FA L L 2 0 11
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A H Arts& 1 A z A EDUCATION
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Stuff
3. Shout 4. Point 5. Counterpoint 6. First Word 7. Sights - Benjamin Allain 8. Syllables - Don Domanski 9. Spotlight - Live Art Dance 10. Cover Story 13. Showcase NS 14. Showcase NL 15. Showcase NB 16. Showcase PEI 17. Sights - Dave Skyrie 18. Syllables - Anne Simpson 19. Spotlight - Nocturne
20. Shine - Nicole Lundrigan 22. Scene - Letterpress Gang 24. Artrepreneur 25. Scoop - Robert Summerby-Murray 26. Community 27. Click 28. Currents 29. Count 30. Snaps 33. Sights - Reed Weir 34. Syllables - Tom Dawe 35. Spotlight - Flamenco 36. Shorts - Joel Thomas Hynes 38. Sounds 40. On the Page
42. On the Stage 43. Taste 44. Sights - Tara K Wells 45. Syllables - Yvette Doucette 46. Spotlight - HPX 47. Spectacle NS 48. Spectacle NL 49. Spectacle NB 50. Spectacle PEI 51. Sights - Lianne Larose 52. Syllables - George Murray 53. Spotlight - Eastern Front Theatre 54. Last Word 55. Coda
Volume 2, Issue 1 Fall 2011 Arts East is published by Nova Media Group artseastonline@gmail.com www.artseast.ca
Publisher: Stephen Patrick Clare Editor: Whitney Moran Designer: Mike McMahon Contributors: Paul Bennett, Chris Benjamin, Tina Capalbo, Michelle Brunet, Megan Power
All material contained within this publication is the property of Arts East, the contributors and the artists themselves. Any duplication or reproduction of materials is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Arts East. Arts East gratefully acknowledges the generosity of KBC.
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Shout
In our last issue, AE invited readers to share – in one simple sentence – what art means to them. We were overwhelmed with replies and would like to share a small sampling of them with you. “It is a kaleidoscope of emotions.” – Dawn, St. John’s
“It is all around me and at all times – I just have to stop and look for it.” – J.Blanco, Clayton Park
“I love art because it teaches me about myself.” – Kayla, Lyonsbrook “When all is said and done, I will no longer be here but I hope that my “I read somewhere that art is the vis- writing will have endured.” ible link in a chain of unconscious – Brian, Charlottetown events.” – Nicholas, Halifax “To quote Jim Morrison, I conceal “Without art our lives would be lifemyself in order to reveal myself.” less, dull and gray.” – Lisa, Corner Brook – Sean, Sydney “It keeps me focused on what’s impor- “Art is my whole world and infuses tant in life.” – Kyle, Fredericton everything that I am and everything that I do with a sense of the “It reminds me of what is possible.” beautiful.” – Sharon, Hunter River – Paul, Mahone Bay
“Art means the world to me and we “When I paint, I am free.” are very fortunate to have so many – Chantal, Dieppe wonderful artists living and working here in Atlantic Canada.” “Art makes me think, feel, laugh, – Mary, Mount Pearl cry, get mad – and it inspires me to greater things.” – Kevin, Saint John “I suppose that, like a lot of us, I take it for granted most of the time.” “It brings out the best in me as an – Beverly, Oromocto individual, and society as a whole.” – Lori, Dartmouth
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Point My Fridge Door The door of my fridge might be the most amazing thing in my house. As in many homes, it is a colourful repository for my daily life; memos, photos, bills, receipts, etc, all buried under an array of amazing magnets. It is also where I proudly post my children’s artwork. I have two kids; Dylan is 14 and Sofia is 3. Like most boys, Dylan has found his creative voice through the mechanics of modern machinery; first, as a youngster, with Hot Wheels and Lego - his extravagant racing tracks and wonderfully detailed charts and graphs outlining victors and spoilers are nothing short of artistic masterpieces. Today, he is equally inventive with his video camera and his MacBook. His five-minute films are impressive, and it is inspiring to see his imagination still very much at play and at work in his life. Sofia loves everything expressive; crayons, markers, finger paints, construction paper, Play-dough, silly putty, toys, games, clothes. What really stands out, however, are her storytelling skills, and it is beyond beautiful to witness my child create a universe out of nothing more than her mind's eye and a few indiscriminate items. And while both the education system and child care have been good and right to encourage their creative endeavours, it is here at home that Dylan and Sofia have been
most free to ignite their imaginations. My house is a Mecca of art; paintings and photographs drape the walls, books are scattered everywhere, cameras and computers are openly available to anyone at anytime, as are a myriad of musical instruments. There are heaps of colouring books and sketch pads lying around, as well as a surplus of craft supplies, including Popsicle sticks, sparkles, beads, yarn, children’s scissors, and a tub of Elmer’s School Glue to hold everything together. Whenever possible I have included the kids in my artistic outings, often taking them to museums, festivals, concerts, the theatre and the cinema. Like me, they have enjoyed the experiences and come away from them all the more enlightened and enriched. It is, by all accounts, a win-win-win scenario. Ultimately, art education begins at home with an effort to introduce our offspring to the wonder and beauty of creativity. Encouraging them to see the world in a different light brings untold benefits; self-expression, self-esteem, self-confidence, critical thinking, and a life-long love for learning. The proof is on my fridge door.
Stephen Patrick Clare Publisher
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Counter
The Art of Self-Education “Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction” ~ Picasso I once referred to myself as a “Peter Pan” student. Enamoured with school from a young age, I felt safe within its confines. However by the time I finished university I had deciphered that formal education was really a lesson in building on foundational concepts, then learning to argue them, dismantle them, and finally re-create them. This is sadly lost on many students who leave with nothing but a new-fangled multi-syllabic lexicon that proves relatively useless once their meanings have been forgotten. Call me cynical but after finishing an MA in English Literatures I began to realize that I lacked many of the skills necessary to perform in the vast world outside of academia (networking? Logical thinking?), and had abandoned my pre-formal education methods of self-learning. Creative Writing. Photography. Reading for pleasure. Upon returning to this collective muse, I came to the conclusion that, although there is nothing wrong with formal education, learning the art of self-education is necessary for the creative and curious individual. These past two years of leaving behind the ‘lost boys’ of academe have allowed me to return to a way of thinking that is all my own. For the world of education is much larger than a classroom.
What exactly does it mean, to self-educate? Even if we are born with this urge, and sprout from the womb with ample curiosity about the world around us, we are often tainted by a societal obsession with the ‘credential’. Although I can tell you that much of my university experience was wildly engaging and helpful, the development of my unique writing style came when I was left to my own devices. Only after a long period of independent literary and poetic ‘research’, self-guided raids on the stacks at the public library, an unabated return to my own past, and a diving headfirst into experience was I able to find my voice. Because to create, we must first live. My tangential sputtering leads me to this in closing: as Editor I promote and celebrate the importance of education, but only as an introduction to breaking down those same walls you’ve inhabited in truant dedication to learning from and for yourself. A generous balance of the two is fodder for the creative soul. And it is with much pride that I celebrate this balance in Arts East, offering the self-made & formally educated, the apprentice & professional, all comingling in a kaleidoscope of what is possible when one admits a self-capacity for talent. Go. Create.
Whitney Moran Editor
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First
Word By Paul Bennett
Awakening a Young Writer's Voice:
The Impact of Nova Scotia's Writers in the Schools Program Some twenty years ago, a gangly Annapolis Valley teen with aspirations to become a writer literally found his purpose in life. Poet and fiction writer Jenni Blackmore came to his high school in 1991 for a two-day intensive writing workshop and this single school visit was the clincher. That aspiring writer was none other than Nate Crawford, the current Executive Director of the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS), the organization responsible for the flagship Writers in the Schools (WITS) program. “As a young person with thoughts of becoming a writer,” Nate recalls, “it was probably a turning point for me.” “I engaged with Jenni fully and found her to be generous, respectful, and sensitive in giving feedback. This, in turn, led me to seriously investigate a career in the arts as I prepared for university.” One Nova Scotian writer visiting his school made all the difference. Since 1982, Nova Scotia’s Writers in the Schools program has come a long way. Launched by a handful of enterprising Nova Scotian writers, it now boasts a roster of 90 writers who visit some 140 different schools across Nova Scotia. Today, 30 years later, the program’s budget has grown from $2,500 to just under $100,000, with the generous assistance of two provincial government departments, Education and Communities, Culture and Heritage.
Writers in the Schools (WITS) has proven to be one of the best ways of reaching the mass of students and of building partnerships between teachers and locally-based writers. Since 2010, former bookstore owner Heidi Hallett has overseen the program, helping to connect writers with schools, coordinating the visits, and providing “tender loving care” so vital to the continued success of the venture. Last year, WITS sponsored 167 full-day visits and 164 halfg-day sessions reaching from 52,000 to 60,000 students, an audience representing close to half of all Nova Scotia school age children. For Nate Crawford and countless other students, an author’s school visit was likely their first contact with a real-life, flesh and blood, working writer. It also has the potential to do much more. In the case of budding young writers like Nate, it proves that, in his own words, “a single visit can... change a life forever.” Paul W. Bennett, Founding Director of Schoolhouse Consulting, is a member of the Nova Scotia Writers Federation and one of 60 writers on the current WITS roster. His most recent book is Vanishing Schools, Threatened Communities: The Contested Schoolhouse in Maritime Canada, 1850-2010 (Fernwood, 2011)
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sights
Benjamin Allain Benjamin Allain received his BFA from Mount Allison in 2007 and has been showing his rustic, lucid narratives to intrigued audiences coast to coast ever since. Receiving funding from the PEICA and Newfoundland and Labradour Arts and Tourism, he has put on workshops throughout Canada teaching his artmaking techniques – coffee-spill mapping, alterations to found photographs, collage – and telling folks about the importance of storytelling and the element of chance in making artwork. Facebook: Benjamin Allain
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syllables A Bright Fable in a Dark Wood
what we were meant to see we’ve seen ten thousand times sunlight falling on its sword in a hayfield a craze of birdmaking in the trees taxonomy of the sadhus drifting by cloud-like and deathless white pebbles and dandelion globes little fetishes and their interwork carrying our lives on their small shoulders those lives we build beyond the event horizon so no light or sound escapes from our desires those contemplative days wrapped around our bodies stellar hours leaning upon us from out of the blue from out of the Great Dissolve what we have longed for we’ve longed for ten thousand times no words for this weight upon our hearts no name for this hospice which has taken us in its gallery of illuminations opened wide to our gaze its rooms filled with inklings and quantum fields our lodgings occupied and shining forth out of a meadow’s breath where we live in the ecstasy of asterisms in the accidental bliss of space-time woolgathering flesh to bone holding tight to elementary particles to remnants of thought scattered over the circumference of a blood drop over the mete of a vein. *
* we’d like to be a new parable we’d like to be a bright fable in a dark wood to deepen the range and pulse of our lives like shadows do by merely tissuing radiance colour-coordinated all the way down to the river unlike the revealed we burrow into our hiding places unlike the hidden we draw attention to ourselves trying to find a niche in the diminishing circles of our beliefs following an apparition’s prosthetic light just above the trees we are beautiful and lost our unknowing raising its hands in prayer the scriptures of our bodies slowly peeling away in whispers our words like the secretive cries of grass torn over and over by the wind always returning to our sorrow always about to address it but only miming those hieroglyphics that melancholic scrawl half erased those eroded depictions of our grief.
whatever we’ve done will never be finished whatever is named is unnamed as soon as we turn away beneath the sky’s sketchbook we make our plans we imagine the future under the flyover of stars lifting their names from a page chandeliered high above our bodies we are nothing more than brushwork and pillow talk living beside the stone’s perpetual ascension beside the moonlight sipping water from the roots of things lying down our heads to dream of stones and moonlight every day collecting dust on our sleeves every night shaking dirt off our shoes.
Don Domanski
Don Domanski was born and raised on Cape Breton Island and now lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has published eight books of poetry. In 2007 his book All Our Wonder Unavenged won the Governor General’s Award for poetry and the Atlantic Poetry Prize. In 2008 All Our Wonder Unavenged also won the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award. Published and reviewed internationally, his work has been translated into Czech, French, Portuguese, Arabic, and Spanish. www.dondomanski.net
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Spotlight communities. Live Art is an integrated part of the national dance milieu and an instigator of projects that create value for the local community as a whole. AE: How has the organization grown over the years? PC: Live Art now presents twice the number of events annually as compared to seven or eight years ago. Not only has the volume of programming grown, but the size of productions has grown as well. For instance, the vast majority of our shows used to take place in the Sir James Dunn Theatre and we now try to fit at least two productions into the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium. AE: What is new and exciting this year? PC: This whole year is really exciting! We have three shows at the Cohn that will feature exquisite dancing: We have the prestige of hosting the World Premiere of BJM Danse's latest work on Nov 2, on Nov 18 we present Coleman Lemieux & Company with full evening of work by renowned Canadian Master choreographer James Kudelka, and in February Live Art hosts world-renowned dance superstars La La La Human Steps' first visit to Atlantic Canada. We'll also host the world premiere of Halifax's own Mocean Dance's latest work plus collaborate with ScotiaFest on a fabulous site-specific dance/music performance by Rebecca Lazier's company Terrain Dance.
