ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Arts and Entertainment FEATURE ARTIST

Kate Moran

As most artistic journeys begin, I was an artsy kid in a creative household, and I know only a life of design. Thanks to a solid foundation in extras like knitting, sewing, macrame, beading, and creative building growing up, my adult years as an artist have been expansive with new skills, techniques, and challenging projects. The story of a multimedium artist is a complex one! At 34, it appears my current chapter involves many of the separate skills and experiences that I have been acquiring are finally integrating into super projects. A handful of circumstances pivoted my journey along the way... As a fresh “adult” in 2007, I set off on a life adventure with an unknown destination. I ended up managing a hostel in Colorado, meeting a soul friend, buying an old school bus for $100 there, and off we went for a year through Mexico and Central America. During this incredible time, I was introduced to the concept of sculptural macrame as contrast to my linear and pattern work. Living in Nelson, BC four years later, I focused on this work almost exclusively for a time. Nelson is known for the arts, and I was soaking up every bit of it. I created my first conceptual collection

of sculptural macrame art jewelry there, additionally learned to wet felt hats, and everything that comes with a job at a bead shop. Life happened in 2014, and it was time to relocate to Fernie, BC. As excited as I was to electric slide into town like the serious artist I was becoming, I was not prepared for Fernie’s cold! I survived my first winter here in my apartment learning to crochet, and every winter since getting experimental with different interests, seemingly always circling back each year to crochet. For the past several winters I have been completely captivated in this chilly down time by the concept of freeform crochet. I now have learned to hook with ambidexterity in a colour blocked way to create images with yarn and am just weeks away from my first solo exhibition! Coming August 2021 to The Arts Station will be a free-form crochet collection of art titled The Guacamole Series, inspired by my favourite food from my original travelling bus days. It has been an incredible seven years here in Fernie so far. The community and arts community welcomed me with open arms, and places like The Arts Station provide not only a creative space, but support to artists by helping them to access learning, exhibiting, and funding opportunities. I rolled into Fernie, joined a thriving community, graduated from market vending to buying another school bus, and made it into my studio and store in downtown Fernie. I would be creatively limiting myself if I anticipated anything in my artistic career other than a journey with an unknown destination. This theory has taken me to unimaginable places before, and with a commitment to following my creative heart, I trust it will take me on an unimaginable artistic path. Visit Ace Ferguson Studio on Instagram, Facebook and at acefergusonstudio.com to learn more about Kate and her creations and be sure to visit her exhibit at The Arts Station at the end of the month - theartsstation.com.

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Arts and Entertainment MUSINGS OF A BOOKWORM

Discovering Your Curiosity

by JESSICA BOZOKY

One of the greatest gifts of we have as humans is our curiosity, the deep desire we feel to learn and seek information from what peaks our interest. We are where we are today because curiosity inspired, and discovery revealed.

When we explore and find something interesting to us, our curiosity is triggered. From there we internally and/ or externally ask questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how? Answering these questions leads to discovery, and often furthers curiosity. Our world is a boiling pot of discovery, and we are the seekers.

Everyday discovery doesn’t need to be ground-breaking, or even original, because ultimately our lived experience and frame of reference inform the discovery experience. It can be as simple as being curious about a new food, trying it, discovering your feelings towards it, and either adopting it into your lifestyle, or knowing you won’t order or make that meal again.

Discovery and experimentation are building blocks in our evolution, both as a whole, and as individuals. Every day we discover something new. You may not think these discoveries have impact on your life, but overall, they make up who you are.

Because discovery is so closely linked with curiosity, if we fail to explore our curiosity will starve and we will not make connections. One of the best places to ignite inspiration and fuel curiosity is exploring your Library and all it has to offer.

Walking through the stacks at the Fernie Heritage Library (FHL) is a sure-fire way to discover something new. I often find myself looking for one thing but becoming curious about an entirely different topic. This has led me to discover new interests, hobbies, recipes, patterns of thought, insight into the different life experiences, and led to personal and professional development. A Library is a place of discovery, a safe, non-judgemental, and accessible space. In addition to connecting people to resources, a Library is a hub that connects the community. Whether learning from a book, magazine, website, program, or team member, a Library is an all-you-can-eat buffet that inspires curiosity.

This month FHL kicks off the Summer Reading Club: Crack the Case for children aged 7-12. This program will offer a combination of virtual and outdoor activities to engage children in active learning. We will also have the Summer of Fun Journaling Club for 10 to12 year-olds, a self-directed program with a story-sharing aspect at the end of the summer. For adults, FHL is challenging you to Read Outside the Box and broaden your horizons with our Summer Reading Challenge. These programs are great ways to discover new authors, stories, topics, and engage with others.

