[BCMA] Sunday, July 21 - Copper & Fire Arts Event Returns To Britannia Mine Museum

Mon Jul 8 17:19:00 PDT 2013

For immediate release
July 8, 2013

Copper & Fire Arts Event Returns To Britannia Mine Museum
Community arts event showcases unique metal and earthen crafts mined from
Mother Earth
Sunday, July 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Britannia Beach, BC  The Britannia Mine Museum is hosting its 11th Annual
Copper & Fire Arts Event on Sunday, July 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring
talented artists from all over British Columbia and their unique metal and
earthen crafts. Copper & Fire is the museum¹s premiere summer event
showcasing crafts derived from mined materials ³of the earth.²

³This is my favourite event of the year at the Museum. I really enjoy the
visiting artists who are passionate about their work,² says Kirstin Clausen,
executive director of the Britannia Mine Museum. ³It is interesting to
discover how these talented artists can morph and transform materials that
come from the earth into beautiful and compelling art pieces. This event is
the perfect reminder that there are connections between art and mining.²

The Copper & Fire Arts Event features British Columbia artists such as metal
workers using copper and bronze, ceramic artists using a number of different
mediums, and jewelers, including (artists bios below):

* Liza Bennett, potter from Squamish, http://lizabennett.wordpress.com/
* Ania Kyte, glass bead artist from Mission, www.turtlebeads.com
<http://www.turtlebeads.com>
* Daniel Miller, a chain maille artist from Victoria,
http://corvuschainmaille.ning.com/profile/DanielMiller
* Rebecca Shorten, potter from Burnaby,
http://rebeccashortenpottery.blogspot.ca
<http://rebeccashortenpottery.blogspot.ca>
* Valeri & Valentina Sokolovski, stone artists from Surrey,
www.artofvaleri.com <http://www.artofvaleri.com>
* Rudolf Sokolovski, bronze/metal artist from Vancouver,
http://www.modernsculpture.ca/
* Donna Stewart, contemporary abstract artist/concrete painter from Sechelt,
http://www.alldonna.com/
* Jim Unger, metal artist from Abbotsford, www.clayburncopperworks.com
<http://www.clayburncopperworks.com>
* Martin Vseticka, silver/goldsmith jewelry artist from Squamish,
www.vseticka.ca <http://www.vseticka.ca>
* Byron Anderson, mixed media sculptor specializing in wire trees from
Gibsons
* Eric Gindlesperger, blacksmith from Squamish
* Sharon Tirixow, a stone sculptor from Langley

The museum will also provide hands-on workshops and arts and crafts
activities for kids of all ages including sculpting copper wire crafts and
bead jewelry.

Located 45 minutes north of Vancouver on the picturesque Sea-to-Sky highway,
the Britannia Mine Museum was transformed from a mining legacy site into a
vibrant internationally recognized destination in 2010. The museum provides
an unforgettable visitor experience with the new Beaty-Lundin Visitor
Centre, the Britannia A-Z heritage hall, the historic 20-storey Mill
building, the underground mine train and outdoor gold panning. Open seven
days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with guided tours every 45 minutes
throughout the day.

About the Britannia Mine Museum:
The Britannia Mine Museum is a mining legacy site and a vibrant,
internationally recognized education and tourist destination located between
Vancouver and Whistler on the Sea-to-Sky highway. It is a National Historic
Site and a non-profit organization encouraging mining awareness through
entertaining, experiential education programs and exhibits, important
historic collection preservation and insightful public engagement that
allows guests to leave with a better understanding of mining in BC; past,
present and future. www.britanniaminemuseum.ca
<http://www.britanniaminemuseum.ca> .

-30-
Media contact:
Yvonne Chiang
Britannia Mine Museum
604-880-5090
yvonne at blueskycommunications.ca

Artist Biographies

Liza Bennett Biography, potter, Squamish
http://lizabennett.wordpress.com/ <http://lizabennett.wordpress.com/>

I arrived in Squamish in 1997, by way of the forest industry. After a decade
in the field of silviculture, I decided to take my interest in plants and
ecology in a new direction.  It has since become an all consuming passion.