On the eve of its 2011–2012 season, Live Art Dance’s artistic director Paul Caskey spoke with AE about what his organization has on tap for the coming months and how it can grow their reputation as the leading provider of, and advocate for, contemporary dance and movement-based art in Atlantic Canada. AE: What is Live Art Dance Production's core mandate? PC: Live Art Dance develops and promotes dance and dance-related activities for dance professionals, existing and potential audiences, and the local music, film, theatre and contemporary arts
AE: What can audiences expect to experience at the Deborah Dunn/Trial & Eros performance? PC: Deborah Dunn's work mixes costume, text and dance with equal measures of humour and historical inquiry. Her latest work, Four Quartets, is inspired by T.S. Eliot's signature works of the same name. Dunn shines in this intimate solo that brings Eliot's rich images to vivid life. AE: Why is Live Art vital to both the city and province? PC: Live Art is one of very few NS organizations that present contemporary performance of this nature. We help connect our audience to current aesthetics being explored elsewhere in the global community.
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Arts
and
Education
Autumn in Atlantic Canada is sheer splendour; the brisk fall air and the changing colour of the leaves bring an end to the carefree days of summer and another revolution in the life cycle. For many, it signals a return to their studies. But with the region’s education sector undergoing a fiscal and demographic transformation, campuses across the East Coast are taking on a new, streamlined look as academic administrations seek to cut operating costs from alreadydwindling budgets. “Sadly, the arts curriculums are usually the first to go,” says Simon Brault of the Canada Arts Council. “From kindergarten through to university, budget cuts mean less teachers, classes and supplies - and that impedes development.” Still, Brault – whose seminal book No Culture, No Future is required reading for those interested in better understanding the impact of creativity upon society - feels that the arts are still a viable career option for those with a vocation. “And,” he notes, “as it is with any other profession, a formal education can go a long way towards securing a future in that field of study.” Kevin is in his third year of schooling at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) in Halifax. A native of Kingston, Ontario, he opted for a career in the arts upon his mother’s advice. “She told me to follow my dreams,” recalls the 21 year-old. “Painting is my true passion, and there is nothing else that I want to do professionally.” He says that his eye for aesthetics has been well-nurtured by his instructors. “They have given me enough guidance to help me hone my natural abilities, and enough freedom to allow me to find my own voice. It’s a fine-line to walk for both of us, but I’m cool
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“When someone asks me what I do for a living, and I tell them that I am a writer, their usual reply is, oh yeah, how’s that working out for you?” with the way I that I’m developing as a visual artist here and I’m stoked about my opportunities after I’m done.” Sean graduated from Memorial University’s School of Music program two years ago. The 23 year-old multi-instrumentalist says that having his degree has opened many doors. “People in this industry take you a lot more seriously with that little piece of paper,” he concedes over the phone from his home in St. John’s. “I get calls for studio work and live gigs all of the time – and it’s all because I can read and write music notation. “And this winter I’m taking off for six weeks to play on a Caribbean cruise.” While Sean is managing to make ends meet in the creative marketplace, others aren’t yet as fortunate. “I haven’t been published yet,” confides Marianne, who studied English and Creative Writing at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. “I have written a novel and a book of short-stories,” continues the 28 year-old, who works for a local transportation firm to support her artistic endeavours. “I’ve shopped them around to publishers, but the industry is changing so much that it’s hard to know where to turn.” Part of the problem, she concedes, is that the arts have become marginalized in our society. “When someone asks me what I do for a living, and I tell them that I am a writer, their usual reply is, oh yeah, how’s that working out for you?” Joy, a graduate of Holland College’s Culinary Arts program in PEI, has had similar issues. “Up until recently, most people didn’t see cooking as an art form,” she shares via email from Charlottetown, where she now works full-time as a sous-chef. “But a lot goes into the preparation of food; the mixing of elements, seasoning, timing, service and presentation.” She points to the growing popularity of food-media for the recent changes in perception.
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“There are lots of books, websites and television shows out there now, all dealing with the art of cuisine. And someone like (PEI chef-extraordinaire) Michael Smith has given greater legitimacy and credibility to what we do as a profession. People are starting to understand that this is serious business that requires formal training and education.”
“It all starts with crayons, scissors and construction paper right?” she laughs, “and then the sky’s the limit – anything can happen once you ignite the imagination.” Training and education are hot topics for Dr. Laura Penny, a professor of Humanities at Mount St. Vincent University in Halifax. As the controversial author of More Money Than Brains - a scathing expose of the North American school system - Penny is concerned over what she sees transpiring in the country’s classrooms. “The way our economic model is set up is no longer conducive to a well-rounded education,” she says with a sneer. “We have jobs to fill, and so what we are seeing now is more like training – students are encouraged to zero in on one skill set for a particular career instead of learning how to love learning.”
“There is a reason why we see lesser arts funding to our schools than with other disciplines,” he notes. “Mostly it is because our politicians and business leaders have no understanding or vision as to its importance to our overall wellbeing, including our economic prosperity.” The case for greater arts investment, including within the core curriculum of our schools, was first brought to mass-attention by American urban studies theorist Richard Florida in his bestselling 2002 treatise The Rise of the Creative Class. In the book, Florida details how economies of the future will depend heavily on their communities having a vibrant arts and culture sector. With a large percentage of the population – baby-boomers - set to retire or downsize their professional lives over the coming decade, the world-wide battle to attract and retain top-level talent in the workforce is heating up - the key factors of which are lifestyle, arts and culture. “This is also true in Atlantic Canada,” echoes Ramona Jennex, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Education. “The arts sector is quickly becoming a key pillar of prosperity here.” A former school teacher with over 30 years of experience in the classroom, Jennex knows how important the role of arts is in the life of young people. “It all starts with crayons, scissors and construction paper right?” she laughs, “and then the sky’s the limit – anything can happen once you ignite the imagination.”
Despite all of the hoopla surrounding the recent restructuring of the province’s education sector, Jennex and her peers The result, she expounds, is a lesser society. have a variety of strategies and agendas in place to ensure that art education receives the proper attention and support “Studying the arts makes us better informed of both our- it deserves. selves and the world around us. We become critical thinkers, see the world differently, and make healthier choices for our- “There are scholarships, grants and loans available to those selves and our communities. When we marginalize the arts seeking a professional life in the arts, as well as a number of in our education system, we are actually harming ourselves mentorship initiatives underway, including the various paintas a species.” ers and writers in the schools programs and our ArtsSmarts partnership with the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.” Donald J. Savoie agrees. Ultimately, however, Simon Brault believes that art education “Self-expression is good for the spirit of both an individual will flourish with popular will. and for our society as a whole,” argues the well-respected, albeit highly-outspoken political scientist and professor at “The power is in the hands of the people; if the demand the Universite de Moncton. is there, then so will be the supply. But this is more than just merely about money. There’s no question that is a key A self-professed “cynical pragmatist”, Savoie sits as the component in the equation, but what of the many intangible Canada Research Chair in Public Administration and Gov- benefits of a thriving arts sector; the identity and personality ernance. His controversial 2010 book Power: Where Is It? of our population? The colour and the flavour of our days? explores the slow, sure transition of political will in Canada The spice and seasoning of our lives? from the hands of everyday citizens to the corporate boardrooms. “The soul of our citizenry is nurtured in the classrooms.”
NS
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Showcase Since 1998, the 4Cs (Creative Connections between Children and their Communities) Foundation in Halifax has been using arts to foster education and real community development, giving grants for innovative community-engaged arts projects. Chris Benjamin talked to Executive Director Terri Whetstone to learn more: CB: What was the inspiration for the foundation? TW: Opportunities for young people to get to know others in their communities and neighbourhoods were disappearing as small schools were being closed and more children were being bused outside their communities, and as contemporary life became more complicated for families. The founders wanted to create opportunities for children/youth to connect with other people in a creative way where relationships might flourish, understanding would be fostered and a sense of being connected to one another would develop. The idea of focusing on the creative arts as the vehicle for these goals came from their passion for the arts and their own experiences at their children’s school. CB: What do 4Cs funded projects offer students/youth that they might not find in regular curriculum or other sources? TW: 4Cs projects bring students together with other members of their community to work side-by-side in a collaborative group led by a professional artist to create artworks. It is unusual for schools to create opportunities for community members - neighbours, caregivers, parents, the person who owns the corner store, students from another school, seniors – to come into the classroom. An exciting recent example was Music 4 Life. It brought together the Sackville High School Band and Sackville Community Band to learn and play music together. Sackville High School Music teacher Lara MacKenzie was the visionary and leader. Many of the students had been unaware - until this project - of the Sackville Community Band or opportunities for mentorship/friendship/ encouragement from their neighbors, or of the possibility of their own future involvement in a band in their community. Students learned valued skills, made friends with older professional musicians who encouraged them and fostered aspirations that had been flagging for some of the students. The place of the Sackville Community band became more integrated in the community, increasing its recognition but also the community’s sense of pride in its musicians. CB: What do the adults involved get out of it? TW: One actually gets to be involved with young people! There are enormous issues of mistrust between youth and adults and therefore a lot of misunderstandings. Being able to work side-by-side with young people through these creative activities is a safe way to spend time getting to know each other. And because these are art-
based projects the adult participants are no more skilled – often less - than the youth. So they get to be learners too. This allows youth to share their knowledge and skills with adults, which is empowering. The trust that develops, the breaking down of myths and stereotypes about each other, are important things both groups get out of the projects. CB: Anything new and exciting this year? TW: 4Cs is supporting an exciting community-art project in the Stratford Way Park in Clayton Park, in partnership with HRM Parks Infrastructure and Cultural Affairs. Students at Park West and Halifax West as well as seniors groups, brownies, girl guides, scouts and Newcomer groups are all involved in creating large mosaic medallions and stepping stones installed in the park. The bulk of this is being done at the end of September and everyone is invited to join in! CB: What have been the personal highlights so far for you as the director? TW: In six years as director I have been able to help 4Cs grow from a grant-giving foundation to offering the Art Bikers program, establishing a network of community arts practitioners and taking a leadership role in developing and hosting the Arts Engage! Training Intensive and Symposium last June in Halifax. This past summer was the fifth year we offered Art Bikers. Such a simple idea: hire some young artists, equip them with bicycles and trailers full of supplies, and set them loose in the city to engage with people of all ages in making art! When I dreamed this up, I didn’t understand the depth of the impact the program could have - but I’ve learned that over the years. It evolves each year depending on who the Art Bikers are. This year was a very performative group of artists and they created some very different artworks with the public. You can learn more at www.artbikers.blogspot.com. And as an artist, I am very pleased to have created a program that employs four or five young artists - usually students - each summer in a province where well paid and creative summer jobs are few and far between! CB: Anything else we should know? TW: I am surprised we are not inundated with proposals from community groups wanting to beautify their streets and neighbourhoods by involving the whole block or neighborhood in a 4Cs project. I’d love to hear from any non-profit group or organization, if this interests you! www.4csfoundation.com
NL
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Showcase The St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival (SJIWFF) is one of the longest running women’s film festivals in the world. Established in 1989 to support and promote women filmmakers, SJIWFF produces several screenings, workshops and other events throughout the year, culminating in a five day film festival held in October in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. The event attracts close to 4000 participants. This year the festival runs from October 18-22. Recently AE caught up with the festival’s executive director Kelly Davis. AE: How long have you been involved in the festival? KD: Since 2004 AE: What is the festival's core mandate? KD: The festival’s core mandate is to support women filmmakers by screenings works either produced, written and/or directed by women. AE: How has the fesitval grown over the years? KD: The Festival has grown from a small grassroots operation run purely on volunteerism to a year-round charitable organization that includes a week-long international film festival screening 80-90 films in multiple venues selected from close to 500 film submissions annually, a cross-provincial screening tour, a week-long industry Film Forum, a series of summer film camps for youth and young adults, among other activities. As of 2001 it has employed a full-time, yearround Executive Director and part-time/contractual staff. This growth has happened thanks to a dedicated volunteer board of directors, led by the Festival’s founder Noreen Golfman, and wonderful support from our local film community and devoted audience members!
