Rosalie Favell, "I Awoke to Find My Spirit had Returned." See the photo of Xena on the wall?

Ottawa photo-artist Rosalie Favell has an alter-ego and it’s none other than the supernatural cult heroine, Xena, Princess Warrior.

Images of the kitschy Xena pop up all over the place in Favell’s new photo exhibition at Cube Gallery. Favell poses as Xena, or places a small image of the Princess Warrior in the most unlikeliest of places, including the bedroom wall of little Dorothy (Favell, actually) awakening after her magical experiences in the land of Oz.

Originally from Winnipeg, Favell is not the only Canadian celebrity to appropriate Xena. Mary Walsh’s over-the-top CBC television character of Marg Delahunty, Princess Warrior, has for many years been wielding a sword, “smiting” Canadian politicians from the prime minister on down. Let’s just say Favell’s Xena has more class than Walsh’s loud-mouthed version.

Favell’s work is familiar to visitors to the National Gallery of Canada and its offspring, the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography, as well as Ottawa Art Gallery and Karsh-Masson Gallery. But Favell is not a regular at commercial art galleries in Ottawa, so this exhibition at Cube is a rare opportunity to purchase some of her work, which varies from mischievous to thought-provoking.

The exhibition contains work both old and new. My particular favourites are the tweaked images of Xena and a series of extreme close-ups of porcelain flowers used to decorate graves in France. The flowers have an otherworldly glow.

One photograph of a painting of the Virgin Mary looks very ordinary until you realize the face of the saint is actually the face of Favell’s mother. Nearby is a poster-sized image of Ganesha, the Hindu deity with an elephant’s head. But look closely: The body of Ganesha in this case is an image of Favell as child. That gal Rosalie/Xena really gets around

Many of the photo-works are a tribute to Favell’s late father Doug and his brother Gerry. As children, the two boys were inseparable. As adults, they died within a week of each other. Favell has paired old family snaps of the two boys with images of clouds, airplanes, and landscapes.

Favell won the 2012 Karsh Award, which is given every two years to an Ottawa photographer who has produced over the years an exceptional body of work. Favell certainly deserved that award.

The exhibition of Favell’s work at Cube Gallery continues until May 5. The vernissage takes place this Sunday, April 7, from 2-4 p.m. Cube is located as 1285 Wellington St. W.

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"Collector" by Michael Kinghorn.

For many years I have been coveting a hanging candelabra at my friends’ Gatineau Hills cottage. The candelabra is made of twisted steel rods configured to look like tree branches and suspended from the ceiling above the dining room table. The cottage has no electricity so the candles are burning regularly.

The candelabra is the work of Wakefield blacksmith Michael Kinghorn. His custom-made candelabra, railings, staircases, and other architectural ornamentation can be found in many homes on both sides of the Ottawa River.

I only learned recently that Kinghorn also creates sculptures and drawings. He has won a few competitions to create metal sculptures for two Ottawa fire halls and is currently starring in two art exhibitions.

One exhibition is at Cube Gallery in Hintonburg. The show is called Heads Up. It contains portraits, both unusual and traditional, by several artists and will be on until Feb. 3. Kinghorn’s contribution involves anthropomorphic looking contraptions of found objects encased in metal.

A far more dazzling display of Kinghorn’s art can be found at his solo show called Transition at Espace Pierre-Debain in the Centre culturel du Vieux-Aylmer (120 rue Principale) in the Aylmer sector of Gatineau. This exhibition of imaginative recycling and blacksmithing runs until Feb. 24.

Transition includes more of Kinghorn’s robot-like sculptures (and drawings of similar looking humanoids), miniature space capsules tightly packed with brightly coloured cast-off objects from earth, and — my favourite — metal sculptures incorporated into glass and metal coffee tables. One of the works called “Creature” includes such a coffee table enclosing a splendid, albeit slightly menacing, squid-like steel creature. I instantly decided that I prefer “Creature” to my friends’ candelabra.

