Sound and furiously good times: Pearl Pirie reviews the AB Series

Koichi Makigami (vocalist, and player of various instruments from Japan), Bolot Bairyshev (traditional Altaic throat singer from Russia) and Massa Sato (percussionist from Japan) make up Tokyo Taiga.

Pearl Pirie is a local arts enthusiast who arrived in Ottawa about 20 years ago for university. She blogs about the city’s literary events — in both word and image.  Her second full-length poetry collection is coming out this fall.

Tokyo Taiga was the guest of the AB Series at the National Arts Centre’s Fourth Stage, May 19, 2011. The AB Series, launched in November 2007, offers some unique international and local performances of international standards. There is music, experimental poetry and lectures.

This performance was unique in its excellence, and in that this Ottawa treat was one of very few North American engagements. The Ottawa gig was before their appearance at the 27th Festival International de Musique Actuelle in Victoriaville, Québec.

Japanese percussionist and guitarist Massa Sato

Each member has an incredible amount of skill. For example, Massa Sato is a Japanese percussionist and guitarist. He plays in his own bands Massa’s Jammer and Creole a massA as well as Hikashu. In addition to his work as a music producer and composer, Masaharu has participated in major international music projects, such as Drumsique in Singapore and JapanFest in Atlanta, U.S. What he was playing in the top photo was a sort of thunder can.

‎Koichi Makigami

The musicians moved together like jazz. There was some mix of electronic play and some of the instruments were western traditional and others traditional from other regions. Here ‎Koichi Makigami plays the cornet. He did sound poetry of vocalizing a range of sounds and played various instruments. Bairyshev is playing a topshuur, a traditional stringed instrument. By times he did throat singing. A clip of that is here. It is like our Inuit throat singing in that it uses part of the throat we don’t often use for speech. It’s quite a striking sound. A bunch of fellows after the show were trying to learn how to do it.

Koichi Makigami

Here Koichi Makigami is at the theramin, the only instrument that you play by not touching it, and stop playing by touching it. It was very cool to see this played in person after seeing documentaries on it and hearing it in recordings. (You might know its sound from the Beach Boys’ Wipeout.) Makigami is part of Hikashu, a renowned Japanese underground “avant-pop” band.

Each musician did a solo and combinations of pairs and all of them. It was wholly absorbing and with little runs of joy thru the music. A mix of transcendent and comedy and sustained mood. They played songs back to back without any banter to break up the sounds. 

The next show for The AB Series is international sound poet Jaap Blonk and Playback on May 25.

Playback: (L-R) Michele Provost, Carmel Purkis, Glenn Nuotio, Christine McNair, Sean Moreland, Grant Wilkins, Stephen Ross Smith and Sandra Ridley.

Playback at their March 2011 engagement. Michele Provost is the visual artist from Gatineau whose work is being responded to with sound. Stephen Ross Smith was a guest poet in town at the last engagement. The rest of the performers are all local poets, musicians and can be found at the literary hotspots.

The March show was a very satisfied and happy crowd to see the absorbing skill of sound timing. It was hard to photograph since for some of the pieces had people moving around the room. It gave a you-had-to-be-there depths of sound and surprise. I look forward to seeing them perform again.

Blonk

Blonk, a musician for 40 years, has performed all over Europe, as well as in the US, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, South Africa and Latin America. He was in town a few years ago and gave an excellent show of precise and impressive sound gymnastics to a sold out crowd. Catch him in Ottawa on the 25th, or else zip to Toronto as his other engagement in Canada is at the Toronto New School of Writing on the 26th.

Blonk and Playback will the at the NAC’s Fourth Stage on May 25th at 7:30 p.m. You can find more details here!

Longing to belong: Siu Hong Yu visits New Edinburgh’s Dale Smith Gallery

Wading, Sarah Hatton

Siu Hong Yu is a scientist working at the National Research Council. Outside the lab he tries to stay out of trouble with live music, food outings, photography, gallery visits, running, hiking, good reads and cinema.

“I’m falling fast while hoping
I’ll land in your arms
’cause all my time is spent here
longing to belong
to you” – Eddie Vedder

Joy to the leaf buds and flower blossoms!

