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The Creative Process with Kelsey Reid

On a frigid February evening, I interviewed Kelsey Reid while she painted four small, abstract artworks. We sat down, a few feet apart, on the warm hardwood floor of my East Vancouver bedroom. She was wearing loose boyfriend jeans, a t-shirt, and a fuzzy leopard print coat, with thin-rimmed gold glasses and her hair tied into a ponytail at the crest of her skull. Three candles burned in three corners of the room, a record span on the player behind us, and a rock salt lamp on the coffee table glowed warm with orange light. Kelsey started by plopping a gob of bright turquoise paint on the parchment and dragging it diagonally across the surface until it faded away, and I turned on my voice recorder.

This is how our conversation went.

Tell me how you're feeling today. What has your mood been like all day? Kind of emo, a little bit. Just a little down in the dumps with this shitty weather.

What did you do today? I woke up super early and then I left super early. Then it took me two hours to get home. Then I slept for four hours, and I went to class.

Are you feeling like painting something happy today to offset that? Yeah, I think I am. I picked colours this morning at like, 11:00am. At that point, I was kind of groggy and rushing around so I just grabbed some random shit, and then this *points at turquoise paint* is my favourite colour to paint with. It just kind of jumps off the page.

It's true! It is so nice to look at. It's very beautiful. Is this how your process usually starts? Yeah! I just sit on the floor and have everything out all around me on a tack board.

Do you usually like everything in its proper place or do you work better in disarray? It's funny that you ask because I do like everything in its place. My pastels are always on my left side. I don't know why. I just noticed that.

And do you normally have a bunch of canvases out like this or do you often work on one at a time? Sometimes I do. I hate wasting paint. This is a bunch of paint for me right here, so I'll probably put it on the other canvases, but usually I just work at one at a time. Then I let it dry and move onto the next one.

This is really interesting to me because it looks spontaneous. Can you tell me what it's like? I have no game plan. I just start drawing shapes and putting paint down. I never do anything with an image in my head. I just start painting. If I try and plan it, it just looks like shit. I'll figure out something good and if I try to re-create it it just looks awful.

When you're done with this, do you think you'll be able to look at it and have it mean something new to you, or do you kind of just do them and not look at them anymore? I like looking at my own art because I can tell what I was feeling on that day, but I often do end up putting them away. I have so many old drawings in this thick binder in my room. I do look at them sometimes.

How is this art a representation of where you're at right now? It's very scattered. I've been very unorganized lately, so I think that's how it is. I'm also a big fan of biology and things like that. I wanted to be an immunologist when I was like, 18 or something. I always incorporate some sort of science thing in my paintings. I mean, *gestures to canvas she's working on* this looks like a brain neuron to me.

What you just said — an immunologist. What is that? Immunologists just study immunity and how diseases affect the immune system.

How does this tie into that? They seem like they're totally different things. I really like the shapes of biology. I took Biology 12 and didn't finish the course, but I really liked looking at it.

That's interesting. Feel free to just live stream this to me. If you're feeling something, let me know. Okay. I feel like I use a lot of clinical colours. I use a lot of cool tone colours. I don't really use a lot of warm tone colours.

So by "clinical" you mean sterile? Mhm. I like blues a lot.

Do you think blue is a sad colour for you? No, not at all. It's very happy and optimistic.

What do you think you're connecting to that colour? I feel like I connect Lynn Valley to it, specifically. Like, the river. I grew up in Langley. That's the weird thing. There's no rivers. Also, at the same time as I was taking biology I also took pre-calculus 11. I just think about those two courses all the time.

Why pre-calc.? It's just very pretty—all of the parabolas and things.

Do you think that that shines through in your art? Oh, of course. Right after I took pre-calc., I started drawing parabolas and graphs all the time. They're just super fun to draw. I liked that I was so determined about doing well in the course, and I was doing well in the course. I never did my homework in high school. This was after high school. I was upgrading so I could do the immunology course. So I was actually doing the work and being a good student, and I liked that. I liked getting good grades, but I also didn't end up finishing that course either.

But I guess you kind of continued that with this in a way. That shape looks like an acute angle. Yeah, exactly.

So there's definitely the technical aspect of it there, but there's an emotional aspect too. Have you always made stuff like this, since you were little? For sure, yeah. My dad always encouraged me to make my own stuff instead of colouring in colouring books. I didn't really know what abstract was when I was a kid, so I would just draw a bunch of girls all the time.

That's pretty different. Do you feel like you're ever translating those early roots into the work you make now? It's less about that. Well, I was obsessed with girls when I was a kid. Now I'm obsessed with biology and math.

This one's pretty different from the stuff you were making before. What changed? I wanted something softer. These *gestures to three of the completed paintings* are all very angular. With a lot of my art, I use a lot of pastels because I really like the aesthetic of the eighties.  I just fucking love the eighties. Everything about it. When I was seventeen I was super emo and I didn't do anything, so I listened to a lot of Depeche Mode. The eighties just seemed super fun and I wasn't having any fun so I just loved it.