AE: What's new and exciting this year? KD: This year we are screening 81 films from here and around the world, including local filmmaker Deanne Foley’s first dramatic feature, Beat Down, starring Marthe Bernard and Mark O’Brien to name a couple of stars! We are also screening a number of excellent local short films including Joel Thomas Hynes’ directorial debut, Jordan Canning’s Canadian Film Centre film Oliver Bump’s Birthday and Christian Sparkes’ A River In The Woods which screened at TIFF this year. Local documentaries, some incredible international shorts and another stellar feature from Canada’s Ingrid Veninger, which premiered at TIFF this year – i am a good person/i am a bad person. Ingrid will be in attendance, as will a number of broadcasters, distributors, producers and industry gurus like Roberta Munroe and Dr. Linda Seger. AE: What do you have planned for the festival next year, and in the years to come? KD: More of the same great programming, parties and workshops, and further exploration of ways to meet the needs of our local industry members, and women filmmakers in general!
NB
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Showcase Music/Musique NB (MNB) is a provincial music industry association that provides a support network for musicians, managers, and businesses that are involved in the creation of music within the province of New Brunswick. MNB is a non-profit association with ties on regional, provincial, and national levels with government agencies and departments. MNB’s primary responsibility is to represent the interests of its members and foster the New Brunswick music industry. Recently AE spoke with the organiztion’s executive director, Jean Surette, about MNB’s Music Week which runs from October 13-16 in Moncton. AE: How long have you been involved with Music NB and in what capacity? JS: I have been Executive Director since October, 2008. AE: What is Music NB week's core mandate? JS: It is to promote our artists to the industry as well as the general public through showcasing and our Awards. It is also to give our artists and industry folks a chance to get together, meet and network and to offer them professional development and training. AE: How has the event grown over the years? JS: We had 4 events from 2004 through 2007. After a two year absence, we brought it back on a much smaller scale in 2010 but with the addition of the awards which is becoming a major focus for the event.
BNI
AE: Why is this an important cultural event for the city/province? JS: It is the only Music Industry specific event for the province of NB. It also brings both the Francophone and Anglophone markets together. AE: In your estimation, is enough being done by both the public and private sector to support the arts in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada? JS: It's a hard sell in tough economic times to invest into culture and the arts. It's definitely not a priority. Most in the private sector want a sure-thing, although some are happy for just the opportunity to champion and support the arts and ongoing events.g events. Governments want a return on their invetment dollars more and more. Ufortunately, they often do not consider the real long term cultural and historic legacy art brings as part of that return.
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AE: What do you have planned for the event next year, and in the years to come? AE: What's new and exciting this year? Current Date: Sep 12 2011 11:32AM JS: I'd like to involve the Schools and the younger generaJS: We have brought back the Socan Songwriters Circle and Start Date: 9/14/2011 Advertiser Name: GALLERY 78 more. We were not able to develop that side of things we have also partnered with the Broken Coast Media group toEndtion Date: 9/17/2011 Advertiser Code: F0783940 thisCMY year. I'd also like to involve more styles of music that we organize the first ever Urban Culture Summit in NB. Color: Size: 10.00 x 3.00 in. haven't been able to showcase Client Approval OKlike Classical and Jazz. Corrections
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PEI
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Showcase It is perhaps fitting that Prince Edward Island should host an annual literary gathering. After all, the birthplace of confederation also spawned the country’s greatest selling book of all time – Anne of Green Gables. And while it is unlikely that authors today would equal or surpass Lucy Maud Montgomery’s success, the Pen & Inkling Festival will give local and area scribes a better chance with six days of workshops, school presentations, readings, book launches, a gala evening of celebration and the Island Literary Awards. Arts East spoke with the PEI Writer’s Guild about the event. What can audiences expect this year? This year's Pen & Inkling Festival includes two headliners: First Nations author Drew Hayden Taylor, who is performing during the day for students, presenting to students and staff at UPEI, and having a free reading in the evening for the general public; and Wayne Johnston, internationally acclaimed author. Wayne Johnston is also a significant feature of the festival this year. His reading will kick off the festival on September 27th. In addition to this, we will feature the Island Literary Awards, workshops, a celebration of words through the art of songwriting, readings, and special gala readings by literary guests such as Louise Oxley from Tasmania – here with the Tasmania-Prince Edward Island islandto-island writers' exchange, muscian and spoken-word artist Tanya Davis, Island poets John Smith, David Helwig, John MacKenzie, Hugh MacDonald, Deirdre Kessler, and more. Saturday night there is a gala/dance with special author readings and dancing and libations – a big East Coast party for writers. Why is this an important cultural event for the city and the province? At the heart of a civilization one finds the artists. Where there is a thriving artistic and literary community, there is a thriving culture. The Pen and Inkling Festival has the opportunity to grow, to become a part of the cultural fabric of P.E.I., to offer valuable
and entertaining programming, and to appeal to both Islanders and those in other provinces or beyond. What kind of economic impact does it have on the city and province? We expect the audiences attending the Pen & Inkling Festival will eat in Charlottetown restaurants and cafes, shop in downtown stores, buy books and CDs, stay in hotel rooms, and in many other ways enrich the city and province. Guests will also have the opportunity to purchase books and cd's by local artists, thus building the awareness of local talent and feeding the sustainability of the independent arts. What do you have planned for the event next year, and for the years ahead? In the works for the P.E.I. Writers' Guild will be the 25th Annual Island Literary Awards; Pen & Inkling III; writing workshops; mentoring program; youth outreach; and co-sponsoring literary readings with the UPEI English Department. We will bring literary events into the schools, public libraries--to the Prince Edward Island public. We continue to advocate for basic funding from the province to provide stability and a base from which to further support and nurture writers and the literary arts, and literacy, on the Island. www.peiwritersguild.com
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sights
Dave Skyrie
Dave Skyrie has participated in over two dozen group and solo exhibitions, and his work is permanently on disply in galleries and in both private and public collections in North America and in Europe. He works in a variety of media and has also published three small books of poetry. He currently resides in Grand Barachois, NB. www.skyrie.ca
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syllables The Medusa Tree We find her in a field, grass gone dustgold. No serpents undulating around her face, split tongued. Maybe a rumour, that glance— how she turned people to stone. She’s returned as a birch, half-felled by an ice storm. Coiled branches eeling around a white trunk, whiteness made whiter by the spruce behind. All the old grievances: how Perseus cut off her head, didn’t sew shut her eyes. Gave the head to Athena, decoration for a shield. Myth of August, amphitheatre of weeds sloping to the creek, the birch, such a drama queen. Nothing moves until a heron (disguised in the sedges) steps, steps through glass. Tick of grass blades. Windswoon over the hill where we stand, waiting. The birch gazes back. What did we think would happen?
Anne Simpson
Anne Simpson has published seven books, including poetry, novels, and essays. Four of these have been Globe and Mail Top 100 Books. She won the Griffin Poetry Prize for her second book of poetry, Loop, in 2004. Her second novel, Falling, was long listed for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Her newest collection of poetry– Is – was released in spring, 2011. She is currently working as Writer-in-Residence at Memorial University in St. John’s, NL.
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Spotlight Nocturne at Night is a free visual art festival held each autumn in downtown Halifax. This year the event takes place on October 15, from 6pm – 12am. Recently AE spoke with the festival’s chairperson Rose Zack about the happening and its impact on the local community. SPC: How does the event work? RZ: Nocturne achieves its mandate by working collaboratively with artists and arts organization as well as with the individuals who manage and run their respective locations/venues/sites. To date, event organizers are delighted to have the committed support of numerous community groups, cultural organizations, non-profits, businesses and more. Furthermore, public museums and galleries have committed to waiving their admission fees on October 15, ensuring access to everyone. Temporary exhibits and installations transform store fronts, walls, abandoned lots and other public and private spaces transforming perceptions of where art exists and encouraging the viewer to reconsider spaces they pass by every day. SPC: How important is Nocturne for local visual artists? RZ: Nocturne creates a forum for artists to explore new ideas, work collaboratively with other artists, musicians and performers. The collective experience provides artists with an audience and reach they might not otherwise have on their own. SPC: What are some of the events and exhibits we can look forward to this year? RZ: Participants can experience Nocturne by foot, bike, boat and bus. Tours will focus on facilitating dialogue and opportunities for engagement. This year, several of the projects are much more collaborative and as a result, larger in scope. I’m excited to see some of the musical features, one a performance of Gilbert & Sullivan’s ‘Trial by Jury’, with performances by Halifax Judges, youth and a chorus. The second is a “Lounge Act”, by Lisa Lipton, all taking place at the lounge of the Hotel Atlantica. I will be taking the ferry to listen to some music and make my way over to Dartmouth to see the transformation at Alderney Landing. There are themes around water, with a project at Centennial Pool and a carwash experience you can walk through. Several projects explore light and civic works, as well as interactive and participatory installations. I’m also hoping to run into the half dozen mobile projects and experience galleries filled to the brim with people! I can’t forget about the exhibits and galleries and museums, plus the anchor projects. There is a lot to experience. www.nocturnehalifax.ca
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SHINE
Glass Boys Nicole Lundrigan grew up in Upper Gul lies, Newfoundland. She is the author of four novels - Unraveling Arva, Thaw, The Seary Line, and her latest effort Glass Boys, a suspenseful and deeply human saga of the persistence of evil and the astonishing power of love. Recently AE spoke with the scribe about the new book.
AE: What inspired you to write this story? NL: Initially, I had a vague idea: I wanted to explore how far people will go to protect the ones they love. The brothers (Melvin and Toby) emerged first, hanging out in a tree behind the Fagan farm. That chapter became the middle of the book, and then the story see-sawed back and forth from that central point. AE: Did the book come together quickly or did you really need to work at it? NL: In one way, the book came together fairly smoothly. I didn’t struggle too much with the story. Occasionally I had to choose between two directions, but if I waited, the correct one became obvious. And as always happens, I had
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the strong desire to chuck it at the three-quarters finished mark. But there were many stops and starts. While writing I experienced a number of sad events - several people I loved slipped out of my life. Those occurrences had a freezing effect on my writing, sometimes for months. Often it was a chore to begin working again. AE: What was the most challenging aspect of the process? NL: This story is emotionally quite heavy, and because my main time to write is later at night, I frequently had insomnia. Also the subject matter was a challenge. AE: What was the most rewarding part of the experience? NL: Working with my editor was hard work, but it was also incredibly rewarding. AE: What did you learn during the process? NL: One of the main things I learned was to trust myself more, and not censor my characters. AE: Did you go through some sort of mourning or grieving process once you were done? NL: This book has been especially difficult to set free. In part I think it’s due to the life events that happened during the writing. In a strange way I can’t quite explain, those experiences are tangled up in the narrative, and I know they’re there, even though no one else does.
AE: What happens now? Are you working on something new? NL: Yes, I’m working on another novel, but this time the setting is quite different. AE: What made you want to be a writer? NL: I never really set out to be a writer. I was just finishing my graduate work when I had my first child, and my plans to do a PhD changed. I decided I wanted to stay at home to care for my daughter, and writing became a pastime. The first article I had published was about my daughter’s water birth. Then I wrote about an experience I had in Guyana, and some science articles. Eventually I decided to take a crack at a novel even though I had absolutely no idea what that involved or where to begin. AE: What makes a good book? NL: I like all kinds of books, so it really depends on the category. In general, though, I’d have to say it’s the emotional connection to the characters. AE: What are your thoughts on the current state of Canadian literature? NL: If I consider my recent reads: Lisa Moore, Andrew Pyper, Maura Hanrahan, Adam Lewis Schroeder – it’s clear Canadian literature is rich with writers who have unique styles and explore a wide range of themes. We have a vibrant and diverse culture, and that is reflected in our literature. There is so much going on, and I’m very excited to be a part of it. AE: Who are your favourite Canadian authors? NL: Timothy Findley was an all time favourite. Lately I’ve enjoyed Alice Munro, Lori Lansens, Kathleen Winter, Lisa Moore, Miriam Toews, and Alexander MacLeod. I’m looking forward to reading Michelle Butler Hallett, Marina Endicott, and Riel Nason. AE: Why do you think that Atlantic Canadians enjoys such a vibrant literary culture? NL: Growing up, I always heard stories flying around the kitchen table. People loved to entertain, to share a lesson, to make others laugh. There is very much a culture of storytelling, and that is something celebrated and respected. AE: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? NL: I’m reluctant to give advice, as I’m still trying to get a handle on it myself. I try to always be honest in my writing, to explore what feels like the truth. When I’m writing I ignore the fact someone else might read it. I try to trust my instincts, and see where they lead me. And I believe every life is worth exploring, and that there is some good in everyone.