While the tulips are coming in full bloom at one end of the city, I decided to take a stroll to New Edinburgh for some food for thought (and my tummy). After the best-in-town egg benedict at Fraser Cafe, off I went to visit Dale Smith Gallery’s latest exhibition, Belonging, showcasing recent works by Sarah Hatton.

For this series, Sarah explores her ideas of longing with oil, resin and wax and right away, I was captivated by the sense of bittersweet and nostalgia brought about through the paintings’ sepia tone and weeping paint motif. Worked exclusively on wood panels, the pigments steep through tiny cracks of the medium also marking the passage of time. Along with the family dog and Sarah’s daughter, float planes are featured in three of the larger works and I was delighted by the playful framing of tilting angles, almost feel like you are tilting your head to look at something ordinary in new lights while appreciating the moment and your surroundings.

Shore 1, Sarah Hatton

Opened in 2003, Dale Smith Gallery is located at 137 Beechwood Avenue, just east of the ByWard Market area. The main gallery space is relaxed, intimate and filled with natural light. Upstairs showcases other gallery artists including Kristin Bjornerud and Amy Thompson whose

The Dale Smith Gallery, courtesy of Siu Hong Yu

works are currently featured in Ottawa City Hall Gallery’s Place and Circumstance, an exhibition of the city’s recent fine art acquisitions. As for the owner/curator, Dale herself is very knowledgeable regarding each artist’s techniques and inspirations and is always up for a chat.

Thinking back over Sarah’s stunning paintings while listening to Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder’s Longing To Belong, I just realized that water, as the universal symbol for life, is the common element throughout the whole series. With the warmer weather is finally here to stay, I can’t help but to look forward to all the summer fun and friend and family gatherings. I will indeed treasure those precious moments and not to take anything for granted because good times are way too short.

Belonging runs until May 29, 2011.

Country canvas: Q&A with Ottawa artist Crystal Beshara

Vanish I, by Crystal Beshara

Crystal Beshara is an award-winning artist and illustrator who has been painting and drawing since childhood, when she grew up on a 30-acre hobby farm in Eastern Ontario. She’s self-taught realist artist who’s also created a children’s book!

Please describe your art and how you create it.

Crystal Beshara

I am a contemporary realist which means my art is very figurative or representational. I work  from my own photographs taken on trips abroad as far as Mexico or France to more familiar surroundings like the Central Experimental Farm and the iconic landscapes of the Ottawa Valley. I am interested in recording my surroundings, and creating a body of work based on a personal experience in a specific time or place.

This is done by using several photos to create a strong narrative. Once I’ve settled on an idea then I work on sketches to reinforce the theme and build the story. I love creating realistic, detailed work because of the sheer pleasure I gain from studying, dissecting  and exploring my subject. Looking intimately at a subject enables me to have a renewed love for it and see it for what it is, completely objectively.

Although I am most inspired by rural themes having grown up on a farm, I am now exploring  somewhat more fantasy based stories of transformation and personal growth. I explore simple accessible themes that are deeply rooted in sensorial experiences of time and place. Painting is a way for me to share my experiences and visions with others in the hopes that they recognize themselves in these scenarios.

How do you find ways to take your art in a new direction, beyond the canvas?

Cover of Crystal's 'When I Visit the Farm'

I have illustrated 3 published children’s books, including one that I wrote, “When I visit the Farm,” which is based on my daughter’s experiences exploring the Canada Agriculture Museum right here in Ottawa. My work locally has been purchased corporately for it’s distinctly Ottawa Valley theme. The Ottawa Valley Farm Show bought a piece last year, and I had 21 pieces commissioned for the Crowne Plaza Hotel to showcase all of Ottawa’s favourite tourist spots.

Community involvement is important to me. I have participated in events supporting charities like United Way, WaterCan, and have been a guest juror for the City of Ottawa Youth Poetry Award, Ottawa Watercolour Society and Nepean Fine Art League.

You are also an arts educator, creating opportunities — both locally and internationally — for both adults and children to explore their artistic interests. Could you describe that part of your career?

I have taught art and shared my trade secrets for more than a decade. There is no greater pleasure than to share skills that may encourage other to look at their world around them differently. We are surrounded by so much beauty! I’ve taught through city-run programs, colleges, seminars for art supply stores, trade shows and conferences. I taught regularly as a special television guest on Rogers Daytime Ottawa.