How intuitive is this for you? Is it natural, kind of flowing? I never think about it. If I find a technique that I like, it's a one hit wonder. I can't re-create it.

How far into the process are you right now? I'm nearly done. I usually don't paint for very long.

Do you feel like you've discovered anything, or like your mood has changed at all? I feel like I've discovered that I draw things that are in the back of my mind, and that I am really inspired by the eighties and I didn't really realize why, and that I'm still obsessed with science. I can either do my art or hate it or do my art and be like, 'Holy shit. This is cool.' And I feel like 'Holy shit. This is cool.' right now.

Do you have a favourite? This one.

How come? I feel like I really like the imagery of hooks. Like, this one looks like a hangman. The first thing I thought of when I saw this was the hook and crank of the pharaohs, or whatever. I like a lot of curves. With my art, it's definitely about balancing masculine and feminine energies. That's with the colour choices and the shape choices.

Which colours are feminine to you? I'd say orange, brown, grey, yellow, and maybe green. Blues are definitely masculine.

How about the curves? Do you think that ties into the masculine and feminine thing? I do, yeah. I think that's how the whole world is. It's like yin and yang, not to appropriate that concept.

The general sense that I'm getting is that this is about balance. Do you think that's a way of you achieving that? Maybe, because my moon is in virgo and I'm secretly super neurotic but that's probably why, yeah.

Because you saw objects in this painting, what do you see in the other ones? In this, I see part of a brain neuron and a microscope right here. In this one, I see a bacterium and the mitochondria. This is the endoplasmic reticulum right now and here's the mitochondria. I really like drawing endoplasmic reticulum because they're super cool.

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What to Listen to This Month: Africa Funk

These past few days have been trying times, particularly for minorities in North America. If you’re like me, you need something to boost your spirits a little to get you through the work week, and this album’s doing the trick.

Africa Funk - The Original Sound of 70´s is a 2000 compilation album full of peppy synth and swinging bass lines, and it feels like a celebration from beginning to end. Killer bands like Kongas, Wisdom, and The Rwenzori’s fill its 12-song tracklist with classic funk that’ll be stuck in your head all day. 

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Turkey coup leads to mass prisoner release

Turkey, which remains in a state of emergency, is releasing around 38,000 prisoners to make room for suspects of last month’s coup.

The coup took place on July 15 by a faction of the Turkish Armed Forces. Under the name of the Peace at Home council, they attempted to take control of several areas in hopes of supposedly restoring democracy and human rights, but failed with over 300 killed and 2100 injured in the process.

There were thousands of arrests made following the attempt, including soldiers, judges, and education staff.

Only inmates who have under two years left in their prison terms may be released, and convicts who have served half of their term may receive parole. Those who are in jail for murder, domestic violence, sexual abuse, terrorism, and crimes against the state must remain in jail.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag insists that it is a conditional release, made mandatory by the 35,000 detained and 17,000 arrested. 2300 police officers have been dismissed as well.

“This measure is not an amnesty,” said Bozdag, on his Twitter account. “The punishment will be served outside through supervised released.”

Photo credit to Aljazeera.

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What to Listen to This Month: I’m Sure

Twin Cabins is simple but sweetly nostalgic music. Like most beachy bands, they’re from Los Angeles, and there’s not a lot of information about them online.

This nine track album—which is Twin Cabins’ debut under that name, even though artist Nacho Cano had already been making music other under aliases in the past—was released this time four years ago. Since then, they’ve put out another record called Harmless Fantasies, which can be listened to on their Bandcamp. 

I’m Sure is an easy and calming listen for anyone trying to savour the last month of summer. The rain’s already on its way, and the leaves have started turning.

Artist name: Twin Cabins

Album name: I’m Sure

Release Date: August 14th, 2012

Personal Favourite Track: “Laika”

Photo credit: Wonderland Magazine

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The Mystery of Catalina de Erauso

In seventeenth century Spain, there lived a human being named Catalina de Erauso. Contradicting accounts of their existence in literature, cinema, and hearsay have obscured the truth of their story so extensively that they have largely become a myth, but de Erauso continues to inspire wonder and curiosity worldwide, regardless.

Their tale begins during the year 1585 in San Sebastián, Spain. De Erauso—born a female—entered the Dominican convent four years later and was promptly transferred to the Monastery of San Bartolome for poor behaviour. Their confrontational personality and lack of religious passion eventually led to their escape from the monastery in 1600, when de Erauso stole the keys, dressed as a man in self-made clothing, cut their hair and fled.

