As the founder of Oceanview Guitar Studio & Creative Services, and Avebury Moon Music & Film, 17 x award-winning guitarist-filmmaker Kerilie McDowall offers guitar instruction, music industry coaching, and workshops from sound bathing, publicity/understanding the press to film. She’s coached and worked instructing non-profit groups from opera to theatre, to guitarists of all levels, JUNO and Polaris-winning musicians, to new film directors, and young filmmakers. As a professional publicist, she can also teach you a few tricks that you will just not want to miss, with crucial-to-your-success press, TV, radio, blog/podcast industry guidance, with important timelines and guidelines.
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2026 at Easter, Spring Oceanview Guitar Studio & Creative Services Open House & House for Sale
I hope that you have a memorable Easter with family and friends while remembering the sacrifice that Jesus made for us all. To me, whether you believe or not does not matter, but knowing the oral history does. After studying world religions, I discovered that Jesus had appeared and was known in all global cultures, HE appeared all over the world, from Japan, to the impressive Indigenous populations of North America. From Europe and afar, he had an omnipotent presence and was experienced everywhere all at once, communicating with many cultures.
Excerpt from Christ in North America: "In Middle and South America, he was known, respectively, as the “Feathered Serpent,"(the Mayas’ Kukulcan and Aztec Quetzalcoatl), and “Sea Foam” Kon-Tiki-Viracocha, to the Incas. North of the Rio Grande River, he is generally referred to as East Star Man, Peace Maker, Pale One, Dawn Star."
No matter what you believe, the teachings of Christ have a moral strength that is worth remembering, revering and celebrating.
NEWS
I had not been ready to say it prior, but I am recovering from endometrial cancer surgery. After a shocking year for me health-wise, with successful life-saving surgery in October 2025 in Nanaimo, I am still very happy to be here. I just had my five month check up and am cancer-free! I am grateful to God for showing me the path that I need for continued health. Thankfully, I made it through the surgery and the worst of it and am still here to enjoy life with you. I had felt very ill for a long time, and was not going out very much to see my friends perform, I hope you can forgive me.
I have adopted a vegetarian diet, am completely alcohol/street drug/ sugar/caffeine-free, and like anyone, I struggle to stay strict on this difficult dietary path especially. The surgery messed with my hormones causing a large weight gain, so I am now in the throes of a major health focus with Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and meditation gaining my health back. I am open to your best weight loss tips!
I am feeling much better with my 2026 regime and I am enjoying my art therapy especially. Here is a sample of some of the work below:
"Bundled Goddess" by Kerilie McDowall
"Spritz," by Kerilie McDowall
"Mysterious Forest," by Kerilie McDowall
I have decided to simplify my life and to downsize and to move into a smaller dwelling for less stress and a simpler lifestyle. Here are the after de-cluttering photos, I consulted with one of the most visually gifted people I know, Brenna Laine. I expect the house to be on the market for Open House viewing to be selling by mid-April. Tell your friends who are house-hunting!
Home Sweet Home 1 Image by Kerilie McDowall
House for Sale Lobby Image by Brenna Laine
Dining Image by Brenna Laine
Dining Image by Brenna Laine
Family Room Image by Brenna Laine
Family Room with Vaulted Ceilings Image by Brenna Laine
Lobby, Partial Kitchen view by Brenna Laine
Family Room - ocean/mountain view surrounded by garden privacy
If you live on Vancouver Island, I will be selling gardening items and supplies, garage, kitchen, and seasonal tools, garden pots, including three mega size plastic pots, thousands of organic seeds, organic ice melter salt (about 60 full 10 - 20kg bags), and household items with some creative items like a MIDI keyboard, other curiosities and two TVs from my mountain home soon at my estate sale soon on a possible date of April 22, 2026 from 11 am onward, so be sure to stop by and let me know if any of the items might interest you.
OTHER NEWS
RECORDING ARTISTS
Emerging and professional recording artists can consult with me for grantwriting, press education, and study of the music industry, polishing any writing skills or press/publicity approaches with mentoring and coaching sessions with me in 2026.
Music industry coaching (grants, the press, album prep) rate: $318 CAD ($229 USD) for 2 hours, about $247 CAD ($177 USD) for one hour. Check out the Lessons and Workshops.
For recording artists and creatives: I offer press, publicity, grant writing skills and film assistance, and brand strategy, supporting creatives from opera companies to JUNO and Polaris Music Prize artists and emerging writers, musicians and filmmakers/directors.
30% off is extended into the Spring 2026. Did you see a service or a workshop that is not already marked down, but would like to receive 30% off? Choose your non-discounted service and use the 30% OFF Discount PROMOCODE is I3X5499 in your shopping cart (click the guitar, it is the shopping cart). Use the code in the gift and discount code section after clicking CHECKOUT.
Conditions: **PROMOCODE does not apply to already marked down on sale services. The senior discount is for ages 65 and up. Disabled clients (all disabilities) will also receive the discount.
OCEANVIEW GUITAR & CREATIVE SERVICES
Oceanview Guitar Studio & Creative Services Open House
When: April 7 to May 31, 2026, 10 am - 7 pm
Free 45-minute Open House guitar lesson demos by appointment or online by ZOOM at Oceanview Guitar Studio & Creative Services Open House. Try out the electric or acoustic guitar in-studio! Available online by ZOOM in the USA or Canada. https://kerilie.com/contact
Sign up for five lessons and get 25% off until the first day of summer June 21, 2026. #Nanaimo #guitar #lessons with Kerilie McDowall. (York University music graduate, current Polaris Music Prize juror/ past JUNO Awards judge). Learn "inside the #music industry," knowledge/information through private guitar lessons, coaching, and workshop mentoring.