An exhibit of Michael Kinghorn's work.

Kinghorn explains his love of found objects in the artist’s statement on his website:

“In 1987 I began making quirky found object sculptures from items collected at Lesley Spit in Toronto, a landfill site and bird sanctuary along the shore of Lake Ontario,” Kinghorn writes. “The first time I came across this place it was like opening a treasure chest of jewels — objects of all colours and shapes glowing in the sunlight. The ‘fill’ is a combination of glass, broken car and machinery parts, stainless steel kitchen utensils, fragments of tumbled glass, copper wire, weird pieces of rubber, plastic, and rounded bricks, stones and bones. All of these items have been tumbled smooth and polished for years by Lake Ontario and the majority of them are no bigger than the palm of my hand. I assembled these items into sculptures using nuts and bolts, epoxies, wire, rivets and silicone.”

More recently, Kinghorn has also been finding small cast-off parts of farm machinery in the Outaouais and incorporating them into his sculptures. Like all good artists, Kinghorn is constantly evolving. I look forward to what direction he will take next.

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A new breed of cook has been causing a stir in the nation’s capital. These foodies may not have professional kitchens – or even certification – but Donna Henhoeffer thinks it’s about time we give them their due. The Taboo Eats founder launched My Neighbourhood Bites to showcase the city’s top amateur cooks. Over the next six months, 12 local neighbourhoods will take part, hosting cooking competitions from Vanier to Greely to Centretown. If the debut event at Cube Gallery is any indication (they packed nearly 175 guests into the Wellington West locale on Dec. 15), this project is shaping up to be a great success. Ottawa Magazine’s Erica Eades chats with Henhoeffer about her inspiration for the project, some exciting new partnerships, and how she plans to give back to the community.

The top three winners of the first round of My Neighbourhood Bites join organizer Donna Henhoeffer (middle left) for a photo.

So, tell us about your first event.
It went really well! We had such a nice turnout, and it was a really good mix of people there – some who live and work in the area, others who came from as far as Orleans.

What was the winning dish?
The winning dish was the Mary Had a Little Lamb Meatball [created by Chantal Albert]. It was a Moroccan-inspired meatball that had a roasted eggplant and tomato puree, with a spiced toasted chickpea and a little bit of mint yogurt.

How did this competition come about?
I’ve been planning events for about 20 years and I ran a catering company for 10 years. In that time I saw cooks come and go and met with staff at all different levels. It got me thinking: How do I bring all that together and give people a chance to expose their work?

You’ve been marketing My Neighbourhood Bites to “amateur cooks, home cooks, and oven-lovers.” Does this mean established cooks can’t participate?
Not at all. Anyone can apply as long as they’re not a certified chef. A lot of the time cooks are recreating the same meals based off a menu; they don’t have the chance to be creative. So this is an outlet for them as well.

How did you choose the different neighbourhoods?
It’s not so much about the neighbourhood as it is the space. We really focused on finding venues that reflected each area.

So far nine of the 12 areas have been announced. When will the final list be posted?
Hopefully in the next few weeks. But if there’s someone out there who has a neighbourhood they think we haven’t represented, we’re happy to have them reach out to us!

Guests mingle, eat, and enjoy the ambiance at My Neighbourhood Bites. The first of 12 rounds took place at Cube Gallery on Saturday.

What can you tell us about your partnership with Winterlude?
We’re hosting two events during Winterlude. One is being held at the Kichesippi Brewery and will focus on recipes that go well with beer. The other event will be a comfort-food-themed night during [Vanier’s] Winter Carnival. People will be coming to Winterlude from all over, so this is a great opportunity for cooks to get some exposure.

You’ve also joined forces with several local food programs.
That’s right. The top three entries from each neighbourhood will be published in a cookbook, which will then be sold in support of the Ottawa Food Bank. But in working with the food bank, we’ve also connected with groups in each of the neighbourhoods. For instance, with the Wellington West event, a coordinator from the Parkdale Food Centre came out to collect donations.