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Scene Making an Impression: Letterpress Renaissance in Halifax
“I think people in general are returning to a hand-crafted culture, possibly as a counterpoint to the tidal wave of technology that we're inundated with on a daily basis” – Kyle Durrie, Moveable Type Letterpress: a still vibrant art form that is often misunderstood in modern cultural spheres and banished to the confines of archaic history—namely Johannes Gutenburg’s infamous invention that engulfed the world in the popular printing of pamphlets and books with wood type in the 15th century. Today letterpress is used to make everything from custom wedding invitations, to political posters, to coasters, to notebooks and personalized stationary. Always novel, letterpress appeals to those who value the uniqueness of the singular object and the artistry of imperfection. It remains one of the most functional and tactile art forms and has remarkably stood the test of time and technology. Currently experiencing a North American renaissance, with the Maritimes as no stranger to its charms—Halifax, Nova Scotia in particular has become a haven for letterpress entrepreneurs, enthusiasts, and educators alike. The legendary port city is home to the historic Dawson Print Shop, a once ancillary business, now educational space and open artist’s studio owned by NSCAD University. Housing several ancient, fully-functioning presses along with a veritable treasure trove of wood and metal type, the shop also serves as the production facility for several independent artists as well as a meeting space for NSCAD’s own “Letterpress Gang” (LPG). According to LPG Secretary and graphic design artist Katie Tower, the group was created simply “to preserve and promote the Daw-
Platin Press – Drawing by Katie Tower son”. Today LPG is an open group of letterpress advocates who maintain the shop and aim to educate the public on letterpress by showcasing and selling their own pieces, offering a Wayzegoose bi-annually, and participating in the annual Nocturne art exhibition. Niko Silvester, LPG member and proprietor of “White Raven Ink”, an independently run letterpress and bookbinding business, was part of NSCAD’s first letterpress class and has had much time to reflect on the appeal of letterpress in Halifax. “It's partly the Dawson Printshop--not every city has a place when people can learn about letterpress and try it for themselves. It may also be the age of the city; Halifax is old for a North American city, so we've developed an appreciation for history. The first newspaper in Canada was printed here, so letterpress has been here for a very long time.” Emily Davidson of “Make Work Design” (www.makeworkdesign.ca), a graphic design business specializing in letterpress printing run from the Dawson, agrees. “The Dawson Printshop collection is the corner stone of the letterpress community in Halifax. [It] is the ideal site of a letterpress ‘renaissance’ because it literally revives a part of Nova Scotia’s printing history in a contemporary context.” Although the art of letterpress printing has evolved throughout the centuries, it has never lost its unique, tangible appeal, with
23 many letterpress enthusiasts choosing to print in the old style, revamping old machines and unearthing dusty boxes of type from dank basements. One such treasure hunter is Andrea Rahal. Recognizing the appeal of letterpress in Halifax, This former NSCAD graphic design student fell in love with the art after a three-week intensive class with bookbinding and letterpress guru Joe Landry. “I always liked the look of it, I just didn’t know if I’d enjoy the process of it… but after day one, I was hooked!” Shortly over a year ago, Rahal began a business plan for Inkwell Modern Handmade Boutique & Letterpress Studio. After revamping a rescued Golding Pearl No#11 Improved Press (circa 1920) affectionately nicknamed “Pretty Izzy”, she recently celebrated the launch of her letterpress services with a successful open house, crediting outside movements for allowing letterpress room to blossom in Halifax. “I think it was started a decade ago, obviously things are slower to get to […] the Eastern part of Canada, but there’s definitely a renaissance—a resurgence. People just like the tactile quality of it, being able to touch it. I think it coincides with the slow food movement and slow design” Davidson notes Halifax’s unique personality as a key factor. “I think letterpress appeals to the DIY sensibility of many Haligonians. Letterpress is a small-scale process that leaves a trace of the producer. Since Halifax is the kind of place where you know your neighbours it makes for an arts community that cares about how things are made and who made them.” Often a misunderstood or underappreciated art, most proponents of letterpress agree that only finished products tend to be seen, with few understanding the process behind their creation. Silvester, who shares her passion by teaching Introduction to Printing at the Dawson through the Extended Studies department at NSCAD, sees this first hand. “At first people think it's as easy as photocopying, and then when they learn how it's actually done, they wonder why anyone would bother […] But show them a beautifully printed letterpress piece and the same thing printed digitally, and they begin to understand what it's about.” Very much an apprentice art, the Extended Studies classes are a delicate introduction into the potentially overwhelming world of letterpress.
Canadian stop on her North American letterpress ‘tour’, Moveable Type (www.type-truck.com). Durrie has been traveling in her 1982 Chevy Step Van-cum-letterpress studio since mid-June, stopping in bookish cities and arts savvy small towns to share her love of letterpress and leave behind a souvenir or two. “I was interested in combining my loves of travel, adventure, and letterpress printing into one big project. I was very inspired by my friends' bands […] I thought, ‘well, I'm not a musician, but there must be a way that I can travel with MY art’” For Durrie, the appeal of letterpress is its paradoxical nature.
[It’s] a once-a-week evening course where students get a brief introduction to setting type and printing. I try to get them comfortable with type […] as quickly as possible so they can get to work on whatever projects they want” This Fall NSCAD will also be offering a wood type letterpress class for youth (ages 15+) which Silvester claims is “less technical and easier to get comfortable with than metal type”. In true educational fashion, and in large part due to the efforts of LPG and Andrea Rahal, Kyle Durrie, proprietor of Power and Light Press based in Portland, Oregon recently made Halifax the only
“I love how the process and product are actually very different experience - the giant hulking machinery is very industrial and dirty, but the finished product is often so fine and delicate. I love how those two work together” In closing, Durrie shares the sentiments of the majority of letterpress artists, inviting Haligonians to “… make a print, whether it's your first time or your 500th!” So join the revolution, you’ve been cordially invited to make an impression.
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Artrepreneur Business: Inkwell Modern Handmade Boutique Letterpress Studio Location: Halifax, NS Owner: Andrea Rahal Contact: www.inkwellboutique.ca AE: Describe your business. AR: Inkwell carries local, Canadian and International work handmade by artists with a focus on printed ephemera. The majority of the work is paper based, such as art prints, greeting cards and handmade books. In addition, we have printed textiles like tea towels, jewellery and pottery and a small selection of books that complement the products in store. Inkwell also offers small scale, small batch letterpress printing and custom design services – social stationery like greeting cards, business / calling cards and invitations. We also work with graphic designers to print work for their clients. AE: Where did the idea for the store come from? AR: It had been in my mind for a long time and I thought one day, down the road - opportunity came knocking and I decided to go for it because it just felt right. The idea evolved with my interests and the business has become something of which I am very proud. AE: What were your biggest challenges and successes? AR: There were many unforeseen obstacles that delayed the opening, but I learned to roll with them. It’s certainly a good exercise in problem solving! As for successes - return customers, customer compliments and comments, and support from neighbouring businesses and the local Halifax area come to mind […] my highlight to date would be the Open House where we launched the printing services and which also served as the unofficial grand opening where all of the above was present exponentially. AE: What has reception been like from the public? AR: There are a lot of folks in Halifax and neighbouring areas, as well as tourists who state things like it’s “Letterpress Heaven”, or that “Halifax has needed a shop like this for a long time”, or that “it’s a great place to escape and get away for awhile”. Those kinds of comments make me smile and are really encouraging.
AE: What do you envision for the future with Inkwell? AR: Inkwell will become a mainstay downtown and a destination for even more Haligonians and tourists. There’s definitely potential for growth. I plan to offer workshops and I also want to collaborate with other local artists, shops and businesses. It’s hard to say, because the shop is still so new, but certainly lots of fun and exciting things! Definitely stay tuned! AE: What sets your business apart from others? AR: A high percentage of the products carried in the shop can’t be found elsewhere locally. In almost all cases I deal with the artists themselves, when placing an order. Items which people only see online in shops or on blogs, they can now physically hold. Not only are you supporting local, you’re supporting artists to continue to make their art – and in some cases that artist is me!
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SCOOP
This month, AE speaks with Robert Summerby-Murray, Dean of Arts and Social Sciences at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
AE: What are your thoughts on the region's arts sector? RSM: The Atlantic region has a vibrant arts sector. It is one of the real cultural jewels of our four Atlantic provinces. Most distinctively, it is a sector that values and celebrates both local arts activities, sourced in the peoples of our region and showcasing our talent, as well as forms of expression that ‘come from away’ but invigorate and vitalize our cultural life by introducing us to other cultures. This diversity is incredibly important as it allows this region to have opera and indie music side by side, to showcase local performers as well as international artists, to demonstrate that the visual and material artists, musicians, actors and other performers of our region are truly world class.
ing new sciences, no forms of expression for cultural change, no medium for communities to celebrate and mourn. This big challenge translates into a series of very concrete issues: the importance of supporting arts education in our elementary and high schools with appropriate curricula, with well-trained and innovative teachers, and well thought out budgets; the importance of college and university curricula in encouraging the diversity of experience that comes from taking courses in the arts, whether these are in performing arts disciplines, languages, artistic media or history and culture. We have a further challenge in ensuring that we avoid compartmentalizing the arts into individual genres or sectors, into elite or vernacular forms.
AE: In your opinion, why are the arts vital to the well-being of Atlantic Canadians? RSM: The arts are the key means by which we provide meaning in our lives. Can we even imagine a world without a vibrant arts scene? What would Atlantic Canada be without the overlays and intersections of cultures, expressed in our music, visual media and a host of other forms? Arts and culture are ultimately helping us in the pursuit of truth and beauty in order to give meaningful expression to this place. The arts, then, are not simply an antidote to our daily dose of economic news or a counter to a world view that favours only science and technology. Rather, the arts help give meaning to all forms of discovery, providing the contexts for cultural change, for good news and bad news in our communities, and celebrating our shared lives. It is not too much to say that the arts allow us to explore the very human experience of Atlantic Canadians.
AE: Are we doing enough to support the sector here? RSM: From my vantage point, we can never do enough! But I’m excited by what I see in the universities of our region: from innovative partnerships between universities, community groups and governments, to the use of our university budgets to support highvalue arts programming. Could we do more? Certainly but we also need to celebrate our successes and make them highly visible to the public - who will influence governments at all levels - and to students, who will influence how schools, colleges and universities allocate resources and design programmes.
AE: What are the biggest challenges affecting the arts in the education sector here? RSM: The biggest challenge is in ensuring that the value of the arts to our wider society is recognized in the education sector. This means that the arts in education are not simply a nice frill, something added on to the other parts of education, at all levels. Instead, we need to invest in the arts as a vital part of an educated life. If we don’t, then we will have no context for our emerg-
AE: What can we be doing better? RSM: Celebrating the significance of the arts in our region helps to determine areas in which we need to invest. For example, in Halifax we have exciting world class events such as the jazz festival. How do we ensure sustainability for this signature event? What partnerships might be strengthened in order to do this, particularly between business, industry, government and the arts community? More directly, within our educational institutions, we face concerns over infrastructure (particularly performance spaces needing upgrading and modernising), equipment (including the provision of instruments) and the rising costs of our programmes. I suspect that these challenges are similar to those right across the education sector.
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Community Volunteers The PEI Arts Council Volunteers are always needed and appreciated at the Centre for Performing ARTS. Help is needed in all facets of the multi faceted cultural arts centre for our community. You can help by volunteering even minimal amounts of time to help with answering phones, manning the front desk, coordinating tasks, administrative help, building stages and sets, coordinating fund raising projects, as well as soliciting funds to help grow and maintain a cultural arts presence for Eastern PEI. Contact the volunteer coordinator at 838-ARTS. Your help is greatly appreciated. Students in high school who volunteer can register for the student provincial bursary program. Every hour you volunteer turns into cash scholarships for aid with post secondary education. www.peiarts.com
Patrons InterAction School of Performing Arts InterAction has been providing children in Southern New Brunswick with programming in music performance, dance, and film since 20101. In June 2010, InterAction became a registered charity, and began launching programs under the umbrella of InterAction School of Performing Arts. Recently the organization entered into a purchasing agreement with the board of the historic Germain Street Baptist Church in Uptown Saint John, providing InterAction with three performance spaces, multiple studios, practice rooms, and office spaces, the latter of which will be rented to local arts organizations and community groups. The group is currently looking for patrons to help them develop partnerships with local high schools, provide outreach to schools, increase accessibility to arts education for lower income families, strengthen the growing arts, culture and heritage district in Saint John, create a vibrancy in Saint John which will attract new residents, and provide children with a safe environment where they can be happy, creative, and amongst friends. www.iactspa.ca
Contest We have a $100 gift certificate for Chapters Bookstores to give away this issue. In 50 words or less, simply tell us who your favourite Atlantic Canadian author is and why. A winner will be chosen on October 28, and will be contact directly by email. Entries can be sent to artseastonline@gmail.com
Click
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Each month Arts East scours the internet to bring you the most timely and relevant resources online.
