ARTSOE.CA JUNE 2011

Inspiring Collaborations

Orléans Festival • Art Takes Flight Plus: New Books by AOE Members Follow us on Facebook Follow our Tweets: AOEOttawa

ISSN 1195-2229 | Volume 24 no.2 Cover Photo: Jacqueline Ethier performs Ludvine, photo by Lisa Hébert. Contributors to this issue: Evan Clark, Patrick Holloway, Bridget Redmond, Charles-Étienne Renaud, Denis St-Jules, Alberte Villeneuve, Anita Utas AOE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Heather Jamieson, President Michael Curran, Vice-President / Director, Business Outreach Organizations: Micheline Joanisse, Vice-President, Public Affairs A Company of Fools • Arteast • Artswell • ARTour Prescott-Russell • 360 Art Éric Robineau, Treasurer Zone • Les Ateliers de l’Élan • Bytown Beat Chorus • CAMMAC Ottawa/ Marlene Hoff, Director, Membership Gatineau • Cantata Singers of Ottawa • Capital Chordettes • Carivibe Ltd • Francis Kenny, Director, Human Resources Cercle des conteurs de l’Est de l’Ontario (CCEO) • Les Chansonniers Denis St-Jules, Director at Large d’Ottawa • Coalition of New Canadians for Arts & Culture • Common Thread Marc Ouimet-McPherson, Director, Legal Affairs Quilt Guild • Coro Vivo Ottawa • Crichton Cultural Community Centre • Don Roy, Director, Outreach Cross Town Youth Chorus • Cumberland Arts & Crafts Guild • Cumberland Kathy MacLellan, AOE Director at Large Community Singers • Cumberland Heritage Village Museum • The Cumbrae School of Dancing • Do More Canada • East End Theatre • École secondaire catholique Béatrice Desloges • École secondaire catholique Garneau • AOE ADMINISTRATION: Empower Kids Canada • Foyer Gallery Artist Association • Galerie de la Rive Christine Tremblay, Executive Director • Gloucester Community Concert Band • Gloucester Historical Society • Chantal Rodier, Director of the ARTicipate Endowment Fund Gloucester Music Club • Gloucester Music Teachers’ Association • Chantal Hackett, Communications Coordinator Gloucester Pottery School • Goya Theatre Productions • Great Canadian Louise Michaud, Program Director Theatre Company (GCTC) • Harmonia Choir of Ottawa • Healthcare Food Jocelyne Garbutt, Member Services Administrator Services • La Nouvelle Scène • Leadership Ottawa • Loch Murray Dancers • Heather Jamieson, ARTnews Editor in chief MacCulloch Dancers • MASC • MIFO • Music and Beyond Performing Arts • Mercedes Déziel-Hupé, ARTnews Editor National Capital Network of Sculptors • National Capital Suzuki School of Cassandra Olsthoorn, ARTicipate Coordinator Music • Navan Arts & Crafts Guild • Nepean Fine Arts League • ORMTA - Jacquie Embleton, Bookeeper Ontario Registered Music Teachers’ Association • Odyssey Showcase • Rachel Crossan, Office Administrator Orléans Photo Club • Orléans Festival d’Orléans • Orléans Studio Tour • OYP – Orléans Young Players Theatre School • Ottawa Artisans Guild • Ottawa AOE THANKS ITS GENEROUS DONORS: Choral Society • Ottawa International Children’s Festival • Ottawa Jazz Stephen Adler • Jean-Pierre Allaire • Jacqueline Ballhorn • Festival • Ottawa Jazz Orchestra • Ottawa Little Theatre • OMMA - Ottawa Elizabeth Bertoldi • Brian Brown • Nancy Burke • Canada Helps Mixed Media Artists • Ottawa School of Art • Ottawa School of Speech & • Jacquie Embleton • Claudette Gionet • Roxanna Gregoire Drama • The Ottawa Story Tellers • Ottawa Symphony Orchestra • Ottawa • Maria Guevremont • Marion Hall • Marlene Hoff • Heather West Arts Association • Out of the Box Fibre Art Group • Rag and Bone Jamieson • Ted Johnston • Olaf Krassnitsky • Susan Pitt • Puppet Theatre • Rothwell Gallery • SAW Video • School of the Photographic Jason Pope • John Stevenson • Asoka Weerasinghe • Christine Arts: Ottawa • Sinfonia Ottawa • Step Into Motion • Strings of St. John’s Tremblay Chamber Orchestra • Tara Luz Danse • Swing Dynamite • Tale Wagging Theatre • Théâtre du Village Orléans • Thirteen Strings Baroque Ensemble of Ottawa • Vintage Stock Theatre AOE SPONSORS: Business members: Artech Camps-Imagination in Motion! • Beva Global Management Inc. • Business Club d’Orléans • Colours Jewellery • Christine Landry Jewellery • Design DanceR Studio • Foreign Service Community Association • Irene’s Pub and Restaurant • Maiden Star • Marc Poirier, Keller Williams Ottawa Realty Brokerage • Orléans Chamber of Commerce • OR DESIGN Glassworks • Le Regroupement des gens d’affaires • The Studio at GRAYROCK • Transcontinental Media • Wool N’ Things

AOE MEMBERS: Join AOE today to start enjoying the many benefits already valued by our long list of current members. With AOE, you or your organization will have a louder voice on art matters. Membership forms are available at www.artsoe.ca or by calling our office at613-580-2767 .

