Steve Stanczyk Interview by Barb Mikulec Steve Stanczyk is the artist chosen to work with the Kerrisdale community to make a mural for the entrance to the KCC centre. Steve has always been interested in art, from elementary school through high school. He started making paintings as a teenager and has kept it up until today. He attended Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver and The Cooper Union School of Art in New York City. He also received a diploma in Digital Art and Design from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC and before studying at TRU, he studied Fine Arts and Art History at The University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, BC. Steve taught painting in the Saturday Program at The Cooper Union School of Art in New York along with teaching photoshop and digital art with Gateways Learning Centre in Abbotsford and art history and painting at Abbotsford’s Reach Gallery Museum. His art practice consists of working in a diverse range of themes and mediums, including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, digital design, video, installation art and other mixed media. Steve’s portfolio includes both experimental and abstract work along with more traditional paintings such as landscapes and portraits, and also works that have been commissioned. His exhibition history includes exhibited my art in three shows at The Cooper Union, including exhibiting and selling one of his silkscreen prints in a fundraising exhibition at the Arthur A. Houghton Jr. Gallery, with other New York artists, including students, teachers and alumni such as Hans Haacke. Steve has also exhibited art in several shows in Vancouver, including the Pendulum Gallery on West Georgia St and at The Reach Gallery Museum in Abbotsford, BC. Along with completing painting, graphic design and photography commissions, Steve has also painted several large–scale public murals on both canvas and on walls for different businesses, organizations and communities. An amazing thing...

With music and lyrics by JEANNIE CORSI and featuring vocals by JANET OXLEY Photographs by Noriko Nasu-Tidball   “The two friends with boundless passion for music, Jeannie Corsi and Janet Oxley, finally completed what they started 37 years ago. Their music has it all: drama, comedy, romance, friendship, spirituality, happiness, community, and values. The 9 original pieces of music and lyrics written by Jeannie and sung by Janet are quite magical, highlighting the joy of their collaboration and their long, loving friendship. They do put their hearts in it!! Watching them perform together is a refreshing, encouraging, and moving experience. Their faces are full of graceful smiles and humor, as well as their life struggles. Their genuine happiness appears so natural in their music that you will remember that life is beautiful indeed. I was in awe of the music and their personalities, which are unique and full of vigor and creativity—absolutely first-rate. I am sure everyone will agree! I am proud and excited to bring their nine original pieces to our 1st Annual Community Engagement Celebration event scheduled in September 2012. Please stay tuned, everyone!”  ~Editor-in-Chief   An Interview with Jeannie Corsi & Janet Oxley VIDEO by Rosanna Goncalves   BIO: Jeannie Corsi – composer and...

  Photographed by Noriko Nasu-Tidball   Aryan Etesami I would like to begin by saying how I sincerely appreciate the opportunity that Kerrisdale Community Centre has awarded me here to express myself to the wonderful people of this great community. At first glance, I am a third year student at the University of British Columbia currently pursuing my post-secondary education in the field of Psychology. Based on my educational background, it may be evident how much I love to get to know and interact with new people of all walks of life. Also coming from a family of Persian descent, it is even more interesting for me to meet and learn about people of different backgrounds so to compare their amazing cultures, to find out the beauties embedded in each of them and realize the astonishing similarities that give meaning to the oneness of all humanity. I believe that it is only through interaction and communication with others that you will truly be able to know yourself. And as obvious as it may sound, you can only understand the meaning behind life and be able to fully enjoy it, if you know who exactly you are. To me, life is a never-ending journey to discover your own self through committing to new experiences and meeting new people that will shed more and more light into your inner realm. In today’s modern world, fortunately, our lives involve many chances to encounter new people and new experiences that we may sometimes take this opportunity for granted. Meanwhile, many of us become too busy with the hassles and stresses of everyday life that we may forget to realize the importance of quality communication and interaction with the people around us. This is why I consider it essential for...

Meet Our President = Interviewed and Written by Shahbanno Bhatti   Photographs by Noriko Nasu-Tidball   I interviewed Oscar Bisnar, the chairman of the Board at the Kerrisdale Community Centre.  Oscar has been involved with the Kerrisdale Community Center society for the past four years, starting out as a committee member.  He has a Sociology and Master of Education degree from UBC.  Oscar retired from teaching after 35 hardworking years.  ??????Travelling all around the world, he has come to the conclusion that Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. His hobbies include woodwork and fitness.  He often comes to Kerrisdale to use the fitness room.  ??????Oscar would like to see some improvements in the community center.   One of the things the Board plans is to have the new facilities for the swimming pool and arena.  However, there are issues with this development, as the community center is against the brick financial wall of the city and Park Board to get funding for it.  Moreover, one of Oscar’s main focuses being the President is to do Succession planning to motivate and encourage new board members to take up leadership positions.  He believes that it is one of the main components to achieve success in an organization, as the transitioning phase of appointing new board members runs more smoothly.   The community center consists of a diversified Board of individuals.  The center conducts elections every year electing new members for a two year term.  The current board consists of 4 newcomers as well as 15 members who have been working on the board for various years. Here is a brief introduction of the highly-engaged and high-functioning Kerrisdale Board.   Note: The summary information below comes from a brief self-report questionnaire in which...