Wiki Word: Arts Council
“An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad. They are often arms length from the government to prevent political interference in their decisions.”
Website: www.peiartscouncil.com The Prince Edward Island Council of the Arts (PEICA) has been providing vital support to the arts on Prince Edward Island since 1974. Dedicated to ensuring that all Prince Edward Islanders enjoy the benefits of a healthy arts community, the PEICA works to foster the development of the arts through advocacy, education, programs and services.
Blog: www.islandsweet.blogspot.com “I am a visual artist living and working on the west coast of Newfoundland, Canada. With over 30 years of experience as a painter, I now take my passion for colour and design into many forms of art and craft. my hand dyed and spun yarn, my hand knit shawls and scarves - are a celebration of this passion.”
Facebook: ArtsLink NB Twitter: @novascotiamusic Linked: www.musicpei.com www.kittiwakedancetheatre.ca www.novascotiaquilts.com www.nbvaea.ca www.artfulsiren.com
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Currents Nova Scotia
New Brunswick
Halifax, NS – NSCAD University says it welcomes a review of its financial future, but it is rejecting talk of a merger. The review was triggered by continuing financial problems at the former Nova Scotia College of Art & Design. Last year, the Dexter government ate a $1.4-millon NSCAD deficit.With the school facing another $2.4-million shortfall this year, the NDP has appointed retired deputy minister Howard Windsor to examine the institutions's options. The review will likely examine everything from programs to the university's current footprint - including a long term lease at the Seaport complex on the Halifax Waterfront. The school's board of governors has voted unanimously to remain autonomous. The report back is due in November.
Sackville, NB – Mount Allison University’s Board of Regents has given its approval for the construction of a $30-million performing and fine arts centre. Architectural renderings for the centre show an “echo” of the former Memorial Library, which will be torn down to make way for the new centre. Built in 1927, the building hasn't been home to library books since the 1970s when it was revamped as the student centre and became a campus hub — housing the student union, campus radio station, and the campus pub. However, the site has been vacant for the last three years. The university said it would cost $5 million to fix the old building. Construction on the new centre will cost $30-million, is expected to be completed by 2014.
Newfoundland
PEI
St. John’s, NL – In an effort to get more people into Arts and Culture Centres across Newfoundland and Labrador, the Centre has introduced a new website and logo. The site allows people to buy tickets for the Centre's shows online, something that wasn't possible before. The new logo and website were unveiled at a presentation that combined a website walk-through with performances from local artists. The re-branding initiative will cost $375,000.
Charlottetown, PEI – The Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island has announced the development of an Arts and Heritage Trail, a unique tourism product which will guide Prince Edward Island visitors and residents through true Island cultural experiences. The trail will recognize the significant importance of the Island's culture to the tourism sector, and will enable both visitors and residents to design customized itineraries for their ideal vacation. Visitors will be able to choose from heritage elements such as museums and historic sites, performing arts venues including festivals, special events, theatre and music or visual arts with galleries, craft shops and artisan studios.
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Count $
28 Million
759,235
The amount doled out to Atlantic Canadian book publishers by the Federal Government in 2010-2011.
$
71.3
%
3,500 35,000
The percentage of Atlantic Canadians who read at least one book per year.
The estimated number of visual artists currently living and working in Atlantic Canada.
The estimated number of visual artists currently living and working in Montreal.
85 Billion
The average annual contribution made by the arts and culture sector to the Canadian economy each year.
25 Billion
Annual taxes generated by the arts and culture sector to all levels of Canadian government each year.
7.9 Billion
Annual average invested into the arts and culture sector by all levels of Canadian government each year.
$ $ $
The amount doled out to Canadian book publishers by the Federial Government in 2010-2011.
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SNAPS Coheed & Cambria Live Music Photography by Mike McMahon, www.madjoy.ca
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Arkells
Isis (of Thunderheist)
In-Flight Safety
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K-OS
Weezer
Metallica
INXS
sights
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Reed Weir
Canadian Ceramics artist Reed Weir is a Newfoundland based sculptor. She learned the craft of pottery from her mother and graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design in 1985 1985). In 1991 she moved to Newfoundland and Labrador and established the production pottery studio Phaedrus Applied Arts. www.reedweir.ca
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syllables Asters With summer gone and you in the fall of something, suddenly turn one day, look over your shoulder, and there they are, stars in the ditch. You whose ancestors, before any chaos of Michaelmas, once knew a goddess who cried petals of patience and afterthought down to a parched world.
Today, in another September, alone on a back road, you glimpse purple markers, galaxies underfoot, reminders that no explosion, this side of the first big blast, could better the silent one, when these petalled asteroids and all their relatives collided with receptive earth.
In stardust you were young once, in love, on a shaman’s path to divination, your quest for charms and panacea coming on.
Tom Dawe
Born in Long Pond, Manuels, Conception Bay South, Tom Dawe has been a teacher, professor of English (MUN), visual artist, editor, writer, and poet. His work includes poetry, fiction, dramatic script, folklore, and children’s literature. He is also one of the founding members of Breakwater Books and TickleAce magazine.
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Spotlight Cuffed hands creating an alluring rhythm, feet transforming into percussion or gliding across the floor, twirls and flight of colour, the violent strumming and seductive fingering on Spanish guitars flamenco is beautiful, romantic, exciting, but not so easy to define. One thing for sure is that it’s about emotion, says Maria Osende. “Flamenco allows for a lot of personal expression and it’s definitely very passionate. It’s a way of putting out your feelings. It allows for a lot of improvisation and freedom. The musicians and dancers play a little bit off each other, so it’s very interactive. That gives and edge to flamenco that makes it very, very appealing to watch”.
28 at the Rebecca Auditorium. Closing night is a laid back affair, the “Frightening Fiesta”, set to take place at the Seahorse. Naturally, attendees will be treated to unforgettable performances by Osende, who has been dancing professionally (ballet and flamenco) since the age of 15. In addition, Halifax Public Libraries will be hosting a series of free concerts.
Those who do not wish to only observe may participate in beginner, family or master workshops in dance, guitar and voice. Newbies who worry they may not be able to move like the Andalusian gypsies have been for centuries, Osende assures them that flamenco is possible for everyone. “Flamenco originates from the streets, Originally from Madrid, Spain, Osende moved to Halifax eight years from home parties, from something very casual. So it can be done ago and founded Atlantic Foundations Productions Association, at many levels very easily. There are no preconditions of having to a company that teaches and performs the Spanish art form ; in be fit or having to know anything about it beforehand. We make our 2006, she organized Canada’s first ever flamenco festival. In Hali- beginner workshops super accessible, so that people have a really fax from October 22 to 30, seasoned and novice flamenco fans can good experience. It’s for all ages - in Spain you see people in their fully immerse themselves in this intimate form of cultural, artistic 70s dancing flamenco.” expression. Flamenco was and is the folk music of the common people, Osende Fall for Flamenco Festival’s opening night showcases local fla- adds. It is the song of work and play, mourning and celebration, menco guitarists in an event called El Guitarrazo. World-renowned pain and joy. artists, dancer Miguel Tellez, guitarist Jose Vega and singer Sara Salado, will perform in the festival’s main event, De España con www.flamencofestival.ca Amor (From Spain with Love); the concert takes place on October
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S T R SHO Canadian novelist, playwright and actor Joel Thomas Hynes was born and raised in Calvert, Newfoundland. His debut narrative Down to the Dirt won the Percy James First Novel Award, was short-listed for an Atlantic Book Award and the Winterset Award, and long-listed for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. His last book, Right Away Monday, received great critical and popular acclaim. Little Creatures was written exclusively for Arts East.
Little Creatures Never fails. Never fails, never. Mark your page, squash the butt into the ashtray, kill the light, offer up a little few words to whoever is up there, bit of thanks or whatever, tuck yourself into the blankets just how you likes to fit there, feet warming up, day done and gone – and you’re needing to piss again. And of course you dont want to get up, no, last thing you’re wanting. So you pretend it’s not a real piss you’re needing to have, but one that’ll go away if you manages to get to sleep first. So you do that thing, flex the stomach muscles, draw the balls in a bit, see if you cant shift the pressure, hold it off. Cause you knows, you knows it’s not a real piss in there, not a real one but some niggling little dribble. But then maybe it is the real thing. Maybe it’s racehorse quality, never can tell. And they says you’re to be drinking all this water these days. To stay hydrated, help work things through, keep everything flowing as it should. A litre a day per fifty pounds of body weight, so they says. Feel like your bloody well drowning by the end of the day, like your teeth are letting go from the gums. And up all night pissing. Up all night. Cause if you gets up that first time you might as well stay up. Or hook yourself to one of them bags, them what are they called, fancy medical name on it, pissbags, whatever. Either hook yourself up to one of them or dont go to bed atall. Or go on to bed and be up all night pissing.
See here, when she had her house, that big drafty three story house over near the Cross, back then, that time we went and done that water cleanse business, that water detox, and our faces broke out and we were away with the epic rackets like we never had before or after, two of us sick with something like a flu only different, pissing all day and all night, fighting over the toilet, me pissing in bottles up by the bed – and telling each other the whole while how great it all was, to be cleansing, detoxing. Fuck that I said, three days into it, I said gimme a big old greasy piece of half-cooked meat from the dirtiest kitchen in town. I dont care what kind of animal, just give it to me. Give it to me. I’m gonna eat it. Let it kill me, if that’s to be my fate. Everything else offers up an early grave these days. Overdose on bananas for shit sakes. Kids going around with them needle kits just in case someone in the next room eats a Crispy Crunch bar! People’s throats caving in if they eats a bit of scallop or shrimp! Now they’re saying plastic bottles are full of cancer too. And they’re getting rid of the oil paint now, fishermen’s paint, cause where the big city crowd, that uppity learned crowd who never held a paint roller in their cushy lives, that crowd are saying that when the oil paint is drying it’s causing all this extra smog. Ban it from the big town then, why should the rest of us have to suffer for where that crowd chooses to call home?