ARTnews is an official publication of AOE. It is published four times a year. The deadline for the next issue is June 30, 2011.

Please address all submissions to:

AOE Arts Council Tel: 613-580-2767 Shenkman Arts Centre Fax: 613-580-2768 245 Centrum Blvd., Suite 260 Email: [email protected] Ottawa, ON K1E 0A1 www.artsoe.ca

2 ARTSOE.CA Message from the Executive Director: Leading by example!

AOE’s Board of Directors In particular, I would like to thank our graphic designer with the firm Hilton & Following the April 6, Annual General president Heather Jamieson. Whether Knowlton. Meeting, I am delighted to report that all of it’s chairing meetings, motivating people, Good luck Matt and Mercedes, keep AOE’s directors have agreed to continue to promoting our members or supporting in touch. serve for another term. In addition, award- staff in so many different ways, she is a winning journalist Denis St-Jules has joined dedicated leader with a strong work ethic, a word of welcome our dedicated group. (You can read more deep commitment to AOE and infectious I would like to introduce Chantal about Denis on page 4.) enthusiasm. With the sudden departure Hackett as AOE’s new Communications The AOE Board is a diverse mix of of our Communications Coordinator at the Coordinator. A graduate of professionals, with a lawyer, an accountant, end of April, Heather jumped in with both Communications at the University of a retired school principal, a few journalists feet as Editor in chief for ARTnews, putting Ottawa, Chantal is also an accomplished and a puppeteer. Other directors bring her journalism skills to good use. We all singer, songwriter, vocal coach and events extensive experience in the military, benefit from her enormous contribution. coordinator. We welcome Chantal’s energy communications and administration; all are Thank you AOE directors for your and enthusiasm. Her experience as an committed to strengthening the arts council commitment and for leading by example – artist promoter and artistic director of and the arts community. each one of you is making a difference! various musical productions gives her an We often tell you about our members insider’s view of the needs of artists which and what’s happening in the local arts Au-revoir and good luck! will no doubt be beneficial in her new role community. What you don’t usually hear Mercedes Déziel-Hupé, AOE’s at AOE. about, is the incredibly important work Communications Coordinator replacing We look forward to you meeting the carried out by AOE’s committed board of Cristiane Doherty during her maternity leave, newest member of our team! directors. has found a permanent position with the They give generously of their time and Ottawa Art Gallery. We wish her well in this individual areas of expertise to collaborate new job and are pleased that she is working with staff on developing policies, planning for one of our member organizations. events, seeking funding, advocating for the Matthew Gale who was hired in arts, talking with local politicians, developing December on a short-term contract as our member services, supporting Orléans Communications and Design Officer has Festival, writing, editing and proofing for also bid AOE farewell. With the experience AOE’s publications and the list goes on . . . gained at AOE he was hired as a full-time Christine Tremblay, AOE Executive Director

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR ship stories to translation without leaving collaborations and in each case, effective one’s laptop. communication was essential. The It’s been both exciting and eye-opening While journalism itself isn’t considered breaking down of barriers between art to return to my journalism roots and help an art form, good writing is, and strong forms and between artists of all disciplines Mercedes with this issue of ARTnews. communication skills are necessary in is an exciting trend in our arts community There have been many technological any organization; another reason we are and for which AOE can provide essential changes in the field of information gathering pleased to welcome Denis to our board. leadership. and reporting since I was editor of The Last November, Denis was honoured with A few days from now, will be perhaps Orléans Star in the early 90s and even more an honourary degree from his alma mater, the greatest collaboration Orléans has since I worked as a reporter for The London the University of Sudbury. ever seen, as the second annual Orléans Free Press in the 1970s. The big upgrade In his Convocation Address, the Festival unites artists, bakers, businessmen, at that time was the switch from manual long-time Radio-Canada host advised the politicians, community workers, students typewriters to electric ones, and there was gathered graduates to never underestimate and architects – an endless list of no such thing as Spell Check! I recall at the value of strong communication skills. collaborators and volunteers who will give The Star being introduced to Free Net, an “I know e-mailing, texting, twittering or our community an amazing event! Enjoy it! early e-mail service offered through Carleton tweeting seems to be the dominant means Have a safe and happy summer. University. It was intriguing, but had little by which we communicate today. However, impact on the process of gathering news nothing will ever replace our ability to use and producing an issue of the newspaper. our voice to pronounce words, to form Jump forward to 2011, where e-mail sentences, to communicate facts and and the Internet have become an integral emotions, to express our talent, our skills, part of the journalistic process. One can and our competence.” now research, verify facts, interview artists Several stories in this issue speak and, with a quick press of the Send button, of successes that have sprung from Heather Jamieson, AOE Board President

ARTNEWS JUNE 2011 3 AOE News

OYP Theatre School presented an original theatre piece “A SAC full of ART” – a clever play-on-words for the acronym for the Shenkman Arts Centre. Left to right, OYPTS students Erin MacDonald, Sam MacDonald and Alexus White. Musician and AOE member Sean Chhangur

