PENNY BIRNBAUM WORKSHOP March 27, 1992

1 picked Penny Birnbaum up from the
Kootenay Loop where she had come by
bus, accompanied by a life-size zebras
head and the oversize head of a warthog.
I realized then thal this was a woman
who didn't let minor things stand In her
way.

Penny Was at first a chemist, but be-
came enticed by clay and attended Emily
Carr College. She started to make masks
ofextinct species as.a political statement.
and proceeded to masks and sculptures
of endangered and other wild animals.
They are statements thal eloquently
speak of the stupidity of mankind's de-
structive behaviour; for example, the
buffalo heads ranged in a square with

the Stars and Stripes imposed over the
whole in acrylic paint. When you look
closely at these masks, her love for
animals is very apparent. Her empathy
allows her to capture the wildness with-
out imposing the alienation that hu-
mans often feel for wild creatures. She
has not seen them in the wild, which [
assumed, but has studied them on film
and photograph and has researched
their “personalities” (her word}. In this
way. she has captured thelr essence,
She also showed us slides of more stylized
animals — the groupofJapanese wolves
were my favourite: easence of wolf in
their heads and especially the eyes,
their bodies jointed tubes of bamboo,
and the whole not fixed, but on wires to

allow them flexibility so their eyes could
catch the light as they moved.

She followed her slide show and talk
with a demonstration of how she makes
the wrinkles on a warthog or catches the
mood of a tiger with the placing of its
ears. Few of us would attempt the type
of work she does so successfully, but we
had avery Interesting glimpse of a bright
and lively mind. She feels very strongly
about her subject and jt shows.

Thank you Penny lor a fascinating work-
shop. Thanks also to the people at the
Burnaby Arts Centre who helped make
the evening successfe).

Rosemary Amon

CALLS FOR ENTRY

Cirele Craft 19th Annual Christmas
Market Juried Craft Show, al Vancou-
ver Trade and Convention Centre,
November 11-15, 1992, contact Paul
Yard, Producer, at (604) 737-9050.

Oo Oo 0

MINO ‘92 - the Grd International Ce-
ramics Competition in two categories:
ceramics design and ceramic arts. For
further information, contact office at
683-9623, May 31 entry deadline.

oO oO 6

The Vancouver Craft Market |s now
accepting applications the the 1992 show
dates as follows: November 6,7, & 9;
November 27, 28, & 29; December 11,
13, & 13, and December 19 and 20.
Contact Simone Avram al 6540 Demorest
Dr., Richmond, B.C. V7A4M1, or phone
(604) 275-2724.

oO | o

FESTIVE TREASURES: The Museum
Shop will present its second annual
Christmas Exhibition of Festive Treas-
ures al the Canadian Craft Museum in
November, from the 19th to the 27th. It
is “an eight-day extravaganza highlight-

ing distinctive craft, specially selected
for holiday and gift giving”. Participation
fee is $40.00 for CCM members, $50.00
for non-members. For further informa-
tien and application procedures, please
contact Trudy Van Dep, Museum Shop
Manager, the Canadian Craft Museum,
639 Hornby St.. Vancomuver, B.C. V6C
263, Phone [604] 687-8266; Fax (604)
684-7174.

o a 0

Harrison Festival of the Arts. July 4 &
5, and July 1] & 12, at the juried art
market, under the tents in the centre of
the town of Harrison Hot Springs on the
front street. Contact the Festival Man-
ager at Box 399, 160 Esplanade Ave..
Harrison Hot Springs. B.C., VOM 1K0,
or phone (604) 796-3664, or Vancouver:
681-2771

oO Oo o

The Vancouver Hobby, Sport and Craft
Show will be held on Friday, November
27th, through Sunday, November 29th.
1992, at the PNE Fairgrounds in Van-
couver. For further information, contact
Donna Tapp, 6331-256 Street, RR. #1,
Aldergrove, B.C., VOX LAO. Phone (604}
852-8073 or 856-6171.

oO Do = |

The Vancouver Community Arts
Council wil) hold its Seventh Annual
Juned Christmas Craft Sale at the CAC
Gallery from November 24th to December
23, 1982. Artisans creating original,
quality crafts, from functional to out-
rageaus, are invited to enter this juried
sale. The sale is conducted on a con-
slgnment basis: artisans are not required
to be In attendance during the sale. CAC
volunteers and staff display items,
conduct sales and provide security. The
“early bird" jury deadline is August Ist.
For additional information, mail a
stamped. self-addressed envelope to:
Christmas Craft Application Form,
Community Aris Council of Vancouver,
837 Davie Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6Z
187, or contact the Gallery Coordinator,
Michael Virnig, at (604) 663-4358.

Page 6

May. 1992