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on bc at i o.n Banners Unfurled for Silent Auction by Brenda Berck & Lori Phillips After days of unrelenting rain, there was some dryness on Thursday. July 7, and we began to feel a tiny flicker of hope. By Friday, the sun was out and we knew that we had the blessings of nature for our outdoorbannerpainting that weekend! The Summer Sails Banner Project which brought 30. artists and artist groups together to paint banners on the plaza outside Lonsdale Quay Market, July 9 and 10, came about because of conversations with North Shore Arts Commission staff initiated by the Quay's Janet King. Janet wanted to integrate arts activities into the Quay's summer schedule and the Arts Commission was delighted at this opportunity for a partnership between business arid the arts. After some discussion of a variety of possibilities, our suggestion of a banner-painting project was accepted. c them onto the fabric) and for the installation ingenuity of the Market's maintenance staff. We were grateful for the flexibility and patience of the artists as we solved unexpected problems, and were thrilled to meet new artists. We created working relationships with people we hadn't worked with before and had a great deal of fun, even as we dealt with dividing up containers of paint, quenching the thirst of sunburning artists, and answering the questions of fascinated members of the public. We were particularly pleased at the support of the Lonsdale QuayMarket merchants. They in turn were thrilled at the design solution of sail-shaped banners, which added art to the environment without obscuring the shops. The smaller children were not left out. On Sunday afternoon a toy boat building workshop was organized for them and they went wild over this event, which had them building crude wooden boats with decorated paper sails. There was a buzzing energy around that table all afternoon, with the hammers pounding, the paint flying and the children laughing. Later the parents proudly watched as the boats took their christening voyage in the water fountain on the plaza. Forty-two completed banners will hang at the Market until the middle of September. There isa walking tourof the banners which helps members of the public rememberthe names of the artists as they select, and vote for,' their personal favourite sail. Market gift certificates will he awarded to the creators of the banners that gain the top three votes: one artist has already von a gift certificate from Opus Framing. Now we are preparing for the next stage of promoting the arts through this activity: the auction of the banners, with proceeds going to the Lions Gate Hospital. We are talking up the various ways in which individuals could hang banners in their gardens. on the side of a house, in a shop window, or as office dividers, so that people can imagine ways in which they might use the banners we hope they will buy. Silent auction bids can be made at Lonsdale Quay until September 20th at 6 pm. The final bids will be accepted on Sunday, September 25th during the activities in West Vancouver's Ambleside Park, following the completion of the Lions Gate Hospital 9.1.1 relay race. We encourage all readers to viv the banners and to seriously consider bidding to buy one. And we invite everyone to join us at Ambleside Park on September25th. Remember, the vast majorityof the 9±1 relayparticipants are observer supporters. Brenda Berck is the Cultural Development Officerfor the North Shore Arts Commission. Lori Phillips is the Arts Commission's CulturalDevelopment Assistant and coordinator ofthe Summer Sails Banner Project. West Van Lighthouse Declared National Historic Site In 1792. Captain George Vancouver sailed into the Burrard Inlet past a rugged point he named Point Atkinson. Already known to the Squamish peoples as sk'iwitsut. Point Atkinson served as guardian over Burrard Inlet and the port of Vancouver. The first lighthouse was built at the Point in 1874 as part of the British military defense plans. and to assist shipping interests in navigating their passage to and from the port. Point Atkinson Lighthouse has been in continuous operation since then, although today's light tower replaced the original in 1911. On September 18th, the lighthouse will be designated a National Historic Site, recognizing its significance as an historic structure and its contribution to the history and development of the province and the country. Mary Anne Anderson and Steve Stakiws banner design was quite appropriate to the weather The Arts Commission's interest in banners was kindled in 1993. when we received reports from people travelling through Nan aimo and Campbell River about the impact local banner-painting projects had had on both residents and visitors. We therefore had several objectives for ourinvolvement in this project: · We wanted to build on the experiences ofNanaimo and Campbell River and see whether an artistic focus on this place called the North Shore would have an impact on residents and visitors similar to the experience of ourcolleagues on Vancouver Island; · We wanted to explore the potential of such projects for promoting the arts to people who may not normally think of the part that art plays in their everyday lives: · We wanted to experiment in a small way with an activity that might prove an appropriate undertaking across the North Shore when the B.C. Winter Games come here in 1996; · We wanted to build new and more solid partnerships with other agencies in the community, and particularly with business: and · We wanted to raise the awareness of both the participants and the public to the wealth of artistic talent in our community. There were four categories of participants: professional artists; amateur/emerging artists: youth: and special interest groups. In keeping with the marine setting of Lonsdale Quay Market. the banners were cut and sewn into a triangular shape to resemble a ship's sail: there were three sizes of banners, to conform to the needs of the three sites where they would be hung (in front of the Market; indoors, at the second-floor level; and outdoors, on the plaza). Some artists painted individual banners, while more experienced artists painted pairs. There were lots of technical difficulties-- as always happens with new projects-- but we acquired a great respect for the opaque projector (which enlarged the artists' original designs and projected Part of the greater Lighthouse Park. Point Atkinson attracts thousands of visitors annually. The Park itself was originally established as a lighthouse reserve to serve as a source offuel for the steampowered foghorn. Today it features evidence of a rich natural and human history that includes a total of seven forest ecosystems, each with distinct plant communities, and a legacy of World War II defense buildings. The ceremonies get underway at 1pm. with tours and other activities from 2pm to 5pm. For more information, call West Vancouver Parks and Recreation at 922-121 l.The Point Atkinson ceremony is part of North Shore Heritage Weekend, which takes place September 16-18. Look for details about the weekend of events at your municipal hall, library or museum, or consult the Arts Calendar. 4 5 SpiOct I 994 A Arts 5