Island Illustrators Society's Traveling Illustrated Alphabet 2016

"Experience Victoria - from Antique Row to Zodiac" The Island Illustrator's annual Traveling Alphabet will be featured in the New Year's Day edition of the Times Colonist, with "Happy New Year" spelled out with a set of custom- themed letters - created by members of the Island Illustrators Society. This stunning alphabet set hits the road, and is featured in a traveling exhibit throughout the Victoria region, with the first installment of the year being displayed in a glass case in the front foyer of the Central Downtown Branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library (GVPL), from Jan. 4 to 31. The full 2016 Travelling Illustrated Alphabet - "Experience Victoria - From Antique Row to Zodiac" will travel to most lower Island GVPL locations throughout the year. See the exhibit schedule below or the GVPL website: www.gvpl.ca *******************************************************

Victoria is bursting with both illustrators and illustrative possibility! The 2016 Island Illustrators Society's Travelling Illustrated Alphabet presents over 30 custom designed alphabet letters based on the sights and sounds of Victoria. A few extra letters are included to create the annual "Happy New Year" message with the Times Colonist – with wishes shared with readers of the special New Year's Day issue. Each year a group of artists gather to create a new set of alphabet letters. This year's artists include: Allegra Vernon, Marcia Semenoff, Kathy Cameron, Ruth Bowman, Lorne Miller, Kristi Bridgeman, Marcela Strasdas, Amy Frank, Cheryl Bakke-Martin, Geoff Smith, Diana Grenkow, Catharine Campbell, Simeon Goa, Ken Faulks, Verna Linney, Natalie Shumka, Lynn Kingham and Ken Faulks. Island Illustrators Society members work in all media - from photography and 3-D to painting and collage. As part of the touring illustration exhibit, the GVPL will host artists for live demonstrations in a wide range of media, including mosaics and mandala-making, children's book illustration, collage and photography. The Island Illustrators offer a series of free drop-in Illustration demonstrations, held monthly throughout 2016 at lower Island locations of the GVPL. For full dates and locations, see the 2016 Events Schedule of the GVPL website www.gvpl.ca or call: 250-940-GVPL (4875). January – Central (DT) Branch, Foyer Glass case. Artist demo: "M is for Mandala-making" with Kristi Bridgeman. January 16th – 10:00 to 12:00 Hands on pebble and beach glass mandala-making were the public can build a temporary mandala in sand. Artist's website: www.kristibridgeman.com Kristi enjoys experimenting with different mediums, whenever possible using environmentally friendly or recycled materials. Known for her mandalas, childrens illustration and canvas landscapes, Kristi's illustration was shortlisted for the 2010 Governor Generals Award for illustration, and won the 2011 Bolen Book Prize, both for the book "Uirapuru". The artist has illustrated work for Poet P.K Page, Rachel Wyatt, Paulette Bourgeois and Fiona TinWei Lam and was listed by the CACGV as one of the top 100 Women Artists, Past and Present. Kristi's fine art mandala and landscape series are collected around the world, and can be found at various local venues including Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, and Sooke Harbour House Gallery, and Sun Yat Sen Gardens. February – Central Saanich (Brentwood Bay) Artist demo: "M is for Mandala-making" with Kristi Bridgeman. Sunday, February 7th at 1:30 to 3:00 pm. Hands on pebble and beach glass mandala-making were the public can build a temporary mandala in sand. Artist's website: www.kristibridgeman.com Kristi enjoys experimenting with different mediums, whenever possible using environmentally friendly or recycled materials. Known for her mandalas, childrens illustration and canvas landscapes, Kristi's illustration was shortlisted for the 2010 Governor Generals Award for illustration, and won the 2011 Bolen Book Prize, both for the book "Uirapuru". The artist has illustrated work for Poet P.K Page, Rachel Wyatt, Paulette Bourgeois and Fiona TinWei Lam and was listed by the CACGV as one of the top 100 Women Artists, Past and Present. Kristi's fine art mandala and landscape series are collected around the world, and can be found at various local venues including Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, and