What else should readers know about the competition? 
From my perspective, there are two messages with what we’re doing. One is to really rally local cooks and let them know that they should apply. You may be a bit nervous, but our team is really there to help with the whole process. The second thing is that it is a public event. We want the public to come out, to taste their way through, to connect with the cooks. And then to vote, because they’re the ones that make the final decision and determine who the winners are.

Round two of My Neighbourhood Bites will take place at Centretown’s Babylon Nightclub on Jan. 12. Visit www.tabooeats.com for more information.

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"Nadaa" by Kristy Gordon.

By Paul Gessell

Ottawa artist Kristy Gordon paints portraits that literally stop you in your tracks. Sometimes because of the props she uses to help create a character. Sometimes it is just the unusual look on the subject’s face.
 
Gordon has a solo show running at Cube Gallery from April 24 until May 20. (An online catalogue of the exhibition is available on www.cubegallery.ca.) Be prepared to meet some fascinating people, including some ghostly ones. 
 
The Artful Blogger caught up with Gordon in New York City for an email interview.

First of all, what are you doing in New York?
I am attending the Master’s program at the New York Academy of Art. It blends traditional technical training with contemporary discourse on art. There are weekend master classes taught by many of my favourite painters, such as Vincent Desiderio and Jenny Saville. Also, being situated in New York gives me the opportunity to visit the exceptional museums here as well as the art shows in Chelsea and other galleries around Manhattan.

You are perhaps best known for very representational, albeit unusual, portraits. What draws you to this genre?
I gravitate towards representational painting because I’m interested in textures, detail and description. I want to create another reality within my paintings and the language of representational painting is the way that I do that. There are so many artists from the past that inspire me and I find myself gaining inspiration from them and using it to express the contemporary experience of my life. I am drawn to portraits because people are a mystery to me and fascinate me. There is so much that we hide from each other in day to day life. When I’m painting a person from life it gives me an excuse to look deeply at them. The subtle muscle movements of the face reveal so much. I often identify something in another person that I sense in myself, and feel very connected to them, and similar to them. This is frequently what I try to convey in the portrait.

What preparations are involved before actually painting a portrait? Do you photograph the subject? Have long conversations with the person?
In an ideal situation I have the opportunity to paint “from life,” without the use of photography. I either have a person pose for me, or else paint myself by looking in a mirror. This gives me the chance to connect with and observe the person at a deeper level. It also allows me to perceive colour and form more accurately than I can when photography is relied on too heavily. It is not always possible to work from life, but I have found that all my experience at working from life informs any work I do that utilizes photographic reference. I usually begin with simple “thumbnails” (or rough sketches) and then do a more developed drawing before beginning the final painting.

What, for you, makes a successful portrait?
Well, for me, since I am totally obsessed with technique, the first thing that comes to mind is a pleasing visual language. I just love well-painted portraits. I could stare at them forever.

The art world, including art schools, can be unkind at times to representational painters. Have you felt pressured to move into a different style of painting?
I have felt some pressure from previous art schools and the art world. However, I have also witnessed a movement back to representational figurative painting since I began my full-time pursuit of painting. I have been especially excited to witness the increasing number of contemporary New York galleries that showcase representational figurative art. I remember when I first visited New York around 2005 and explored the Chelsea art galleries it all seemed to be exhibitions of nylon stockings stretched over cement blocks and stuff like that. It’s really exciting to see the increasing interest in representational figurative painting!

What are your plans once your studies in New York are over?
I never know exactly where my life will lead me, but I do have some ideas about things I might like to do next, but I will know the right path as things unfold. Some of these ideas include continuing to live in New York, returning to live in Florence, Italy, or even moving back to the mountains of British Columbia where I grew up. They all sound like wonderful possibilities to me, so I pretty much can’t go wrong.  The cool thing about my life as an artist is that I can pretty much work from anywhere, so it gives me tremendous freedom to listen to my heart and see what it is telling me to do next.