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Moths in the room now too, big stocky stupid bastards. End-of-the-summer fools, big ugly ones that up close looks like alien sci-fi beasts. Choppering along the ceiling earlier, the dog in the bed gauging the distance between the mattress and the ceiling, wondering if he could make the jump. I seen him, weighing it all out in his dopey head, whether or not he could jump ten feet in the air to catch a moth and eat it and land right back in his cozy warm spot at the foot of the bed. Foolish little arsehole. I got out the Raid earlier, “for mosquitoes and flies” it says on the can, but I drenched a couple of moths anyhow, figured just cause it dont say moths on the can it dont mean it wont fuck the fuckers up. And I thought about it too you know, I thought about, I did, laying there with my book, I thought about letting the little shits just be, coexist here in the room with me, that it’s the end of the summer and their time is nearly up anyhow and that there’ll come a night not too many nights down the road when I’ll be wishing it’s warm enough to be worried about moths making a racket. I thought about all that, how at least they dont bite at you or whine at you like them little mosquito vampires screaming in your ear and draining your blood while you’re tryna get to sleep out of it. At least they’re not that bad, the moths. But then I has a glance over at the old sweater, you know, the old grey one she brought me back from Galway there not even six years ago and it’s all full of holes and not from cigarettes either. So you can only assume it was moths got at it. But that always struck me as this kind of American thing, moths eating your clothes. So I didnt know, and didnt think much about it cause I kinda likes going around with holes in my sweater. I tends to like stuff all rickety and battered and looking like it came through Hell with stories to tell, but still doing it’s thing, still succumbing to its original purpose. And for a sweater it still keeps we warm and it’s light enough to throw on any time of the year so there you go. Oh yeah, holes in the sweater, someone out there might take offence, or I might not get the proper service, or someone might think I’m not fit to talk to or not fit ask over for a cup of tea. Fuck em all, I says. I dont want tea with a dipshit like that anyhow. I dont want service from some shitballs who dont like me cause of the holes in my sweater. So I catches a moth anyhow, it came down by the lamp all stupid and suicidal whapping its ugly face off the bulb, and I catches it full blast with the spray, full blast, I mean there’s foamy greasy chemical dripping off its wings and this mad crazed dance it does next to the alarm clock. But it dont die. It just goes cracked around the room drunk, an even worse bother than it was in the first place, starting from one end of the room and flapping full speed across to the far wall and just body-slamming the wall like if you tossed a nickel at it for God sakes, that loud, falling down into the corner somewhere out of sight and settling for a minute and then rearing up full tilt again for a go at the other wall. And
next there’s two more, like they heard there was a party, that there was mosquito juice getting sprayed around and everybody was getting all messed up and wasted. You gotta wonder sometimes, if little creatures thinks like that. Little small things like that with big complex thoughts just like you and me. You look at the dog sometimes, a little scrap like that, and sometimes he’s looking at you and you’re tryna tell him something, tryna get him to do something you wants him to do and he just looks at you like his head is completely empty. Stupid little arse-licker you thinks to yourself, how can you be so fuckin stunned dog? But then you’ll catch him at something that makes you think otherwise, he’ll be over in the corner chomping at something and you’ll say c’mere, get over here, what’s that you got? And he’ll tromp over and sit there and let you root around in his mouth but nothing’s there and you’ll half apologize to the jeezley dog, for blaming him for something he wasnt at, but then he’ll go on back over to where he was and start chomping away again. Like he dropped it when you called him on it and then went over to show you he had nothing in his mouth, waited til you felt bad about the whole scene, and then went right back to it. You gotta wonder, little creatures like that tryna outsmart you. You gotta wonder about little creatures. Looked right at me today and pissed on the floor he did. Looked right at me. Piss on the floor and then gets to go on being a dog again, wanting to play and wanting some of what your eating. Good crack in the mouth he wants. But no, they says you’re not to do that, them days are gone. They says there’s no sense shoving their nose in it or giving em a smack or nothing like that. Ignore the bad behaviour they says, and praise the good. So, let him shit on the floor and dont say nothing about it, just go clean it up, and then praise him to the high heavens when he shits in the yard. And then go clean that up. That’s what they says anyhow. They. Who the hell are they, out there, getting to say which way is which, what we’re not allowed to have no more of, how to be, how to treat your own dog, what to put in your body? All these commandments coming down from the mount all the time. Fuckin smartass crowd on the radio, scribbling in newspapers, talking on the TV, who wouldnt last a day, not an hour out this way, up here, up the road, up on the hill. Wouldnt last five measly minutes with them big insane drunken clunky moths in the same room. And me worse for listening, yes me worse for the listening. A litre per fifty pounds of body weight. Christ. I will piss the bed this very night. © Joel Thomas Hynes, August, 2011
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Sounds Beauty Queen Molly Thomason
Touted by The Coast as a Next Big Thing, 16 year old Antigonish singer/songwriter Molly Thomason delivers a solid second album. Her folksy acoustic songs charm in their simplicity and an ambiguous sexual orientation (is the ‘she’ in most of the lyrics a female love interest, or the collective ‘she’, as in any girl?) plays well against conventional themes of adolescent yearning and restlessness. “I’m young and I’m foolish and I’m lost in romance” she croons on Heroes, a standout track that is oddly titled but still manages to stick inside a listener’s head. Thomason shows a soft but consistent attention to writing meaningful lines which rhyme, sort of the antiBieber. One cannot imagine her contemporary singing about Greek mythology, as she does in Icarus (if only he would try something so daring). May we suggest a collaboration? Surely Biebs could teach Molly some lessons about self-promotion, while she could help him dig deeper with songwriting. – MP
Breagh MacKinnon Breagh MacKinnon Voted Cape Breton’s Next Big Thing in a talent search contest, winsome young singer/songwriter Breagh MacKinnon presents 7 tracks on her self-titled debut EP. Her sweet, accomplished vocals are reminiscent of MoZella. The album is well-suited as backdrop for activities of quiet contemplation, like, say, ironing or a long highway drive. Anguished but nicely restrained, Pretty Lies begs multiple listenings: “You used me/you said you loved me so/I’ve begun to realize/ you told me you would never let me go/they were all just pretty lies”. MacKinnon attends St. FX, working towards her a degree in Jazz Performance, which should produce tremendous results. For musical samples: www.breaghmackinnon.com – MP
David Myles Live at the Carleton It’s hard not to like David Myles. The lanky singer-songwriter might be one of the most affable musical artists in Atlantic Canada, if not the entire country. That geniality winds its way through Live at the Carleton, recorded in his now-hometown of Halifax in late 2010. From the opening chords of the bluesy Need a Break through to the bittersweet Take Your Bow, Myles weaves words and music with the subtlety of a seasoned songsmith. The friendly banter between songs is a treat also, highlighting his homespun warmth and wit. An strong sampling from one of the region’s shining stars. – SPC
Mark Bragg Your Kiss Eerie, racing instrumentals—including an organ, trombone & trumpet—Mark Bragg’s third album is a blend of carnivalesque gypsy rock, ska, forties rock n’ roll, and Newfoundland storytelling. At times Bragg almost howls—really chewing his words before spitting them out. This, paired with humorously inventive lyrics (“You’ve got me hopping like a rodeo clown”; “I got a bitchin’ bull whip in Spain, now I’m comin’ home for some hugs”; “I’m a fat kid and you’re so edible”), keeps the album relatively entertaining. Among the best songs on the album are the trumpet and key-heavy forties-inspired Roll Baby Roll and—oddly enough—a ballad, The Cutter. However, although Your Kiss is slightly reminiscent of fellow Maritime cluster-rock troupe Tom Fun Orchestra with its blaring trumpets, and gritty, masculine lead singer, this album approaches the land of parody. Not something I’d usually choose to listen to, but if Bragg & his boys came to town I’d probably catch them live, seeing as the energy dripping from this live album is utterly tangible. – WM
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Sounds Kim Stockwood Back to the Water
You may remember Kim Stockwood’s pop hits Jerk and 12 Years Old or her more recent membership in songster trio Shaye. This year, the singer/songwriter has released an album that is completely different: a compilation of traditional Newfoundland folk songs – a love letter to her homeland. Fatefully, Stockwood and Damhnait Doyle finished composing the album’s title song, the only present-day tune, as they sat on top of St. John’s’ Signal Hill, where they were indeed back to the water. Album highlights include Now I’m 64, where banjo, accordion, fiddle and mandolin instrumentals and vocal harmonies wrap you in a warm embrace; and Feller from Fortune, where Stockwood, collaborating with the Dardanelles, invites you to the finest of kitchen parties. Going back to her roots has allowed Stockwood to finally use the full potential of her voice, one that soulfully transitions from high to low, fast to slow, full-bodied to sensual, breathy tones. – MB
Arka Teks Evolver The best thing about the Arka Teks is their clever name. The title of the album, “Evolver”, however is unfounded. While I don’t personally make a habit of listening to ‘club’ music in my spare time—I can appreciate electronica when it is done artfully (Toronto’s analog heroes Holy Fuck for example). This band does nothing original in my view, and what it does do is neither entertaining nor appealing in any way. The biggest disappointment on the album’s is the vapid lyrics, delivered in a manner that only further calls attention to conceptual shortcomings—with songs like Attention Whore and Snotty Hipster Girl announcing the band’s musical intention as an attempt to capitalize on a specific moment in time and a potentially vulnerable demographic. Maybe if the Arka Teks had remained strictly instrumental –since there is a hint of creativity there—they could have climbed into the hearts of open-minded Canadians, but I found “Evolver” uninspired and uninteresting on the whole. – WM
Norma MacDonald Morning You Wake I remember once, a bunch of us broke out into a spontaneous jam session inside a work shop in some rural locale. Saws, grooved pipes, hammer and wood – every tool was transformed into an instrument. This memory was revived while listening to Norma MacDonald’s third album (Morning You Wake), where over 15 different instruments back up the singer/songwriter, many of which Producer Phil Sedore plays. MacDonald’s album momentously begins and ends with songs “Cordelia” and “Follow the Flowers”; the former showcases MacDonald’s incredible vocal range with smooth, gutsy lows and soaring highs all complimented by Sedore’s primal harmonies - the latter, reminiscent of a family gathering, is an upbeat, foot-tapping tune with a modern twist. In “Canada Day”, MacDonald’s impressive, acoustic finger picking forms wondrous synergy with Kev Corbett’s backup vocals, and organ, banjo, percussion, lap steel, bass and French horn. Her beautifully haunting tone and lyrics in “Blackhearts of the Company” remember William Davis, a coal miner killed during a protest in New Waterford, her hometown. While a few of the album’s songs make little impression, most strike a new chord as MacDonald’s gifted voice journeys through genres of country, indie roots, folk, waltz and jazz. – MB
Carleton Stone Carleton Stone Produced by Hawksley Workman, this self-titled release offers up a strong melenge of stirring pop sensibilities (Last Thing), solid melody lines (Million Dollar Heart) and well-crafted arrangements (Bad Decisions) – all of which put the young Halifax singer-songwriter in the good company of Steve Earle, The Wallflowers and, yes, Hawksley Workman. Simple, heartfelt and gritty, the 11 tracks would also work well stripped down to the bare-bones of voice and acoustic guitar – the sure sign of a good and well-crafted song. Though Stone overplays his hand - and his heart - at times, this collection points him in the right direction. – SPC
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On the
The Antagonist By Lynn Coady
House of Anansi Press/ 337pp / $32.95 Lynn Coady’s newest novel The Antagonist may be a one-way conversation, but it is also an unapologetic, poetic reclamation of the self. Written entirely from the perspective of Rank—a middle-aged teacher and lifetime hockey jock with a temper—the story unfolds with our ‘hero’ e-harassing a former academic colleague and confidante who has stolen the story of his life for a novel. Propelled by testosterone and T.S. Eliot, Rank is forced to reclaim what is rightfully his, and in the process revisits some old wounds. Fans of Mean Boy will note an uncanny familiarity while newcomers to Coady’s fiction will be spellbound by her unique brand of dark humour, uproarious East-coast dialogue, and characters so ripe and honest that they almost function as plot. The Antagonist acts as further proof that this award-winning author is more than capable of crawling inside the cranium of a strained, artistically stunted man and tell his tale with sharp wit, brazen imagination, and an educated yet accessible aesthetic. A refreshing and hilarious take on the coming-of-age novel, readers of The Antagonist will feel truly privileged to bear witness as Rank puts the pieces of his ‘Frankenstein’-self together, and are sure to be left in stitches in the process. – WM
Facing the Hunter
By David Adams Richards Random House / 224pp / $29.95 Fredericton, New Brunswick’s David Adams Richards hits the mark with Facing the Hunter – a bold and beautiful buckshot of memory, insight, idea and emotion that gently guides readers into the spirit and soul of the world’s oldest sport. Like his magnificent, award-winning essay on fishing, Lines on the Water (2001), the new work is sometimes tender, sometimes tough, but always highly entertaining and enlightening. With a seasoned sharpshooter’s eye, Richards has written what might be the most important and definitive work on the much-maligned and misunderstood subject since Hemingway’s classic chronicle of big-game chase The Green Hills of Africa. – SPC
A World Elsewhere By Wayne Johnston
Random House / 320pp / $32.00 Fans of the St. John’s born scribe won’t be disappointed with his latest narrative A World Elsewhere, the poignant and playful tale of two Princeton pals who reconnect after years apart. One, a Newfoundlander, is plowed-under by poverty and the perils of single-parenthood. The other, an American, inherits a life of luxury, wealth and prestige. When the pair reunites at the Yank’s North Carolina mansion, the author opens the door to themes of love, loyalty, acceptance, family and friendship. With plot, setting, character and tone all masterfully developed, the novel cements Johnston’s reputation as one of this country’s finest storytellers. – SPC
The Virgin Cure By Ami McKay
Knopf Canada / 368pp / $32.00 After all the accolades for her debut, bestselling, multi-award winning 2006 narrative stirring, sweeping story of a young girl (Moth) coming-of-age amidst the seedy tenement buildings The Birth House, Nova Scotia scribe Ami McKay is back with The Virgin Cure, the of lower Manhattan in the late 1800’s, and her friendship with an older female physician. As she did successfully in her first novel, the author’s homespun humour and unique insight into the human condition do well to offset the sometimes dark, difficult and disturbing subject matter. A fine and wellbalanced book, and an early-frontrunner for next year’s Giller Prize. – SPC
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On the
Chasing Freedom By Gloria Wesley
Fernwood Publishing / 240pp / $18.95 Many believed that Lawrence Hill had written the last chapter on the plight of blacks in Atlantic Canada with his 2008 bestselling epic, The Book of Negroes. Africadian author Gloria Wesley brings the story closer to home with this intimate tale of one young woman’s journey from the slave plantations of South Carolina to the bitter landscape of Birchtown, Nova Scotia. Though officially listed as young adult historical fiction, readers of all ages will be touched by the author’s colourful capacity to capture and convey both the feeling of the times, and the feelings of who endured them. – SPC
Forge
By Jan Zwicky Gaspereau Press/ 74 pp/ $19.95 Forge is what happens when a world-renowned philosopher, musician, educator, and poet delicately pushes her vocabulary through a sieve, releasing fragments of her most basic inspirations. With a title of such industrial sensibility, the poems in “Forge” approach fragility but emerge as if rendered with the strength of hammered iron. Exploring the monolithic themes of life and death while breaking the human experience down to its most simplistic parts, Zwicky’s poems capture the vespers of longing, the dance between the musical and the spiritual, and the smallest rumblings of the earth, musing on our place among them. While Forge is ablaze with the most ephemeral beauty, Zwicky is no romantic. Constantly reminding us of the fine line between beauty and pain, between love and loss, her newest collection remains an exploration of “the turf of daliness”, leaving in its wake a powerful nod to the importance of philosophical musing, and the beauty that resides in simplicity. – WM
Glass Boys
By Nicole Lundrigan Douglas & McIntyre/ 291pp / $22.95 Glass Boys is nothing short of a family epic. Evoking rural Newfoundland with a gritty grace that is all her own, Lundrigan conjures a world of stark reality, delving into the lost innocence of peculiar childhoods in a land where boys become men before their time. Exposing the darkness of half-buried family secrets and tonguing at their wounds with each sepulchral word, this obscure novel is absolutely riveting from beginning to end. Charged with tension and guilt, Lundrigan intimately explores the unbreakable ties between us, weaving a tale of filthy beauty that never abandons its quest for love and rejuvenation. At once remarkably touching and disturbing, Glass Boys is an Atlantic saga, leaving behind traces of salt on the skin, and a familiar pang in the heart for anyone who has ever felt lost in the most familiar woods. – WM
Big Town
By Stephens Gerard Malone Vagrant Press / 224 pp / $18.95 In Big Town, Stephens Gerard Malone tells the story, through the confused and naïve voice in Early’s head, of the looming demolition of a historical community. Flawlessly, the third person narrative never staggers from a mind altered while a baby laid waiting inside his mother’s womb. Malone intertwines factual Halifax places and events with fictional back stories, including an unlikely bond between a White, mentally-delayed teen, a Black child half his age and a girl from the upper class neighbourhood overlooking Africville. Heart-rending details, such as Aubrey long awaiting Miss Portia White’s return or Africvillians riding garbage trucks on moving day, make Malone’s tale a compulsive read. Though depictions of physical/sexual abuse and self harm seem a tad overkill by the end of the novel, Big Town has the potential of becoming a 21st century classic, if it gets the exposure it merits. A modern day To Kill a Mockingbird, high school teachers would be wise to incorporate it into their classroom. Unfortunately, only those most open-minded will, so teens and adults need not wait till the book is ‘assigned’. – MB
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Frankenstein By Mary Shelley September 14, 2011 Neptune Theatre, Halifax
Stage on the
“…birth, life, death…all stitched together seamlessly…” -Victor Frankenstein
Halifax’s Neptune Theatre launched its 2011-2012 season with a roar last night – literally – as the crackle of thunder heralded-in Frankenstein, Mary Shelley’s classic tale of love, life and death amidst the academia of 19th century Europe.
