A wealth of art, song and poetry is planned at the Gibsons Public Art Gallery to celebrate one of Canada's iconic singer/songwriters, Joni Mitchell, in a show called Both Sides Now.

Song phrases such as "they paved paradise, put up a parking lot" or "we are stardust, we are golden" have entered our country's consciousness and culture. Now the words inspire artists, musicians and writers in a show that opens with a reception on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 4 to 7 p.m. If you can't make it to the reception, there will be plenty of Joni-inspired entertainment throughout the month including evening concerts on Nov. 20 and 27 organized by musician Luci Herder and stories about Joni during a session on Saturday, Nov. 21 led by Sandy Wrightman. Also on the performance dates, the audience will hear original poetry from some of the Coast's writers, organized by Ross Harry. A big finale is planned for Dec. 5 with Bad to the Bow performing.

Coast artist Mudito Drope started the ball rolling when she painted a likeness of Joni in a field under a blue sky - suggesting the singer's Saskatchewan roots - and sent it to her. Mitchell replied that she liked the painting and it will be on display during the show.

Though Mitchell has a home on the Sunshine Coast, at the time of writing, she is reportedly out of hospital in the U.S. after suffering a stroke and a brain aneurism. Latest media reports say that she can talk but not walk and this is echoed on her fan club website: www.jonimitchell.com where you can still wish her a happy 72nd birthday. Her business manager, Jane Tani, wrote to the gallery saying that they are happy with Joni's progress and hope that she will resume her annual visit to the Sunshine Coast. Mitchell knows about the planned gallery tribute, and though she cannot attend, she has sent a signed poster in her first fan appreciation act of her recovery. It has been expertly framed and will be on display.

Of the 80-plus artworks in the show curated by Nadina Tandy, there are many highlights: Susan Furze has submitted an etched and painted glass portrait of Joni as the High Priestess as represented on Tarot cards. Pat Ridgway's depiction of Mitchell is superb. Noel Silver sees the musician as a face emerging from obscurity while Rose Ann Janzen depicts her as a cigarette-smoking, paintbrush-wielding mermaid. Pat Forst has submitted a clay and burnt umber pottery piece with the tasty title of The Sun Pours Down Like Butterscotch. Chelsea Morning images are popular, as in a whimsical acrylic by Yuri Keschak.

One of the more interesting pictures has a story behind it. John Uren from Powell River has submitted a copy of a Mitchell painting called The Dreamer. The singer gave the original to him when she told him, "John, you're a dreamer." They met when his Calgary nightclub featured her in 1963 in one of her first professional gigs playing folk music on a ukulele under her maiden name of Joni Anderson. Uren sighed a little as he recalled that later when she married Chuck Mitchell, she asked Uren to be her manager, but he turned her down.

If you had to pick the image most associated with Mitchell, it would have to be the big yellow taxi. Bodhi Drope has organized the construction of a big yellow cut-out taxi complete with a picture of Joni in the back seat, and you will be able to take your photo sitting in the driver's seat as a memento of your visit.

Some musicians will be at the opening reception this Saturday, and many more will perform at the Friday, Nov. 20 concert: Lowry Olafson, Pat Forst, Phyllis Sinclair, Ja (a duo from Powell River) and the Still Smokin' Jonis (Luci Herder, Graham Ord, Sacha Fassaert, Ross Powell, Scott Jacks, Doug Howden). Also appearing on Nov. 20 will be poets Richard Austin Borthwick with Just a Little Blood and Remembering Richard, Magdelanye with Cloud Taxi to Paris for Free After Midnight and Franz Litzen's To Joni.

Plan to attend at least one of these concerts. See www.gpag.ca for dates and times. In the words of Chelsea Morning: "Oh, won't you stay/ We'll put on the day/ And we'll wear it till the night comes."