The vernissage for Kristy Gordon’s exhibition at Cube will be held April 29 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

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By Paul Gessell

When I first encountered Aaron McKenzie Fraser seven years ago, he had just created a series of photographic self-portraits in which he was dressed in gaudy costumes that made him appear to be one part super-hero and one part super-nerd. The exhibition, titled costume-ology, shocked all the suburbanites who tended to visit Centrepointe’s Atrium Gallery back then. The folks there were more accustomed to paintings of sunsets. Fraser simply did not fit in.

A year later Fraser was more in his element, along with some collaborators at Gallery 101, with a multi-media exhibition called Locamation — Film Stills From My Summer Vacation. This nostalgic look at summer vacations past came with a real camper trailer in the gallery and a continuously burning campfire (via video) that was perfect for roasting virtual wieners.

So, when I heard Fraser was to be part of Exposure Gallery’s multi-artist Yule exhibition in December, I headed over to Wellington Street with great anticipation. What weird and wonderful photos would Fraser, since transplanted to Halifax, produce for this exhibition aimed at Christmas shoppers seeking small, inexpensive artworks?

Waves of the North Atlantic: Halifax Harbour, NS. Photo by Aaron McKenzie Fraser.

Well, this time Fraser shocked me. Aaron McKenzie Fraser seems to have mellowed since moving back to the East Coast five years ago. His contributions to Yule were six tiny, perfect, rugged but Zen-like ocean scenes, none of the prints being more than six inches long. There were no people in strange costumes. No virtual fires. Just tranquil scenes with all the benefits of a snifter of brandy.

The photos were taken during the past three years and included such Nova Scotia sites as the entrance to Halifax Harbour at Point Pleasant Park, Crystal Crescent Beach in Sambro, Lawrencetown Beach Provincial Park, and Wreck Cove Beach in West Pennant.

“Having grown up on the East Coast, I’ve always been surrounded by the ocean,” Fraser explained in an email. “When I lived in Ottawa for close to 10 years I missed it as well as my family and the Maritime sense of humour. One day I was hand-processing some black and white film I had shot on an East Coast summer visit. An image of the sea hit me with the immediate smell of salt water and wind and I knew I had to go back home again.”

The most shocking thing about Fraser’s work was that I liked it. So, to any of you out there interested in buying me a Christmas present, Fraser’s framed photos are a steal at $125.

Exposure’s Yule show also contains humourous collages by Ryan MacDonald, photos resembling abstract paintings by Eric Shallenberg, clever wooden sculptural figures about nine inches high by Clare Brennan, and lots more. The most expensive work is $250.

A similar situation exists at Cube Gallery just down the street. Don Monet has assembled 300 small artworks by several artists and, as each work is sold, it is replaced by another. I added several items to my Christmas wish-list at Cube: Russell Yuristy’s woodcut of a chickadee, Gayle Kells’s detailed ink drawings of ghostly ballgowns, and anything by portrait painter Kristy Gordon.

For any of my admirers with a few thousand dollars to spend, please head over to St. Laurent-Hill Gallery and purchase one of the dramatic abstract paintings (not one of the collages, thank-you) by Gatineau artist Jean-Francois Provost.

And if you are feeling really generous (and have an extra $12,000 to spend) visit Patrick Mikhail Gallery and buy Niagara, a giant painting of an erotically charged apocalyptic scene by Chelsea artist Andrew Morrow.

I expect I shall not receive Niagara for Christmas. But sources tell me a miniaturized, black and white version of Morrow’s painting, complete with a box of crayons for colouring, at a mere $100, will be under my tree.

