Amherst Wrens

Amherst, in Spring the wrens

Gather together in this place,

Dear Aunt Jane used to point them out

Simple things made her happy,

Though she had not a tooth in her face!

We’d leave Dundonald Street

And walk down Hickman,

‘til we got to Victoria Street

It was all very peaceful then!

We’d go to buy bread

Can milk and cookies,

At a store called Margolian’s

We’d also buy goodies!

When we got home we’d have some tea

With six spoons of sugar just for me,

My aunt was 80 and I was 10,

I remember it was a wonderful time when

The wrens would gather in this place

And my aunt had a toothless but benevolent face!

Recap: Art Gallery Exposition (March 15 to 24)

Showcase of photographs by StFX student Natalie Doumkos

Photo: doumkos.com/Cityscape/

Photo: doumkos.com/Landscape/i-sMmnPhK

Nic Latulippe Interview

“Canadiana” exposition at the Art Gallery

March 2019 stands as a historic month for the StFX Bloomfield Gallery as it saw its first two student artists host the gallery. From March 4th-14th the gallery featured “Canadiana” by Nic Latulippe, a third year Politics, Ethics and Law student. Immediately following Latulippe’s exhibit, a second student artist showcased her art in “Human” by Natalie Doumkos. I had the opportunity to sit down to interview each of these talented artists to ask them about their journey’s leading up to their gallery features. This is the first of a two part piece delving deeper into the minds of the two trailblazing artists who have opened the doors for other students to host their own gallery in the future. 

Latulippe started experimenting with photography around the age of 11-12 years old when his father bought him a disposable camera when on vacation in Hawaii. At first photography was mostly a hobby Latulippe  had when on vacation, but slowly he began to take more photos and appreciate the art of photography. Prior to his family going on vacation in India, Latulippe had saved up the money to purchase his first digital camera which allowed him to shoot more consistently.

Creating is an essential part of Latulippe’s life and he is an advocate for others to pursue art as well. As far as photography goes, Latulippe  writes that “each image tells a story and in combination creates associations” in his accompanying written component to his gallery. Latulippe also experiments with many other forms of art to inspire his creativity and work with photography, he encourages anyone to experiment with multiple forms of art and to always think creatively.

Along with photography, Latulippe plays a plethora of musical instruments including acoustic guitar, bass guitar, and both soprano and tenor saxophone. Latulippe also has dabbled in painting and interestingly has helped friends back home modify their cars, which is its own form of art. He also frequently watches movies and listens to countless hours of music to inspire his creativity as well as routinely proving his superb sense of fashion in his day to day outfits. Each form of art Latulippe creates and consumes inspires his creative endeavours in his practice of photography.

Latulippe takes great pride in his work, and it shows when he detailed to me all the work that went in to making “Canadiana” a reality. Of course the process began in the years of travelling and taking the photos featured in the gallery. Then it came to narrowing down which photos represented Latulippe’s quintessential vision of Canada, editing them to his precise specifications, and designing the floor plan for the gallery (of which he made 20 versions). From his Instagram account Latulippe posted videos in which he was personally washing the walls and sweeping the floors prior to the gallery’s opening, showing his true dedication to detail. To get the prints of his photos made, Latulippe reached out to a total of 8 different suppliers and ended up going significantly in debt to get the prints. In fact, on the day of the opening celebration for his gallery, Latulippe  met with members of the Students’ Union to pitch for them to cover the costs of the prints. Every detail of the gallery had to be perfect for Latulippe, everything from the height of the prints on the walls, the spaces between them, the paper used to print the accompanying guide, and the 100+ promotional posters placed around campus which were designed for others to take after the exhibit as a piece of memorabilia. On the opening night, Latulippe had created a playlist of songs that inspired him on his journey in creating the art that adorned the walls of the gallery as well as having an in house bar for students to enjoy a drink with friends while enjoying the artwork and atmosphere of the exhibit. Latulippe had two goals with his work done to host the gallery, firstly the opportunity to share his work in a formal setting for all students to enjoy, and secondly to pave the way for other creators to do the same in the future. Setting a precedent for other student artists and creators to showcase their work on campus is arguably Latulippe’s greatest motivator for “Canadiana.” In fact, Latulippe is currently working with the Students’ Union to develop a program so that other students may have a more streamlined process to host their own galleries in the future.