Throughout the following three years, they lived as a male-presenting vagabond, meeting various individuals who took them in, provided them with work, and sent them on their way to other towns. This continued until de Erauso embarked on a journey to America in 1603—all the while having avoided being recognized for their true identity and instead using names like Pedro de Orive, Francisco de Loyola, Alonso Diaz Ramirez de Guzman and Antonio de Erauso, even in the face of their own relatives.

Once in the Americas, two of de Erauso’s most crucial traits became apparent. First, they were a warrior. Second, it is very likely that they were attracted to women.

Their life was riddled with fights and near-death experiences. De Erauso shot and killed their uncle for 500 pesos while preparing to return to Spain, and when the ship left without them, they boarded one that was destroyed in a storm. 

One of the two survivors of the shipwreck, de Erauso went on to commit several crimes. When threatened by a man in a comedy theatre, they cut his face beyond recognition and were taken to jail. Released only on the condition that they would marry a woman named Dona Beatriz de Cardenas, de Erauso left jail but did not marry, out of fear of being found out as a woman. In their traditional fashion, they packed up and travelled to a new city.

The man whose face they cut found de Erauso there and challenged them to a fight, during which one of the man’s two friends was murdered. Again, de Erauso was sent to prison. Bailed out of jail by their master at the time, they found a new job but were fired after being seen fondling their new master’s wife.

Then, in 1619, they enlisted in the army. In Chile, de Erauso became known for their skills with weapons and became a second lieutenant. However, because of their known, unnecessary cruelty towards the Mapuche people—who they were fighting—they did not receive a higher rank. This only stoked the flames, causing de Erauso to burn, destroy, and murder on a whim.

De Erauso murdered their brother in a fight and was imprisoned for eight months before fleeing to Argentina. When that did not go well and they fell ill, de Erauso was saved by a villager and promised, in debt, to marry two women. Unsurprisingly, they did not and instead took off with the wedding gifts before massacring Indigenous peoples in wars once again.

Karma came back for de Erauso during that period. They were wrongfully accused of and tortured for a crime as well as being sentenced to death several times for those they did commit.

After nearly being executed for the umpteenth time, de Erauso came clean about their sex and deception to Bishop Agustin de Carvajal. It was concluded that they were a female virgin, and so the bishop freed them sent them to Spain, where they settled and became a muleskinner in 1630.

Their date, cause, and place of death is too widely contested to offer conclusive details, although it is possible that they passed in the year 1650 while working.

It will forever be unknown whether de Erauso identified as a cisgender woman, a transgender man, or anything in between. Their sexual identity is equally as uncertain, as they were unmarried and unattached to sexual partners throughout their entire life. Their appearance as a heterosexual man could have been an act all along, as a means of making their male identity convincing, or it could be a safe way of living as a lesbian and female lieutenant at a time when it was not accepted. Alternatively, de Erauso may have been simply expressing their gender identity to feel comfortable.

De Erauso wrote a book of memoirs properly published in the 1800’s which were translated and reprinted several times throughout history. The most well-known English rendition is The Ensign Nun by Thomas de Quincey, and the Spanish film La monja alférez also became popular.

Photo credit to Los pretéritos imperfectos. 

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Turning the Other Cheek to Foreign Tragedy

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s time for a reality check; there’s more happening in the world this month than the release of Pokemon Go. 

With the backlash from the Philando Castile shooting, intensifying of the American presidential election, and the post-Brexit madness making international headlines, global affairs have been as relevant and upsetting as ever. All of those events have been given enormous amounts coverage in the top news outlets. It’s almost impossible to go an entire day without hearing about them, and yet most of the North American population wouldn’t be able to tell you what happened in Baghdad at the beginning of July. 

Frankly, that ought to be a source of shame and frustration with media in all of us. 

Nearly 300 lives were lost in Baghdad when a car bomb detonated at a crowded shopping centre on July 3rd, making it the most devastating attack on Iraq since the Americans invaded in 2003. 

The bombing occurred during Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday celebrated at the end of Ramadan, so the mall was packed with visitors. After the blast, many of those bodies were burned beyond recognition.

While a few news pieces did come out of North American media giants, to little response, the reaction in Iraq was huge. Its Interior Minister, Mohammed al-Ghabban, offered to resign as an apology for failing to provide proper security for the country. Although there are security checkpoints surrounding Baghdad, they evidently were not enough to keep The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group, terrorist groups responsible for the attack, from transporting their explosives from the province of Diyala to Baghdad. 

Take a minute to consider the real meaning of those deaths and North America’s apathy towards them. Then, give this a try: 

Imagine the citizen and media reaction if an attack like this had occurred in an American city such as Los Angeles - if 300 innocent civilians were left dead by a terrorist attack in a bustling site like West Edmonton Mall. Now, imagine that it happened on a religious holiday that normally brings joy to North American families nation-wide; Christmas or Easter, for example. 

The outcry would be deafening. There would be Facebook profile picture filters for it. It would make front page news. There would be candlelit vigils in the streets. 