I have a few spaces left for new guitar and music industry coaching students. Beginners are welcome. There is a list sign-up for spring workshops. PM/email for info. Beginner guitar lessons and all levels: Pop, classical, blues, rock, jazz, country, folk, more. Ages 6 and up, teens, adults. Seniors discounts. Acoustic and electric. Rate: Five 45-minute lessons total with a fifth lesson FREE=$159.99 USD! For 5 weeks! Prices in USD. (About $222.77 or $44.54 Canadian funds each lesson)
20% off 12 weeks =$365.99 USD (About $509.60 or $42.50 each lesson in Canadian funds.)
Scenic south end location near Jingle Pot with mountain and ocean views. Biography: https://kerilie.com/background (17x awarded musician/music filmmaker). Looking forward to chatting with you by PM or email. https://kerilie.com/contact
Image of Joey Johnson (by permission) by Dirk Heydemann of HA Photography.
Instagram: @keriliemcdowall
Student Megan Fleming. Image by Dirk Heydemann of HA Photography.
Have questions? Give me a call from 10 am to 7:30 pm PST at 1-250-668-3589. Online lessons and classes and workshops are offered in the USA and Canada and in Nanaimo, BC in the studio.
SERVICES SUMMARY OF OCEANVIEW GUITAR LESSONS & CREATIVE SERVICES
Update: Scene Magazine announced it on Instagram, and here is the past article I was invited to write by Ontario's Music in Motion Canada about my short jazz documentary film about the life of 20-time award-winning producer/bassist jazz musician-composer Rick Kilburn entitled, In the Zone: Rick Kilburn! View the film trailer below. In the Zone: Rick Kilburn » Scene Music Magazine!
All film investors and potential donors are invited to get a free link to view the full short documentary In the Zone: Rick Kilburn for future educational distribution, or to view it on Film Freeway. I am mentoring with one of the USA's top nationwide Los Angeles film professionals, Jon Fitzgerald, co-founder of Slamdance, and past film festival director of the AFI, and other fests. Message and I will send you the private film viewing link.
With costs like future regular formatting editing, close captioning, additional add-on filmmaking, employee staffing costs, incorporation, commercial insurance, marketing, website creation, travel, memberships and user fees, your donation or investment to In the Zone: Rick Kilburn, In the Community can make a world of difference!
Donate to the film crowdfunding at PayPal to Avebury Moon Music & Film with the email address: aveburymoon@gmail.com
To assist the regular island film and music community: I will share your name or business name, title, and 30 word star bio FREE in the new StarsIn theCommunity feature in the In the Zen Blog.
All non-anonymous donors and investors will have their business name featured in Star Donors in the Community. Investors can request a full story interview article in the In the Zenblog. Send your 30 word bio and the rest of your details here.
Whether you're looking to invest, donate, shred on the guitar like a pro, master your favourite songs, need grant writing help, want to take workshops, or need expert support for your creative or film projects, you've come to the right place!
Visit my website at https://kerilie.com to learn more about services and take a peek at workshops in the STORE to receive exclusive tips and DISCOUNTED future offers.
https://kerilie.com/contact (or click reply) 1-250-668-3589 in Nanaimo, BC. Services are available in studio and online in Canada and online in the USA.
Warmest,
Kerilie McDowall Founder/Owner Oceanview Guitar Studio & Creative Services and Avebury Moon Music & Film
Award-winning TV Director/radio host, jazz guitarist, and composer. Polaris Music Prize juror/DownBeat Critics Poll judge Kerilie McDowall instructs and coaches guitarists, creatives, writers, non-profits, businesses, on-the-rise musicians, and new film directors at Oceanview Guitar Studio & Creative Services in Nanaimo, BC, Canada.
As the founder of Oceanview Guitar Studio & Creative Services, and Avebury Moon Music & Film, 17 x award-winning guitarist-filmmaker Kerilie McDowall offers guitar instruction, music industry coaching, and workshops from sound bathing, publicity/understanding the press to film. She’s coached and worked instructing non-profit groups from opera to theatre, to guitarists of all levels, JUNO and Polaris-winning musicians, to new film directors, and young filmmakers. As a professional publicist, she can also teach you a few tricks that you will just not want to miss, with crucial-to-your-success press, TV, radio, blog/podcast industry guidance, with important timelines and guidelines.
Your Free Gifts x2 Splash. By Kerilie McDowall Gifts for You x 2! (OOPs!) Sorry that the previous link did not work! To make it up to you here are two gifts for you and/or your friends!** If you already subscribe drop me a note and I will email you the pdf file(s). First: From me to you to market yourself to the press! Your Press guide. GIFT #1 FOR YOU! Second: A gift to get you started with the guitar! Your first guitar lesson! GIFT #2 FOR YOU! **Thoughts to Add Image by Garik Barseghyan...
Creative Diving with Positive Talk Radio Dive by Kerilie McDowall A Gift for You! A gift for you and your friends from me to market yourself to the press! A GIFT FOR YOU! A New Position Image by Garik Barseghyan from Pixabay As you know I have been excited to announce that I recently took on a new part-time career position as an A&R at Fromm Consulting. Fromm Consulting specializes in music rights transactions, and our founder is 70× platinum songwriter Andrew Fromm—a 27-year music-industry...
Creative Endeavors "Squared," By Kerilie McDowall A New Position Billie Holiday Image by FotoshopTofs from Pixabay I an excited to announce that I recently took on a new career position as an A&R at Fromm Consulting. Fromm Consulting specializes in music rights transactions, and our founder is 70× platinum songwriter Andrew Fromm—a 27-year music-industry veteran. Since 2008, Andrew and team have completed nearly 200 deals (Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez, Eric...
