The Sunshine Coast’s Inspirito Vocal Ensemble, with conductor Sarona Mynhardt and accompanist Toby Aldren, present two performances of Stars I Shall Find, at Calvary Baptist Church in Gibsons on Saturday, Nov. 27 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 28 at 3 p.m. The concerts will feature internationally acclaimed flutist Bernard Blary, the ensemble’s own Gwen Gingerich on percussion, and the debut of 10-year-old soloist Evy Fuller, of Gibsons. The narrative of the program will share the ensemble’s journey over the past 20 months, “how our voices were suddenly silenced, how we faced the challenges, and how we grew closer together even though we were apart,” said Mynhardt. Tickets are available at inspiritovocalensemble.ca.
Shari Ulrich
Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, Juno winner, and one of the Coast’s favourite Bowen Island residents, Shari Ulrich, performs an afternoon concert at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons on Sunday Nov. 28 at 2 p.m. She will be joined by Cindy Fairbank on piano and accordion. Get tickets through the Playhouse website.
GG honours
Alberta author Norma Dunning has been awarded the 2021 Governor General’s Literary Award for fiction for her book, Tainna: The Unseen Ones, published by Madeira Park’s Douglas & McIntyre, (one of Howard and Mary White’s publishing companies). Tainna, pronounced da-e-nn-a, is a collection of short stories about modern-day Inuit characters. The book “is both vivid and raw but infused with a sparkling poetry and the wisdom of the old ways,” wrote the award program’s peer assessment committee.
Audiobook release
Coast performer and writer Caitlin Hicks has just released an audiobook version of her 2015 debut novel, A Theory of Expanded Love. The book was selected as a Best New Fiction pick for iBooks just after it was released. Filmmaker and artist Gordon Halloran edited Hicks’s reading of the audio version, curated the music, and produced the soundtrack. The audiobook is distributed by Findaway Voices.
Christmas craft shows
The 52nd Annual Roberts Creek Christmas Craft Fair runs this weekend, featuring local artisans, door prizes, gift-basket raffle, and goodies. Friday, Nov. 26, 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 27 and Sunday, Nov. 28, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $2.
Gibsons’ St. Bart’s Church Annual Holiday Food and Gift Bazaar will be held Saturday, Nov. 27, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Holiday baking, jams, and preserves, local arts and crafts, collectibles, chocolates by Hooray.
Potter Clair Wilkening and chocolatier Christabel Watson are having a Pottery and Chocolate Pop-Up Holiday sale at Wilkening’s home studio at 1244 Roberts Creek Rd., Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 27 and 28, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On Sunday, Nov. 28, St. Hilda’s Church in Sechelt is holding a fundraising Pre-Christmas & Mini-Bake Sale. Handmade items, gifts for all ages, lots of Christmas ornaments, toques, shawls, Christmas baking. It runs from 9 to 10 a.m. only, just prior to Sunday services.
More live music
The Sofa Kings play the Roberts Creek Legion on Friday, Nov. 26 at 8 p.m.
Charlotte Wrinch will play some originals and covers at Persephone in Gibsons on Saturday, Nov. 27 from 4 to 6 p.m.
The Billy Hillpicker Band kicks some bluegrass butt at the 101 Brewhouse in Gibsons on Saturday, Nov. 27 starting at 8 p.m. Reserved table seating. Tickets at eventbrite.ca.
The Topher Trick offers up original hip-hop, folk, pop and storytelling at Batch 44 in Sechelt on Saturday, Nov. 27, 8 to 11 p.m.
Poppa Greg plays the Pender Harbour Legion in Madeira Park on Sunday, Nov. 28 at 2 p.m.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
