Last Saturday we were fortunate to have local artists Leanne Spanza and Christina Leinemann Knittel host Viewpoints art display at Streaming Cafe. This week we had a chance to sit down with Michelle from the Cafe to get a debrief on the success of the Viewpoints: a contrast of perspectives artshow.
Joel - So what is Viewpoints and how did it come to be?
Michelle - Well, one of the artist involved (Leanne Spanza) participated in our monthly craft sale last fall. We all fell in love with her art immediately so when she approached me and asked about the possibilities about having an art show that would feature her work as well as her friends, Christina Leinemann, here we didn't give it a second thought.
J - What can you tell us about the artists involved with viewpoints?
M - Well there were two artists featured, Leanne's work is focused more on scenery and landscapes. Her style contemporary and simplistic with bold and upbeat colors - reminiscent of Ted Harrison. While Christina's art moves more through different textures with subtle color-play.
J - So how did the night progress?
M - It progressed very well. There were DJ's, beer and wine, pizza and other appies. People even drove in from Summerland and Vancouver to see the art. Even Mayor Sharon Shepard made an appearance! It was packed house all night.
J - What was the general atmosphere in the cafe?M - Some people compared the night to a birthday party! It as awesome. The vibe was very relaxed and people were mingling like crazy and having a great time. It felt so comfortable - like we were at a friends house...only with a lot of beautiful pictures hung up everywhere!
J - You mentioned there were DJ's? I thought the Cafe featured mostly acoustic based music.
M - The cafe has really branched out and grown. The art show just happened to fall on one of our Groove Lounge nights (2nd & 4th Friday of the month). The DJ's agreed to join in on the event and really helped make the atmosphere awesome with a mixture of jazzy instrumental music. It was really fun!
J - So how was the overall success of the night?
M - The night was a huge success in many ways. Everyone who came down had a really fun time, plus the Artists sold some art and got a ton of exposure from the full house. Some pictures are still up in the cafe and we find our customers being distracted from their drink orders!
J - How long will the art be featured in the Cafe?M - They'll be up till April 30th.
J - Is there talk of another art show in the future?
M - We are looking into the possibilities of making this a more frequent event, Kelowna is home to so many talented artists whose work deserves a local showcase. We're not to sure when it'll be, but keep your eyes open!
We believe that the Cafe serves as not only a local venue and intimate listening room for live music in Kelowna, but as a social hub for artists of all sorts to perform, display and interact in an un-intimidating environment. Viewpoints: a contrast of perspective was a great success and we appreciate everyone who worked so hard at making it the memorable night that it was!
Leanne Spanza - www.leannespanza.com
Christina Leinemann Knittel - www.clkstudio.com