Discovery will not find you unless you indulge your curiosity. The way we spend our time is our most valuable and precious currency. Following curiosity is not only a great way to spend your time, it’s also valuable and rewarding.

Illustration By Pruthvi Harshan Visit ferniefix.com to find tthe full size black and white illiustration to colour in!

“Every day we discover something new. You may not think these discoveries have impact on your life, but overall, they make up who you are.”

Share The Nuggets

Don’t let your books gather dust while spending summer outdoors, take them with you and snap a photo of what you’re reading. FHL will be sharing submitted photos on our social media platforms, with prizes for staff favourites. Perhaps you’ll even discover a new spot to read. Photos can be submitted to: fhlprogrammer@gmail.com.

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Arts and Entertainment ARTBEAT

I grew up in a wordy family. My grandmother was a writer, my grandfather an editorialist, my father an educator, and my brother a librarian. I suppose it was inevitable that I’d end up messing about with words in some way, even though my pursuit of the letterpress is a more literal interpretation of the phrase. I’ve been accused of using big words (to be fair, it’s true), but it’s not to sound smart I assure you—my goal is always clarity. Words are delicious things and the good ones need to be savoured and shared. I bring that up because I want to tell you that I have an autotelic personality, which is the most accurate word I could find to describe how I roll.

The idea of flow has become pervasive in our society, but the term is actually fairly recent. While the experience has existed under other names for millennium, it wasn’t until the mid-1970s when the Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi coined the term Flow State. Mihaly was fascinated by artists, especially painters, who got lost in their work. Many of his subjects described being ‘carried along’ by a river of creativity— being in the flow. For many artists, to flow means the rest of the world fades away and the only imperative is the canvas. That act of creativity takes precedence over other expendable activities like eating and sleeping. When an artist is in the flow, time slips by unnoticed and nothing else matters.

As the idea of flow gained traction through the 1980s, many groups and industries began studying it as a way of understanding human potential. The business world, sports psychologists, and education experts all got on board to try to find ways to maximize the understanding of the benefits of how people reach and maintain their ‘zone.’

Over years of study, they’ve identified some specific personality traits that make it easier for people to get into the flow: curiosity, determination, low selfcenteredness, and high intrinsic motivation. It seems that getting into the zone requires someone to see value in the activity itself—that the journey of exploration and discovery is rewarding enough. To the artists out there, is this starting to sound familiar? If so, you probably have an autotelic personality too.

Autotelic comes from two Greek words: auto should be self-explanatory (pun intended), and telic means ‘goal’—ergo: self-goal. Having an autotelic personality means that some self-contained activity is performed for the simple joy of the experience, rather than for any future benefit, which rings true for me. Certainly, nobody chooses visual arts as a career path in order to amass wealth or find stability.

Flow is not just for the artists—the idea has spread into other important parts of our lives here in Fernie. How many flowy mountain bike trails do we have here? The idea of building a singletrack with the goal of getting people into a rhythm is absolutely about flow state. A flowy trail is like a Flow State Machine because it helps melt away everything around us but the exhilaration of the ride.

Go with the Flow

by MICHAEL HEPHER

Illustration by Michael Hepher

Musicians also talk about being in the zone: ‘in the groove’ or ‘feeling it’ are ways you hear people talk about a great jam or notable performance. Letting go of nerves or insecurities and surrounding oneself with the moment allows a performer to hear notes in their head and get them to the strings unimpeded—it feels like swimming in music.

Whatever you do and however you get there; know that flow state is one of the few sacred emotional spaces left to us. We should seek it, practice finding it, and work on maintaining it for no other reason than it’s good for our mental health. The biggest enemy of flow is interruption, so while I don’t advocate (often) skipping meals or sleep to stay there, I do recommend carving out significant time without your smart phone nearby, with the door locked, and with family informed that you should not be disturbed for a few hours. If they ask why, tell them it’s because you’re autotelic—I’m sure they’ll appreciate it as much as my family does. 562A 2nd Ave Fernie, BC

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HAVE YOU HEARD?

North Coal is a Canadian resource company based in Sparwood. We are committed to developing the Michel Coal project, providing a long-term source of steel-making coal for export to global markets, bringing sensible economic opportunity to the Elk Valley region. We live in the Elk Valley and we understand the unique challenges and opportunities it offers. Our innovative approach includes using globally proven technologies for protecting the integrity of water, ensuring dust control, and delivering progressive reclamation.

