Save two quarters to see which local artist’s masterpiece rolls out: Support ‘The Button Project’
Wearable art is now available at Hopewell and Prince George Breez-In convenience stores. Deposit fifty cents in a gumball machine, turn the handle, open the door, and retrieve mini art created by local artists.
Instead of bubble gum, capsules include an art button/pin with a short artist bio. Some buttons feature downtown Hopewell murals and artwork from “The Hopewell Billboard Project.”
“The goals of the button project are to build community pride, expand the knowledge that art is happening in our area and that the Tri-Cities is home to many talented local artists,” Lamb Center for Arts and Healing [Lamb Arts] Co-Founder and Executive Director Dr. Eliza Lamb said. “With this project, we are expanding the concept of creative care for our community.”
Full-time studio artist Aimee Joyaux who lives and works in a renovated cotton warehouse in Petersburg with her husband Alain and hound dog Oliver is a huge fan of Lamb.
“I think she is brilliant,” Joyaux said.
Joyaux’s recent painting titled “Sing, Sing, Pray, Pray, Sing Pray Sing” was selected for the project. According to Joyaux, the affirmation, included along with her art, is about finding joy, looking for the silver lining and celebrating love.
Members of the community and participants in Lamb Center for the Arts and Healing’s teen leadership program Creative Change Makers generated the positive affirmations/fortunes found within the capsules.
This is not the first time Joyaux has shared her art for a good cause.
“I’ve made artwork for the Art-O-Mat, a former cigarette machine, that now dispenses handmade art,” Joyaux shared. “These objects, like the pins, are also collected.”
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Accessible art
Through partnerships with organizations like Breez-In, Lamb Arts is making art accessible in community members’ everyday lives. The art reflects back images of the community in a positive way.
Three buttons are pulled from Lamb Art’s 2020 billboard project which had the same cornerstone philosophy.
“We are so thrilled and touched by Breez-in’s heart for the community,” Lamb said. “This would not have been possible without them.”
“It’s a fun way for the local community to see the amazing art these artists created while learning more about the artist,” David M. Bogese, Chief Operating Officer, Breez-In Associates, L.C. said. “There is fun info about each artist on the back of the pin.”
Bogese and his team also like that the proceeds go directly to Lambs Arts.
“They have been great for the community,” Bogese said. “They engage with the youth to help them explore their potential artistic abilities.”
“This project also makes the concept of collecting art accessible to all,” Lamb said. “For a couple of quarters, community members can start their own mini art collections.”
“Once we explain what is inside the machine and where the proceeds go, customers usually buy one,” Bogese shared. “It’s been a fun promotion that we’ve had in our stores. Our hope is to grow the exposure of Lamb Arts and all the great stuff they do.”
“Lamb Arts is always working on reflecting the community back to itself in a positive way and in celebrating the diversity of experiences and perspectives in our hometown,” Lamb said.
Lamb Arts was founded in 2016. The nonprofit is dedicated to helping underserved communities in Hopewell and the surrounding area thrive through accessible, high-quality arts programming and mind, body, spirit healing opportunities.
“Dr. Lamb’s efforts to help raise artists up in the community is wonderful. Using buttons as a way to collect artists’ work and information about the artist sends such a positive message to the community in terms of the value of art and artists,” Pedro Ledesma III of Richmond said. “Art is accessible to everyone, so it’s very much inclusive for all to make art and be an artist.”
Ledesma, who works from home and the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, devotes his energy to visual storytelling through photography. His mixed Korean and Mexican heritage and extensive travel give him a great appreciation for culture and family.
Ledesma’s image taken from Randolph Road in downtown Hopewell is featured on one of the buttons.
“I came to Hopewell as a complete stranger and was drawn to Hopewell because of its beauty, history and community,” Ledesma said. “Many of my photos put Hopewell’s beauty on display with its natural assets and man-made environment, a combination that makes it a unique and beautiful home for its community.”
Hopewell native on the rise
“Teddy Blanks who grew up within a mile of the location of the Prince George button machine in Jordan Point now lives and works in New York City as a successful graphic designer,” Lamb shared. “In fact, he recently designed the opening credits for Lin Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights” and “Tick Tick Boom.”
The capsules also include miniature art by Lamb herself as well as Federico Infante, Ed Hatch, Joe Jones Jr., Austin “Auz” Miles, Brenay Brockenbrough and Nico Cathcart.
Drop by the Hopewell Breez-In at 930 Cousins Avenue or the Prince George Breez-In at 10101 James River Drive to purchase an inexpensive, unique gift for a loved one, neighbor, or friend. Valentine’s Day and Easter are just around the corner.
“Go full-on Pokémon with this one,” Lamb Arts posted on Facebook. “You gotta catch ’em all!”
— Kristi K. Higgins aka The Social Butterfly columnist is the trending topics and food Q&A reporter at The Progress-Index. Have a news tip on local trends or businesses? Contact Kristi (she, her) at khiggins@progress-index.com, follow @KHiggins_PI on Twitter, and subscribe to us at progress-index.com.
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.