Beyond this, I love to travel! I have very much enjoyed an extension of this which involves organizing art excursions and painting workshops where I teach my Ottawa students in foreign destinations! This is a great way to see artwork at its formative stage, share a common interest and learn new techniques that are unique to a whole new environment.

Illustration from 'When I Visit the Farm'

In 2009, I introduced a children’s art program called Mini Masters into my teaching repertoire. This has proved to be a very popular series among parents wishing to enroll their children into fine art classes. This year I am offering several summer camps to choose from for children aged 7 to 12, held at my studio here in Ottawa. Campers explore true painting techniques and work with quality materials while learning about renowned painters and their techniques. The camp’s end culminates with a Vernissage, where parents and children can enjoy an art exhibition with a great energy, food and wonderful conversation with our Mini Masters artists.

What would you tell someone who is looking to purchase their first piece of art?

I would recommend buying a piece you love that moves you or resonates with you.  It’s a bonus that it may go with the decor in your home but this should not be the only factor. In fact, nothing is more flattering to me than having someone actually build a room around my artwork! Buy something that stirs you. Art is very personal and should be. It should take you somewhere; to a place, a dream — something intangible that you may not be able to explain to anyone else. Love the piece, then figure out how to afford it! While an artist may not necessarily be able to offer a reduced price for a work of art, typically artists are flattered enough by your interest to create a payment plan that helps you to finance this new love.

Black Herefords, by Crystal Beshara

Cornfield, by Crystal Beshara

What tips do you have for people looking to discover more about Ottawa-area artists and their work?

One of the great things about Ottawa is there are no shortage of outdoor art events. WestFest, Art in The Park, and Artists & Authors in the Park (in Stittsville) to name a few. These are great opportunities to not only peruse and buy local work but meet the artist and discuss their work.  You may also want to have a look at the City of Ottawa Cultural events calendar or visit Cube Gallery on Wellington St., which has a  lot to offer in the way on artist talks and great social events.  Join ARTENGINE.ca for almost a daily list of upcoming unique events that you may never had known about otherwise. Keep your eyes peeled while walking around popular Ottawa sites. You might even run into a certain someone painting “en plein air” at the arboretum or ornamental gardens . . . if you do, be sure to stop by and say hello.

Wow! Crystal also paints a beautiful picture of Ottawa’s art scene! And a special thanks to Tracey Mosley for putting this Q&A together.

Siu finds inner (urban) beauty at Orange Art Gallery

Photo Credit: Trevor (aka tcp909), via Flickr

Siu Hong Yu is a scientist working at the National Research Council. Outside the lab he tries to stay out of trouble with live music, food outings, photography, gallery visits, running, hiking, good reads and cinema.

Traffic jams, coffee lineups, noisy neighbours . . . urban living could be annoying at times, if not downright claustrophobic and stressful. But Urban Magic, the new exhibit at Orange Art Gallery (just near the Parkdale Market), begs to differ. The show features two mixed-media artists — Megan D’Arcy and Matthew Jeffrey — who both demonstrate that amid the chaos, there will always exist some structures and forces that allow the inner beauty of an urban landscape to shine through.

Photo Credit: Siu Hong Yu

From an almost touch-and-go four-day trip to Cuba’s capital city — and 500+ photos — Megan’s Havana is pop and slick with a resin finish. Unlike her earlier works, where skyscrapers and graffiti are superimposed on one another like a scene in the movie Inception, this latest series feels more spacious. Viewers can indulge and breathe in more freely the history and culture of Cuba — and those glorious old cars and buildings that emanate under the open sky.

But Matthew’s playful approach is completely different. Weaving two seemingly unrelated large digital prints — like New York and an underwater shark scene, or a boring sidewalk and a sea turtle beaching — all of a sudden means they carry a whole new meaning.  It is much like the mosaic of urban life, where one plus one may not necessarily equal two!

Urban Magic runs until April 24 at the Orange Gallery, which is one of the newer contemporary art venues in town.

Photo Credit: Siu Hong Yu

Located just north of Wellington West, the gallery space used to house Stubby Soda Pop Factory. Now, the exposed wood ceilings and large windows fully complement the artwork the gallery showcases (my personal favorite has to be the deceivingly simple but deliciously seductive portraits by Stephen Frew). There is also a monthly art walk held on the first Thursday of every month, featuring Orange alongside five other art galleries in the neighborhood.