AOE’s AGM mixed business with pleasure Master of Ceremonies for the AGM was Business combined with pleasure on from the president, executive director, AOE board member Micheline Joanisse, April 6, 2011 as AOE Arts Council held its treasurer and ARTicipate director. who has been elected 2010 Annual General Meeting in the Retired journalist Denis St-Jules was to serve on the AOE Shenkman Arts Centre’s Richcraft Theatre. welcomed as a new member of the AOE executive as vice- More than 60 AOE members, staff and Arts Council Board of Directors. president of Public volunteers attended the meeting which The Council took advantage of the Affairs. was opened with an a capella performance evening to celebrate the contribution of its by students from the Ottawa School of many volunteers with the presentation of a Speech and Drama and concluded with small gift and words of appreciation from Copies of AOE’s 2010 Annual Report are an original theatre piece by OYP Theatre AOE’s program coordinator Louise Michaud. available online at www.artsoe.ca or from School students. Between the well-received The evening concluded with a reception, the Council office. performances, an efficient business meeting accompanied by the jazz piano sounds of took place which was highlighted by reports AOE member Sean Chhangur. Photos by Mercedes Déziel-Hupé

Denis St-Jules Joins AOE Board of Directors

Denis St-Jules, an award-winning journalist with an extensive career in radio covering francophone arts and culture events in Northern Ontario, has joined the AOE Arts Council Board of Directors. Denis’ background includes extensive experience as a volunteer, in particular as an advocate for Francophone education in Ontario and with arts and cultural organizations in Northern Ontario. He has personally explored many art forms, including poetry, music and theatre. Since retiring in Ottawa two year ago, he has generously donated his time to AOE as Master of Ceremonies for several events and with our publications. In November 2010, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Sacred Letters from the University of Sudbury.

4 ARTSOE.CA Arts News

Visual Arts Meets Contemporary Dance in Moving Narratives

A unique collaboration between the as previously Bouvrette took her inspiration richness of a work, as well as the public’s visual art of Reid McLachlan and the from finished paintings. In preparation for experience. contemporary dance of Tara Luz Danse was this show, he attended a number of Sariana “It challenged me to approach my work staged in early spring at the Orléans rehearsals with Bouvrette and dancer Julie in a different way: in this case, I had to Campus of the Ottawa School of Art. Anne Ryan. Ludivine was performed by reflect on finding moments of connection Tara Luz Danse founder and dancer Jacqueline Ethier. between the characters in Reid’s works with choreographer Anik Bouvrette was inspired “I had the opportunity to see their the movement and the women in Ludivine by McLachlan’s work in the creation creative process and absorb the themes, and Sariana,” she explains. “I also deeply of two choreographies, Ludivine and ideas and objects the choreographer and appreciated the intimacy of presenting Sariana. While the former was a reprise of dancer were working with,” he says. “This dance in a gallery space and giving the a 2008 collaboration, Sariana was created two-way interaction made it feel like a true audience the opportunity to be close to the specifically for the latest exhibit. collaboration for me.” dancers, allowing them to witness how the The creation of Sariana was the first time Bouvrette believes this encounter movement filled and transformed the space the artists participated so intimately in each of artists in dance with those of other and the paintings.” other’s creative process, explains McLachlan, disciplines has the potential to enhance the McLachlan finished the five large canvasses created specifically for Sariana in less than three months, Moving Narratives with each “addressing in some way what I saw as the underlying themes Tara Luz Danse, a resident company of expressed in the dance.” In all, about the Shenkman Arts Centre, is a 25 paintings were included in the contemporary dance company founded in exhibit. 2006 by its artistic director Anik Bouvrette. The next major performance As well as showcasing Bouvrette’s project for Tara Luz Danse will be choreography, the company is devoted to the transformation of the second undertaking artistic outreach projects at phase of Bouvrette’s Les billes into local schools and within the community, a full-length piece for young people as well as presenting the work of other to be presented March 31, 2012 contemporary dance artists. by the Mouvement d’implication francophone d’Orléans (MIFO) as Reid McLachlan part of its “Série jeunesse” in the Shenkman Art Centre’s Richcraft Theatre. Although Reid McLachlan grew up in Chelsea resident McLachlan, who Ottawa’s East End, his recent exhibit at the was raised in Rothwell Heights and Shenkman Arts Centre was the first time he found his passion for art at the former had shown any of his work east of the High School of Commerce, will spend ByWard Market. “To stretch things a bit, his summer building and repairing you could say it was a bit of a canoes for Trailhead. That’s the “real homecoming,” he says. money” that supports his art, he An award-winning graduate of the laughs. “But, when September rolls Ontario College of Art, McLachlan has around, I’m out of there and back to spent the last 15 years living and painting the studio.” in Chelsea, Quebec. His work has been exhibited in Canada, the United States By Mercedes Déziel-Hupé and Europe and can be found in public & Heather Jamieson and private collections throughout North Anik Bouvrette America.

ARTNEWS JUNE 2011 5 First Kiss Films: Vintage Cinema with Love

By Bridget Redmond First Kiss Films was recently invited First Kiss Films to screen a vintage film in the 2011 Modern cinema has come a long way Genies Celebrity Lounge. I created a since the early days of film, yet a return to custom, hand-processed black and the past can sometimes be the best way to white 16 mm film just for the event and capture today. projected it continuously on a film loop. My love for vintage film began when The film was simply titled “31” and was a friend asked me to film her wedding. I inspired by the 31st Annual Genies picked up a vintage film camera, and fell Awards. in love with the process as a unique and I continue to work as an touching way to capture an event. That was independent artist and collaborate the first kiss. with other film artists in the community, At First Kiss Films, we use vintage including the Window’s Collective 16 mm and super 8 mm cameras to and members of the Independent create touching, fine art films. Established Filmmakers Co-operative of Ottawa. The filmmakers, with an artistic eye, are behind Windows Collective, started in 2009, is the lens as they craft short-form wedding a group of six film artists who produce and lifestyle films. As lead filmmaker, I am a work on film to play on loop for outdoor professionally-trained media artist with more exhibition. We host free screenings at For more information please visit: than 15 years experience capturing life and various locations, including a screening www.firstkissfilms.com love on film. last year at the Shenkman Arts Centre.

