Dundarave Cafe: The Spirit of Florals. Watercolor and acrylic paintings by W.N. artist Caroline Sutherland. Opening reception March 5, 5-7 p.m. Ferry Building Gallery: Capilano College Textile Alumnt Exhibition. 16 artists and the Aids Tapestry made for Dr. Peter’s hospice. Artists’ dialogue March 4 at 7 p.on. Tapestry lecture Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays. Info: 925-7290. Leo Marshall Curriculum Centre, Artists for Kids Gallery: Bugs, Birds and Beasts, Jack Shadbolt’s first young people’s exhibition. Weekends, noon to 4 p.m. Info: 987-6667. North Vancouver District Hall: Heather Cairns of Claythings Pottery and watercolors by Jacquie Morgan. Presented by the North Vancouver Community Arts Council. To Feb. 27. Hours: Mon. to Fri., 8:30 a.m. — 4:30 p.m. North Vancouver Museum and Archives: Bottoms Up! .A Walk in Burvard Inlet, to March 9. What Goes On Below The Surface? to Marsch 9. Lower Lonsdale: A Community in Transition, to March 9. Flumes. Historic pho- tographs look ar the roll flumes played in the trans- portation of shingle bolts to the mills of Burrard Inlet. To April 1. Info: 987-5618. - Seymour Art Gallery: Fred Amess and Friends to March 2. A group of his former students honor the memory and inspiration of the artist who was a princi- pal of the Vancouver. School of Art. The Darker Side opens March 5. — Gallery hours: Tues. ta Sun., 12-4 p.m. 924-1378. Siik Purse Arts Centre: Lauraine Russell, watercol- ors. Presented by the West Vancouver Community Arts Council, Tues. to Fri. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat. and Sun. noon to 5 p.m. West Vancouver Memorial Library Gallery: As A Leaf Always Turns Towards The Sky. Mixed media work from Liberia Marcuzzi. To March 2. Images and Intimations. Fine art pho- tography by Earl and Elizabeth Winkler. Opening reception March 3 at 7:30 p.m. 925-7410. West Vancouver Muscum and Archives: West Vancauver Collects! Exhibition includes Coast Salish baskets, West Vancouver Girl Guides’ mementos, and a section on “modern” office tech- nology (turn of the centu- ry to the Second World War). Museum info: 925- 7295. See more page 24 Wednesday, February 26, 1997 — North Shore News ~ 23 av! aa Sea NEWS photo Paul McGrath THE concert for Cosmic Highway originated with co-producer Corby Coffin (right), who cooked up the idea sitting in his hot tub, watch- Ing the night sky. Fellow Seymour area resident Michael Conway Saker has created the musical score for the 13-part TV series. Universe unfolds from seat of 56 Meteor By Layne Christensen Community Reporter ARMCHAIR astronomers can explore the night sky without aid of tele- scope or star map, courtesy of a new TV series developed right here on the North Shore. Each Thursday at 6:30 p.m. on Discovery Channel, Cosmic Higinvay hosts Ken Hewitt-White and Eric Dunn cruise the galaxy in a 756 Meteor, taking viewers on a weekly astronomical adven- ture. Their search — for extraterrestrial intelligence, investigation of black holes and pursuit of comet-hunters takes them around the globe — from the Arizona desert to the top of Muana Kea in Hawaii, from Baltimore, Maryland to Sudbury, Ontario. Executive producer of the 13-part series, which debuted Jan. 9, is British Properties resident Nick Orchard. Co- producer is Corby Coffin, who lives in Deep Cove. Camera and sound operators Doug Sjoquist and Lisa Kotisnyuk also live on the North Shore, as does Michael Conway Baker, who created the musical score. Aside from hosts Hewitt- White and Dunn, who are professional astronomers and educators, all claim passing knowledge of the subject. “Amatear astronomer? I’m not but | wish I were,” says Conway Baker, from the recording studio at his creek- side home where he has met with Coffin to promote the show. “I've always been fasci- nated by the universe and the stars.” The idea for the show was actually cooked up in a hot tub five or six years ago, when Coftin was living in Gibsons. Hewirt-White was visiting ku Hawkes Photo Ki HOSTS Ken Hewitt- White and Eric Dunn cruise the intergalactic highway with viewers. and the two friends were looking up at the stars, mus- ing, about the popularization of astronomy. We thought “Where can we take this?” says Coffin, who some time later approached Orchard, who he had met during the production of Northwood, a teen series that Orchard had created and produced. Orchard, says Coffin, is a “hands-on guy,” who, in his 25 years in the entertainment business, has earned tremen- dous respect by working his way through the ranks. As if on cue, Orchard phones to say hel be delayed. He’s dealing with a glitch in the phone systems at their new production offices in Westview. While Orchard’s exposure to documentary film-making is limited, his vast experience producing a dramauc series helped shape Cosmic Higihsway. The series has all the ele- ments of a good drama, say's Coffin, citing strong story- lines, great visuals and strong graphics. . It’s those great visuals and strong graphics that grab the attention of Conway Baker, and sometimes distract him from his mission. “When I watch the shows, I forget I have to put music to it,” he laughs. “I love the approach, the whimsicality.” It helps that the program’s hosts are educators as well as astronomers. Not only can they commune with astro- nomical heavyweights like David Levy of Shoemsker- Levy fame, they can relay the information co. their televi- sion audience in a way the everyday viewer can under- stand. woe . et REWS photo Cindy Goodman COSMIC Highway’s executive producer Nick Orchard brings 25 years of TV production experience to the series, which airs Thursdays on Discovery Channel. “They know their subject. They can speak their lan- guage,” says Coffin. They can also reign in their guests if they sink into “astrospeak.” “We want to tell stories, and of course the stories are no good if you can’t under- stand them,” echoes Orchard when contacted later by phone, telecor::munication woes having beer sorted aut. Next cpisede, “Dark Matters,” airs Fy, 27.