Carolyn Grass

Four years ago in Squamish, Carolyn Grass and two other musicians from Squamish brainstormed the “GrassRoots Jam at the BAG”, which provides an evening of music for audiences and entertainers of all ages and levels.

The “BAG” as it is known in the community, is short for the Brackendale Art Gallery, and according to Grass is “one of the original homes of the arts.” Since then, the “GrassRoots Jam at the BAG” has become a regular feature of the community in Squamish and Brackendale.

Carolyn Grass is a COPE 378 member working at Capilano University who has lived in Squamish for the last 15 years and is a vocalist who also plays guitar and percussion.

The “GrassRoots Jam at the BAG” is a thoroughly community affair: the musicians are local and the art gallery donates its spaces free of charge to the community musicians in order to make the sessions possible.

Carolyn brings her voice, her guitar and a variety of percussion instruments such as the spoons, a tambourine, shakers, and her African drum, djembe, to the Jam, which is held on the first Sunday of every month. According to Grass, “the sessions are informal and intimate and open to everyone, which makes them special. The whole thing is an ad-lib kind of evening.”

As well as performing at many local events and venues, including the recent Brackendale Fall Fair, Carolyn has coordinated Squamish’s “Wild at Arts” Festival for the past few years; a world class arts festival held in the Spring. This year more than 40 artists exhibited their works in the main gallery at the PGE Carshop at the Westcoast Heritage Railway Park, with live entertainment on the main stage and in front of the Squamish Valley’s prized steam engine, the Royal Hudson.

Grass says the theme of the 2009 Wild at Arts Festival is LOCAL COLOUR. The goal of next year’s festival is to increase the promotion, partnership and collaboration within the Squamish arts community as they move toward 2010. In addition, the festival will focus on celebrating the community itself and the Squamish Valley’s diversity in arts, recreation, and tradition. Overall, the emphasis of the festival will be to encourage local talent, called “WILD LOCALS”, including artists from the Sea to Sky region from Lions Bay to Pemberton. Information about the Festival and submission are available on the www.wildatarts.ca website.

Grass’ interests and her work in the community don’t stop at the arts scene, as she is also active throughout the sports and recreation community as well. As a member of the Squamish Rod and Gun Club, archery and riflery are sports Carolyn regularly participates in, and recent training qualifies her to volunteer as a Biathlon Official at the 2010 Olympics’ Nordic Sports at the Whistler Olympic Park in the gorgeous Callaghan Valley.

In addition to working at Capillano University, Grass was also a student of the College (now University) when it first opened and only operated after hours at West Vancouver Secondary School. At the time, it was just Carolyn and 783 other students in attendance. Grass went on to complete her education degree at UBC and worked for sight and mentally handicapped agencies and as a counsellor and rehab consultant. Recently, Carolyn went back to school and graduated from the Capilano University’s Executive and Project Administration Program.

Carolyn currently works at the University’s Squamish Campus.

Article and interview by Karen McRae.

Want to be profiled in a COPE 378 member profile? Know someone you think should be profiled? Contact Sage Aaron at saaron@cope378.ca.