Maybe urban living is not so bad after all! Go check out the exhibit and find your own vibe of Ottawa, maybe during rush hour, when you’d rather be anywhere than stuck on the 417 . . .

Have any urban escapes you’d like to share? Tell us about them by leaving a comment below!

Pictures from the bus: Q&A with Lia Hiltz

"Getting a likeness on the middle fella was tough because he looked around so much. He might as well have been a spinning top," says Lia Hiltz.

Lia is a foreign service officer, mother, and wannabe artist who draws her fellow passengers on the bus ride to work. The she posts them on her blog Pictures from the bus, and other tales.

So how did you find yourself in Ottawa? What were your first impressions of the city?

Restaurants, bars, suburban Hull, and the sex trade! It was 2001, and I’d arrived from T.O. into a Lowertown high-rise near Clarence and Cumberland. I took French classes at the Foreign Service’s training institute in Hull. My neighbours — an alcoholic mother and her middle-aged son – and my unravelling long-distance relationship drove me out of the house for long, fast walks at night through the crowds in the market. It wasn’t until 2006 when I got back from a posting to Washington that I fell in love with Ottawa’s neighbourhoods, waterline, parkland and Experimental Farm.

You have an education in art but you chose a life in the foreign service. Can you tell us a little bit about your passion for art?

As a girl I drew, sang and played piano non-stop. Later I hoped I could be happy enough with art being a hobby — only in my 30s have I realised that if I don’t do constant artwork, I’m a depressed bitch. As I age, it only gets harder to ignore it, not easier. And now that I am settled and less impressionable, my creative intuition is very clear. If I give it any encouragement at all, it bursts out all over. That’s very seductive. I dream of working in art full-time.

 

 

You have a very cool blog that’s been getting quite a lot of attention lately from great local news outlets like Ottawa Start and CBC Ottawa. Tell us about your project and where the idea came from.

Thank you! I’m stunned that people like it. I began drawing at bus stops in 2007, but got pretty gung-ho after my maternity leave ended in last fall. My time is so compressed that I do art on the bus, and read childcare manuals at lunchtime. It’s a little easier now, after six months. Another push for me came when I interviewed with an art school, and the one counsel they gave was that I should draw more from life. I don’t remember why I started publishing the drawings on my blog. My husband says it was to motivate myself.

You see the bus as your studio – where do you find inspiration? How do you choose your subjects?

The number one rule of bus drawing is: don’t get caught. I pick people I can get away with drawing. But I also love being forced into drawing people or things I didn’t choose. When no one or nothing looks appealing, I just draw whatever is in front of me. Today I did a bunch of feet. It can start out dull but it always gets interesting!

Can you tell us about some of your favourite sketches?

The first time I saw this man, he was asleep. Turns out we work in the same building!

This was the first time I’d seen the lady with the hair bun without her husband. Was there a mystery there?

A commuter in a toque? Or a Space Navy commander?

This woman was really beautiful. Too bad all you get to see is her nose. I enjoyed working out all the textures — crimped skirt, molded leather purse, her hair and fur ruff.

Your work is wonderful. Has anyone ever caught you? Is there a bit of adventure in this for you?

Often I feel like I have a bubbly secret. Once, I was severally eyeballed by the guy I’d been drawing for 20 to 25 minutes and I burst out laughing. It was really embarrassing. Another time, the woman next to me chatted me up about my drawing, but then out of nowhere she shared a lot of really difficult information about her home life. If people don’t catch me drawing, I feel safer.

But it is an adventure, you’re right. I really love it.

What kind of feedback are you receiving about your project?

I’m surprised by how much people like my drawings, not just the concept of drawing on the best. Being listed by OttawaStart as a Cool Ottawa Blog bowled me over!

A lot of people spend their time of the bus on their smartphones, reading books or listening to music: what’s the benefit of stopping to take a minute to look around? What do you see that others might not notice?

I see a lot of tiny, endearing interactions. People are unbelievably polite and considerate. Simple example: a big backpack. You see so many times somebody with a giant purse or backpack an inch away from their face, and they go the whole ride without saying anything about it. You can look at that as the person being wussy, but maybe it’s because they don’t want to make the person with the big bag feel bad by complaining.

