WE ARE ART

WE ARE ART Compass Gallery + Gifts

KEALY DONALDSON

AS COMPASS MAGAZINE celebrates its 40th issue, our brick and mortar venture has expanded into K’omoks with a new Gallery + Gift Shop under the Compass brand. It really wasn’t a planned venture but the outcome has exceeded expectations to say the least. Located in Downtown Comox, on the main avenue, the Compass Gallery space has loaded its incredibly high ceilings with local Vancouver Island Artists. The gallery really holds the mandate of the publication, showcasing Arts, Culture + Wellness. The artists range from First Nation and Métis to photographers and Fine Artists, working with paints and multi-media. When you look throughout the space, there is a lot to take in. With painted silks from Judy Pedder to the fine strokes of Bill Maximick’s oceanscapes. The pop art is just that—very popular with pieces from Svetlana, Deborah Storey and the up-and-coming Freddie Milne. It is fascinating to watch locals and visitors alike connect with different pieces, and to learn why they feel the piece draws them in the most. Photographers such as John Westergard and Chuck Burdick are showing works printed on glass, and have definitely created a buzz around their captivating shots. Kenna Smith is showing at the gallery—this issue’s Featured Artist—and really brings a fusion of artistic delivery, marrying her style to local First Nations stories and icons with bright colours and strong impact. The gallery is hosting an impromptu showing of a Roy Vickers collection which will be on for the months of August and September. It is an exciting time with planning for the fall and winter started, which allows the Gallery to really expand its footprint into some of the more ‘interesting’ subject matter that local artists are producing from Victoria to Port Hardy. You may even encounter Performance Art here in the near future. The lineup continues with our in-house Artist, Tideline Gallery; this dynamic duo of mother and daughter work with glass as their art form. Tideline produces beautiful hand blown glass objects, sand castings and Tideline glass pieces featuring local shells and driftwood formed into

shapes and objects—all perfect for hanging in your home or gift giving! Compass Gallery also hosts a number of fine beading Artists including Vicki Johnson, Gillian Wall and Sherri-Lynn Van Gemeren and several jewellery Artists as local as Comox and as far away as Regina, Saskatchewan. The gift side has the fabulous designs of Kelly Everill Art available to wear, with hoodies and tshirts. It is loaded with lots of gourmet food selections from all over Canada; focused on ‘Wellness’, there are product lines which are gluten-free, non-GMO and sugar-free sweets. We also source Island-based coffee and teas, soups and rice mixes, herbs and spices, chips and dips and all things gourmet for your breakfast or bbq time! The Gallery is featuring Queen Bee Farm’s teas and honey simple syrups for our own Organic Fruit Bubble Teas—pop by and try one or a simple iced tea! It’s an exciting venture for Compass and the response has been humbling! The Gallery is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Drop by on a walk down Comox Avenue and enjoy all that this beautiful seaside community has to offer— grab a seat out front, enjoy a hot or cold beverage along with any of our delicious snack items. Connect with the Gallery on Facebook, via Kiki’s Communications page, to keep up with our new product lines or in person for viewing of local Art and Culture!

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Comox Valley Concert Band © CVCB

WALKING IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS 75 Years of Banding Together!

RICK HOWELL

IT’S A TUESDAY night at 7:10 and the cars wheel into the Mark Isfeld High School parking lot. Members of the Comox Valley Concert Band are hard pressed to find slots close to the entrance. The North Island Singers, another community group, rehearse at 7 pm and have already taken the best spots. It's not easy lugging tubas, euphoniums and baritone saxes through the rows of cars at any age, let alone when you're 80. There has been talk over the years of changing the time or the night to avoid this weekly parking crunch but tradition dies hard. Tuesday night is, after all, "Band Night". The veterans arrive first—including Pat Jackson, former president extraordinaire. She has guided the band for as long as most members can recall; only recently being replaced by Howard Robertson. Tonight she is circulating a get well card for a flautist who has undergone surgery. She keeps meticulous notes on all members. Soon the composite of roughly 50 musicians is complete with the arrival of the small contingent from Campbell River. Director Denise Marquette cues the band in and keeps everyone cool and collected. The band is multigenerational; aged 17 and beyond. Some of the senior members we've introduced already. Another group is the recently retired—musicians who played in high school bands in the era of burgeoning music programs who have dug out their instruments and retuned their horns. Those who still work make up a portion of the band; some coming to practice directly from the job, others leaving families with dirty dishes in order to be on time. There is also small group of high school students who want more than just school rehearsals; many go on to university for further studies in music. The band offers yearly scholarships to these young folks. There have been community bands in the Comox Valley since 1895, according to The History of Music in British

Columbia by Dale McIntosh. Over time the names have evolved to reflect the membership. Originally, the Union Band, later the Cumberland Italian Band, The Canadian Collieries Band, The Courtenay Boys Band and the 62nd Anti Tank Battery Band to name just a few. In 1949 The Comox District Band under the direction of Harold Dixon ushered in the modern era of the band. Former member Walter Tarling recalls those early days: "Gone was the military regiment and scratchy uniforms associated with the 62nd Battery Band". The band uniform Walter wore is presently on display at the Courtenay museum. The band has been an integral part of the valley for 115 years; called upon to provide music for those events that shape and define who we are as a community. May Days in Cumberland, Canada Days in Courtenay, Marina Days in Comox have all been the standards. The band still appears at the cenotaph in Cumberland every November 11 for the Remembrance Day service. Recently the band added spring and fall concerts to its performance schedule, reviving a tradition of public indoor performances. Presently linked with the Evergreen Club, the band presents a Mothers' Day concert and spring tea at the Filberg center each May. It's warm up time back in the band room. Scales, chords, arpeggios and a chorale followed by tuning is the order of the evening. Once in tune the band launches into serious rehearsal. But not too serious. The evening is punctuated by humorous section bashing by various voices. Why can't the trumpets count! Where are the horns tonight? Are trombones designed to only blow fortissimo? Can the drum please follow the conductors beat! All kidding aside, the group is surprisingly together and receives accolades following each concert. For the time being, however, the enjoyment of sitting together and making music is satisfying enough for the Comox Valley Concert Band and we are honoured to be celebrating our musical roots from 75 years ago.

Musicians interested in joining the Comox Valley Concert Band should contact President Howard Robertson www.comoxvalleyconcertband.com