniature, toy-like version of Whistler, shot using stop motion and tilt shift cinematography techniques. Filmed at a bird's eye view on-location in Whistler Village and the surrounding mountains, "Whistler Blackcomb XXS" seemingly transports our familiar ski town into a real-life snow globe.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the film had had over 6,800 views on YouTube. While it's gone viral on sites like Twitter, you can also view it by visiting Whistler Blackcomb's website at whistlerblackcomb.com and checking under the "Videos" link, or heading to http://vimeo.com/18393782 .

 

Reaching out to build a "Mountain of Art"

 

The Pemberton Arts Council is on the hunt for local artisans who are interested in participating in the community's fifth annual Mountains of Art Festival, which is a "celebration of all artistic expression." They're interested in a wide range of artistic mediums, including demonstrations and formal artistic instruction, to integrate into the event, which is set to take place on Friday, Feb. 11 and Saturday, Feb. 12.

Any artists interested in participating in the festival should visit www.pembertonartscouncil.com for an application, and send their applications to info@pembertonartscouncil.com no later than Friday, Jan. 20 at 4 p.m.

 

Author Bruce Lourie appearing

 

One of the authors of the Canadian bestseller, Slow Death By Rubber Duck, Bruce Lourie, is making an appearance in Whistler this weekend.

The provocative and groundbreaking book reveals how elements of daily life create a "toxic soup" inside our bodies. The authors, Lourie and Rick Smith, are also leading Canadian environmental activists, and to test their theories about the toxicity of everyday items, the pair decides to experiment on themselves over a four-day period, inhaling and ingesting seven common substances that are suspected to be toxic and dangerous.

The Whistler Adaptive Sports Program is hosting Lourie during a fundraising event on Monday, Jan. 10 between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at Millennium Place. Tickets to the event are $15 at Millennium Place.