We’re talking about a metal tube with dozens of people squished into it. And it repeats a thousand times a day. It’s the riders who make it work. It’s riders who keep the bus calm, quiet and friendly. Take the Transitway at 5:30, and it’s silent, dark and comfortable. We’re all tired, and gently making our way in and out of small seats and narrow aisles. People open the doors for others, make room along the poles, arrange their feet and bags out of the way, wait for the stroller, tell someone about an empty seat. Nobody expects to be thanked, and most of the kindnesses are the kind that are hard to put into words.

 

 

How has this experience benefited you as an artist?

 

 

Every time I think I have found the limits of what this is doing for me artistically, something new happens. My observation skills and my physical coordination really benefit from the pressure of the situation. I have to take a lot in with very quick glances, and I have to get the base down fast in case they leave and I have to finish from memory. The best thing is how much more neutral I am in my observation. I don’t assume I know what anybody’s about, I just try to draw what’s in front of me. And, through the process of drawing, I think I see the person more clearly than I would if I was just people-watching.

What are you hoping people who view your site will take away from the project?

I hope people enjoy the pictures. Beyond that, if people were inspired to treat their downtime differently, you know, rather than just sitting on the bus feeling trapped and furious like I used to, that would make me really happy.

Can you share with us your perfect day in Ottawa?

Miraculously, my child — and, therefore, her mother — would sleep in.

Then, my husband would make me this breakfast: Bridgehead’s Costa Rican Cloud Forest coffee, homemade bread, butter, avocados and Taleggio cheese. We’d all go to the Children’s Museum and take turns going on stage. Next, we’d eat at The Grand Pizzeria in the market. While my daughter took her afternoon nap, I would work on art.

 

We’d have a late afternoon picnic supper (hopefully involving something from Three Tarts Bakery) at the Fletcher Wildlife Gardens in the Experimental Farm. If a friend babysat for us that evening while Ada slept, Jeff and I would go for a twilight walk on the bike path by the Transitway, and listen to the ducks.

Thanks for stopping by Lia…we hope to see more of you here (and on the bus) in the future!

More on “It is what it is” at the National Gallery of Canada

Chris Millar Bejeweled Double Festooned Plus Skull for Girls. Purchased 2010. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Photo: John Dean

Melodie Cardin is the Special Events and Communications Coordinator for the ByWard Market Business Improvement Area.

I had sort of middling expectations of It Is What It Is: Recent Acquisitions of New Canadian Art, since the National Gallery of Canada show opened in Ottawa with very little fanfare, especially compared to the summer’s Pop Life exhibit.

Surprise, surprise! As I walked from piece to piece in this exhibit, I kept thinking, “This is my favourite! No, wait a minute, this is my favourite. Nope, this is!”

After a few days of reflection and thinking about what has really stuck in my head, here are my top three:

“The Holes” by David Altmejd: A massive, jungle-like garden with crystals made of mirrors and huge brightly coloured flowers intertwines with intricate vein structures and overstated organs strewn helter-skelter. Feet, heart, liver and veins of a very human-like werewolf lie in a crystal garden. This sculpture, which took up an entire room, just fascinated me.

“Bejeweled Double Festooned Plus Skull for Girls” by Chris Millar: This sculpture sort of reminded me of Never Never Land crossed with a dollhouse. It’s a dream-like vacation resort rich with details which comment on the roles of materialism and advertising in our lives, particularly for girls.

“Tacet” by Antonia Hirsch: This piece is made up of three silent videos. In each video, a person is filmed silently reading music. The three pieces of music are the national anthems of Canada, the United States, and Mexico. From just the facial expressions of the three readers, you can tell which is which.

There were many more fantastic pieces, so go discover them yourself. The show runs until April 24, 2011.

What is your favourite part of the National Gallery of Canada?

Winter craft sale round up: what are you doing this weekend?

Margaux Carson is a fantastic chef, and the person behind Ottawa food blog Kitchen Graffiti.

Christmas is right around the corner and this weekend is your last chance to pick up some hand-crafted, locally made goodies.