Or for a less radical approach to meeting the same conclusion, compare the Baghdad bombing to other terrorist attacks around the world. Recall Charlie Hedbo and the “Je suis Charlie” slogan that took over the internet in the following days. That attack ended the lives of 12 French citizens, and the world went crazy. Still, we are silent when 300 are taken in the Middle East.

It’s easy to pretend that bad things don’t happen where we can’t see them. It’s easy to pretend that people who don’t look like us, share a culture with us, or speak the same language as us aren’t as human as we are, but as logic implies, that is not the case. 

Millennials like to preach ideals of equality, freedom of speech, and empathy. That’s all well and good, but not when those morals are only directed towards avatars of ourselves: the white, English-speaking, arguably war-free population of the Americas. 

Media outlets like to preach ideals of truth-seeking, scoop-finding, and unbiased reporting of the underreported. If that were as true as many of them attest, everyone and their dog would know about the catastrophe in Baghdad, but they don’t. 

So try to spread the word while you can, because every innocent victim of a terrorist attack reserves acknowledgement and respect. 

Photo credit to the BBC.

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What to Listen to This Month: “My First Car”

Science has proven that it’s physically impossible to be sad while listening to Vulfpeck. If there’s any doubt in your heart about that fact, try listening to My First Car and see if you can keep yourself from cracking a grin, at least a little bit.

The record is so jovial and groovy that it’s almost ridiculous, but not quite. My First Car is the band’s third EP, released during August of 2013, and it genuinely feels like sunshine encapsulated into six tubular tunes. 

Despite their German-sounding name, the group consists of four music students from the University of Michigan. They came together to channel the boisterous brilliance of 1960′s rhythm sections, often collaborating with other musicians to create their trademark funky sound. 

Take a listen. Imagine that you’re cruising down a peaceful suburban road on a bright summer day, of course, in your very first car. 

Artist name: Vulfpeck

Album name: My First Car

Release Date: August 6th, 2013

Personal Favourite Track: “The Birdwatcher”

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Bill 23 is Great, But Not Enough

A string of sexual assaults reported at universities across BC in 2016 has inspired a movement dedicated to changing the culture around sexual violence on Canadian campuses.

At the University of Victoria this year, a student was accused of sexually assaulting four women. UBC has had four instances of founded assault on campus since January, and that is only including reports that have been “confirmed by the RCMP that a sexual assault occurred,” as stated on UBC Security’s website. On KPU campuses, there were two reported sexual assaults in Surrey and one in Richmond, but only the Richmond case ended in an arrest. Other reports nation-wide caused such a uproar that Premier Christy Clark made a statement outside the legislature on April 27th, calling silence “the best friend of any rapist, and shame is their second-best friend.” She then made a call to encourage victims to report sexual assault and harassment to authorities.

On the same day, a bill was introduced by Andrew Weaver, Leader of the B.C. Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. The legislation, Bill 23, “will require all institutions in our public post-secondary sector in British Columbia to establish and implement a sexual misconduct policy that addresses a wide range of sexual assault, sexual harassment, misconduct and other preventable episodes which require a response.” It also states that they must “set up procedures on how an institution will address these issues and to require reporting of these incidents on a regular basis.”

Bill 23 will be enacted one year after being given royal assent, providing post-secondary institutions with ample time to formulate their policies. Before they are finalized, the administration must consult with the student body to ensure that it is considered effective and comprehensive by both parties. These reviews will continue to occur “at least once every three years or more frequently as directed” after the policies are established.

Although the bill will make campuses safer across BC, the rest of Canada’s other provinces - other than Ontario - have yet to adopt mandatory policies to combat sexual violence. Here in BC, we have yet to make sure that additional resources are also available. Some examples that are currently in action are UBC’s bystander training and sexual assault support centre.

Campaigns on social media have raised awareness on the issue as well. The #SayKnowMore campaign, founded by Kathryn Marshall, is “a national campaign with the goal of changing the culture around sexual harassment and violence on campuses, in recognition that it has really become epidemic in this country.”

After becoming the victim of “an extremely vulgar, sexist article in a campus publication that joked about rape and sexual harassment" as an undergraduate student, Marshall “fought back” and “helped to get the university to put new policies in place to prevent sexist content in the campus paper.”

“That was ten years ago, and I thought that by now that things would be better,” says Marshall. “Seeing all of these stories coming out of the universities and colleges in Canada about situations of sexual violence and harassment…being swept under the rug made me realize that this is an issue that hasn’t been properly addressed.”

Marlyn Graziano, KPU’s Executive Director of External Affairs, says that staff from KPU have been “collaboratively exploring ways to address sexual assault on campus for the last year.” They are a part of a group called WESTSSAA, which is invested in creating “policy, protocols, procedures, information and education and reporting guidelines and procedures” to prevent and treat victims of sexual assault.