Although my recreational hobbies are vastly different they can be described
in much the same way, I am either up to my elbows in mud or up to my elbows
in clay and on any given day, sometimes both.
I have developed a niche nursery, mainly growing iris and hosta, but it has
over the years diversified to include locally durable perennials and some
tree and shrub varieties.

I also am a pottery artist, working mostly with slabs to build pieces, each
one unique, combining funky with functionality. Often the pieces are either
inspired by or embellished with the plant material around me.

Ania Kyte Biography, glass bead artist, Mission
www.turtlebeads.com <http://www.turtlebeads.com>

In addition to being a Mom to my two sons, Alexander and Anderson, I am also
a glass lampwork bead artisan (which means that I use a torch flame to melt
glass and make artglass beads).

I discovered a passion for beadwork about 10 years ago, with the help of a
good friend named Linda, who started me with a few basics and encouraged me
in my progress.  Since then, I have been involved in aspects of beadwork
such as: beadweaving, loomwork, and wire-work.

Years ago, I took a class with a local lampwork artisan, and became
passionate about the art of lampworking, which involves melting glass over a
torch flame to create unique, hand-formed glass beads, one at a time. For
the first five years, I used a very basic set up to create all my beads: a
HotHead torch, propane gas, and Morretti/Effetre glass from Italy. Now, I
use a more complex set up: a Nortel Minor torch, along with propane and an
oxygen-concentrator for the majority of my work. I still keep the Hot Head
set up on a secondary workstation for teaching classes and for working with
Satake glass, a lead-based Japanese glass. All my beads are kiln-annealed
overnight in my "Olympic Murano" kiln with a "Bartlett" digital controller
for strength and durability.

Daniel Miller Biography, chain maille artist, Victoria
http://corvuschainmaille.ning.com/profile/DanielMiller
<http://corvuschainmaille.ning.com/profile/DanielMiller>

Daniel is a Victoria resident where he works as a chain maille artist. He
has been creating chain maille clothing and jewelry for the last four years
since he was inspired to start by a fellow artist. He has learned the craft
through online forums and experimentation. He is often proudly showing his
latest endeavor to family and friends and is always met with encouragement.

Daniel is dedicated to the reclamation and preservation of this ancient art.
He enjoys making chain maille, discussing, teaching, and learning about the
seemingly infinite varieties of patterns. Daniel hopes that his passion for
the craft will inspire others to create art that will surly stand the test
of time.           

Rebecca Shorten Biography, potter, Burnaby,
http://rebeccashortenpottery.blogspot.ca
<http://rebeccashortenpottery.blogspot.ca>

My functional work is a balance between simplicity of form and complexity of
design. Creating pottery really is the better of two worlds: at once craft
is fused with art in the creation of an object that brings function in
contact with elegance and beauty.

The primary way that I connect the everyday with elegance and beauty is
through nature. I am greatly inspired by the works of Emily Carr and Georgia
O¹Keeffe, using the form of the pot as a frame for specific details of
nature. 

My current exploration of sgraffito decoration demands that the design
appears simple, but is instead the result of a complex process of planning,
implementing, evolving, learning, and growing. The end product is a series
of pots that are similar, never exactly the same as each other, and a
demonstration that handmade items reflect the human processes of thought and
deliberation.

Valeri & Valentina Sokolovski, stone artists, Surrey
www.artofvaleri.com <http://www.artofvaleri.com>

Valeri Sokolovski was born in Ukraine and grew up studying plastics in
Khazakhstan in M.B. Grekov Art College in Odessa, Ukraine.

He worked as a sculptor-monumentalist in Odessa and exhibited his works in
various countries, such as Russia, Ukraine, France, Italy, USA and Canada.
In 1974 he became a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR.

In 1992, Valeri moved with his family to Canada and has been busy creating
ever since. He was very active participant in many art shows through BC
Mainland and Washington State and has won many Artistic Appreciation awards.
Valeri was frequently written about in newspapers, books, radio, And was a
winner of many Public Art Projects.

Rudolf Sokolovski, bronze/metal artist, Vancouver,
http://www.modernsculpture.ca/ <http://www.modernsculpture.ca/>

I remember the day when I sat in my father¹s studio playing with a block of
clay. I was five years old.

I am a sculptor, artist living in Vancouver, BC. I specialize in several
types of medium, such as bronze, stone, fiberglass, and plasters like
hydrostone. I take commissions from individuals, businesses, development
companies, and publicly funded projects. I specialize in all sizes ranging
from indoor statues to large scale outdoor pieces.

For large scale projects that require a team approach I work with artist
Valeri Sokolovski. Valeri worked as a sculptor-monumentalist in the Ukraine,
designing and implementing public art works ranging from small scale
commissions to large monuments commissioned by the government, and has over
45 years of experience with this. Valeri specializes in stones like marble,
granite, limestone, soap stone, and alabaster, and also in wood, bronze,
fiberglass, and plasters.

Donna Stewart, contemporary abstract artist/concrete painter, Sechelt,
http://www.alldonna.com/ <http://www.alldonna.com/>

When it comes to painting, rules are not my idea of capturing the creative
spirit. I love experimenting challenging new techniques or trying to
recreate old ones. Abstract has always been my favorite form of expression.

My inspiration comes from lines, colors and textures I see everyday. Each
painting begins with a certain shape, size or color. Dancing loosely between
instinct and feelings open mindedly I let the painting evolve. I seem to
know and recognize the one line that helps a painting take shape. My
favorite thing is to spend time in my studio or my friends, let time go
lightly and appreciate the entire artistic ness that is created.

Jim Unger Biography, metal artist, Abbotsford
www.clayburncopperworks.com <http://www.clayburncopperworks.com>

Jim Unger is a self taught metal artist whose only real formal training was
high school art class. Though always interested in art, whether it was
drawing, painting, or any of a hundred forms, real life took over.

First employed as a carpenter and later opening his own cabinet shop. It was
at this shop that copper first appeared for him. Jim was asked to build a
cupola, a small copper roofed structure on a barn. There was left over
copper sheeting and with a little coaxing with a hammer here and there,
small copper objects soon appeared.

Well, one thing led to another, and soon many copper objects have been
coaxed out of many copper sheets. All though cabinet making and copper work
might not seem to be related, both are forms of creativity and both require
skill with your hands.

Jims work keeps evolving and pieces he made several years ago may not be
made now, but are replaced with new fresh ideas that in turn create more
ideas.

Martin Vseticka, silver/goldsmith jewelry artist, Squamish,
www.vseticka.ca <http://www.vseticka.ca>

Before finding his career as a goldsmith, Martin Vseticka enjoyed many years
of work as a landscape architect and a wilderness guide.

Martin Vseticka, like the fathers of his European grandfathers, believed he
would know his destiny when he encountered it. When he made his decision to
become a goldsmith, Martin Vseticka studied for five years under Master
Goldsmith Jurgen Schonheit in his internationally famous atelier shop on
Granville Island, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

There is no doubt that after exploring the world as a wilderness guide for
twenty years he would bring his love of nature into goldsmithing through
unique design and environmental ethics. Mr. Vseticka incorporates his
environmental values into his goldsmithing products by utilizing recycled
and hand panned gold whenever possible.

Specializing in the form and forge method for gold and silver work and the
tension set for precious gems, Mr. Vseticka is an award winning jewellery
designer with his trademark halibut hook design. He loves contributing to
the world of jewellery through articles in trade magazines. It is his
passion for perfection that will continue to make him an internationally
sought goldsmith.

Sharon Tirixow Biography, stone sculptor, Langley

Sharon Tirixow is a resident of Langley, British Columbia and has been
sculpting for almost twenty years. While she initially worked in wood, her
real passion is now stone sculpting.

Sharon studied under award-winning stone sculptor, Cathryn Jenkins.

Sharon Tirixow¹s stone sculptures can be seen at the Birthplace of B.C.
Gallery. Sharon has also been a regular participant in the Gallery¹s annual
³Demos in the Garden² on the BC Day Weekend at the beginning of August.

Yvonne Chiang, Publicist
Britannia Mine Museum
604-880-5090
E: yvonne at blueskycommunications.ca
W: www.britanniaminemuseum.ca

T: www.twitter.com/BritanniaMine
F: www.facebook.com/BritanniaMineMuseum
<http://www.facebook.com/BritanniaMineMuseum>

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