Yule at Exposure Gallery, 1255 Wellington St. W., runs until Dec. 22.
Great Big Smalls at Cube Gallery, 1285 Wellington St. W., runs until Dec. 31.
Jean-Francois Provost is at St. Laurent-Hill Gallery, 293 Dalhousie St., until Dec. 15.
Andrew Morrow is at Patrick Mikhail Gallery, 2401 Bank St., until Dec. 30.

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By Paul Gessell

"Long shower" by Victoria Wonnacott.

The 1960 Alfred Hitchcock thriller, Psycho, left me with the life-long habit of always opening shower curtains with a degree of caution. Early in the movie, the actress Janet Leigh takes a shower in her room at the Bates Motel. Suddenly a hand rips open the curtain and stabs Leigh to death in what is still, in my view, one of the most terrifying scenes ever filmed.

I was a very impressionable 10-year-old when the film came to the Legion Hall of my small Saskatchewan town. We didn’t even have running water in those days. Hence, in our house there were no showers and, thus, no shower curtains. Perhaps that made Leigh’s murder all the more exotic and memorable.

With that bit of history out of the way, let me now proceed to the intriguing paintings of Montreal artist Victoria Wonnacott, one of the stars at Ottawa’s Cube Gallery and the sister of Ottawa’s celebrated photo-artist Justin Wonnacott. There is a new show of Victoria’s work at Cube — don’t miss it.

Victoria has a particular fascination with water, including her paintings of people taking showers on the other side of translucent shower curtains or pebbled glass walls. There are also paintings of people swimming, some as seen from below. Think of the view a shark might have as it looks up and sees a tasty treat treading water in a bright bathing suit. That’s not a scenario as scary for me as the shower scenes, perhaps because I saw the film Jaws as an adult, found it rather tedious and decided the giant shark was a mechanical fraud.

Wonnacott’s paintings are mesmerizing. For those of us freaked out by memories of Psycho or Jaws, it is impossible to view the paintings without a feeling of dread. What psychotic monster is going to open the shower door or, with teeth bared, rise to the surface of a swimming hole?

'Memories from the beach' by Victoria Wonnacott.

These feelings are difficult to escape despite the gentleness that otherwise cloaks these watery paintings of children swimming or adults showering. Those feelings are further complicated by the fact that we are essentially voyeurs in looking at these people showering and swimming. You feel guilty about staring at people in their bathing suits or birthday suits, yet you can’t take your eyes off them. Who knows when the monsters will attack?

“Victoria Wonnacott has been part of the Cube Gallery since the doors opened in 2005,” says a catalogue for the Cube show. “An artist without pretence or guile, her work is semiotic and conceptual while also figurative and representational. The overarching theme throughout Victoria’s art is born of her own artistic, personal, and physical journey of and about water. ‘We are born in water. It is fluid. It transports us. It can be a very peaceful place, a mysterious place,’ she says.‘We can be weightless and move in a way that is afforded us only in water or outer space.’”

Water can also be a place of death. Janet Leigh certainly seemed to remain wary of showers long after 1960. In 2000, when the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts staged an exhibition honouring the work of Alfred Hitchcock, Leigh came to the opening to pose for photographers with some of the sets and props used in the filming of Psycho. When she encountered the actual shower stall used in the film, Leigh opened the curtain and then refused to go inside. Instead, she delivered a silent scream, just like in the movie, but standing outside of the stall, where the world was deemed much safer.

Nov. 8 to 27. Cube Gallery, 1285 Wellington St. W., www.cubegallery.ca

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TASTE OF WELLINGTON WEST (FREE!)
Taste what’s new on the ever-changing Wellington West streetscape as 35 restaurants and food shops show off their wares and offer up samples. More than 50 other retail businesses will also take part in the grand sidewalk sale and street fair. To complement the browsing, there’s a classic car show, kids’ play area, bike parade, street performers, and live music. The schedule: car show (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.); live music, street performances, sidewalk sale (11 a.m.to 5 p.m.); bike parade, starting at Hintonburg Community Centre (noon); food samples from restaurants and food shops (1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.); Bill Jupp Sextet at the Carleton Tavern ( 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.). Saturday, Sept. 17, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

HARVEST MOON: A NIGHT OF POETRY A-PLENTY
Cube Gallery hosts a poetry-filled evening in support of the League of Canadian Poets. Featured guests include Ian Ferrier, Eric Folsom (poet laureate of Kingston), and Catherine Kidd. There will also be a round robin of readings and performances by local poets, including Susan McMaster, Blaine Marchand, Sandra Ridley, Sergio (Hyfidelik) Gerra, rob mclennan, Ian Keteku, Stephen Brockwell, Ronnie R. Brown, Shane Rhodes, Claudia C. Radmore, Rhonda Douglas, Colin Morton, Rona Shaffran, and Sarah Muse.

 The first ever “immortality auction” will be held to help raise funds for the League, with Ian Keteku and Monty Reid auctioned to the highest bidder for a commissioned poem. If you have a birthday, an anniversary, or any event you want to celebrate, bid on a poet to write a poem for you.

 Saturday, Sept. 17. 6:30 p.m. start for the apple/pumpkin pies and social. $5 cover. Cube Gallery, 1285 Wellington St. W., 613-728-2111.

FESTIVAL OF FLAVOURS (FREE!)
More food! Visit the streets of Vankleek Hill for a celebration of food and culture. From curries to cakes, sausages to spring rolls, there will be over 50 foodies set up offering samples and recipes. Vankleek Hill Vineyard and Beau’s All Natural Brewery will be on-hand with refreshments. And it won’t all be strolling and stuffing your face: a 320-foot-long table will be set up for those opposed to eating on the go. Sunday, Sept. 18. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vankleek Hill Main Street.

ARMY RUN
Cheer them on and watch the action! More than 16,000 people will hit the streets on Sunday morning for this sold-out race that features a 5K and a half marathon. Whether running or cheering on the runners, it’s a fun, competitive event where those in the Canadian Forces, military friends and families, and civilians run side by side (plus participants get dog tag medals at the finish line, how cool is that?). Keep an eye out for three-time Paralympian medal recipient Jason Dunkerley and Lieutenant Ryan McKenzie (who won gold in 2008 and 2009) during this year’s 5K. Fundraising efforts go towards Canadian Forces Personnel Support programs, which include Soldier On and the Military Families Fund. Sunday, Sept. 18 at 8 a.m. for the 5K and 9 a.m. for the half marathon. Route starts will be on Laurier Avenue at the corner of Elgin Street.

HUGLI’S BLUEBERRY RANCH
This is the place to be as the leaves change colours and the air turns crisp. Saturday is the launch of Fall Family Fun Activities, which runs until Oct. 30. This seasonal event boasts a plethora of quirky and exciting entertainment that includes pig races on the Hugli’s speedway (seriously!), a six-acre corn maze, plus pirate ship, hay, and pumpkin mazes, pumpkin cannon shows, a hay jump, and puppet shows, among other activities. In the weeks coming up there are also giant pumpkin weigh offs (Sept. 24), giant pumpkin boat races (Sept. 25), and other Halloween-themed events. Sept. 17 to Oct. 30. Weekends $8-$10, weekdays $4, children under two free. 2139 Greenwood Rd., Pembroke, 613-638-1288. www.blueberryranch.ca

7oTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CANADIAN WOMEN’S ARMY CORPS (FREE!)
The Canadian Women’s Army Corps was a branch of the army that saw women serve as cooks, mechanics, and administrators in Canada and abroad during World War 2. The head office for CWAC was Goodwin House — now the Canadian office for Amnesty International — in Sandy Hill. To mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of CWAC, which was dismantled in 1964, memorobilia collector Douglas Townend will display his collection and offer a chance to mingle with CWAC veterans. Saturday, Sept. 17, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Canadian War Museum, 1 Vimy Pl. 819-776-8600.