Other measures that KPU is taking to keep campuses safe is redeveloping their Student Conduct Policy, “which addresses both physical abuse and sexual harassment” but not sexual assault, and their Safe Walk Program, which allows students and staff to be accompanied by a security guard if they wish on-campus.

It seems that policies and procedures against sexual violence on Canadian campuses are in the works, but the public has yet to see the effects of additional resources. With luck, the upcoming years will mark a turning point in the regularity and treatment of sexual assault and harassment at Canada’s post-secondary institutions.

Photo Credit to Francisco Osorio on Flickr.

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How to Work From Home

Let’s be real; no one likes working a steady job. Even if you reach that euphoric, ever sought-after point in your career where you’re doing what you love, being restricted by a mandatory schedule is no fun. For some people, it’s not so bad, and they live happy lives with their nine-to-five. For me, it was a choice between my personal well-being and being broke for a few years, so after very little contemplation and at a very young age, I chose the latter.

Working from home isn’t as easy as the web ads say it is. It takes a lot of patience, drive, passion, and willingness and ability to skate by on almost no cash for a while. It also takes a certain kind of personality and living situation, both of which I was fortunate enough to have for my first year as a freelancer. And even though I had all of those things, I still gave up a couple of times along the way and took some dead-end jobs.

Regardless, if you do have everything on that list, the chances are that you will make it as one of the many workers who do their job from home. Here’s what you need to do to get started with working from home:

Quit your job. You have to say goodbye to that gig you’ve been itching to ditch someday, and if you’re serious about working on your own terms, there’s no better time to do it than now.

Make sure that you know what you’re talking about. Read up on your field of expertise, look at what the greats are doing, and ask for feedback as much as possible. Try to be as professional as you can before you even join the work force.

Apply to as many places that take freelancers as possible. That means tailoring your resume and cover letter to fit your goals and the company’s needs, and yes, you will need to apply for volunteer positions. If you’re anything like me, the first year will probably be spent doing a lot of work for free, but it’s not a loss; most of those volunteer positions turned into long-term, paid jobs for me later down the road.

Make sure that your working space is private, quiet, clean, and well-supplied. Your home is going to be your entire livelihood now, and you need to treat it like a workplace. Keep your space tidy, load it up with whichever supplies you might need, tissues, and water. It’s a good idea to keep it as quiet as possible, too. If you live with others, put up a sign or let them know when you’re working and ask them to respect that. Invest in a lock for your door, if you feel that it’s necessary.

Mentally prepare yourself for a shift in how you approach work. Never underestimate the power of procrastination. You’ll be working in a boss-free, and therefore judgement-free, environment now, and that means that you can technically brush off work forever without harming anything but your finances, portfolio, and reputation. Remember that those things have value, and gear your mind towards being your own boss. Hold yourself to high standards, and when you meet or surpass them, reward yourself. Don’t let a poor work ethic slide.

Regularly tend to your schedule. This is related to your mindset in the sense that you will need to organize your own days and abide to that schedule, otherwise things won’t get done. Arrange appointments, if your work requires them, and write them down. Write out your daily tasks and check them off as you go along. A dry-erase board is always a good option for organization, and calendars are a must, electronic or printed! Make sure to schedule breaks, too, for a healthy balance of work and play.

Stay on top of social media. You will have clients in your field of work, and they need to be able to reach you if they have questions, comments, concerns, or requests. There’s no worse feeling than missing an opportunity because you ignored your email for too long.

Always edit your own work. When you don’t have a team behind you, it can be easy to miss errors. Your product has to make you stand out in a sea of people trying to make it while working from home, so make sure it’s flawless. Second and third edits are a good idea, but first edits are a requirement for maintaining professional status.

Be ready to fail. Like with anything in life, you’re going to mess up sometimes. Get ready for that and learn from it, so that you can get back up again.

Enjoy yourself. Take a moment to relish in the joys of working from home. No one else gets to snack in their pyjamas all day and still make money!

[alywritesarticles]

Angus Maude to Release His First LP June 24th

After spending just over six months working on his new album, alternative and folk artist Angus Maude says that Little Evenings, Long Nights may be his best work yet. Although he’s released “a few EPs and singles in the past,” this record is his first full-length LP, and the production value is leaps and bounds ahead of everything else he has put his name on as an artist. Maude believes that “it was probably one of the most difficult things [he has] ever done,” but ultimately resolves that “it was worth it.”

“Making this album perfect literally drove me mad,” says Maude. “I’m so proud of how it sounds and how the album flows. I was really conscious about making it all sound like it’s from the same universe, keeping it cohesive, and I feel like I've achieved that.”

The themes of the album are fear and love “and how they go hand-in-hand”. More specifically, he was inspired by “all those little evenings up late smiling, watching movies with friends or family, embracing the moment, [and] being in love and spontaneous,” compared to “those lonely long nights where the only thing stopping you from falling asleep is the fear of losing what makes you happy.”

