The Salient Group

Pamela Masik stands in front of ‘Mona’, the first of 69 paintings.
Photo: Kristen Thompson/Metro Vancouver

The first painting in artist Pamela Masik’s series The Forgotten (www.theforgotten.ca) was unveiled at The Salient Group’s terminus June 23rd at a fundraising event to benefit a new arts program for women at the Union Gospel Mission in the Downtown Eastside. The painting, Mona, depicts Mona Wilson, a 26-year-old First Nations woman who went missing in 2001. Robert Pickton was charged with her murder.

The Forgotten series consists of 69 massive 8-by-10-foot portraits to remember each woman who has disappeared from the Downtown Eastside. “Because these women were from high-risk groups and marginalized communities, they were forgotten even before they were murdered,” says artist Pamela Masik. “The intent of this work—not just creating the paintings, but the exhibition of the collection with performance and video/photography of the process—is to raise awareness of society’s perception that prostitutes and drug users have no value and can be discarded.”

Masik founded a new arts program at the Union Gospel Mission to help women—many of them friends of the missing women—express themselves through art. “These women are survivors,” says Masik. “I believe it is our collective responsibility to empower them to heal and grow, and live a self-sustaining, healthy lifestyle. That’s the goal of the art program.” Mona and some of Masik’s paintings from her earlier resin series (www.masik.ca/Masik-Paintings.htm) will remain on display at terminus (www.theterminus.ca) until mid-July. Part proceeds from the sale of these paintings will directly benefit the arts program.

“It is an immense honour to have been chosen by Pamela to unveil a work that is so personal, yet so important in the memory of our city,” says Robert Fung, event host and principal of The Salient Group. “Pamela’s new program to benefit homeless women helps make our communities more vibrant, and more livable.”

The Union Gospel Mission is a non-profit urban relief organization serving Metro Vancouver and the City of Mission, providing hope for the hungry, hurting and homeless since 1940. www.ugm.ca

Media coverage of the event can be found at:

Metro Vancouver – Art Honours Slain Women
Vancouver Sun – First of 69 missing women portraits unveiled by Vancouver artist
24 Hours – Mona Remembered
Globe & Mail – Pickton victim honoured in first of portrait series
Video: Toronto Sun – Portraits chronicle city’s missing women
Video: GlobalTV – News Hour on Global, Tuesday, June 23

A few photos from the unveiling:

The Vancouver International Jazz Festival is a long celebrated event in Vancouver. One not to miss. It’s BC’s largest music festival boasting over 400 concerts at 40 venues – no matter what your taste is in music, there’s something in the program for you. And, it all starts this Friday, June 26th and runs through to July 5th.

There’s shows at various venues around the city, but no doubt the Gastown event stands out to many. The Gastown Jazz component of the festival runs this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 27th & 28th at the Maple Tree Square Free stage.

Gastown Jazz, is a free two-day New Orleans-style street festival is back! Historic Gastown becomes an open-air party with multiple acts spread over two days. Featuring Canadian and International artists, Gastown Jazz has become a traditional destination for jazz fans and is synonymous with the opening weekend of the Festival. Two free stages bookend Water Street’s three blocks. Continuous music is performed for everyone to enjoy. Friends and families come from all over to celebrate the beginning of summer while reveling in a diverse array of musical styles. Gastown Jazz also boasts dazzling street entertainers, souvenir and CD kiosks, snacks and refreshments, as well as a wide selection of cafés, restaurants, and bistros all along Water Street.

Here’s a list of just the FREE Gastown Jazz events, and the entire Jazz Festival schedule can be found on their website. We’ll cross our fingers for good weather.

Bike culture in Vancouver runs deep, and a new exhibition at the newly renamed Museum of Vancouver shows off all kinds of modern cycling styles. Velo-City: Vancouver & the Bicycle Revolution show opened last night – you can learn more about it here:  www.museumofvancouver.ca/exhibition.php?id=6. Be sure to add your favourite cycling photos to their Flickr group too!

A few of us at Salient are avid cyclists, and thought we’d bring this great show curated by Propellor Design to your attention – it’s well worth going by the museum. It’s going to be a fantastic weekend to ride around the seawall, so you should pop by the museum and check out the show. The show runs until September 7th.

See the Georgia Straight article about the show here: Velo-City pays tribute to culture on two wheels. UPDATE: VancouverIsAwesome.com also just put up an article about the exhibit too… You can see that here.

Museum of Vancouver also has a new website www.museumofvancouver.ca

Salient recently had the opportunity of being and exhibitor at EPIC, the Vancouver Sustainable Living Expo. We were honored to take part in such and exciting event, with so many other interesting sustainable businesses with a strong commitment to doing their part for the sustainability movement. It was great to see a lot of familiar faces and a lot of new faces visit us at our booth, and we would like to thank you for taking the time to visit us and hear more about what Salient is doing as a company, and appreciate your positive feedback.

We look forward to next year’s event!

Visit the EPIC website to learn more.

THE KEY REALTOR PRICING CONTEST 

If you’re good at guessing property values, you’ve got a good shot at winning a trip for two to New York City to stay for two nights at the Gramercy Park Hotel –  www.gramercyparkhotel.com.

Here’s what you’ll be assessing:

Terminus, in Gastown, is a unique blend of heritage facades and all-new construction. The community features many double-height homes, secure in-building parking, and a very hip rooftop urban lounge. It’s a stunning example of the Gastown revival – and a great new beginning.

And here’s what you need to do:
1. Schedule a walk-through at terminus with one of our sales specialists.
2. Guess what the final sale price will be for each of these 14 homes.
3. Submit your entry form.
4. Win, and get on a plane to New York.

When to Come:
1. The Key Price Contest Realtor Open House is on Mon. to Thur. from 12pm – 2pm.
2. Terminus Realtor Event is at 12pm on Friday, May 29th, 2009. 
3. Book an appointment daily from 9am – 9pm by calling 604.688.5566.

Terminus is located at 36 Water Street, Gastown, Vancouver BC. Submissions will only be accepted until Sunday, May 31st, 2009. So don’t delay.

The winner will be announced after all the remaining homes at terminus have been sold. 

Good luck, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Come and visit our booth at EPIC, the sustainable living expo this weekend – Friday to Sunday, May 8-10 at the NEW Vancouver Convention Centre.

EPIC: The Vancouver Sun Sustainable Living Expo is Western Canada’s ONLY green consumer tradeshow and eco-marketplace. Join this three-day celebration of green living and surround yourself with 300+ exhibitors, inspiring ideas, exciting entertainment and smart shopping in one jam-packed weekend.

Visit the EPIC website to learn more.

Vancouver urban design magazine, re:place has published a story about the opening of the Flack Block. Below is their story. I encourage you to take a few moments to look at their website – lots of Vancouver history (in ‘5 minute’ segments) and green content as well.

After two years of restoration by The Salient Group, and an intensive period of tenant space renovation by Renewal Partners, the 1898 Flack Block recently celebrated its official re-opening. The Flack Block is the new home to theTides/Renewal Centre, a collection of socially progressive businesses including Renewal Partners, Tides Canada, Hollyhock Leadership Institute, Forest Ethics, Rainforest Solutions Project, Penner & Associates sustainable design, and Raised Eyebrow Communications, among others.

Under the leadership and commitment of Renewal Partners, the Tides/Renewal centre office renovation in the Flack Block will achieve a LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors certification from the Canada Green Building Council. This designation is among the first in Canada in a heritage building that will be made available to lease.

You can see the rest of the story here: