30 - Wednesday, August 3, 1994 - North Shore News WV Harmony improves eac PRACTICE, GOES the old saw, makes perfect, and while the organizers of this year’s Harmony Arts Festival are reluctant to utter the .P word and the community carnival in the same breath, this time they are determined to do things better. By Evelyn Jacob Contributing Writer Having had four years to work out the kinks, the people working behind the scenes of the annual August arts celebration — really only two full-time staff aided by hundreds of volunteers —- are con- centrating on what works. Crowd pleasers such as Creative Kids Day will be back bigger than ever, while less successful events have been modified or dropped alto- gether. A studio art tour has been revived and new attractions, including a kids’ drop-in art event, have been added. “The first year, it was just a mir- acle to pull it off,” festival manager Colleen Reed says of the week- long cultural celebration that tradi- tionally unfolds in the streets, beaches and parks of West Vancouver. “The second year, we wanted to do things better. This year, our goal is to dramatically improve the quality of everything.” Perhaps the most noticeable change to the fourth annual Harmony Arts Festival, which runs from Aug. & to 14, is the featured roster of artists. In past years, local painters, potters and sculptors had to have their work juried by committee to gain entrance to both ArtBeat, the storefront window display, and the coinciding exhibit at the Ferry Building. Organizers would . receive work from lesser-known artists but little from those with higher profiles, the names that typ- ically draw people in. So this year, for the first time, prominent West Vancouver artists such as painter Sam Black, Graham Gillmore, sculptor Davide Pan, portrait artist Suzanna Blunt, Kiff Holland and Housang Seyhoun received personal invita- tions to the festival. “It was exciting how many peo- ple said yes,” says Reed, adding that improving the quality of work doesn’t end with visual art. The festival, she says, has worked hard to bring in better musicians for its free nightly outdoor concerts ~— people like Latin Jazz group Graham Ord and Bongo Bob, and British Columbia Handle with care BCa Environment NEWS ‘photo Cindy Canina PAT LEPP (left) and Ruth Payne apply the finishing touches to Walter the bear at the Silk Purse Gallery. The huge papier méaché figure will be displayed during The Harmony Arts Festival from Aug. & to 14. well-known local jazz string quar- tet Babayaga. Adjustments aside, the Harmony Arts Festival, which costs less than $70,000 to pro- duce, has enjoyed success on sev- eral levels. First, it provides a much-need- ed forum for West Vancouver's “hidden” artists who are hungry for exposure but who generally get overlooked by the galleries. it also gives the community a chance te take a peek at the work of focal artists who work in their studios or homes, out of the public eye. It’s also one of the rare times business and the arts join hands. During the week Marine Drive merchants, for example, invite artists to transform their windows with innovative artwork. “Four years ago, Dundarave Cafe didn’t have any live music,” observes Reed. “Now they have a couple of people playing the weekends. And artists have been known to get contracts out of ArtBeat. The merchants are start- ing to take ownership of certain events and are proud of what they have.” Organizers made a special effort to reach out to the growing Chinese and Iranian communities, groups Reed admits have been overlooked in the past. However, she says it would be a mistake to view the Harmony Festival as a multi-cultural event. “We don’t do an ethnic show. We have cultural performances because they’re good and if they happen to be Persian or Chinese, that’s great. We met with repre- sentatives from various minorities to let them know about the festi- val. We’re not trying to make a showcase of how people are dif- ferent, but of the talent.” 2 RESTAURANT IWANDS Chg "Fine indian Cuisine Special Opening Offer 5 4 52 Expires August 17, $994 Open for Lunch & Dinner with this advertisement (ood onty) 7 days a week Not valid with any other offer. 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