“These are all feelings that I felt were emphasized while working on this album,” he says.

Maude’s personal favourite songs on Little Evenings, Long Nights are “Cold Knees” and “Capo 9”, but he’s “excited to see how each song is received” and “whether or not one song will be a clear crowd favourite.”

He writes the album after the passing of his Uncle David from fentanyl poisoning in 2014, who he has dedicated the record to.

Little Evenings, Long Nights will be available on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal & Google Play from June 24th on. On June 17th, it will be available for half-price as a pre-order as well.

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Hayao Miyazaki is Bringing Imagination Back in a New Way

You would think that Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki would be an advocate for the technological age, after spending his life producing so many world-renowned animated films. Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, My Neighbour Totoro, and Spirited Away are a few of the movies that the legendary director created during his career, which he retired from in 2013.

Although they are forms of digital entertainment, it’s Miyazaki’s love of nature that has largely inspired him to make the films. His ability to reproduce natural images in a beautiful and whimsical way is part of why his work has amazed viewers from all over the world, and that talent was born out of passion for nature. Now, it has provoked him to create a nature reserve for children, giving them a place to stay in touch with the world around them instead of being consumed by an increasingly technology-dependent society. Below is a rendering of what the reserve is anticipated to look like:

Those hoping for a park as fantastical as Miyazaki’s films - or the park founded by Walt Disney, who he has often been likened to - may be disappointed by his minimalistic approach to the project. On the other hand, environmentalists, dreamers, and nature lovers will likely be thrilled by its simplicity. 

There will be nothing but untouched forest and accommodations for about thirty people, many of which will be children, on the property. Adhering to Miyazaki’s vision, it will be quiet, explorable, and safe for little ones to discover. Construction on the park began this April, and its estimated completion date is 2018. 

Located on the Japanese volcanic island of Kume (or Kumejima), it is a part of the Okinawa Prefecture, has a population of less than 10,000, a tropical climate with lush landscape, and notoriously fruitful deep sea waters. Essentially, it’s a perfect haven for young adventurers to let their minds run wild. 

Miyazaki has sunk $2.5 million of his personal money into funding the project, and the people of Kume donated the ten thousand square meters of land to him so that he could move forward with it. He plans to hire workers and use resources from the island to help him bring the natural reserve - and kids’ imaginations - to life.

Photo Credit 1, a rendering of the future reserve: http://theatln.tc/1LJ3PhH Photo Credit 2, a photo of the island of Kume: http://bit.ly/1X9Ix7Z 

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History Meets Fantasy in Art by Kory Bing

A wondrous blend of ancient history and fantasy, Kory Bing’s artwork “focuses on mythical creatures and extinct animals.” While some of these beings never existed - such as ghost-dog Martha - others plainly don’t exist today. Think Sphinxes, Bugbears, and creatures with even more bizarre names, like the Corythosaurus.

“I also really love the Basilosaurus, a weird super long whale from the Eocene, and Thylacosmilus, a marsupial from the Miocene that looked like a saber tooth cat but wasn't related to it in any way,” gushes Bing. “Oh, gosh, and also the Microraptor; it had four wings! Oh oh, and Anchiornis! We know what colour that one was; it’s amazing! I could go on forever about extinct animals; it’s hard to choose just one!”

She explains that this fascination comes from the desire to tell “very human stories using inhuman characters,” which she also strives for in her comic, Skin Deep.

“Skin Deep is about mythical creatures living hidden from the rest of humanity,” says Bing, and it is updated every Tuesday on her website. It explores the ideas behind “mythology, folklore, music, world-building, the idea that things are often more than they seem, and that it is easy to hide secrets when nobody is expecting them.”

Bing also has “a card game called ‘Borogove’ based off Alice in Wonderland and buttons, charms, and art prints featuring extinct animals from every geological era.”

As an artist, her passion lies in sharing interesting facts about the world with her audience, and she appreciates that there is no “correct way” to make art.

“That makes for an often uncertain and stressful way of life, but it also means that there aren't as many barriers to entry as other industries,” she comments. “If you can publish something to the internet, you can find an audience!”

For more information about Kory Bing and her work, visit http://korybing.com/.

[alywritesarticles]

What to Play This Month: Authentic Octopus Game

Add a new title to your roster of tongue-in-cheek games, because Authentic Octopus Game just got greenlit for Steam. 

The premise is simple: you are a tiny octopus that nobody likes, probably because your only goal seems to be killing everything in sight with tiny ink pellets, shurikens and missiles. 

