‘NEWS photos Mike Wakefield WHEN youngsters connect with the artist not just with art, it demystifies the process cf making art, says Joe THE CANDIDATE, Joe Fafard’s 1997 bronze of a young Fafard. “it gives the kids the idea that artists are mortal and that they themselves have the same possibilities.” Jean Chretien, portrays the future PM in the hot seat. @ Artists and Animals, sculptures by Jee Fafard at the Artists For Kids Gallery, 810 W. 21st St., North Vancouver. To May 30, 3-6 p.m.weekdays; noon-4 p.m. weekends. Admission is free. Layne Christensen News Reporter layne@nsnews.com NORTH Shore schoolchildren are get- ting a world-class lesson in art. At the Artist For Kids Gallery in North Van’s Leo Marshall Curriculum Centre, in a converted gymnasium near what was once Hamilton school, a ’ class of Grades 2s and 3s from Canyon Heights Elementary sit quietly on the carpeted floor, sur- rounded by the art of Saskacchewan-born scuiptor and printmaker Joe Fafard. As they stare in wide-eyed wonderment at the bovine. creatures that are Fafard’s best known works, Ken James tells them about the artist and his art. ‘.. “You gotta watch out for Joe Fafard. He has a sense of humour,” says James, a founding director of the Artists For Kids Trust, which administers the gallery as well as the Paradise Valley Summer fror World-class sculptor on view at NV kids’ gallery School of Visual Art in Brackendale and a host of art enrichment programs for North Shore kids. James, like many of the 20 volunteers who will guide close to 2,000 children and youth through the exhibition during the course of the show’s three-week run, is a retired educator. He tells the group of seven- and cight-year-olds gathered before him on this day that they can find double meanings in Fafard’s works. If they read the title of a small bronze of a cow “doing something that we can’t do — licking its backside” they'll see that it’s called Because She Can. As he takes them through a discussion about another bronze sculpture, this one of a bull that Fafard has named Taurean, he says: “This buli has attitude.” Fafard is Canada’s foremost sculptor. He is internationally. renowned. He is also a longtime patron of thgtrust, and the first artist from outside B.C. to lend it his support. The gallery is a legacy of the trust. There’s noth- ing else like it. The North Shore is lucky to have it, Young maestro plays locally PIANIST Jonathan Tang will entertain miusic-lovers with a pro- gram of Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt and Gershwin in Lynn Valley Priday. . The 21-year-old native of North Vaniiee. fier Formed-av ee Sern my Vancowser, oho “ Seattle symphonies. ‘lang began piano studies at five and by age six had compieted his Grade 3 piano level. At 12 he received his associateship performer’s diploma for piano from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto (ARCT) and at 17 his associateship for violin. In °88 a panel of seven international judges from the Canadian Music Competitions national finals awarded the young performer the highest score ever in the competition’s history — a full 100%. A 1995 graduate of Argyle secondary school and 4 recipi- ent of the Simon Fraser Alumni Leadership Entrance completed his fourth year of study at SFU in the honours environmental chemistry pro- gram. He is currently the organist at Lynn Valley United Church in North Vancouver. Other pastimes include playing basketball. The public is invited to thy lsica! piano con- ° ame Sate cert taking place in the sanc- tuary of Lynn Valley United Church, 3201 Mountain Hwy., N.V,, at 7:30 p.m. today, May 14. Admission is free, but donations to che church are welcome. Refreshments will follow the performance. The sanctu- ary is wheelchair accessible, AS proud S to welcome DIG Tara an award winning, up to date stylist wha we welcome to our team. Scholarship, Tang has just 1252 Lynn Valiey Road 980-7223 i | al Joe Fafard says gallery guide Sheila Thompson, 3 retired school teacher who is sharing the day’s teaching duties with James. She drives in from Tsawwassen to share her passion for art with the schoolchildren. “Kids have to sec to believe,” says Thompson, who taught at Norgate, Montroyal and Upper Lynn schools from the 60s to early ‘90s. The gallery offers students something greater than a classroom experience — the opportunity to view artwork first hand and meet the artist. “Up until a few years ago all they had were a few laminated reproductions, if that,” says Thompson, of the kind of teaching material that was standard in North Shore classrooms. “I think this gallery has opened up a whole new world for kids in North Van,” she adds. Toni Onley, Jack Shadbolt, Bill Reid and Gordon Smith are other artists who have support- ed the Artists For Kids program. The trust’s managing director Bill MacDonald says the Fafard exhibit is a rare opportunity for the North Shore community to view a comprehensive collection of the artist's work. Though the exhibition space is primarily a teaching gallery, the gallery will remain open to the public weekends and weekday evenings for the duration of the show. ORIGINALS ¢ UMITED EDITIONS * SCULPTURES BY LOCAL AND INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED ARTISTS © CUSTOM FRAMING FEATURED ARTIST ot our EDGEMONT GALLERY KARL MAY, MAY 22 - JUNE 18 BEL ART GALLERY genent og) 904.0907 The Occanside Community of FUR2 YggpCREEK VANCOUVER’S GROWING OUR WAY! 45 min. from sever on the Seato . 1(888)922-9462 > www. creek.com