We are committed to keeping you informed about our project and its progress.

Visit www.northcoal.ca to learn more and join our mailing list for updates.

Arts and Entertainment EVENT CALENDAR

MONTHLY EVENTS

Thursday 1.7.2021 Exhibit Opening: Rambles in Shadows

with Liquor Store Blues by Troy Cook @ The Fernie Museum Gallery Space

Teck and Fortis BC Present Community

Drive-in Movie Night: Jurassic Park @ Fernie Alpine Resort

Friday 2.7.2021 Teck and Fortis BC Present Community Drive-in Movie Night: Raya and the Last

Dragon @ Fernie Alpine Resort

Monday 5.7.2021

The Fun Journaling Club Begins @ Fernie Heritage Library for ages 10-12.

Tuesday 6.7.2021

Crack the Case Reading Club Begins @ Fernie Heritage Library for ages 7-12. Shine Three-Day Summer Camp Begins @ The Arts Station

WEEKLY EVENTS

Mondays

Parent-tot Funtimes @ Facebook Page Les Tiguidous @ AFRosFernie, outdoor activities with songs, stories in French ages 0-5. 10:15am Club Cr8 @ The Arts Station Le Club Baguette Junior @ Rotary Park, outdoor activities and games in French ages 7-12, 3:30pm Plein Air Pod @ The Arts Station, 2-4pm

Tuesdays

Storytime (ages 3-5) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook Try it at Home @ Fernie Heritage Library, weekly STEM/DIY for kids Fernie Youth Art Collective @ The Arts Station, 6pm Ladies’ League @ Fernie Golf Club

Fernie Options for Sexual Health Clinic

Open @ Elk Valley Hospital, 6:30-8:30pm by appointment Parent-tot Funtimes @ Facebook Page Burger and Beer Night @ The Northern Wing Night @ The Pub

Wednesday 7.7.2021

Banner Project Assist Day @ The Arts Station

Monday 12.7.2021

Regular Council Meeting @ City of Fernie, 7pm

FMBC Shredder Series - Virtual Youth

Race Series @ Project 9

Wednesday 14.7.2021 Summer Teen Theatre Three-Day

Experience Begins @ The Arts Station

Thursday 15.15.2021

Tony Servello Sr. Open @ Fernie Golf Club Ears for Peers (virtual) @ Fernie Pride Society, 6:30pm

Friday 16.7.2021

Banner Project Application Deadline @ The Arts Station, 2pm

Monday 19.7.2021

Committee of the Whole Meeting @ City of Fernie, 4pm

Wednesdays

Curbside Craft @ Fernie Heritage Library, pick up between 12-4pm, Tuesday through Friday Toddlertime (Ages 0-2 years) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook Team Trivia @ The Fernie Men’s League @ Fernie Golf Club Art on the Deck @ The Arts Station, 1pm or 7pm

Scott Downhill Race Series: Kids and Youth Race presented by Fox and

Legends @ Fernie Alpine Resort, 4:30pm Women on Wheels Ride @ Fernie Bike Park, 6:30pm

Thursdays

Bellies to Babies @ Zoom, 2pm Seniors’ League @ Fernie Golf Club

Club Baguette Adultes - Practice

Speaking French @ AFRos Fernie via Zoom, 7pm Pub Team Trivia @ The Pub

Scott Downhill Race Series: Adults and Masters Race presented by Fox and

Legends @ Fernie Alpine Resort, 6:30pm Fernie Trails Alliance Work Party @ Fernie Bike Park

Tuesday 20.7.2021

Out of the Box Dumpster Project Begins @ The Arts Station

Wednesday 21.7.2021 Teen Dumpster Four-Day Art Camp

Begins @ The Arts Station

Saturday 24.7.2021 2nd Annual Rally in the Valley Poker Ride

@ Elk Valley Cruisers

Thursday 29.7.2021

Exhibit Opening: Kate Moran @ The Arts Station

Friday 30.7.2021

Tea and Talk Book Club @ Fernie Heritage Library

Many events are subject to COVID-19 restrictions. As things change and evolve, additional events may be added to the calendar. Make sure to stay up to date by visiting FernieFix.com/events Do you have an event to share? Send it to krista@clarismedia.com for inclusion!