Said octopus does look like a total downer while he’s hopping around in his pixel world, picking up weapons and learning new abilities, but the game itself is witty and fun. Like most demos, it’s only long enough to teach the user the basics of the game mechanics, but the full version could potentially be quite immersive. The narrator is cheeky and clever, the protagonist is miserable enough to be lovable, and the music by PearlPixel (Alex Parrish) is sweet and chipper. 

There are interactive aspects of the game, too, where you can talk to other characters and read helpful signs. Cross your fingers and hope that the narrative and gameplay only get better with the full version, the release date for which is TBA.

Game designer and programmer Squidly says they were inspired by “old cheap LCD games which quite literally did the entire game on one screen” as the basis for the game’s format. The protagonist is based off of a Game and Watch game called Octopus as well as characters from the game Katamari.

Squidly’s goal with Authentic Octopus Game is “to make something that doesn’t suck and is larger in scope than any other game [they’ve] made that doesn’t suck” as well as “something completely and utterly pointless, but that might give that impression of meaning.” The full version will feature “a lot of exploration and experimentation” as a metroidvania, while still maintaining its uniqueness by incorporating optimizations, technical gameplay, and “the super free-form routing of La Mulana.”

As for the differences between the demo and full version, the designer predicts bigger and more explorable levels, fun moves like wavedashing, loads of scene humour, and more significant challenges for players. 

“There’s also the upgrade system that really wasn’t touched on. It’s not going to just be hearts and single type weapons,” says Squidly. “There’s going to be the weapon combiner system (think Kirby 64 meets Megaman) and you’ll even get a bit of Octopus customization (complete with a Metroid like gear menu with an outline and everything) which you’ll be able to adjust with the different gear you’ll find.”

Once the game becomes available for download on Steam, Squidly and the rest of the @octosoft team encourage fans to make as many comments and suggestions as possible. Stay posted to their social media accounts to find out when you can download it and get the “100% authentic octopus experience”. 

For now, you can play the demo on @newgrounds or watch the trailer below. 

Photo Courtesy of Authentic Octopus Game.

[alywritesarticles]

What’s Hindering the Gender Equality Movement

Here on Aly Writes, I talk a lot about feminism and women’s rights. There is a reason for that, other than personal tendencies, and it is relatively obvious: women have been getting the short end of the stick socially, politically, and culturally for a majority of their time on the planet. To illustrate my point, it was less than 100 years ago that they weren’t considered “persons” under the Canadian government. That means that within this century, we weren’t allowed to vote, otherwise have our voices heard as citizens, or possess legal status as humans in our own country. Needless to say, it has been pretty rough going for North American women alone, even as one of the more privileged female populations worldwide, but we have come a long way since then. Generations of activists and advocates have worked their tails off to get us to where we are today, and there is always more progress to be made.

That isn’t to say that the women’s rights movement is perfect. The problem with modern feminism is that it has been overridden by a small group of loud, uneducated misandrists that have slandered the entire body of activists. By definition, feminists are just trying to be treated the way men are by default, plain and simple. There shouldn’t be any gender-based hatred or discrimination involved.

When Emma Watson took the stage at a UN Conference last year, she made a point of including men in the aims of feminism. As the Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women, she addressed men’s rights issues as well as women’s as a means of recruiting men as feminists. This was a good strategy for giving it some horsepower, but men’s rights are not a part of feminism. They are an entirely separate issue with different backgrounds, and therefore they must be addressed in unique ways. Men struggle primarily because the societal expectations thrust upon them, and that is unfair and unjust. However, it is worlds apart from the problems that women face, as long-term subjects of hegemonic oppression, abuse, and misrepresentation. 

Men’s rights should be addressed, certainly, but not as a part of feminism. There are some major issues in the way our society views men, and they have a real, negative impact on innocent people. 

For instance, all you need to do is turn on the television to see what the modern man is up against in reference to body image. Sights of meticulously manicured male bodies covered in rippling muscle are unavoidable in mainstream media, and they perpetuate unrealistic aesthetic standards. Nearly every man I know has dealt with serious insecurity about their body, going to unhealthy lengths to try and “bulk up” so that they can feel more attractive to others. This frame of mind and its subsequent behaviour is dangerous, both physically and emotionally. Women have been the subjects of countless self-love and body positivity campaigns as of late, and there have been noticeable benefits. We ought to do the same thing for men, and follow in the footsteps of plus-sized male model Zach Miko. The guys deserve some love, too.

 A problem that is less often discussed is the lack of support for dads. Often, new dads aren’t even given the option of taking care of their children. Paternity leave isn’t common, and if it is there, it’s probably much shorter than what is afforded to women. Even if it is available, men are expected to pass up the opportunity and keep working to provide for their families while their children grow up. It’s an outdated and unreasonable expectation that forces fathers to adhere to gender norms rather than creating meaningful, fitting connections with their loved ones, if they so desire. Further, changing tables are mostly in women’s bathrooms, Pampers commercials only ever show a baby playing with its mom, and men are taught to be stoic and protective with their children instead of vulnerable and nurturing. The world needs to make it easier for dads to be dads the way that they feel is best, whether its taking care of the kids all day long or working a nine-to-five. 