Sooke Harbour House Gallery, and Sun Yat Sen Gardens. March – Nellie McClung Branch – Childrens Dept and first floor display Artist demo: "Z is for Zentangle" Marcela Strasdas, Saturday, March 5 at 10:00 am. Marcela will demonstrate how anyone can devote time to art and self-care by drawing zentangles, a way to create beautiful images by combining simple patterns on paper. Marcela Strasdas is a Victoria based artist who loves to paint in oils and acrylics mainly but also explores mixed media and illustration. Her passion for flowers, gardens, travelling and the ocean is translated into colourful paintings that reflect the beauty around us. These scenes are familiar and meant to be an invitation to enjoy every single moment we have. www.marcelastrasdas.com April - Bruce Hutchison Branch Artist demo: "M is for Mixed Media" with Kathy Cameron. Sat April 30th at 10:30 to noon. Kathy Cameron will demonstrate how she uses original vintage papers and ephemera in her work to create a unique background and then continue to paint a detailed image on the top. In the end, encapsulating and transforming delicate pieces of history into unique works of art. Web: www.kathycameron.ca Kathy is licensed with Artworks Licensing LLC; her work is seen in many stores internationally on a variety of items such as calendars and wall décor. She is also an Active Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and a Full Juried Member of the Island Illustrators Society. Kathy's award winning artwork can be found in various galleries and private collections in Canada and the United States as well as publications in art magazines, books and journals. May – Oak Bay Branch Artist demo: "P for Photography" with Geoff Smith. Sat May 7th at 1:00 p.m. Geoff's photography session will cover portrait photography and lighting. Geoff Smith is an Art Director, Communications Director and Photographer who has been in the creative business for over 30 years, in the UK and Canada. Artists website: www.ct-photo.ca Geoff Smith is an Art Director, Communications Director and Photographer who has been in the creative business for over 30 years in the UK and Canada, working with international advertising agencies on clients such as, Quaker Oats, McCain Foods and Volkswagen, to name just a few. Geoff has taught Communications Design and Photography for a Design College and created a program for a local University. June - Emily Carr Branch Artist demo: "I is for Ink Illustration" with Kristi Bridgeman, Sat May 21st 1:00 pm. Kristi will demonstrate her sepia ink and watercolour technique. Artist's website: www.kristibridgeman.com Kristi enjoys experimenting with different mediums, whenever possible using environmentally friendly or recycled materials. Known for her mandalas, childrens illustration and canvas landscapes, Kristi's illustration was shortlisted for the 2010 Governor Generals Award for illustration, and won the 2011 Bolen Book Prize, both for the book "Uirapuru". The artist has illustrated work for Poet P.K Page, Rachel Wyatt, Paulette Bourgeois and Fiona TinWei Lam and was listed by the CACGV as one of the top 100 Women Artists, Past and Present. Kristi's fine art mandala and landscape series are collected around the world, and can be found at various local venues including Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, and Sooke Harbour House Gallery, and Sun Yat Sen Gardens. June – Central Branch Childrens dept Artist demo: "P is for Peace Mandala" with Kristi Bridgeman NOON Free global mandala colouring for kids. Refugee event Sat the 18th Kristi enjoys experimenting with different mediums, whenever possible using environmentally friendly or recycled materials. Known for her mandalas, childrens illustration and canvas landscapes, Kristi's illustration was shortlisted for the 2010 Governor Generals Award for illustration, and won the 2011 Bolen Book Prize, both for the book "Uirapuru". The artist has illustrated work for Poet P.K Page, Rachel Wyatt, Paulette Bourgeois and Fiona TinWei Lam and was listed by the CACGV as one of the top 100 Women Artists, Past and Present. Kristi's fine art mandala and landscape series are collected around the world, and can be found at various local venues including Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, and Sooke Harbour House Gallery, and Sun Yat Sen Gardens. www.kristibridgeman.com