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commentary fë ] facility, there ce is the Nortr III be guided c s call 9Í7-PLAY Paient and Child Landscape WatercoJour Painting Step by step watercotour methods aie taught in the dramatic outdoor se rung of Cleveland Dam Park. A creative class with group and individual Instruction in drawing composition, colour and texture, building r. (S. Stokvts). Running from Jury 4 Drtbrook Pottery Sfudo The DeJbrook Pottery Studio offers one of the most spacious and well-equipped potting facilities on the North Shore. A wide range of excellent instructional opportunities, as well as studio membership options, are available. Summer Children and Adult lesson series featuring artist Louisa Leibman beginning now! Pr.whool Puppets, Puppets, Puppets - 3-5 y» Bring fantasy and fairy tales to lifel Ih imagination is let loose in this exciting storytellng. movemer dfun. Running from Jury 12 to August 20. recCentre Lonsdale On Being an Amateur Musician by Jacqueline Martinuk "Every artist was first an amateur." --Ralph Waldo Emerson "Amateur: One who loves or is fond of..." --Oxford English Dictionary M y purpose in writing this essay is twofold. I'd like to offer you some thoughts on why I have chosen to be an amateur musician, but in addition I will argue that the word 'amateur' should be used in a more positive and complimentary context. How many of us think of the above definition when we hear the word 'amateur'? Not many. I would guess, judging from the common usage of the word as a synonym for "of a lesser quality." T o me, this is a most unfortunate fate to have befallen such a lovely word. As one who is fascinated by the origins, evolution and power of meanings in the context of society as a whole, I am filled with curiosity as to how it has become accepted that to do something for the love of it, rather than for money, implies a lack of competence. I suppose it is symptomatic of a culture wherein money is perceived as terribly important. But the assumption that those who are paid are necessarily more competent in their field than those who are not is thoughtless and sometimes downright dangerous. I don't mean to imply thai professionals are not competent most of the lime, but that the simple fact of being paid--which is what to most people distinguishes the "professionals" from the "amateurs"--in no way automatically denotes superior quality. Conversely, to do something for the love of it regardless of monetary gain should in no way cause one's work to be prejudged as being "of a lesser quality." Unfortunately, in most cases, this is exactly what happens. Luckily, there arc enough excellent amateurs around to set this misguided notion on its ear! I feel extremely fortunate to be associated with a large number of just such dedicated and highly qualified amateur musicians through the West Coast Amateur Musicians Society and other organizations. The level of personal satisfaction I currently derive as an amateur musician far surpasses (hat which I felt in all the years that I performed professionally. It is an interesting phenomenon which perhaps has as much to do with my personality and how I respond to pressure as anything else. But I think ihere is more to it than just that, much more than I have space to go into in any great depth here. Let me just say that at this stage in my life, I have learned to value inspiration over perfection, and I find it very inspiring to be with people who put their heart and soul into creating the most beauliful sound they are capable of making. Any musician who is able to do that on a consistent basis and to be paid for it is extremely fortunate and deserves the greatest respect and admiration. A H too often, however, for professional musicians who are subject to the rigorous demands of a gruelling schedule, the love of music for its own sake somehow gets lost in the shuffle. Unfortunately for such performers and their audiences, technical competence is no substitute for heart and soul. In summary, I would like to take Lhe opening quote by Emerson one step further and say that not only was every artist first Jacqueline wax a professional musician far about 10 years before deciding to "go amateur. "She is about to make another important life change, forsaking the city for a newly-built home on Bowen Island This editorial originally appeared in Westmuse, the newsletter of (he West Coast Amateur Musicians Society. o "Not only w a s e v e r y artist first a n amateur, b u t t h e greatest artists still a r e . " O Muitl Media Art Weeks 6 > Lonsdale Puppets, Puppets, Puppets - 6-12 yrs Children get the chance lo create a story, build their puppets, design the sets, and pull it all together in a puppetry performance. Running from Jury 12-August 20. recCentre Lonsdale Big Art Week -9-12 yts This program expands the boundaries imiting creative expression. Create big drawings, paintings, sculpture. . j l Enrlchmenl- l M f t y n Teens explore the fine arts - air brush techniques, basic >hic design, drawrig, pointing and sculpture, plus learning form, shape and colour through this mutti-image. conceptual development program Running from Jury 7 to August 25. Adelt* Photography In a Day " jy photography more by learning the proper i our 35mm camera: depth of field, apertures using,flashand photo composition. Running fi 1 crafts Fabric Art Comes Out of the Closet A showcase of fiber art from around the province. In Celebration of the Stitch B.C., features the work of several North Shore artists. The exhibit runs August 9-20 in the atrium of the Hong Kong Bank of Canada, and it is sponsored by the Vancouver Guild of Fabric Arts and lhe Canadian Craft Museum. It is being held in conjunction with the international show. Celebrating the Stitch, al lhe Craft Museum. The combination of the two shows will offer a wonderful opportunity to examine contemporary approaches to the use of fabric, embroidery, quilling and other techniques as art. The exhibitions will bring fabric art out of the closei and onto the wall, where it deserves lo be. . A « . . . J . l y / A u i o . l 1993 Six artists have been chosen lo represent lhe North Shore. These are: Barbara Head. Margaret Ward. Shatmini Wirasekara, Barbara Fraser, Janet Cameron and Marcia Heiherineton. Centre Del brook Ipture and Drawing Our Land installation plus piaster Landscape Drawing c< Shore from art different Jury 5 to August 30 e Lonsdale