This weekend two Okanagan authors will be holding book launches in our community.
October is Women’s History Month in Canada and Summerland author, Sherril Foster has written a book about a local woman in celebration.
Mary Spencer became known, especially in B.C., following her contract with the Vancouver Daily Province newspaper in which her well-known photographs of the infamous train robber, Bill Miner, appeared in 1906.
Mary received a little recognition for this assignment in Kamloops, but there is much more to her story which does not include the fact that the woman photographer who appeared in the 1982 movie, The Grey Fox was Miner’s paramour!
Mary lived in Summerland from 1911 to 1938 and her beautiful fieldstone home still stands.
She was an accomplished artist in many art forms, which while living here included painting on china.
The launch for Sherril Foster’s book A Steady Lens; the True Story of Pioneer Photographer, Mary Spencer will take place at the Kettle Valley Steam Railway Prairie Valley Station, 18404 Bathville Road, this Saturday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Summerland Museum will also feature a showcase about Mary which will be on display during Women’s History month.
Kelowna-based artist Julia Trops will be signing her new book Art and Money on Saturday, Oct. 12, 1 to 3 p.m. at Margot Stoltz new AIR (artist in residence) studio, located on the Wharton Street entrance of the Summerland Art Gallery.
This is a book on, well, art and money, and is based on her interactions with artists, businesses, and the community over the past 12 years.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22 at the Summerland Library The Friends of the Summerland Library Society is sponsoring a seminar for authors on publishing and marketing their manuscripts.
The discussion will explore the many choices that confront the unpublished writer and how to go about evaluating them. Seating is limited and participants are asked to register at the Library before Oct. 15.
And since we are on the topic of books and authors you might want to mark Nov. 23 and 24 on your calendar for the fifth annual Authors and Artists Christmas Faire being presented by Red Toque Books and the Shatford Centre.
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If you know of an event you feel should be included in the Arts Palette or on the Arts Council’s online calendar, please email artspalette@summerlandarts.com or call 250-404-3225. summerlandarts.com and twitter.com/artspalette
The Arts Palette is written by David Finnis, publicity chair and president of the Summerland Community Arts Council, P.O. Box 1217, 9533 Main St., Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0.