Northern Exposure 2018 - Island Mountain Arts
Presented by Island Mountain Arts (imarts.com) and the ArtsWells Festival (artswells.com), the 3rd Annual Northern Exposure Conference, which ran in Wells, BC from October 12 – 15, 2017, brought together individuals, festivals, organizations and artists from within the rural arts community to learn new skills, share knowledge, network and attend artist showcases, all with the goal of strengthening our rural arts sector. We hope that you can join us in 2018.
Funding support provided by Canadian Heritage and Creative BC. Partnership support provided by Arts BC, the Sunset Theatre, the District of Wells, Barkerville Historic Town, BC Musician Magazine and Barkerville Brewing.
Cariboo North MLA, Bob Simpson Stands up for Island Mountain Arts in Wells, BC
Cariboo North MLA, Bob Simpson stands up for Island Mountain Arts in Wells, BC in the BC Leg in Question Period on Tuesday, September 1, 2009. The Campbell Liberals have made major cuts to Arts and Culture funding that will cripple arts groups across the province.
Deafies
Artist Laurie M. Landry talks about her exhibition Deafies at the Island Mountain Arts Gallery in Wells, BC that ran June 22nd – July 22nd, 2018.
Deafies is a play on 'selfies,' which uses painted portraits to raise awareness about the deaf community, as well as, the use of American Sign Language (ASL).
I have been profoundly deaf since birth. In order to understand what is being said, I read lips, and I often miss important details, despite the fact that I wear a hearing aid. I compensate this by looking for visual clues such as body language, facial expressions and context.” Laurie utilizes her experience of deafness into her works and uses them as imprints on her paintings.
Laurie’s considers the small town of Wells to be the origin of her real introduction into art, where as a child she attended an Island Mountain Arts workshop for water colour painting with artist Edward Epp . In more recent time, Laurie completed a Fine Arts Techniques certificate with Emily Carr University of Art & Design.
Laurie’s painting style is traditional representation in which she also incorporates modern materials and techniques. She uses colour and texture to create atmosphere and mood within her landscape paintings as well as her portrait work. For this exhibition, Laurie drew inspiration from different artists who have used context and backstory to create a series that conveys a message and awareness.
Canada Council for the Arts deserves great acknowledgement for their support of the development and presentation of this exhibition.
For more information, visit imarts.com, as well as, Laurie M. Landry’s portfolio, portfolio.laurielandry.com.
Welcome to ArtsWells Festival 2019
The Cariboo’s largest celebration of music and art, ArtsWells Festival, is back for its 16th season in the colourful community of Wells and the historic goldrush town of Barkerville, BC from August 2 – 5, 2019. 1st Release tickets are now available, don’t miss your chance to be part of the magic for this special price.
Known as the “festival of all things art,” ArtsWells showcases hundreds of artists working in an array of art forms and musical genres in unique venues throughout the two towns. Intimate rooms like the Sunset Theatre in Wells or St. Saviour’s Church in Barkerville Historic Town provide space for artistic reverie while the Wells Community Hall and the Outdoor Stage give you room to get down on the dance floor. With both towns creating the festival site, arts and culture abound on every street corner including visual art installations, roving performers, parades, literary readings, theatre shows and inspiring music from morning until night. Delve further into the experience of art with the many workshops and special collaborations that take place throughout the weekend, or head down to the creek to soak up the sounds of a spontaneous musical jam.
At the heart of it all, ArtsWells offers four fun-filled days of creative community and artistic connection with exceptional musical experiences for every taste under the rainbow, young and old. It welcomes everyone to be a participant and dive into the diversity and beauty of art that exists in our own backyard and across the globe.
Stay tuned for exciting announcements about the line-up for 2019.
Weekend passes start at $160 are available from artswells.com and children 12 and under are free! Every adult weekend pass includes a $15 voucher to spend at the festival merch booth. Camping and other accommodations available from ArtsWells and other providers throughout Wells and Barkerville.
Applications are now also open to perform & create at Artswells 2019, simply head to artswells.com, the applications deadline is midnight on January 31st, 2019.
ArtsWells and Island Mountain Arts is grateful to operate on the traditional and unceded territory of the Lhtako Dene part of the Dakelh Nation.
Toni Onley Artists' Project
First offered in 2000 with distinguished Canadian artist Norman Yates (1923 - 2014), the Artists’ Project for Professional and Emerging Artists is a nine day intensive studio experience. Participating artists work in the IMA studios under the mentorship of senior artists.
Video by Sam Tudor
Fueled by the Arts - Northern Exposure Conference 2015 (CFUR Feature)
We were stoked to be a part of the first Northern Exposure Conference put on by Island Mountain Arts in Wells, BC, and excited to share our experience. Fraser Hayes and Eric Wynleau made the trip out to Wells in early October to be a part of what could have also been called a Festival of Rural Arts Organizers. With so many of BC's music festival organizers, community arts program directors, and all around movers and shakers in the small-town BC arts scene in one space, it was hard to not feel how hungry this community has been for something like this. Watching the weekend unfold, it was motivating and humbling to see what an incredibly cooperative and supportive network of Arts people we have in our part of Canada. Bodes well for the future.
Thank you to all of the friendly and helpful people who allowed us to interview them.
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Song: Late Harvest by Blocktreat (Williams Lake)
Performed live at the Sunset Theater during the Northern Exposure Conference 2015
You can download the original album here:
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Pre-Production by Fraser Hayes and Eric Welscher-Bilodeau
Sound Recording by Fraser Hayes
Cinematography by Eric Welscher-Bilodeau
Editing by Eric Welscher-Bilodeau
ArtsWells 2013 Day 1
August 2nd, 2013 - Wells BC gets ready and the fans start settling in for the weekend for the 10th anniversary of Artswells: The Festival of All Things Art. The Festival sold out before the weekend was over! Another great job by the Island Mountain Arts Society.
Arts Wells the Festival of all things Art_Documentary
Sit back and plug this into your TV. Arts Wells the Festival of all things Art covers interviews with many artists, some famous and some that became famous after this festival. Get insights on the views that drive them to do what they do. Directed by Dan Williams, hosted by Carmen Mutschele, a Wolfbridge Entertainment and Canada Audio Tomic Production. Copyright Wolfbridge Entertainment and Canada Audio Tomic 2010.
intro Carmen Mutschele at 0:00:40
Welcome to Wells at 0:01:20
Wells brief history at 0:02:00
Julie Fowler at 0:02:35
Jarimba at 0:05:00
Kevin Kane at 0:08:47
Shane Koyczan at 0:14:30
Blue Island Trio at 0:16:40
The Gruff at 0:18:58
Shane Philip at 0:22:45
Green Tara at 0:28:34
Paul Crawford at 0:31:49
Linda McRae at 0:34:29
Miss Emily Brown at 0:39:09
Corwin Fox at 0:44:39
Raghu Lokanathan at 0:46:50
Don Alder at 0:48:09
Yael Wand at 0:56:15
Carmen sings with Yael at 1:02:20
Credits and Bloopers at 1:06:39
Red Haven - Vilified (Preview)
Promo for the new Red Haven album Vilified, currently being recorded in Wells, BC thanks to the support of Island Mountain Arts.
ArtsWells Secret Sessions with Corwin Fox, Kaya Fox, & Friends performing “I Don’t Believe
“Sometime around our eighth ArtsWells Festival we asked our kids what they would choose if they could only have either Christmas or ArtsWells. They chose Artswells. We have participated in this dream in so many ways every year now (for the last 14 years) that this magical event has become a cornerstone for our family. And by association, the greater community of Wells and Island Mountain Arts' collection of beautiful individuals have become our extended family. Put another way: somebody at ArtsWells puked in my face one year, and I still came back....like a terrible, wonderful Christmas dinner…” - Corwin Fox
“My name is Kaya Fox and I am 15 years old. I have been going to ArtsWells for 13 years. What I like best is the kids Songwriting Workshop because it is fun and I get to see my friends every year. I have been studying American Sign Language for 3 years. I learned 3 of my Dad's songs in ASL this past summer.” - Kaya Fox
Year after year Corwin, Kirsten, and their two children, Tao and Kaya, return to Wells to coordinate our ArtsWells Children's Songwriting Workshop and to perform at the festival. Corwin is quite content that the bulk of his time is in the studio blending absurdity and mischief with recollections of childhood romance and other heartfelt banjo whimsy.
ArtsWells Festival would like to take this opportunity to thank Corwin and his family for all their love and dedication they have shared with us over the years, including spending their annual summer holidays in our artistic community.
The magic in this video wouldn’t be majestic if it wasn’t for the creative contribution from Noah Walker & Jodie Ponto from Kitty and the Rooster, Naomi Shore & Lindsay Pratt from Twin Peaks, Wax Mannequin, and Tavis Weir Music.
Stay tuned for more ArtsWells Secret Sessions by Trent Freeman.
Artswells Festival of All Things Art, Wells, BC
Artswells Festival of All Things Art is an amazing festival that happens annually in Wells, BC. Everyone should go!
Gloria and Grenda do all of Arts Wells! Part 1
Kat Single-Dain and Patrick Kearns
and
Take Me To The Water_Yael Wand and Christina Zaenker
A performance at the premiere of Arts Wells The festival of all things art, a documentary made of the festival that happens in august every year. Arts Wells has been voted one of the top ten festivals in Canada.
ArtsWells 3, Billy Barker Days Parade
Members of Island Mountain Arts, the ArtsWells Festival, and the Wells Community shake it up at Quesnel's Billy Barker Days Parade! July 22, 2006.
We ended up winning the first prize in one category for this parade!
Plastik Live at Arts Wells
Live Video, filmed by Coco
30th Anniversay of the Filberg Festival
30th Anniversay of the Filberg Festival in Comox BC
IMA Crowfunding Launch Video
Island Mountain Arts is launching, CAWS for the Nest, a Crow Funding Campaign to raise money to purchase a property here in Wells in order to create a “nest” for our arts.
Rebelinx @ Art Wells 2018
Rebelinx w/ the Band Massive drop'n the vibes up Northern Canada Arts Wells festival. Featured at the Wells Hotel
Right to left Genevieve Jaide on Keys/vocal, Nick Tinadal on jimbe &guitar, Amrit Bassi on drums, Andy Berman on eceltic guitar, Tony Keshiro on keys & synth and Linx aka Rebelinx on sax/vocals. Jah LuV.)
Arts Wells 2014
Road trip to : Arts Wells music festival (2014)