A close-to-capacity crowd was on hand to welcome the infamous fiend to the stage; a softly-lit, richly decorated parlour serving as the performance’s focal point. Above and behind the arena sat Dr. Frankenstein’s Gothic laboratory, replete with a myriad of mysterious electrical devices, where he gives his greatest – and most gruesome - creation the gift of life. Despite some difficulty in placing the period - the story was written in 1818, but several modern references were noted - the play was well paced, the plot a place where passion meets precision. The terse, tense dialogue and the sudden, sharp body movements – especially the wonderfully exaggerated hand and facial gestures – achieved their desired air of anxiety and apprehension. While last night’s production took time to take-off as cast members - including lead Seann Gallagher – shook-off early jitters, the piece picked up soundly in the second act, when characters found both their voice and footing. In particular, inspired performances by Alexis Milligan (Dr. Frankenstein’s wife) and Elizabeth Richardson (Dr. Frankenstein’s mother) helped drive the drama to higher ground. Special mention should be made of Stephen Gartner, who carefully breathed humanity – emotions, ideas, conscience - into the lifeless monster. His superb portrayal of a creature on trial and in transition did well to invite audience members to re-examine creationist mythology, re-explore our own God-like aspirations (Shelley’s work is subtitled The Modern Prometheus) and reconsider the often difficult relationship we have with our own maker. And kudos to artistic director George Pothitos and his creative crew for skillfully stitching together all of the elements - including an elaborate setting, complex characters, detailed dialogue and a sweeping storyline - into a seamless and satisfying production. – SPC
In The Valley
By Natasha MacLellan September 6, 2011 Plutonium Playhouse, Halifax Creating an atmosphere of awkwardness thicker than the worst first date imaginable, MacLellan’s short theatrical insight will make you feel like the third wheel—in a good way! With a minimalist set and baroque piano accompaniment Theresa sits alone at a table stroking her glass of wine, soon to be joined by 5 potential suitors one after another who are will ‘pitch’ themselves in 3 minutes. MacLellan’s In The Valley, debuting at this year’s Atlantic Fringe Festival, wryly approaches dating as a ‘product’ of an alienating, face-paced society while bending gender roles and oscillating between humour and heartache, touching on both the joys of love as well as the ways it wounds us. Because this play is so dialogue heavy — and most often one-sided — the power of facial expression, body movement as well as the quality of the script could have easily been over-dramatized in order to get this message across — but In The Valley achieves this with a sense of such casual honesty, that I was made to feel like less of an audience member and more of a voyeur. Featuring the highs, lows, tears, and laughs of any powerful relationship, this little play did big things in its short running time, always maintaining a sense of familiarity and – most importantly —hope. – WM
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Taste Capitalizing on Nostalgia: Saltscapes Restaurant & General Store Makes the Old New Again Millbrook, Nova Scotia
www.saltscapes.com/restaurant Oddly located, Saltscapes is a home in the middle of nowhere. Well, somewhere if you leave near the Truro Power centre off of Nova Scotia’s Highway 104. And if not, it’s well worth the drive. Intelligent design leads patrons through an immaculate gift shop reminiscent of the annual Saltscapes Expo, offering Maritime-made arts & crafts, jewellery, clothing, and plenty more. Dazed by these tempting objects, you’re then ushered into the dining room. An open concept grows intimate with stone fireplaces and wooden walls, making for an immediately cozy atmosphere. Rimmed with nostalgic remnants of Atlantic Canadian ephemera including a piano, tea sets, board games, children’s toys, and visual works of local artisans, this restaurant is—at first glance—the visual epitome of the Atlantic Canadian dining room. Hospitality, a prime Nova Scotian export, is well-seasoned at Saltscapes. Functioning as an oasis-like microcosm of the best the province has to offer, our service was both familiar and professional—with a dash of Maritime charm. The olfactory offerings are nothing to be scoffed at either, as Saltscapes satiated our taste buds with a plethora of ‘home-
cooked’ and ‘home style’ meals, often boasting to be “just like your Grandmother used to make” (and still does, if you’re lucky). An impressive beverage selection boasts nearly all local brews, wines, and glass-bottle soft drinks including Garrison’s Saltscapes Suds specially brewed for the restaurant. For an appetizer, the Spinach n’ Parmesan dip was addictively rich, boasting three types of cheese, balanced by light corn chips. As an entrée, the Local Brew’s Fish n’ chips featured crispy, local haddock prepared in a light, flaky yet tender batter, paired with mouth-watering, savoury home-made tartar sauce. Offered a choice of three sides (from stewed rhubarb, to fiddleheads, to mac 'n’ cheese), I went for the rich house biscuits (scrumptious yet unnecessary since fresh bread is provided), fresh cut fries, and the sensational home-made coleslaw. Other notable treats include the “Mueller’s Goulash” and, for breakfast, “Hangover Hash.” With affordable prices, a friendly atmosphere, and regional delights, Saltscapes offers Maritimers the unique opportunity to play tourist for the night. On the other hand, those unfamiliar with Atlantic culinary culture should feast at this brand new restaurant for a delectable initiation into the unique brand of Maritime delicacy and decorum. – WM
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sights
Tara K. Wells Tara K. Wells is an artist and designer living and working in Sackville, New Brunswick. Her multidisciplinary practice allows her to explore her wide ranging interests, including animation, sculpture, printing, drawing and quilting. She prefers to use recycled materials in her art whenever possible. She is very fond of flowers and buttons. www.verysillymonkey.com
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syllables I Have Eaten
I have eaten a whole church. Up my throat the spire comes, wearing my teeth like a bracelet. Where the roof’s peak runs along my spine it feels like an armadillo, a camel, a caterpillar. I am riddled with stained glass, and Christ is here, his cross, the two Marys, saints, all those names who paid for these windows, a wide front door I never thought to open. I ate the ghostly congregation. See all the people, and the elegant steeple I was drawn to? It was that golden, purply, coloured for royalty time of evening when I passed by the light was shining off burgundy reds, madonna blues, the lost greens—all that white. I breathed in the swinging brazier’s scent of ambergris. I wanted it all, with nothing, no one, in between. I tasted the hand-carved pews, the crocheted alter cloths. this church between turning leaves on this hill, the sun disappearing into the glass. I pressed my mouth to it, dragged my tongue across the tiles in sweet formations, up the whole length of the tower. The bells were ringing. I lost my head. I ate a church because it was beautiful. It’s the kind of thing I can’t take back.
Yvette Doucette Yvette Doucette lives in Charlottetown, PE. some of the themes that occupy her thoughts and writing are curiosity, place, wonder, the earth and the body, loss, nature, what makes us tick, rhythm, sound, being a mother, love, the moon, the tides, and death. She is currently working on a book about the Island music scene, a screenplay, and she is polishing up her first poetry manuscript.
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Spotlight HALIFAX
POEXPPLOSION
Each autumn, the Halifax Pop Explosion showcases established and emerging musical artists. Recently AE spoke with the festival’s executive director Jonny Stevens about this year’s event, which runs from October 18-22.
AE: What acts are you most excited about bringing to Halifax this year? JS: Most of our acts are newcomers: Thermals, Titus Andronicus, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Twin Shadow and many more have never been here before and we hope that they’ll want to come back in the future after performing at HPX.
AE: What is HPX and what is its core mandate? JS: The Halifax Pop Explosion is a 5 day marathon of music where fans can digest 150 artists in over 20 venues and discover something new that he or she has never heard before. The goal is to present tomorrow’s stars today. Our mandate is to present new and exciting music from Halifax and beyond while providing the most affordable experience possible.
AE: What’s new for this year? JS: We have several new venues, including Reflections, Palace, St. Antonio’s Hall, Bus Stop Theatre and the Khyber. HPX has stayed the same for the past 18 years and this year is a bigger version of our already great model. We’ve brought in more of the big bands that people have been requesting and our ticket prices have stayed the same as a way of saying thanks to those who have supported us over the years. We’ve still got a few tricks up our sleeves that we’ll announce in the coming weeks.
AE: What opportunities are provided by HPX for local artists? JS: Along with loads of local music, we are putting on a poster-art show, a ‘zine fair, video presentations, and more. We always have our local scene in mind whenever we program anything. We also present a conference that is free of charge for all performing artists to attend and super low cost for anyone else who would like to come.
