arts / 8 Artists 1n the Boro present art for the senses » ‘Let Me Count the Ways’ exhibit on display at Anvil Centre Cheryl Minns Arts Editor Marts @theotherpress.ca Fee photographs to abstract paintings, simple sketches to glitzy mixed media, the Let Me Count the Ways exhibit by Artists in the Boro explores different types of love by invoking the five senses. The exhibit borrows its title from Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem, “How Do I Love Thee?” and features 23 works from 14 local artists. Let Me Count the Ways is a sight to see, full of images to entice an art lover’s attention. Some pieces require a good, long look to find their deeper meanings, such as the abstract paintings that include hidden images. Gillian Wright’s abstract oil painting “The End of Being” at first appears like a flash of fire burning in shades of red, pink, orange, and yellow. However, upon closer inspection, there are two slightly darker red figures standing beside each other. Wright says the figures weren't intentional and just appeared when she was painting, describing in her artist statement that the image depicts one’s love and one’s soul, and that perhaps they are the same. Martine Silk’s acrylic and : black magma abstract painting : “Heavenly Spheres” features : multiple pairs of rings in gold, : magenta, and indigo floating : within the vertical canvas. : While Silk wishes to leave the : painting’s interpretation up : to the individual viewers, it : isa likely guess that the rings represent wedding bands and ; the power that such a symbol : can hold. Some of the art feels like it comes with its own soundtrack, : as familiar sounds come to : mind while viewing the images. : One of these works is Kelly A. : Lambert’s “Chatterbox Falls” : a photograph of the falls in : the Princess Louisa Marine : Provincial Park in BC. The image quickly brings to mind : the sound of the gushing water : as it surges over the falls, with a : ship in the distance sailing the smooth waters below. One of the pieces that : brings to mind a collection : of hit songs is Karen Justice’s : mixed media photography piece : “Love Me Tender” It features a : photograph of an Elvis Presley : impersonator in Las Vegas, with : a border made from smaller : versions of the picture in various : : saturations with sparkling embellishments throughout. “I chose to look in part : at the commercialization of love, Elvis’ association : being primarily with songs, > sentiments, and fluffy movies : about tenderness and, largely : physical, attraction—while he : became rich in the process,” : Justice explains in her artist’s statement. Another Lambert photograph, “My Grandmother's : Garden,’ evokes the sweet smell : : of a honeysuckle as a monarch butterfly rests on the flower. In her artist’s statement, : Lambert describes her : grandmother, who asked her to photograph the honeysuckle : bush, and the garden, which : is full of plants and garden : accessories that have a history to them. “For generations, family : and friends have given my : grandmother—who is 97 years of age—flowers, plants, : plaques, and other garden ; paraphernalia,” she writes. The tastiest piece in the : exhibit is Terry Erickson’s : “Sweet Heart,’ an oil painting of : : Sweetheart candies overflowing : : a striped, heart-shaped gift box. ! : The colourful pink, purple, : yellow, and aqua candy hearts : represent a nostalgic feeling of : young, innocent love, which : Erickson describes in her artist statement as “light-hearted reminders, perhaps, of a time Although visitors aren’t : allowed to touch any of the : works on display, several of the : pieces have familiar textures : that allow visitors to imagine what the works feel like. Duct Tape Bridal Bouquet” } was inspired to showcase my theotherpress.ca ‘Duct Tape Bridal Bouquet’ by Penny Cheng of Saniki Creations is a mixed media piece by Penny : : Cheng of Saniki Creations. It : features a bouquet of roses : made from colourful duct tape : wrapped in flowing tulle with a : pearl necklace, a pair of white : : : » . gloves, anda handkerchief. This : : when love felt less complicated.” : pulti-textured piece inspires many sensations of touch, such : asthe silky smooth feeling of — : : the gloves embracing bare hands : : or the detailed, origami-like moulding of the duct tape roses. “Another artist in the group handmade wedding flowers for : this exhibit,” Cheng writes in : her artist statement, explaining : that the bouquet was from her : wedding last August. “This : piece is therefore an ‘accidental collaboration!” Artists in the Boro’s Let Me Count the Ways will run : until March 20 at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster. : For more information, check : out the group's website at : ArtistsInTheBoro.ca Chairman of the Board: Power to the meeple » ‘Carcassonne’ game review Ed Appleby itustrator Miillustrator @theotherpress.ca Qn games have a lasting impact on the world of board games; their scoring systems, strategies begin to reappear in several other games. Today's game gave us the name of the little wooden playing piece that’s common in so many worker placement games: the meeple. Carcassonne is a worker placement game for two to : five players designed by Klaus- : Jurgen Wrede and published : by Z-Man Games in 2000. : The game is based on the : ancient city of Carcassonne in : southern France, famous for 00000 : rolling farm lands. its ubiquitous fortified city and The game board is slowly : constructed by players laying : out tiles, then the players can : : . : choose to place a meeple to dice rolling mechanics, and play : work on that tile. Points are : scored once the structure that : the meeple is working on is : completed, or the game ends. : Once all tiles are placed, the : game ends and any unfinished meeples are then scored. I found Carcassonne to be beautifully simple to play. There : aren’t any complex rules or long, : : drawn-out turn sequences. : : Strategy and psychology play : very heavily in the game, as you : will find yourself working both : with and against other players : during the game in order to : complete cities and score big : points. Like a lot of European-style : games, the scoring system in : Carcassonne is such that you : really don’t have any idea who : is winning until the game is : over, which keeps all players in : for the duration of the game. : Games generally run fairly : quickly and the simplicity of : the moves means there aren’t : as many cases of “analysis- paralysis” that can plague more : complex games. There is a reason that : Carcassonne can be considered : one of the great contemporary : games—simplicity with lots of room for strategy make : this gamea great addition to : anyone's collection. And if complexity is what you are after, ; there are dozens of expansions : to flavour your game.