Fridays

Storytime (ages 0-5) @ Fernie Heritage Library Live Instagram and Facebook Women on Wheels Ride @ Fernie Bike Park, 9:30am Spring Fling Scavenger Hunts @ Fernie Heritage Library, 10am Fish and Chips @ The Pub Fish and Chips Take Away @ Fernie Hotel, 4pm Meat Draw @ The Fernie Club Cre8 @ The Arts Station

Saturdays

Shawarma Take Out @ Fernie Hotel, 4pm Meat Draw @ The Legion Historical Walking Tours @ Fernie Museum, 11am The Great Fire, 1pm Fernie at War, 3pm RumRunners

Sundays

Fernie Mountain Market @ Rotary Park, 10am-2pm Historical Walking Tours @ Fernie Museum, 11am The Great Fire, 1pm Fernie at War, 3pm RumRunners

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Arts and Entertainment AT PEACE AND YET ON FIRE

SELF CONTENTS by SADIE ROSGEN

How do you honour yourself? How do you make peace with the suffering that surrounds you? How do you heal? This month is a deep dive into self-discovery. As our social channels begin to widen and we look forward to connecting with others, ask yourself, what do you need now? You are different. Lean into your change. “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today, I am wise so I am changing myself.” -Rumi I’ve lived here all my life hands outstretched heavy and sun drenched parched from another trip around the sun

this... is the only place I know dismantled and broken down fierce but lethargic hair woven into time

I make a commitment to discover a gentle, foreboding whisper myself I am not only this complicated vessel but can exist on another level I harness strength when I am pushed bushed from the suffering of life knowing that others suffer alongside me the truth convoluted action energy peace release

My marching ground My lost and found My everything until I’m gone

SELF CONTENTS

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Arts and Entertainment THE RENTAL FIX

The Trial of the Chicago Seven

by ANDREW VALLANCE

Baby boomers wield an incredible amount of power in North American society, the generation born from 1946 to 1964 has influenced our politics, music, movies and religion in ways that cannot be understated, and even as their numbers decline, those boomers who are part of the political establishments of both Canada and the United States jealously guard the power that they’ve accumulated.

Given that so many boomers continue to be so influential, it makes perfect sense that Netflix should produce a film about an exceptionally important show trial that took place in the 1960s, the decade when a large chunk of the baby boomers were young, and the US was involved in a disastrous war in Vietnam.

The war had its roots in the French colonial period of the 1800s, but a number of other countries, including the United States, became involved in a lengthy conflict that ultimately claimed millions of lives and finally ended in 1975 when North and South Vietnam were reunited as one country.

American President Lyndon Johnson was a strong supporter of the war and was expected to be renominated for the 1968 presidential election by the Democratic Party at its national convention in Chicago. In the fall of 1967, the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam (MOBE) proposed antiwar demonstrations to protest Johnson’s renomination.

David Dellinger was the chairman of MOBE, and Rennie Davis and Tom Hayden, former leaders of Students for a Democratic Society, directed MOBE’s Chicago office. Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman were part of a counterculture group known as Yippies, that was also planning a “Festival of Life” to counter what they described as the Democratic “Convention of Death.” Representatives of the groups agreed to coordinate the demonstrations.

In April of 1968 the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. ignited riots in Chicago and other cities, and in June the assassination of Robert Kennedy further shocked the country. By August, the two murders, along with a war that was resulting in the deaths of many young Americans, had created an atmosphere of political crisis.

The Trial of the Chicago Seven deals with the trial of seven activists (Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden, Dave Dillinger, Rennie Davis, John Froines and Lee Wiener) all of whom stood accused of inciting a riot at the 1968 national convention. Bobby Seal, a high-ranking member of the Black Panther Movement, a socialist civil rights organization, was, due to racism in the Chicago police department, rounded up and put on trial alongside the seven, despite not having a lawyer and never having met the others before.

The film, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, earned six Academy Award nominations including Best Original Screenplay. The script, originally penned in 2007, draws heavily from the trial’s original court transcript and is excellent, with the kind of whip smart dialogue we have come to expect from Sorkin’s other projects. He wrote the film screenplay for A Few Good Men (1992), The American President (1995) Charlie Wilson’s War (2007), and The Social Network (2010) for which he won Academy and Golden Globe Awards for best screenplay. For television, his work includes The West Wing (1999-2006) and The Newsroom (2012-14).

The cast includes such talents as Sacha Baron Cohen (Abbie Hoffman), Eddie Redmayne (Tom Hayden), Michael Keaton (Attorney General Ramsey Clark) and Frank Langalla (Julius Hoffman, the authoritarian judge who oversaw the trial).

This is an interesting film. It is, however, a political fairy tale, the kind that Aaron Sorkin likes to tell, where the American political system usually works to benefit the people. Radicalism is portrayed as destructive and the centrist good guys are always smart witty and charming. It is a flawed film, but it is absolutely worth watching.

Two thumbs up.

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