JENNIFER LANG

Around Town

When viewing

Venus from Mars

PRINCE EDWARD Island humourist Nils
Ling, a father, author, storyteller and play-
wright, brings his hilarious comic observations
on modern relationships to Terrace Saturday.

The Oct. 11 performance is Ling’s second
appearance in Terrace. He performed his hit
one-man now, The Truth About Daughters, here
in 2001.

The Truth About Love andfor Marriage picks
up ‘where
Daughters left
off, It’s also
based in part
on the years
Ling has spent
as a CBC radio
columnist,
sharing his in-
sights on fami-
ly life.

“They say
‘Men are from Mars. Nils s Ling
Women are from Venus’,” Ling says. “Well
Houston, we have a problem. It's a long way
from Mars to Venus. And you just know a man
isn’t going to ask for directions.”

The premise is Ling is a political columnist
who've been reassigned to wrile about, shud-
der, relationships.

“They say, ‘Write what you know’ — but
that’s never been an issue with me. I tend to
write about stuff 1 don’t know. In particular |
write aboul women,” he says. “I'm honest
about it,” says Ling, who was born in Manilo-
ba. “I don't understand women. I never will.
I'm a man. [ cin sometimes convince myself
that I understand a jittle bit about women. But
that’s just the testosterone talking. Or grunting,
to be more accurate.”

UFO tales on TV

THE NORTHWEST'S resident UFO expert is
featured in an upcoming episode of Magnifi-
cent Obsessions, a documentary series entering

_ its second season on. the Life Network this

month.

The quirky serics profiles people who are
consumed with a singular: passion - whether
it’s crop circles, cattle mutilations, voodco pet
psychics or UFOs.

This summer, a TV crew came to Houston, °
B.C. to interview Brian Vike, president of
HBCC-UFO, and Chris Rutkowski of the Ca-.
nadian UFO Survey. ,

Vike, who also investigates crop circles and
other paranormal phenomena, and Ruttkowski
were interviewed at the Stork Nest Inn in Smi-
thers, and then to Telkwa, the location of a
July 29, 2002 sighting.

Their story is explored in the season pre-
miere of Magnificent Obsessions, airing Satur-
day, Oct. Ll al 8:30 p.m. Eastern Standard
Time, or 5:30 p.m, out here on the coast (but
be sure to double check with your local TY
listings).

Meanwhile, it’s shaping up to be another
record-setting year for Terrace when il comes
to UFO sightings, Vike revealed recently.

Terrace placed third in Canada on the na-
tional survey in 2002 for its record number of
UFO reports.

We're set to break our own record, which
could put us into the fead for the entire coun-
try, so keep your eyes to the skies.

The Magnificent Obsessiuns episode featur-
ing Vike and the northern B.C. sightings airs
again on Saturday, Nov, 22.

@ Road warriors

MORE THAN 100 riders from across the’
northwest joined the Terrace Roadrunner
Club's 21st Annual Toy Run. It was a per-
fect day for a ride. The event took place
Sept. 27. Lots of participants also gath-
ered for a pre-parade meal at Mount Lay-
ton. Donated toys are distributed to local’
children through the Salvatlon Army.

TERRACE STANDARD

OMMU ML

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October B, 2003 - Bl

638-7283

Rock around the world

A local performer's career is set to take him to some pretty exotic destinations

LOCAL ROCK singer Harold
Armstrong has flown into Dubai in
the United Arab Emirates to em-
bark upon a career that will take
him alt over the world.

The 30-year-old, best known as
the voice of one of Terrace’s most
popular bar bands, Kingfish, joins
Cinderella Rockafella, an all-pur-

pose international touring’ band: -

that plays in large hotels, night

clubs and even for the American ‘

military.

“They've even played on air-
craft carriers. They tell me there's
nothing like being shot off the
deck in a F-18," Armstrong told
the Terrace Standard shortly be-
lore he left.

_the video and audio tapes he sent
‘in. That resulted in the number of

Armstrong then found himself
one of 86 people who applied for
the Cinderella Rockatella frant
man position. The band reviewed

potential candidates being whit-
tled down to 15,

And Armstrong eventually
came out on top.

-“It just happened. Boom,
boom, boom,’* sending Arnistrong
of.a couple of weeks of frenetic
activity to ready himself for the
irip overseas.

He quickly got a passport by
flying down to Wancouver to apply
in person to the passport office

, there,

This. is © the
second time he’s
connected with
the international

‘They’ve played ON the top-40 rock lead
‘aircraft carriers.’

Armstrong will be

singer specialist
with his new band.

network of North
American-based bands touring the
world’s continents,
Just prior to the terrorist attacks

in New York and Washington D.C.
in September, 2001, Armstrong
had been working on touring plans
with a band called Wildlife.

“But WL put a stop to that. [
thought it would mean | would
stick to Canada,” Armstrong said.
“But [ built up connections and
just two weeks ago gol an e-mail
‘from a friend about this possibil-
ity.”

Clay and creativit

“They go. every-
where, New Dethi, Singapore,
Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia,”
he said, referring to Cinderella
Rockafella.

