Art Exhibits
The Rotary Centre for the Arts offers individuals and community art groups the opportunity to display work in a variety of spaces throughout the centre. Those interested are encouraged to apply! Application to Exhibit
Central Okanagan Photographic Society
Alex Fong Galleria | May 2013
Each year, the Central Okanagan Photographic Society (COPS) arranges a year end judging of the top scoring photos submitted by members throughout the year. The results showcase the best images of the year in five categories. They are Nature, Pictorial, Creative, Portrait and Black & White. Awards are given in both digital and print formats.
COPS is a group of people of all ages and photographic abilities located in Kelowna, British Columbia, who enjoy learning about and sharing an interest in photography. They meet every Tuesday, 7:00 – 9:00 PM, from September through May. Meetings feature guest speakers, photographic education and image evaluations. The emphasis is on learning and having fun with photography. Visitors are always welcome.
Visit www.copsphotography.org for more information.
Ursula Wedmann
South Atrium | May 2013
Artist Statement
Ballet Botanica:
Photographs by Ursula Wedmann
Do you remember how it felt to play when you were a child, to be immersed in a world of imagination and invention, free of inhibitions and responsibilities? We yearn to recapture that feeling, to be refreshed by it.
In the world of "Ballet Botanica," flowers become ballet dancers. They sweep through the air as gracefully as dancers gliding across a stage. They twirl on their toes and leap into the air with the same fluidity, delicacy and strength as ballet dancers.
Sometimes, we make delightful discoveries while playing. We might even discover that flowers can dance.
Play often. Be refreshed.
Biography
Ursula Wedmann is a photographer who lives in Kelowna, BC. She specializes in artistic photography of the natural world. The beauty of vast expanses and small details, the unexpected and the unusual... these things captivate her. Her photographic style ranges from realistic, to impressionistic, to whimsical.
She says, "There is much beauty, joy and goodness in the world, despite all the ugliness, sadness and evil. If we see the beauty, pause to reflect on it and let it wash over us, it has the power to soothe our souls. It can mesmerize us, fill us with wonder, refresh us, and transport us to a place of peace and healing. My goal in photography is to help people see the beauty that surrounds them, to delight in it, and to develop a sense of wonder about it."
Ursula's love affair with photography began in the mid-1960s when she received a Kodak Instamatic 100 camera for Christmas. She is primarily self-taught, though she has participated in numerous photography seminars, workshops and tours. She travels extensively to capture images of beauty from around the world.
Her photographs have been exhibited at businesses and churches in the Kelowna area and are available for purchase from her website. In December 2012, the Santa Fe Photography Workshops awarded her an Honorable Mention for the photo "Green on Gold" in their "Outside" photo contest. In January 2013, her photography book "Ballet Botanica" was published. Ursula is a member of ARTSCO and the Canadian Association for Photographic Art.
Contact her at www.ubqphotography.com.
Yuichi Takasaka
Upper Mezzanine | May 2013
Biography
Yuichi Takasaka was born in Japan. He became interested in photography in his late teens when he moved to Canada. He worked as a video cameraman in the late 1980's and began to develop an eye for a good picture while doing this job. Yuichi didn't seriously develop his photography skills until the early 1990's when he moved to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, Canada. While living there, he gained much of his expertise from conferring with professional photographers who shared their love of the craft with him. Since that time, Yuichi's images have appeared in various brochures and magazines, in educational books and textbooks, and on many Internet web pages, including the NASA and National Geographic. Yuichi now lives in Lumby, British Columbia, Canada and operates photography & tourism services under the business name "Blue Moon Promotions". Yuichi is a member of the TWAN (The World at Night) to promote the night sky through the Astronomers Without Border organization.
Artist Statement
My love of colours in nature led me to my love affair with the Aurora Borealis. I first saw these strange Lights in Jasper, Alberta in the spring of 1990 and photographed them. Later I discovered that these strange "Lights" were the Aurora Borealis. After moving to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, I soon found that this area is one of the best places in the world to observe the Aurora Borealis. I did a lot of experimenting trying to photograph the Lights at night, while working at a tour company during the day promoting the Lights to the Japanese market. These Lights became a part of my life. I left Yellowknife after living there for 7 years; however I still go back to lead photography tours every year in order to photograph yet another variation of the Lights.
- Yuichi Takasaka
MURALS
at the
Rotary Centre for the Arts
Image Gallery - Mural Projects Before & After
click image to (+) expand
Next time you're at the RCA, check out our colourful murals! Each was created by a different group of teens, led by talented artists David and Jorden Doody.
Time Lapse Video of the first mural being created.