AOE Gallery AOE Potlucks May 30th – August 26th Paintings by Rola Bleik and Wood Art With the good weather and long evenings by Norman Pirollo upon us, AOE has decided to postpone the Meet n’ Munch originally scheduled for June 22 until the fall. The date of the next member gathering will be announced in our September issue of ARTnews and on the website. Have a wonderful summer and see you in September! Welcome New Members: “Timeless” by Monica Seidenbusch March & April 2011 Athena Adamopoulos Louise Barker Choleena DiTullio Athena Efraim Danielle Efraim Patricia Fish Elaine Grant Yvon Marc Joseph Rose Susan Orach Sue Perley-Robertson Bridget Redmond Manju Sah Anne Swiderski Wayne Theoret Lynda A. Turner

6 ARTSOE.CA Resident Arts Partner News

Summer is made for playing . . music! The audience arrived into the OYPTS Do you dream of playing KTL Group studio, including 27 children a musical instrument or who plopped down on the comfy carpet, of improving your current while the adults seated themselves on performance? Did you chairs set upon convenient risers which had know that MIFO includes a music school? been purchased with a matching-fund grant This summer, learn to play the guitar, from the City of Ottawa. piano or flute with highly qualified teachers. Between September and April, The MIFO music school is under the professional performers and special guests competent supervision of Mme Joanne created magic with eight staged readings Gloucester Pottery School - Dust Evans Gallery Lefebvre, who oversees quality control that were beautifully complement by Rag Dance and pottery find a of the music curriculum and teaching. A and Bone puppets, music, shadow plays partnership at the Gloucester graduate of the piano interpretation program and masks. The setting always remained Pottery School at McGill University, Mme Lefebvre has 19 informal, allowing plenty of interactive years experience at MIFO. audience participation. The success of last summer’s collaboration Courses are offered between July Our goal was to share our love of between the Gloucester Pottery School and 6 and August 25, 2011 on Tuesdays or books and encourage literacy by creating City of Ottawa dance camps has led to Wednesdays, both afternoons and evenings. a community event to celebrate books and double the number of sessions this year. Joanne Lefebvre reading. Our hope was that parents would For eight weeks, participants can learn www.mifo.ca be inspired to read more often to their a variety of popular dance steps for half the children and take them to explore libraries day and pottery hand building techniques Stories come alive with OYP and bookstores. the other half, explains Rosemary Swan, Theatre School Audiences grew throughout the series, director of the pottery school. Before and Once upon a time, a partnership was until we finally had to move out of our 50- after care is provided for these camps at no created that provided free Sunday afternoon seat studio to the Shenkman Arts Centre’s charge. story readings for families. larger Orléans Star – L’Express Music The pottery school is also offering The partners were OYP Theatre School Studio for our final show. intensive adult and teen summer classes. and Rag and Bone Puppet Theatre and Thanks to the collaboration, talent and The Gloucester Pottery School, founded it was all made possible with a grant from ingenuity of Rag and Bone Puppet Theatre, in 1991, has a fully-equipped studio, with 19 the Ottawa Citizen Literacy Foundation. It as well as the Ottawa Citizen Literacy electric potters’ wheels, four electric kilns, a was indeed a story with a “happily ever after” Foundation, these readings were a huge pugmill, slab roller, wall extruder, spray booth, ending! success and we are already exploring ways and state-of-the-art cleaning facilities. The first Stories Alive performance on to continue them in some form in the future. www.gloucesterpotteryschool.com September 26, 2010 coincided with Culture It is indeed a Happy Ending, as we hope Days at the Shenkman Arts Centre. We there won’t be an ending at all! OSA Exhibits rolled out our cosy pink carpet and set up June 3 to July 10 risers and chairs. Rag and Bone puppet By Kathi Langston, Bloom by Karina Kraenzle masters Kathy MacLellan and John Nolan Artistic Director, OYPTS erected their brightly-decorated set, and July 18 to Aug 28 readied their puppets and props for the show. OSA Instructor Exhibit

Ottawa School of Art-Orleans Campus

ARTNEWS JUNE 2011 7 ARTnews Briefs. . . National Theatre groups to create works on the South March School and vice- Highlands; its origins based on Algonquin Kathi Langston, Artistic Director of OYP chair of the Canada oral history; the Year of Forest or “on abstract Theatre School is a finalist in the Y Women Council for the Arts. expressions on the importance of such of Distinction Awards, for the St. Joseph The thesis he puts natural spaces to artists in the Ottawa area.” Media Arts and Culture Award. Winners will forward in his The first exhibit to include such works be announced May 31. Langston is being highly-acclaimed was launched in March 2011 by the honoured for her dedication to providing a books is that “arts Ottawa West Art Association. An exhibit safe and nurturing artistic environment for and culture have “In Praise of Forests” was also held at the youth in the community. Visit resonance today that Tay Gallery in Kanata in April. Anita Utas, www.ywoda.ca transcends aesthetic whose solo exhibit, Painting Landscapes ______issues or special-interest discussions.” for a Greener World, continues in the The French version is also available in Trinity Gallery until June 28 (see page 12) A penny saved is a penny earned and AOE the AOE library. is donating a portion of the proceeds from has raised close to $40 (and the occasional ______her exhibition to the cause. Euro) in its Penny Campaign, which asks Literary artists have also been inspired AOE members and arts supporters to Artists find inspiration in any number of by The Year of the Forest with the donate their pennies to AOE Arts Council. ways, including from the Declaration of publication of an anthology of poems, short Donations of pennies are gratefully 2011 as the Year of Forests by the United stories and essays entitled Inspiration accepted in our Penny Mason Jar at the Nations General Assembly. The UN hopes Planet Earth – Our Natural Environment is AOE office. to raise awareness on sustainable Life. Further events and projects by area ______management, conservation and sustainable artists are being planned for later in 2011 development for all types of forests. and 2012. No Culture, No Future, the English Ottawa artist Nicole McGrath, who calls translation of Simon Brault’s Le Facteur C, forests her favourite place, is a strong originally published in September 2009, has advocate of the preservation of South been added to AOE’s Resource Library. March Highlands. To rally the arts A little more about Among other positions, Brault is CEO of the community, McGrath asked Ottawa arts Ottawa Festivals . . .

Ottawa Festivals is dedicated to making Jazzing Up your Summer local events world-class and promoting this year’s Festival on June 23. Best Ottawa as an exciting tourist destination! Through Festivals known as the front man for Led Zeppelin, The many Ottawa-area festivals have a Dynamic Jazz Coming to Plant has repeatedly reinvented himself significant impact on the local economy Confederation Park over his career. His latest effort, Band of and greatly enhance our region’s image. Joy, is yet another departure and is Ottawa Festivals is a not-for-profit member- This summer’s TD Ottawa International Jazz considered by some to be an extension of based organization, established in 1996 Festival will host some of the jazz scene’s his Grammy award winning collaboration with a membership of more than 50 not-for- most dynamic artists. Running from June with Alison Krauss. profit festivals, special events and fairs. 23 to July 3 Elvis Costello & the Imposters take in the heart centre stage the following night, June 24. Ottawa Festivals www.Ottawafestivals.ca of downtown Costello’s body of work, spanning more Ottawa’s than three decades, speaks for itself. A AOE Members’ Festivals . . . beautiful genre-bending musician if ever there was onfederation one, it goes without saying a live show Ottawa International Children’s Festival Park, this from Costello is sure to please all comers. www.ottawachildrensfestival.ca June 1 – 5 year’s k.d. Lang and The Siss Boom Bang headliners tops the bill June 25. Lang is perhaps the Music and Beyond are three best-known Canadian songstress of her www.musicandbeyond.ca very different generation. Much like the two acts before July 7 – 17 performers, her, Lang’s is an eclectic mix of country, Ottawa International yet they jazz, soul, pop and much more. She is as Chamber Music Festival share similar versatile a talent as she is charismatic. www.chamberfest.com influences. This is the 31st year for the TD Ottawa July 23 – August 6 Robert International Jazz Festival, which Musicians Elvis Plant and continues its original mission to celebrate Enjoy Festival Season! Costello & the Imposters the Band of the over-a-century-old conversation that is Joy open Jazz. www.ottawajazzfestival.com

8 ARTSOE.CA Life events inspire books for children

One story was inspired by a book read aloud to a fourth grade class in a Bombay classroom; the other by the birth of a child a quarter of a century ago in Bulgaria. Two AOE Arts Council members share the personal stories behind their new publications; stories that are as compelling as the tales themselves. By Heather Jamieson

Entering the world of Anne, she recalls, she left behind her own world in Bombay (now known as Mumbai). It was, she recalls, “a sprawling city teeming with people; hot, dusty, vibrant, a cacophony of colour and sounds.” Rachna eventually learned that Polka-Dot Troubles Prince Edward Island was indeed real and, By Victor Pavlov after graduating with a degree in biology Baico Publishing Inc. from the University of London, the memory ISBN: 978-1-926945-17-0 of Anne of Green Gables was one of her motivations to move there. She married an A delightful story whose genesis was 25 Islander and listened avidly to her father-in- years ago in Bulgaria has come to life in law’s stories of growing up on the Island Polka-Dot Troubles, written and illustrated during the Depression; stories that she later by Victor Pavlov. drew from to write her recently published Pavlov first had the idea of writing a novel for children, That Boy Red. children’s book with the birth of his son “I don’t think I ever dreamed or imagined Martin in 1984. Two years ago, the when I was a girl in India . . . that one day Gatineau resident returned to his native I’d live on the Island, marry an Islander and, Bulgaria and while going through old books inspired by my father-in-law’s anecdotes, at his cottage, a few hand-written pages fell write a book about a boy growing up on the out of one of them. It was the unfinished Island, set in the era following Anne’s time,” manuscript for Polka-Dot Troubles, the she writes on her popular blog. “Full circle.” heart-warming story of a little ladybug who That Boy Red It was on PEI, as a 30-year-old mother loses her spots and turns to her friends for By Rachna Gilmore of two, that Rachna decided if she wasn’t help. HarperCollins going to end up an old woman filled with Pavlov brought the pages back to ISBN: 978-1-55468-459-5 regret for an unfulfilled dream, it was time to Canada, finished the story, translated it into try to become a writer. Five years later her English and drew the illustrations. The “The story behind Red is a long road that first book was published and she has gone rhyming vocabulary of the story and winds back to my childhood,” explains on to publish dozens of novels, picture colourful pictures are geared to children author Rachna Gilmore of her most recent books, fiction and non-fiction; winning many between six and 10 years of age. novel for children, That Boy Red, a awards and many fans along the way. In It also contains an educational section coming-of-age story set in Prince Edward 1999, she was awarded the Governor with facts about ladybugs, their life cycle Island during the Depression. General’s Literary Award for Children’s and anatomy, as well as pictures of the To understand that winding road, one Literature for A Screaming Kind of Day. most common lady beetles in Ontario and has to know the Governor-General Award That Boy Red continues Rachna’s North America. winning author’s own story – born in India tradition of creating strong, believable Pavlov, who describes himself as “a civil into an upper-middle class family, Rachna characters, filled with the authentic sights, engineer by education, computer specialist was first introduced to PEI when an sounds and smells of a bygone era. by trade, and artist, illustrator and writer by elementary school teacher read Anne of Publication of her new picture book, The heart,” hopes the book will inspire children Green Gables aloud to her class. The Flute, is expected by late spring. to observe and respect nature. peaceful PEI fields and forests, with their violets and mayflowers, were so far removed www.rachnagilmore.ca www.victorpavlov.com from the world in which Rachna was living, www.rachnagilmore.blogspot.com she believed it was a place of fiction.

ARTNEWS JUNE 2011 9 Community News Author Alberte Monthly Arts Nights: inviting interested members of the Villeneuve, left, audience to make a five minute was joined by artist Artists sharing their Angela Verlaeckt musical or literary presentation. This Clark, centre, and passion is followed by the presentations of the pianist Lori Lynn three invited guests and, after a coffee Penny to discuss break, the evening ends with an open their respective artistic disciplines at Each month, art lovers meet at the discussion. a recent Arts Night. First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa’s Arts Nights, which take place at church on Cleary Avenue for discussions 7:30 p.m. on the last Friday of each “Matterhorn,” with artists from the worlds of literature, month, eight months of the year, offer a is an acrylic music and visual arts. unique opportunity to discover local painting by Arlette I had the pleasure and honour to be one talent. On June 24, writer Sigrid Francière. of the three guests invited to a recent Arts Macdonald, visual artist Arlette Francière The artist will be Nights evening. The world of visual arts and soprano Phyliss Knox will be the Arts discussing her work at the June was represented by Angela Verlaeckt Clark, Night special guests. 24 Arts Night at who talked about her passion for sculpture Macdonald has written three books, the First Unitarian and the satisfaction she gets from seeing a Getting Hip, D’Amour Road and Be Congregation. work of art emerge from a simple piece of Your Own Editor. Artist Francière marble. discovered her passion for painting ARTS NIGHT Pianist Lori Lynn Penny talked about her while studying art history at love of music and her progression of Concordia University and has June 24, 2011 learning; since 1990, she has been teaching developed as an expressionist Literary artist piano based on the Kodaly Method. For my landscape artist, known for her rich Sigrid Macdonald part, I talked about the art of writing and my and vivid colours. Knox is a need to tell, describe and narrate which is renowned soprano, performing with Visual artist so essential to my nature. both chamber musicians and Arlette Francière These wonderful evenings are made symphonic orchestras throughout Musical artist possible thanks to the hard work of Jocelyn Canada. Phyllis Knox Loeffelholz. She opens each evening by By Alberte Villeneuve

Story Telling for Ottawa Story Tellers will be bringing be The Warrior Queen: Chasing Boudicca, Adults: An art form three of their most successful performances with Nathan Bishop, Ruthanne Edward, whose time has come again. from their past season at the NAC’s Fourth Kathryn Hunt and Marie Bilodeau on Stage, to the Orleans Young Players November 19. This is the very dramatic Ottawa Story Tellers Return Theatre School studio in the fall. While the and violent story of the woman who brought to the Shenkman Arts Centre Story Tellers have performed in the Richcraft the mighty Roman Empire to its knees. Theatre in the past, they are looking forward Performances start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets Storytelling is one of the world’s to the “intimacy” of the smaller OYPTS $15/ $12 for students and seniors. Cash oldest art forms and continues as a dynamic studio, says Paxson. only at the door. and vibrant art form in much of the world, The first performance will be September www.ottawastorytellers.ca including Newfoundland and in Canada’s 17, 2011 with Jan Andrews and Mary aboriginal communities. Wiggin in To Say Nothing of the Dog: By Patrick Holloway, Ottawa Story Tellers Regretfully, story-telling as an important Stories about Man’s Best (?) Friend, a art form for adults has been lost in much of favourite with all dog lovers (and those who Western culture. Ottawa Story Tellers aren’t too sure). believe that in these days when everything On October 15, they reprise the very moves so fast and everyone seems to popular For the Love of Pete: Stories and always need to be “plugged in,” that Songs of Pete Seeger, with Gail Anglin, storytelling is an art form whose time has Tom Lips and musician Mary Gick. This come again. evening of stories and song explores the life “It is indeed an art form that is simple, and times of Pete Seeger, a man who was but profound, and requires just a teller and at the forefront of the folk music revival and a listener,” says Caitlyn Paxson, the is a must-see for all activists and old hippies. organization’s managing artistic director. The final performance in the series will

10 ARTSOE.CA Orléans Festival The Orléans-Cumberland Community “perhaps best of all, Resource Centre (OCCCRC) is offering everything at. the event Anticipation builds for two day family- face-painting, crafts and an Open House in friendly, culturally-diverse celebration. its newly-opened Centrum Boulevard facility. is free.” The Festival, in collaboration with the Don Roy, Chair of the 2011 Orléans Festival When the chair of the upcoming Ottawa Regional Society of Architects and Orléans Organizing Committee Orléans Festival says this year’s event has the Society for Design Administration, is also “something for everyone,” he’s not kidding. giving back by to the community through a Don Roy anticipates this year’s two-day design/build competition, Festival will be one of the largest events ever Canstruction® in which teams of held in Orléans. design professionals will build Excitement is building as the Festival’s colossal structures entirely from website countdown clock winds down to the canned food. Canstruction® gets noon, Friday, June 3rd launch of the Festival underway at the Shenkman Arts with the opening of the 2011 Cumberland Centre on May 30 and continues Farmer’s Market. Activities and through the Festival. All the entertainment continue until the last canned goods used will be downbeat in The Jazz Lounge closes the donated to the Ottawa Food Festival at 11:30 p.m. Saturday night. Bank at the end of the event. Organized by a volunteer committee, this To support the OCCRC year’s Festival is the sequel to last year’s emergency food program, the inaugural shorter event which attracted more public is encouraged to bring than 2,500 visitors. Building on last year’s non-perishable food donations to success, organizers have put together a the building’s entrances during diverse and exciting program which includes the Festival. performances for all tastes and all ages; Performers at the Festival run culinary art demonstrations and the gamut from Servantes, a competitions; a Jazz Lounge; and a Latin-flavoured classical guitar performance Above: Éric Leclerc, A Magician and his Suitcase, Saturday morning community breakfast. on Friday night, to the illusions of local Saturday, 1:30 p.m. in the Harold Shenkman Hall Like last year, the Festival is part of Doors magician Éric Leclerc, who will delight Open Ottawa. youngsters of all ages on Saturday afternoon Below: Dalhi Gonthier Quartet, left to right: (Paul And, perhaps best of all, says Roy and Franco-Ontarian hip-hop/pop artist ZPN Van Dyk, Pierre Haché and Dalhi Gonthier) “everything at the event is free.” on Saturday evening. An exciting new addition to the Orléans Festival is The nine-member organizing committee The full list of programming is available a Jazz Club in the Orléans Star - L’Express Music has had terrific support, Roy says, from the on the Orléans Festival website at Studio. Friday night the Search Engine Jazz business community, the Business www.orleansfestival.ca Quartet take the stage. The Dalhi Gonthier Quartet, Improvement Association, political leaders including Ottawa jazz guitarist Lucas Haneman, and the City of Ottawa, as well as the arts By Heather Jamieson bring their jazz sounds on Saturday night. community. He is particularly grateful for the support of AOE Arts Council. Centrum Boulevard will be closed for the duration of the event from Prestone Drive to just west of the Shenkman Arts Centre. Activities, including a Rue des Artisans, will take place in and around the arts centre; there will be young people’s programming in coordination with the Ruddy Family YM/ YWCA; a kids’ Play Zone on the street; Art Creation Activities, as well as various artistic and pottery demonstrations. Great effort has gone into engaging young people in the event, explains the Festival’s Artistic Director Louise Michaud, with a Youth Talent Show and High School Showcase both on the Festival’s program.

ARTNEWS JUNE 2011 11 Web Reviews

CanCulture and directs web surfers to publishers and workers and organizations in the province’s Check out CanCulture, a new online other related websites. C9’s activities arts, heritage and culture disciplines. magazine featuring arts and culture events extend to printing through the creation of This sector is a leader in the creative and issues in Ottawa and Toronto. The site T-shirts and reusable bags. economy with more than 250,000 workers was launched in March by two young As well as producing its own comic and contributing $19.7 billion to the Ottawa journalists who hope to stimulate strips, the Collectif hopes to attract other provincial GDP. their readers to have a deeper connection artists and collaborators. Its editorial team CCCO has developed one of the with their cities and to promote discussion is made up of three graduates of the UQO province’s most popular job boards on its on arts and culture issues. program, Jean-François Boulé, Émile website. In fact, the site is so popular the www.canculutre.com Couture and Hélène Doré. organization itself is often referred to by its This is an interesting site for fans of name, Work in Culture. The job board Collectif 9: A website dedicated illustration and comic strips. specializes in jobs for artists, administrators to comic strip artists Available only in French. and others, including full and part-time The Collectif 9 (also known as C9) is a www.collectif9.com positions, internships and casual labour website which features local comic strip opportunities in the arts and cultural artists. The C9 project was created in 2009 Work in Culture: A leading web community. by Professor Marc Tessier from l’École resource for careers in arts As well, it includes free and easy to Multidisciplinaire de l’Image at l’Université and culture download resources such as booklets, tips du Québec en Outaouais. Cultural Careers Council Ontario (CCCO) is and templates on business topics and With more than 15 writers and using a a not for profit organization dedicated to research. The website is available only Wordpress interface, the Collectif blogs and building a resilient cultural sector in Ontario in English. publishes both in “fanzine” and book format. through the delivery of business skills, www.workinculture.ca The website promotes comic strip artists training, services and resources for artists,

Painting Landscapes for a Greener World

My collection of landscapes was inspired by a concern for our environment and the rapid dwindling of pristine places. I paint the calming forces of far off vistas; the enduring land that will be here long after we are gone. These paintings capture the primal elements of nature in order to evoke memories or feelings. Viewers will be drawn into the paintings and experience the serenity that nature provides us in our hectic, urban lives. A portion of proceeds from this exhibition will be donated to the preservation of the South March Highlands and the Constance Creek Wildlife Refuge.