Armstrong’s been singing for
about 12 years, beginning with
basement bands.

The first song he recalls sing-
ing? “Honky Tork Woman”.

Armstrong's first band in high
schol was Speedwell.

Locals will remember Diamond
Back, his first real band, and, of
course, Kingfish.

CONTINENTAL SHIFT: Harold Armstrong has joined a band.
that's part of an international network of North American acts
that tour the world, performing in hotels and airforce bases,

ve

Elemental exhibit opens up
a world of new possibilities

By JENNIFER LANG
AN EXHIBIT celebrating the beauty of an art

_ form that’s as old as human history but new as

last night's kiln firing opens at the Terrace Art
Gallery Friday night.

Called Earth Water Fire, an Exposition of
Clay and Creativily, the exhibit showcases
works by six local clay artists who belong to
the Clay Artists of Terrace Society.

The society may be new but the medium
these artist express themselves. with is not.

For millennia, clay pots have served. as
vessels for food and drink, prized as much for
their utilitarian qualities as for their beauty.

“We don't really need the vessels we
bake,” artist Patsy O°Connell says, “Its some-
thing we do as a creative outlet.”

“As contemporary people, we don't use our
hands they way people have done until very
recently. They got their. hands dirty a lot more.
Your sense of touch — it’s kind of been
deprived.”

Perhaps that explains the fascination people
have for everyday objects made from clay,
whether it’s a favourite mug or a sturdy plate.

“Food is very intimate,” says art gallery
coordinator Laura Gosnell, who’s also a mem-
ber of the Clay Artists of Terrace Sociely, “If
you consume it or drink it out of a handmade
object, i

As an "artist, she finds working in 1 olay both
meditative and therapeutic.

It's also a very forgiving medium, she says.

O'Conneil’s and Gosnell's work will be fea-
lured in the exhibit, along with works by Kae

Financial aid

cancer society says

FINANCIAL HELP is available for north-
west residents facing cancer treatment
outside of their home communities, ac-
cording to a Canadian Cancer Suciety re-
presentative. ,

Program coordinator Stephanie Powell,
who came to Terrace for a training visit
with local cancer society volunteers.

She reviewed services available to
local cancer patients, including emer-
gency aid, the Terrace

The society operates lodges in Van-
couver, Victoria, and Kelowna.

The society also operates a family
camp in northwest B.C. that 26 families
attended this summer.

The society runs Camp Goodtimes for
younger children and their siblings and a
ski camp for teenagers called Camp Ogo-
pogo.

During Powell's visit, she also coun-

Williams,  Guayle
Schmidt, Barbara
Sheridan, and Pat
Irving - founding
members of the Soc-"
iely.

Until the members
of what would later
become the society
got ‘together for a
show last year, they
were largely working
in isolation.

“T think most of us
have been locked

Laura Gosnell

“away in our studios,”

Gosneil says.

The sociely wants to set up a member-run
studio that would offer classes for the public
and act as a hub for the arts communily,

Gosnell envisions offering classes for locals
and summertime tourists,

“If you look at the city’s recreation guide,
there are very few art classes. There:j is no arts
centre in Terrace.”

Ideally, the studio space would be donuted.
From there, the society would be well posi-
tioned to secure grant money. for education and
outreach programs.

The studio could be run on a | cooperative
basis, and would be large enough to house

kilns and wheels, items that are expensive and -

therefore beyond the reach of some individ-
uals.

The gallery welcomes the public to the.

available,

selled local volunteers

support group, cancer vi-
sitors, and Cancer Con-
nection, a toll-free sup-
port program.

Volunteers told Po-
well how the local econ-
omy is adding lo the fi-

The focal economy affecting volunteers in
is adding to the finan-
clal needs of patients
in the Terrace area.

about burnout, a problem

many conimunity pro-
grams.

Area residents who would
like to find aut more about
Canadian Cancer Society

nancial needs of patients
in the Terrace area,

She said changes to the society’ 5
emergency aid program for northwest re-
sidents mean cancer patients may be able
to gel financial aid for travel and accom-
modation when recelving treatment.

cancer Resource Centre in Terrace at
638-8583. It's located on the second floor
of the Tertace and District Credit Union,
building.

Ask for Richard or Kathy if inquiring
about financial aid. —

programs should call the -

m Acting up
ROMANGE, well-meaning neighbours, and a visitor
from the past intersect in Ethan Claymore, a Norm
Foster comedy continuing at the McColl Playhouse,
Above, actors Brian Wilson, Sharon Rainey-Baker
and Baxter Huston in a scene from the play.

IN DEMAND: these unique designs by Pat
Irving are popular sellers.

opening night reception, Friday, Oct. 10. at
7:30 p.m. The show runs to the end of October,

Live music coordinaled by musician Cody
Skog will be performed on instruments made
from - what else? - clay, including a flute,
drums, and even a digeridoo.

Some of the artists will present hands-on
clay throwing and wheel demonstrations, too,
so come prepured if you'd like to give ita try,