Having worked on his photography talents for many years, the StFX Gallery was not the first time Latulippe has had his work featured publicly outside of his social media accounts and website. At age 16, Latulippe had a selection of three of his shots featured at the Whyte Museum in Banff. The gallery director was so impressed by Latulippe’s work that he had chosen his photo to be the cover shot for the gallery. Being the cover feature for the Whyte Museum stood out as the highlight for Latulippe in his career as a photographer thus far. This moment made him realize that he had the talent to pursue photography further and develop his creative skills. Being the cover feature for the Whyte Museum stood out as the highlight for Latulippe in his career as a photographer thus far. This moment made him realize that he had the talent to pursue photography further and develop his creative skills 

As always, an artist creates for himself first, and for Latulippe this is certainly true. His photographs are his main creative outlet to share the stories he sees and tell their narrative. Latulippe is particularly interested in revealing the unseen, for “Canadiana” this included the path less travelled across the country and all the secrets Latulippe could unearth behind the lens. A potential career as a freelance photo journalist in the Middle East is a possibility for Latulippe in the future as he believes there is so much potential to be shown in that region. A dream job for Latulippe would be to document the life of one of his favourite music artists, some notable artists are Brock Hampton or Frank Ocean.

The theme of “Canadiana” represents the landscapes of Canada. As someone who has driven across the country five times, Latulippe aims to present Canada in its purest form with the experiences he has captured in his photos. Latulippe appreciates all forms of photography and videography as he experiments with many different styles of photography including portraits, landscapes, astro, sports, and his personal favourite being film which is raw, untouched, and authentic.

Latulippe believes that there is no “perfect shot,” he works with his environment and adapts to what is around him to find the subjects for his shots. Having the contrast of west coast and east coast, Latulippe has the opportunity to constantly changes with his environment in search for his next picture perfect moment.

“Learn to be comfortable in the uncomfortable” says Latulippe, pushing the boundaries of creativity is often where the best shots are born. He also recommends using other forms of art to inspire your main practice. Latulippe warns aspiring creators, “don’t let social media dictate your arts worth,” likes and shares are not a true measure of an artist’s ability and talent. Lastly, Latulippe urges artists that “it’s important to create opportunities for yourself.”

“Canadiana was season one, get ready for season two,”    Latulippe affirmed. 

Local Graffiti

Culture of art

“Villages”

The Xaverian Weekly gets second rights to publish from The Antigonish Review Poet Grow-Op

Some parents will tell you

it takes a village to raise a child. 

To teach her how to say please 

and thank you

how to apologize when

she’s done something wrong

and mean it

how to apologize when she hasn’t 

and sound like she means it.

They’ll tell you it takes a village 

to teach her how to add.

One plus one is two,

two plus two is four,

Girl plus life is beautiful,

and don’t you ever forget that.

They’ll tell you it takes a village 

to teach her to subtract  —

the bad from a good day, 

herself from a bad day,

the lies from the things 

they will try and tell her.

It takes a village to raise a child 

they say.

To teach her that good things 

come in threes,

but not to believe in superstitions 

and that her thoughts

are only worth a penny

if she doesn’t market them for more.

To teach her that the sky is blue, 

except sometimes it’s not  — 

and maybe not knowing is okay 

but she’ll ask anyway,

because it takes a village

to raise a child who asks questions, 

just like it takes a village

to raise a child who won’t.

But sometimes,

a village will fall apart  —

rooftops turning to dust

as walls fall down around her

and so sometimes

she’ll have to build her own. 

She’ll build lopsided skyscrapers 

with no stairs

out of the lego bricks she’s saved, 

then fill them with women

who bend themselves into ladders 

to help each other up.

Or, she’ll build long, low houses

with no roofs

so that she can imagine she’s flying 

when she lies down to sleep each night.

She will collect people 

like postage stamps 

and fill her lego houses 

with the ones that stick.

The red house on the corner

will be for the first boy

to ever take her out for coffee.

Next door, her first best friend,

and in her village you will find teachers  — 

the good ones

who taught her how to love herself

and how to make 5’2” look tall  —

but also those who told her not to speak, 

that her voice wasn’t worthy  —

because it was through rebellion

that she learned to shout.

Some parents will tell you

it takes a village to raise a child, 

but sometimes

the village you’re given

isn’t the one that you need.

Xaverian Review Issue 2 Launch on March 14, 2019

Literary launch of chapbook featuring StFX artwork

On March 14, 2019 the Xaverian Review launches its second yearly edition. The chapbook is a showcase of art by StFX students, staff, faculty, and alumni.

The second-issue launch is scheduled to happen from six to nine this evening in Bloomfield Centre.. Featured performer Natashia Gushue, whose works are recently published in Xaverian Review issue 1 and The Xaverian Weekly issue 9 of volume 127, is scheduled for an appearance among artists and authors including professors Chris Fraser and Robert Zecker.

Xaverian Review was first published last year as the result of a two-year project brought to life through the efforts of Rachel Revoy, Savannah MacDonald, Sloane Ryan, Rebecca Charnock and Evan Curley who published a 40-page chapbook.

The executive member of this year’s team are Natalie Chicoine, Alexandrea Guye, and Jade Fulton. Chicoine and team are keeping the vision to allow creative mediums to be celebrated, to grow, and for collaborative multi-platformed opportunities to become facilitated this year.