Craft fairs are an excellent way to pick up some unique gifts and support local entrepreneurs – so make time to come see us this weekend! Yours truly will be spending this Sunday, December 12th, selling jams, sauces and sweet treats at the Shang Winter Craft Fair at the Shanghai Restaurant at 651 Somerset between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Just down the street, Raw Sugar Cafe is also putting on a craft sale this Sunday between 12 and 4 p.m – and since you’ll be in the area, you should check out the Yule Craft and Spirit Faire going on at the Bronson Centre Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Locavore Artisan Food Fair is also going on this weekend featuring favourite food vendors like Art-Is-In Bakery and Stone Soup Foodworks.

Let us know if there are any we missed!

Art underground: Ottawa’s Basement Artists

Works by local artist Noah Moses

A young public servant, Mike Cullen is also a regular contributor to (Cult)ure Magazine as a music editorialist. His passions include music, coffee, writing, travel and comic books.

Ottawa’s Basement Artists are a local group of visual and audio artists who hold one of the best underground arts events in Ottawa. Basement Artists deserve a huge shout-out because this group is not only noteworthy, but also an event that is must see.

Basement Artists is held at different restaurant or bar around downtown Ottawa each month, and caters to both lowbrow and highbrow art crowds. The events are usually $10.00, and tickets can be purchased either at the door, or in advance from one of the artists. The whole point of this collective is to get the word out on fantastic local visual artists, usually with a local musical artist providing the entertainment.

Local visual artist Yve and her work on display

The most recent venture to a Basement Artists show, my third, on December 1^st yielded an excellent musical performance by local singer-songwriter Courtney Thorman, and with about a dozen visual artists with a wide-spectrum of tastes and influences, the event saw a good size crowd pack the Velvet Room in the ByWard Market.

This is the type of event I always seem to enjoy; a group of artists coming together in a grassroots movement to promote not only their work, but the idea that Ottawa has a thriving arts community (even if the three levels of government don’t seem to want to put any serious money into the arts in the National Capital Region). It is up to the community to create, promote and celebrate events like this: Basement Artists get it right on all levels. Last night, I walked away from a great event, an article in hand, a fantastic print of a Spider-Man sketch by local artist Noah Moses, and a sense that not only have I supported the underground arts community in Ottawa, but that I get to endorse it as well.

Spider-Man sketch by local artist Noah Moses

The next Basement Artists event is going to be held on Sunday, December 12^th from 7:00 to 11:30 p.m. at Mercury Lounge. Tickets are $10 at the door, and proceeds will go to the Max Keeping Foundation.

Did you have some fun at an event in Ottawa that you want to tell LTOttawa about? Send us a note!

A day in the life of an Ottawa artist

I first met Karina Bergmans in October 2008, when I wrote a profile of her for the Ottawa Citizen, and last week, she was kind enough to offer herself up for a Q&A. She also had the idea of doing a “day in the life” piece…thanks for contributing Karina!

My days as an artist are always varied and very rarely the same.  Even if I have consecutive days at the studio, I mix it up with my modes of transportation.  Sometimes drive, sometimes bus/OTrain and I bike as much as I can.  It has been a nice November, and I love a late season bike ride to the studio.  Until the snow flies, it is good to get out and enjoy some of the great bike trails we have in the city.  My route takes me through the Arboretum, part of the Experimental Farm, near Dow’s Lake and the Carleton University’s end of the canal.

One of my favorite places to grab a bite to eat is at Dirienzo’s at 11 Beech St, just west of Preston Street.  They are best known for their great $5.00 sandwiches, but I love their yummy pasta dishes as well:, cannelloni, manicotti, ravioli, or a stuffed pepper, $5.00 each, you can’t go wrong. If you are there on Saturdays, make sure you save room for the tasty pastries.

At the studio, it is cut, sew, cut, sew.

If I need a break from the studio, a walk along Preston Street is always welcomed. A new public art commission by c.j. fleury was recently unveiled along Preston Street. This photo is the top of a sculpture featuring an eggplant and fruit. I work part time for the City’s Public Art Program which keeps me busy with art installations, and it is great to see the community ornamented with public art.

To get back to the studio, there is pathway between Preston Street and the OTrain tracks which I like to walk on for a change of scene from Preston Street.

Back to the studio for more sewing.  It is fast becoming Fuzzy Gaiter season again. These cozy, fun-fur boot covers will make you cute and keep you warm. This year, the gaiter design has been modified with snaps at the back easy removal. They are available on www.KBergmans.com or find me at the Sandy Hill Craft Show on November 21 or Idle Hands on November 28!