By Anita Utas

Anita Utas: “Poetic Landscapes” A solo exhibition of abstract landscape “Ripped Tradition” by 16-year-old Colonel By paintings by Anita Utas High School student Danlynn Tang was the May 26 to June 28 Trinity Art Gallery, Salon A winner of the AOE Award at the Young at Art Shenkman Arts Centre, 2011 Exhibit held in the Trinity Art Gallery from 245 Centrum Boulevard, April 29 to May 24. Lower Level www.anitautas.com

12 ARTSOE.CA 2011 ARTicipate Campaign Underway

The more it grows, the more it gives

MANY donations to the 2011 ARTicipate support the year-round programming and Donations can be made Endowment Fund campaign have been services of the resident arts partners.” received and applications for 2011 grants She added that cumulative lifetime online at articipate.ca are being reviewed. The 2011 grant donations are recognized on the ARTicipate or by calling recipients will be announced in the website and on the distinctive Annual Donor September issue of ARTnews. Wall in the Shenkman Arts Centre’s upper 613-580-2767. ARTicipate launched its 2011 campaign lobby. in April with the presentation of its first The full ARTicipate ARTicipate Report. This comprehensive, By Cassandra Olsthoorn, Report is available bilingual publication covers ARTicipate ARTicipate Coordinator activities and accomplishments since its online at inception in 2007 to 2010, including the www.articipate.ca 2010 grant recipients and the unveiling of the ARTicipate Donor Wall in May 2010. 2011 also saw the presentation at the Upcoming from 2010 Grant Recipients... Shenkman Arts Centre of the performances of two recipients of 2010 grants: the Propeller Dance, “Cross Over,” June 16th and 17th 2011, Richcraft Theatre National Capital Suzuki School of Music and the Ottawa Theatre School. Cross Over will speak to the beauty and power of the body in all its diversity. “Thanks to its ARTicipate grant, the Propeller Dance is Ottawa’s contemporary dance organization integrating dancers Suzuki Music Chamber and Ensembles with and without disability. Concert 2011 showcased various chamber music groups and senior ensembles in the Blink Collective, “Threaded: Homage to Louise Bourgeois,” September 2011, Harold Shenkman Hall. It was a wonderful Lower Lobby Gallery evening of classical music,” says ARTicipate Endowment Fund Director Chantal Rodier. Eight artists will create diptychs that reflect the connecting threads between their “The ARTicipate grant allowed these talented works with that of Louise Bourgeois, bearing in mind the words of the artist, “I do, I students to perform in a professional undo, I redo.” performance venue, providing a great experience for students and audience alike.” The Ottawa Theatre School’s April production of Under Milkwood, by Dylan Thomas, was held in the Shenkman Art Centre’s Richcraft Theatre. “ARTicipate funding allowed the first graduates of the Ottawa Theatre’s School newly accredited Acting Conservatory Program to participate in a professional production and exposed audiences to new and emerging theatre talent in Ottawa,” explains Rodier. A number of OYP Theatre School students were also involved in the production. “It is clear that the $53,000 in ARTicipate grants awarded in 2010 have had a tremendous impact on the quality and diversity of local arts,” she adds. “We want to make an even bigger impact in 2011 by having more money available from which to support our grant applicants. All donations will help bring innovative and dynamic Propeller Dance projects to the Shenkman Arts Centre and

ARTNEWS JUNE 2011 13 Artist Profile

Éric Tardif - His art takes flight

Flight of the with which he works, including maple, Imagination, an ash, elm, walnut and cherry. Through its exhibition of works by singular colour or grain, he says each piece sculptor Éric Tardif, is of wood will inspire a form and a way for it literally taking the to “take flight.” Shenkman Art Tardif has become a master at choosing Centre’s Trinity Art the individual planks which come primarily Gallery, Salon B, to from the Bois Francs region of central new heights. Quebec, as well as from the Ottawa- Tardif’s wooden Gatineau region. bird sculptures have little resemblance This exhibit, which continues until June to traditional wood sculpture. Each is 28, is a rare opportunity to view a genuine crafted from thin hardwood plates which “artistic migration.” are bent to give clean, delicate, elegant and graceful forms. By Denis St-Jules The Outaouais artist, a native of Kamouraska, Québec, discovered this technique while studying at L’École de sculpture de Québec in 1995. Since his first exhibit, his creations have sold very well and he has held successful exhibitions in France, Italy, the United States, Japan, Quebec and Ontario, including Ottawa and Gatineau. It is not surprising that the artist devotes his creative energy to depicting the very essence of birds; long before becoming an artist he was a guide at the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, a world renowned site for the observation of Snow geese east of Québec City. That experience continues to influence his artistic expression. He is also influenced, he says, by Native and Inuit art, as well as Japanese aesthetics. It is also not surprising that Tardif has chosen to express himself artistically with hardwood. He admits to being very much influenced by the various species of wood

Save the Date.

It is never too soon to tell people about a party! AOE Arts Council Announces ARTinis & Appetizers 2011 Thursday, November 3 Shenkman Arts Centre 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Early bird tickets on sale August 20, 2011 www.artsoe.ca

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