Generally, these obstacles boil down to a common stereotype: men are expected to be strong physically and mentally, completely unemotional, and otherwise devoid of any so-called feminine traits. If a mother represents emotional support, warmth and affection, a father represents physical support, fortitude, and dominance. Teaching this expectation to young boys follows through to the rest of their lives. If they cry about a scrape or an argument, refuse fights or personal fitness, and are expressive and artistic in general, they will likely be criticized. It’s absurd, because men are people too, and all people are individual and emotional. Oppressing that natural tendency is toxic, and it encourages the notion that men belong in one small box, and women belong in another. 

I’m sure that there are many other gender-based struggles that men face, but I cannot speak for what I haven’t experienced or witnessed. 

In the end, everyone deserves to be who they are and live their lives freely. Sex and gender should never be a part of the equation.

Image Credit: Marley Magazine

[alywritesarticles]

What to Listen to This Month: “Next Thing”

Frankie Cosmos has been putting out super-short, super-cute jams for ages now. She’s a staple for any outlandish indie lover, which means that her music is perfect for the celebratory haze that we call summer!

“Next Thing” is a warm, mellow and nostalgic album that will keep you company while you laze about in the heat. It’s one of those records that you can lose track of your thoughts to, so close your eyes and give it a listen. 

Artist name: Frankie Cosmos

Album name: “Next Thing”

Release Date: April 1st, 2016

Personal Favourite Track: “On the Lips”

Image Credit: Pitchfork

[alywritesarticles]

The Giants of Granville Island

By now, most Vancouverites have seen the enormous, painted silos that loom over Granville Island. With their kaleidoscopic outfits and moonlike faces, they’re hard to miss, but it’s their tremendous size that earned them the fitting name of “Giants”.

Located in the Ocean Concrete manufacturing and distribution plant near Emily Carr, the six Giants stand 21 metres tall. The mural was completed during September 2014 as a part of Vancouver Biennale’s 2014-2016 exhibition, which supports public art in the city. To this day, it draws floods of camera-toting tourists to the area to ogle at the impressive size and artistry of the piece.

The Brazilian brothers who designed it go by the name Os Gemeos, or “the twins”. The painted silos marked their Canadian debut.

Although painting on silos is relatively unusual in the art world, “Giants” wasn’t the first time that Os Gemeos has worked with unique canvases. Throughout their career, they have transformed planes, trains, and entire buildings into eye-popping works of art. The brothers have even lit up the billboards of Time Square with their wide-mouthed yellow characters, whose traits are the focal point of every work.

To see more from Os Gemeos, visit http://www.osgemeos.com.br/en.

Photo 1 Credit to Adam Foster on Flickr.

Photo 2 Credit to Os Gemeos on Instagram (@osgemeos).

[alywritesarticles]

Lucid Afterlife Releases Twisted New Music Video

Vancouver band Lucid Afterlife’s newest music video is disturbing, sexy, and mystical all at once. The song it accompanies, “Lilith”, is significantly heavier than most of their material, featuring wailing riffs and slow, sludgy breakdowns. Other tracks on the same album, “I Am”, are much more mellow - slightly reminiscent of the Red Hot Chili Peppers - whereas “Lilith” brings a new progressive metal vibe to the band’s sound.

Chock full of symbolism, the imagery in the video drips with sadism and lust. Frontman Nat Jack is tied down, groped and whipped against his will. Drummer Matt Shearlaw is beaten with his own drumsticks, and guitarist Dyego Avila plays with a thick noose tied around his neck. Directly above Avila is a nude woman bound by intricate knots, closely watching him perform as her body dangles from the rope. Surrounding the band members are other women in little to no clothing and outlandish makeup, teasing or paining the members constantly.

The meaning behind the video sprung from a past relationship of Jack’s. After ending said relationship, he felt compelled to make the video as a means of “getting to know” himself.

“‘Lilith’ was really about a dark energy...these ideas of lust and power and conflict,” he says. “It was the kind of relationship where we were always fighting [and] it was just really intense, so when it was all over, I felt like that girl was a demon to me.”

As a figure, Lilith is a demoness that appears throughout history. In the Bible and Jewish folklore, she is Adam’s first wife, before and opposite to Eve. In Jewish mythology, she appears as a night demon and screech owl. Lilith is also described in Mesopotamian, Greco-Roman, and Arabic mythology as well as Western literature.

Jack says that the making of the music video for “Lilith” is more important to him than its release.

“I didn't even know if it was something I wanted to put out. It was a very possible thing that that wouldn't happen,” he says. However, after all was said and done, the band decided to publish the video. The result is a colourful, twisted display of an intimate relationship gone wrong. Watch it below.