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DUSK DANCES 2011
Right in the heart of the action, Strathcona Park plays host to Dusk Dances. Host extraordinaire Annie Lefebvre guides the audience on a journey to five unique dance performances set in different areas of Strathcona Park. Ottawa marching band Mike Essoudry’s Mash Potato Mashers launches the show. On the slate: Throwdown Collective (a.k.a. Zhenya Cerneacov, Mairéad Filgate, and Brodie Stevenson) perform their newest work, the athletic BoxSet, and artists Meredith Thompson and Kate Franklin perform Get On Board, an exuberant and intricate tap dance performance. Mohawk artist Santee Smith brings Kaha:wi, a dance work for four women celebrating the feminine spirit and Iroquoian traditions. The event runs nightly from Thursday, June 30 to Sunday, July 3. 7 pm. Pay-what-you-can. Bring your own chairs and blankets. Dusk Dances Ottawa Info-Line: 613-266-2365.
www.duskdances.ca

Sanjeev Sivarulrasa: "Milky Way Over Grand Lake Ont."

NUIT NOIRE
Hosted by Cube Gallery, Nuit Noire is an art show and community festival dedicated to the beauty and majesty of the night sky. The event runs for the entire month, but check out the gala opening on Saturday, July 2. At 8:30 p.m., James Bremner reads from his essay in the book “Let there be Night”, telling how he lost his fear of the dark and found a little courage. A Sidewalk Star party begins at 9:30 p.m. Meet the artists, listen to music, and use telescopes to gaze at the stars. The street lights will be turned off on Julian Avenue (out front of the Gallery) for a one-night Dark Sky street party. Cube Gallery, 1285 Wellington St. W., 613 728 1750, Cubegallery.ca.

OFFICIAL WELCOMING CEREMONY (FREE!)
Fingers crossed for clear skies at this Official Welcoming Ceremony for Their Royal Highnesses. (Then again, it might be fun to see Kate in a fashionable trench!) Taking place on the grounds of Rideau Hall, the pomp and circumstance starts with Governor General David Johnston and his entourage (wife Sharon Johnston, Stephen and Laureen Harper) welcoming the Royal couple. The Duke of Cambridge will inspect an honour guard of Army, Air Force, and Navy representatives, followed by a bagpipe salute — a piece composed by William’s great uncle, King Edward VIII. Royal watchers take note: the full list of events is posted at the website of the Governor General. Thursday, June 30. 3:15 p.m. Rideau Hall, 1 Sussex Dr. www.gg.ca.

THE BANG BANG CLUB
This film — based on the lives of four young photojournalists working in Apartheid South Africa — explores important questions about photojournalism in conflict zones. How far should a photographer go to get that perfect shot? When should a cameraman come out from behind the lens to help a subject in need? What emotional price do photographers pay for the glory that comes with international exposure? Sunday, July 3 to Tuesday, July 5. $10. Bytowne Cinema, 325 Rideau St. www.bytowne.ca.

CULTURE SHOCK (FREE!)
The National Arts Centre has a whole raft of events for Canada Day, so check out their website for a full listing. But two kid-friendly events caught our eye. During Culture Shock kids (and grown-ups) can learn how to dance to hip-hop music. Friday, July 1. Starting at 10 a.m. at NAC Terrace (corner of Elgin and Queen). In the Salon, Monsieur Michel is the feature act in the Kids Corner. He’ll be telling stories and playing games. Performance schedule: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. NAC, 53 Elgin St., www.nac-can.ca.