“It’s been an honour to work with my best friends on this project. It was started by female students and continued by female students this year,” said Chicoine. The Xaverian Review executive members are strong-minded, smart, independent women who have powerful vision.

The publication, sponsored by the Students’ Union, is printed locally. Artworks published in the Xaverian Review include paintings, drawings, poems, short stories, photography, and other creative works.

Admission to the Xaverian Review issue 2 launch is gratis. This event is open to the public.

The Golden X Inn will be open until 1 a.m. for patrons who want service during the intermission scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and after the event.

Reflecting on her experience this year, Chicoine said, “I’m blessed. We’ve got so much support from everyone for a project still in its infancy.”

CFXU is in charge of sound engineering for the event happening in Bloomfield Café.

A limited amount of issue 1 and 2 copies will be available at the launch for free.

Hold Me Brother

Collected poems

“Idea”

Everywhere I go

I want you to be

not just to simply be with me

come on man, I’m not that needy

but check it

I want you to see what I saw

You might like to smell

what I smelled

touch what I touched 

feel what I felt 

it’s just a thought

just an idea

that’s how we 1st appeared

“Free”

All around me were iron bars 

till I found freedom 

untapped, untouched 

I had barely scrapped the surface of love

till deep down, you dug me out

How can I owe a debt 

to the one I love?

Can I be 

Appreciative 

of the way you inspired me?

I’m greatly moved 

I fly free

“Black Artist Boy”

You have subtitles that come across so strong

your imagination and sense of feeling 

Is it with you I belong? 

Your world I long to enter 

yet I am 

Scared 

to be surrounded by your strength 

My, my, my

you could swallow me 

Would you dare use it on me?

You are everything 

I want 

Black artist boy 

Feel

Think

Move 

Create 

Can I be myself before it’s too late?

Will I see what is in front of my face? 

Black artist girl

don’t be foolish

be with him 

Imagine

build a world 

Black artist boy 

From Pen to Paper

A look into Inktober and the impact it makes

October rolls around and for most people we think of Halloween, but for the creative minds, this is a time to put your art skills to the test. Inktober as it’s affectionately called, is a month of daily artistic challenges focusing primarily on Instagram.

It began in 2009 when Jake Parker decided to create a series of challenges to improve his skill and drawing habits. The challenge for him was to draw something different every day for the month of October and he invited people to join in on his journey.

The large-scale challenge initially came to be by loose construction, where people created their own prompts and posted their creations online.

In 2016, there came the first official prompt list due to the growing interest and high demand for a guide. The rules are simple, as per inktober.com; make a drawing in ink, post it and hashtag it with #inktober and #inktober2018, and repeat for every new prompt.

This is an interesting concept for a myriad of reasons, not only is it an encouraging practice for artists globally, but it reinforces the development of new and strong habits. This movement can also carry the power of messages, user @ tiuladokow on Instagram makes her work known to be indigenous, Palaun specifically, related.

The idea is expression and, in a time where voice is becoming increasingly restricted by governments and media, this presents an opportunity to demonstrate the different ways that voice can be expressed.

The Mi’kmaq people, as an example, are known for their artistry; decorating objects with intricate patterns of different coloured porcupine quills or making beautiful regalia, their authentic expression comes through the art.

Artistry is still prominent in the Mi’kmaq community today. Alan Syliboy and Leonard Paul are two examples of local artists who highlight aspects of indigenous culture.

Paul’s works feature legend drawings, powwow dancers, and nature, and Paul has also published works for other indigenous peoples such as the Cree.

As Inktober gains even more popularity, I think it will present itself as a very powerful means of message. I emphasize indigenous expression and artwork because of its lasting tradition and rich history.

Angela Miracle Gladue from A Tribe Called Red says, very poignantly, “It wasn’t that long ago that dances were outlawed, and our culture was outlawed, being indigenous was illegal and so for me it’s really really important to represent these dances outward and in the world on stages and in spaces where we once weren’t welcome.”

Photo: Instagram @tiuladokow

Gladue brings forth how times have shifted and what the arts can mean to an individual and to a group.

It is important to recognize how individuals have suffered and had some of the most basic aspects of their lives removed from them, and how only recently has that been reinstated, but the journey towards truth and reconciliation is still on-going.

Inktober as an online platform brings the arts to the center stage offering recognition for all artists. It is the opportunity for artists to bring forth their cultures and express the adversity they have faced and what it means to them through unique art from prompts.

Originally, Inktober was meant to strictly be ink based, but as popularity has built, they have opened the platform to different art styles and have even seen the expansion into writing in the forms of poems and short stories based on prompts. Inktober is for the arts, so however you want to express yourself, take part. It’s an awesome way to gain some recognition for yourself or whatever you choose to represent.