ARTS EAST

Starting today (May 31) until July 19, the small town market gallery at the Charlottetown Farmers Market is hosting “Work in Progress,” an exhibit that will evolve over the weeks it is showing, by sculptural and textile artist, Sarah Saunders. The public is invited next Saturday (June 7) to an artist talk and opening reception from 2:30-4pm. Originally from Charlottetown, Saunders now lives in Argyle Shore, PEI. Her work has been showcased across the country and internationally. Her website ’s gallery showcases an intriguing array of installations and pieces—works that are quite unlike any others you may have seen—including the ingeniously designed body parts as part of her Corpus series. Arts East caught up with Saunders to learn a little bit more about her creative process and her exhibit which starts in Charlottetown today! How would you describe your art forms and creative process? SS: I use the language of domestic objects and skills in sculptural work that incor...

Garden of Eat’n (6293 Quinpool Road, Halifax NS) Garden of Eat’n, a restaurant, bar and art/performance venue, has been open for two years. Despite being on Quinpool Road in Halifax, where one establishment can blend into the next, owner Ebby Gholami has and is determined to defy the odds (some research suggests 60% of restaurants fail within their first three years.) Ebby and his team are already off to a great start serving up their culturally eclectic breakfast, lunch and dinner menus of tapas, mains, specialty drinks and desserts. Ebby says everybody who has come in has been very happy—there is just the desire and need to expand their ‘audience’. Glancing at the Garden’s guest book confirms the many customers who have loved the ambience and food of local and international flavours. Ebby Gholami, owner of the Garden of Eat’n For Ebby his vision from two years ago remains the same: he wants his restaurant to be more than just a place to fill your stomach. He ...

Source:  Rabbit-town.com In the fall of 2012, Lisa Anne Ross of Solo Chicken Productions began a community arts project called Animating Rabbit-town. The project explores The West Platt neighbourhood in Fredericton that was known as Rabbit-town during the 20s, 30s and 40s. Ross quickly discovered how vibrant and intriguing the working class hub’s history was; and what originally was set out to be a one-year long endeavour, blossomed into a multi-year, multi-faceted, collaboration with local organizations, schools, artists and community members. The project will culminate in a theatrical production (June 5-7). We caught up with Ross to find out about the play (and their fundraising campaign to pay the participating artists and technicians) and what else has been going on with Animating Rabbit-town. When we caught up with you last summer , the Rabbit-town community arts project was thriving with research and collecting stories, a historic public walking tour and a...

Leona Ottenheimer’s whimsical paintings just had to be explored… Visual artist Leona Ottenheimer grew up  (Leona King) the oldest of nine children in Long Harbour, Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. Her mother, an emerging artist, very much inspired Ottenheimer from an early age.  After high school, Ottenheimer completed Commercial Art studies at the College of Trades & Technology , followed by Graphic Design at Lawrence College and Visual Arts courses at the University of Windsor in Ontario. Cape Spear by Leona Ottenheimer Ottenheimer is a continuous learner. She has participated in and co-facilitated classes with such inspiring artists as Gerald Squires, Scott Goudie, Barbara Dorey, Michael Whitelaw, Gordon MacKenzie, Diana Dabinett, Henry Vyfvinkel, Edwin Matthews, Lloyd Pretty, Mary Nunn and Ed Roche. Screech In by Leona Ottenheimer Danny and Shovel   by Leona Ottenheimer Jean Chretien   by Le...

…More importantly, what is public art to YOU? We want to know your personal interpretation. Snap a picture of what you perceive to be public art in our Atlantic Canada-wide (and beyond)  Public Art Scavenger Hunt ! Today Arts East walked around Halifax and went through some photo archives to explore this concept of public art.   Is this public art? Is this public art? Is this public art?   Is this public art?   Is this public art?   Is this public art?   Is this public art? Is this public art?   Is this public art?   My, oh my, your Chez Tess ’ Croque Madame Panini is a work of art. Is it public art? No! It’s private art. It’s all mine! Nom nom nom… We want public art (however you interpret this) snapshots from all across Atlantic Canada (and beyond). For contest details, visit: artseast.blogspot.ca/2014/05/contest-snap-photo-of-public-art.html Al...

Tunnel along the Bedford Sackville Connector Trail Mural created by children from Sackville Community Recreational Youth Leadership,  facilitated by artist Holly Carr Until June 14th, 2014, we’re holding a contest encouraging Atlantic Canadians (and anyone who is keen) to take a photo of public art they find in their hometown. Besides the incentive of it being a contest, it will be really neat to create a geographic spread of public art images from across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Newfoundland and beyond. What is Public Art? This is open to interpretation. It could be an art form from various disciplines (i.e. visual, performance, multimedia, etc) presented in a public space. It could also be less conventional, from a striking graffiti tag to something you interpret as art that others may not. How to Enter? E-mail us the photo of your public art find at artseastonline[at]gmail.com with “Public art contest” in the subject line. Include your: ·  ...