Do you want to tell us about a typical day in your Ottawa life? Send us a note!

Q&A with Ottawa artist Karina Bergmans

Ottawa artist Karina Bergmans (photo credit: J. Derikozis)

I first met Karina Bergmans in October 2008, when I wrote a profile of her for the Ottawa Citizen. Her work was so whimsical, it was unlike anything I had ever seen before. I’m happy to say that Karina has offered herself up for our first local artist Q&A.

How would you describe your art to someone who has never seen it before? I work in textiles. I am a sewer. I make clothing and I also make sculptures and installations from reclaimed and recycled fabrics.

 

 

From what I remember, your studio is a very cool place….can you describe it for LTOttawa’s readers? My studio is the heart of my art practice.  It is a very bright and exciting place to be.  It is organized chaos. I painted the floor white and I have daylight fluorescent lights so everything is visible and cheerful. I like to work with bright colours in my clothes and art. I like to collect material, whether its new fabrics, recycled fabrics or clothing – I have quite a stockpile of material for the various projects I am working on.

 

So, what is it like to be an artist in Ottawa? Is the city an artist-friendly community? Being an artist anywhere is a challenging endeavor, but there is a great and very supportive artist community here.  It is small, but at the same time, really great because you are sure to know someone at any opening you attend and run into people you may not have seen in a while.  If you need advice on a task or a project, there is certainly someone with expertise that you can turn to.

 

What are you working on these days? Anything exciting coming up we should know about? I currently have a solo show called Text-ing et al at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum in Almonte, ON. It runs until January 23, so there’s lots of time to take a drive out the pretty town of Almonte to make some text messages with my letter pillow project. I’ll also be doing a Clothing Reconstruction Workshop at the Ottawa Art Gallery on Saturday November 20th, from 1 to 4 p.m.

 

Last time we spoke you were just launching your clothing line, how is that going? It is going quite well.  My Kbergmans.com clothes are hand made and one-of-kind, so it is just me plugging away at the sewing machine sewing up sweaters and skirts.  I don’t use patterns, so each piece is unique and different.  However, there is a reason all clothes are not made like this.  The fashion industry and the history of clothing construction has reduced clothes-making to its barest of essentials through mass production and that is why most clothes look the same and are fit for a certain industry standard size. But people’s bodies are not industry standard, and making clothes like that is really boring. So I am working on making clothes to fit and look funky and be a special piece in your wardrobe.  Some fall items are currently available at the very cool Adorit Boutique as well as at Kbergmans.com. I’m also participating in two seasonal craft shows this month with my clothing and accessories: the ONE + ONLY Sandy Hill Holiday Craft Show and the Idle Hands Craft Sale.

 

Where do you find inspiration in Ottawa? I love biking and getting around quickly downtown on two wheels. You can’t beat Ottawa’s prettiness. We are spoiled with green space and museums and national cultural institutions.  I grew up in Ottawa, and though I did move away, I eventually came back years later.  I know this city so well, so there are few surprises. But I like that there are layers of memories in places I go, so there’s a history to being here.  I think there is a sense of comfort with being in place I know well, a sense of security, and in that I am free to imagine my own creative world.  If I was in a place that I still had to discover, energy would be spent on finding the ‘new’.

 

What are your favourite spaces to see great local art – any recommendations for LTOttawa’s readership?

 

• Dale Smith Gallery
• Lafreniere and Pai Gallery
• La Petite Mort Gallery

Which local artists should we all know about? Jenny McMaster wrote a great article on my Text-ing project in the Sept/Oct Issue of FiberArts Magazine. She is an emerging artist, writer and curator and works in stitch, paper and encasutic. Bozica Radjenovic is a diligent knitter and sculptor and will have shows at the Ottawa School of Art and Karsh-Masson Gallery in 2011.  Dipna Horra is an audio/installation artist who just had a solo show this fall at the Ottawa Art Gallery. Cynthia O’Brien works in clay and makes beautiful conceptual creatures and sculptures. And, of course, everybody loves Kate Barry.

 

 

Want to view a time lapse of Karina working in her Ottawa studio? Sure you do.

Do you know an artist we should be profiling? Send us a note!