AE: In your opinion, why has HPX been so successful? JS: We listen to the fans first and spend an insane amount of time thinking about what they want and then work like hell to try and provide it for them at a low cost. We’ve always been part of the scene and have remained true to ourselves over the past 19 years. www.halifaxpopexplosion.com
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Spectacle NS Frankenstein / September 13–October 9 / Halifax
Mary Shelley’s classic tale comes to life in this adaptation of the 19th century novel. Fountain Hall, Neptune Theatre. www.neptunetheatre.com
Surf Film Festival / Sept. 29–Oct 2 / Halifax
Halifax’s second offering of over 20 surf-related films, both local and international in scope. www.canadiansurffilmfestival.com
Lumiere: Contemporary Art. Unconventional Spaces Sept 30–Oct 2 / Cape Breton
Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design presents a nighttime celebration of the arts, infusing Sydney’s downtown core with the vibrancy and excitement of theatre, dance, music, and visual art and craft. www.capebretoncraft.com
Photopolis / October 1–31 / Halifax
A city-wide celebration of photography featuring exhibitions by local, national and international artists. www.photopolis.ca
Celtic Colours Festival / October 7–15 / Cape Breton Island
From ceilidhs to kitchen parties, the 15th annual celebration of Celtic culture on Cape Breton Island returns. www.celtic-colours.com
Fibre Arts Festival / October 11–15 / Amherst
Third annual celebration of all things fibre, featuring creative demonstrations & workshops. www.creda.net/fibre/
Nocturne: Art At Night / October 15 / Halifax
Halifax’s fourth annual installation of this art-at-night exhibit. Stroll the streets and watch them unfold into an interactive art gallery before your eyes. www.nocturnehalifax.ca
Halifax Pop Explosion / October 18–22 / Halifax
Music festival & conference featuring everything from Halifax heroes to international crowd-pleasers like Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Fucked Up, Stars, Braids, The Oh Sees & a few surprises to boot. www.halifaxpopexplosion.com
Fall for Flamenco / October 22–30 / Halifax
6th annual international Flamenco festival featuring workshops, master classes, and artists from as far away as Spain, as well as local fusion Flamenco bands and dance performers. www.flamencofestival.ca
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Spectacle NL Roots, Raunts & Roars Festival / Sept 30–Oct 2 / Elliston
Bringing together the best of Newfoundland foods, wine & storytelling & promoting traditional ways of enjoying local cuisine. www.rootsrauntsandroars.ca
Performance Poetry / October 1 / St. John’s
A tradition in Newfoundland dating back to 1750, come hear both English and Irish performance poetry by local artists. www.boyletours.com
Greg Staats, ‘Condolence’ / October 1 / Cornerbrook
Toronto-based photographer shares images from the Six Nations’ reserve 60 years ago as a device to evoke a cultural past. The artist will also be delivering a keynote talk on language and Aboriginal identity. Sir Wilfrid Grenfell Art Gallery.
Working on History at The Rooms / October 1 & 2 / St. John’s Be a part of history. Help put together The Rooms’ newest exhibition featuring artefacts from Newfoundland’s history, culture & heritage. www.therooms.ca
The Epic Improv Marathon / Oct. 2 / St. John’s
Culture Days brings the Stanley Braxton improvisers on stage for four straight hours of free, all-ages improvised theatre. www.artsandculturecentre.com
Festival of New Dance / Oct 11–16 / Avalon
Neighbourhood Dance Works presents contemporary dance of Newfoundland & Labrador featuring local, national & international artists, engaging the community with workshops & artistic collaborations. www.neighbourhooddanceworks.com
International Women’s Film Festival / October 18–22 / St. John’s
The 22nd annual celebration of women & film, includes International Film Forum of keynote speakers & workshops with film professionals. www.womensfilmfestival.com
Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra Hibernia Gala Oct 28 / St. John’s Annual fundraising gala features Juno nominee Tara Oram. www.nso-music.com
Festival Du Vent / November 1–30 / St. John’s
Annual celebration of French culture. Come join the celebration of music, visual art, circus, theatre, and—of course—wind. www.acfsj.ca
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Spectacle NB Folk Tales & Storytelling in Acadie / September 30 / Moncton
Musée acadien de l’Université de Moncton offers a guided tour of this exhibition from the McCain Chair of Research in Acadian Ethnology, Ronald Labelle. www.umoncton.ca/umcm-maum
Theatre Workshop / October 1 / Fredericton
Join The Nasty Shadows Theatre Group at Gallerie Connexion for a free participatory theatre workshop. www.gallerieconnexion.ca
Paint the Town / October 1 / Miramichi
Meet artists of the Miramichi art core as they paint all over town in various mediums. Collect a business card from each to enter a surprise draw! www.miramichiart.ca
The 39 Steps / October 13–16 / Fredericton
Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel – add a dash of Monty Python and you have The 39 Steps, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre! www.theplayhouse.nb.ca
Vigil / October 13–23 / Sackville
Described as “a moving meditation on loneliness and mortality”, Live Bait Theatre presents ‘the wickedly funny story’ of a banker tending to his estranged dying aunt who isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. www.livebaittheatre.com
You Put Me High On A Pedestal / October 24–29 / Sackville
Struts student-run Art Gallery presents its 16th annual Symposium of Art. www.strutsgallery.ca
Russian Cello / October 25 / Fredericton
Fall in love with this heart-wrenching string instrument for the evening. Presented by Symphony New Brunswick. www.theplayhouse.nb.ca
Drums United / October 27 / Fredericton
Explosive world percussion group from the Netherlands takes to the stage for one night only! www.theplayhouse.nb.ca
Genticorum / October 29 / Sackville
Presented by Mount Allison’s Performing Arts Series, this traditional Québécois trio weaves precise and intricate instrumentals, gorgeous vocal harmonies, and energetic foot percussion into a musical feast. www.mta.ca/departments/PerformingArts
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Spectacle PEI Pen & Inkling Festival / September 28–October 2 / Charlottetown Celebration of the literary arts on PEI featuring the likes of Tanya Davis & Drew Hayden Taylor. www.peiwritersguild.com/pen-and-inkling-festival
Contact East / September 28–October 2 / Summerside
20th annual showcase, bringing together artists and presenters to facilitate the number and diversity of performing arts activities in Canada and on international stages. www.contacteast.ca
Bridging The Strings / September 30 / Montague
A multi-cultural, multi-generational musical experience, bridging experiential levels of fiddle & violin performers at the Centre for Performing ARTS. www.culturedays.ca
Seaglass Jewellery Demonstration / October 1 / Souris
Terri Hall of Fire & Water working studio/gallery describes the history of sea glass on PEI and offers a hands-on tutorial. Transform a favourite piece into a signature seaglass keepsake. www.peiseaglass.com
Kim Stockwood / October 1 / Hunter River
The Sweetheart of Newfoundland returns for an evening of song. www.harmonyhousetheatre.com
Caricatures / October 4–15 / Charlottetown
Talented animator David Boudreau of former with Jim Henson, Disney, Warner Brothers & Dreamworks fame brings canvas to life at The Guild. www.theguildpei.com
The Popalotalots / until October 7 / Charlottetown
“You suggest it, we’ll ingest it”. Get the ‘best bang for your PEI Entertainment buck’ with this Comedy Improv troupe performing every Thursday night at The Guild. www.charlottetownfestival.com
The Accordion and All Its Charms / October 18 / Summerside
The Harbourfront Theatre presents the first show of its annual Classical Music Series, featuring Jelena Milojevic, classical accordionist. www.harbourfronttheatre.com
Fall Gala Opening / October 28 / Charlottetown
Join the Confederation Centre for the Arts as they celebrate the opening of our fall exhibitions, everyone is welcome. www.confederationcentre.com
sights
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Lianne Larose Lianne Larose is a Halifax-based photographer. www.larosephotography.blogspot.com
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syllables Training Day In one hand, the paper with a photo of training marines belly-down on the deck of a ship, pointing black guns out at an empty sea; in the other a mug of coffee that's getting me through a half-read, half-watched morning, the first day of school laughing nervously across the street. What are they aiming at out there where nothing remains still? From my sunroom it's impossible to tell who will be what when the evening breaks. It would be nice to have such clear starts again. Shooting the blue just to learn the gun's stir in your hands.
George Murray
Photo Credit: John W. MacDonald
George Murray is the author of five acclaimed books of poetry, including The Rush to Here, The Hunter and, most recently, Glimpse: Selected Aphorisms. His sixth book, Whiteout, will appear in spring 2012. He lives in St. John's.
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Spotlight Eastern Front Theatre is a primary source for the development of Atlantic Canadian plays and playwrights. The company has commissioned, developed, and presented dozens of original dramatic works for the stage, providing opportunities and a public platform for playwrights to showcase their work. Scott Burke is the organization’s outgoing artistic director. Recently he spoke with AE about the troupe's upcoming production of The Passion of Adele Hugo which runs from November 6-20 at The Neptune Studio Theatre in Halifax. www.easternfronttheatre.com AE: What did you choose The Passion of Adele Hugo to kick-off the new season? SB: Eastern Front Commissioned this new musical in early 2008 and the script and music have been in development ever since. We've made a considerable investment in the show over the years, with two workshops, the first of which was held in conjunction with the Charlottetown Festival. The work has grown and improved during it's development, becoming richer, deeper, and more theatrical in the telling of a great story about romantic obsession. As I am wrapping up my tenure with Eastern Front, and been so involved in this play, its fitting that we produce it now. It will be a nice way to round out my time with Eastern Front. The play itself is a perfect Eastern Front show. It has all the ingredients that appeal to to a broad Halifax based audience: It's set mostly in Halifax in the 1860s, it's a period piece, it's based on a true story, it's a musical, it's a gripping story. We have hopes of the show having a life after the Eastern Front premiere.
AE: Are there any unique challenges in putting this particular piece together? SB: The fact that it is a period piece means that costumes will require more resources than a contemporary show. It should look gorgeous. The play takes place in three locations as well; Guernsey, Halifax, and the Barbodos, so moving between those locations is a nice theatrical challenge. We have great designers, Andrew Murrey on set and Adam MacKinnon on costumes and Leigh Ann Vardy on lights. I'm taking on the projection design with assistance from our assistant Director Christopher Fowler. Part of the challenge, and the fun, is putting together such a fabulous team of artists and performers. AE: What can audiences expect to experience during the run? SB: It's a sweeping story of romantic obsession. So, expect an operatic level of emotional involvement. It will be a challenge whether to side with Adele or Pinson, her beloved. Some will want to side with the pursuer, and some will want to side with the pursued. So there is a lot of conflict, and a real psychological investigation of love, romance and obsession.
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The Halifax Club
Literary Luncheon w/ Wayne Johnston & Ami McKay
Monday, November 18th, 12pm—1:30pm The Halifax Club, 1682 Hollis St, Halifax.
www.halifaxclub.ns.ca
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Last
Word By Tina Capalbo
The Trickle Up “Employers are looking for people who are creative and who are able to think critically, solve problems, communicate well, conceptualize, make decisions and learn and reason. The sought after worker is a continuous and highly adaptable learner, and an imaginative thinker who possesses a wide range of higher level thinking skills. Arts education can help students develop and reinforce these essential higher level skills.” – Ontario Arts Council (OAC), Making the Case for Arts Education: A Summary of Research and Trends in Arts Education, 1997 In 1997, the OAC researched the importance of arts education. Findings indicated that students develop vital higher level skills that are essential not only to learning other basic literacy and math skills but fundamental to future success in the workplace. Arts education is no art-forart’s-sake proposition. Our justifications for it are never divorced from an instructive, principled, or utilitarian purpose. As arts educators, we are bound to be practical and useful. In my own experience, teaching English and Drama in both Ontario and Nova Scotia, the value of studying art, dance, drama, literature, film or music, and the experience of participating in a band, choir, improv or dance troupe, art, drama or book club is self evident. I see over and over again how the matter of arts education is not simply one of enrichment. It is essential. When The Canadian Arts Consumer Profile 1990-1991: Findings, reported that 72% of Canadians agreed it is important to expose children to the arts, the majority of us nodded our heads up and down. Such an ambiguous conclusion is easy to support, ambiguously of course. The question of explicit value remains: how is arts education essential?
I see first-hand how arts education can expand a student’s kit bag of life skills. Over time, students develop a fuller understanding of themselves as human beings—no small feat. They begin to see connections between mind, body, and spirit. They gain self awareness, new team strategies, and problem solving abilities. In addition to self awareness, a study of the arts often requires collaboration, and students gain an appreciation of group dynamics and processes quickly. They eventually learn to both lead and follow effectively, and they begin to reason and distinguish when either role is called for. The explicit value of arts education is demonstrated by greater self confidence, better focus, and improved self-discipline. Ideas that used to trickle in begin to flow, and new solutions present themselves. The value of arts education is, and probably always will be, one that is actively and continually debated. And that’s okay. Strangely enough, the skills required to debate its value, stand as proof positive of the same; the debate itself is a demonstration of those higher level skills. Simply, transfer those skills to the workplace, and ask yourself, how important are higher level skills like problem-solving, creativity, oral and written communication, adaptability, broadmindedness, and critical thinking in our society?
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“My poems are great shouts of the joy that I feel and share; the deep passion that rocks and caresses and embraces me and all that is part of my world and my life�
Maxine Tynes In memorium