WONDERS OF THE SAND
Guess which beach staple is star of the show this weekend? The annual event offers the rare chance to see sculptors create works of art right before your very eyes. Learn how the pros do it, and then try your hand at building with sand sculpting workshops and the family competition. When not playing in the sand, have a blast with free watercraft rentals, swimming, children’s activities, live entertainment, and more. Friday, July 1 to Sunday, July 3, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Daily admission $5, free for children 11 and under. Beauchamp Lake Park, 745, Maloney Blvd. E., Gatineau. www.merveillesdesable.com

CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM (FREE!)
Earning a visit on the Royal Tour, you know this is the place to be. While Wills and Kate will be here on July 2 for a private function for veterans, there’s plenty of fun programming to be had on Canada day for the country’s grand fête. Activities include military marches and highland tunes with the museum’s “wandering piper,” temporary tank tattoos for the kids, lectures about battlefield medicine, and more. Even better? For today only admission is free. Friday, July 1. 1 Vimy Place, 819-776-8600. www.warmuseum.ca

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The Warped 45s play the Elmdale Tavern on Thursday

WARPED 45s
Let it be so. The weekend starts on Thursday now that the festive season is upon us. Toronto’s Warped 45s are stopping by as part of their cross-country tour in support of their debut album 10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan. The roots rockers wowed on the festival circuit and have big plans (including a new album) for 2011. You can say you caught them before they made it really big. Thursday, Nov. 25. 9 p.m. $10. The Elmdale House Tavern, 1084 Wellington St. W., 613-728-2848. www.elmdaletavern.com

JAZZ EVENINGS AT CUBE
What could be cooler than lounging at Cube Gallery and absorbing some sweet jazz? Get into the mood one day early. On Thursday, Nov. 25, the Robert Fontaine Quartet hosts a salon evening at Cube with bistro tables, finger foods, and fine music. 7 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. $20. On Friday, Nov. 26, John Geggie (double bass) and Frank Lozano (saxophone) take over the room in a concert that raises funds for JazzWorks jazz education programs. 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. $30. Cube Gallery, 1285 Wellington St. W. (between Smirle and Caroline), 613-728-1750. www.cubegallery.ca

SPINS AND NEEDLES CRAFT + DJ NIGHT
Get your gifts made early during Spins and Needles’6th annual holiday craft-mas get-together. Crafty types can whip up practical gifts and decorations (really, it’s easier than it looks) while chatting and listening to DJs Jason Pelletier + Meterman spinning house, funk, and other assorted beats. Friday, Nov. 26. 8 p.m. $8. Legion Hall, 330 Kent St. www.spinsandneedles.com

SKETCH
Saw Gallery has an amazing lineup original art for sale for its annual fundraiser. We’re talking more than 100 artists, including the likes of locals Howie Tsui and Adrian Gollner as well as a few American names: works by Faith Ringgold, Emily Vey Duke, and Cooper Battersby are up for grabs. DJs will be spinning tunes. Friday, Nov. 26. 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. $5. 67 Nicholas St., 613-236-6181. www.galeriesawgallery.com

FAMILY WORKSHOPS AT SCIENCE & TECH MUSEUM
Learn about aliens, the geology of the solar system, and the mysteries of Stonehenge at this family event. The Canada Science and Technology Museum’s upcoming workshop topic is Space Storybooks. The hands-on workshops last 90 minutes and kids will enjoy the added experience of getting either a guided tour of the heavens in the inflatable planetarium, a visit to the Canada in Space Exhibition, or a visit to the Helen Sawyer Hogg Observatory (weather permitting). Friday, Nov 26. $18 adults, $15 children (4 – 14), $9 family (two adults & three children). 1867 St Laurent Blvd. 613-991-3044. http://sciencetech.technomuses.ca

OPENFILE (FREE!)
Do you have a story you think is worth telling? A collaborative community journalism website called OpenFile is launching in Ottawa. Join them for a celebratory evening of drinks and snacks, and share your ideas with founding editor and CEO Wilf Dinnick. The basis of the news site is that community citizens submit stories and then a staff reporter is assigned to cover it. There are successful branches already working and underway in both Vancouver and Toronto. Help shape your local news! Friday, Nov. 26. 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Spin Kitchen & Bar, 100 Kent St. contact@openfile.ca. www.openfile.ca

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