GEORGIE magazine Issue 8 (Digital Edition) by Georgie Magazine

contents

Listens Forester

Photo Spread 1 Streethearts

designs Animal Farm

COVER Chains of Love

PROFILE David Stone

Photo Spread 2 Cherry Chola

arts Ryan McLennan

BEAUTY Oh You Pretty Things

CARES D.A.C.S

On the Cover Chains Of Love Photo: Curtis Comeau

georgie INTRODUCTION

Publishers Georgie Inc.

Time is not always on our side. We entered into this issue wanting

Editor in chief Georgie

to make changes, feeling inspired and craving something fresh. Sometimes it seems like even the best intentions aren’t enough and almost everything can feel like a struggle. One thing is clear: this is something worth fighting for, but none of it would be worth it without the people we’re surrounded by. Georgie is about pursuing dreams and creating opportunities, it’s about loving and enjoying what you do and who you do it with. We have taken a look at what we’ve been doing and examined the reasons and the ways we’ve carried on. At

Creative director Nathan Marshall Photo editor Ashley Champagne Beauty editor Nicola Gavins Photographers/illustrators/Designers Ashley Champagne, Curtis Comeau, Harvey Miedreich, Diego Mazzeo, Nathan Marshall, Richard Roberts, Wayne Axani

last, we hope the heart of this issue is evident and that the people upon these pages move you. We love how they have been spending their time unabashedly in pursuit of the life they have imagined.

Writers Heather Noel, Kris Samraj, Glen Leavit, Omar Reyes, Colleen Nuc, Penelope Wainwright

This issue is dedicated to:

Copy editors Jude Zuppiger

James Clifford Drynan (August 16, 1929- Feb 14, 2012)

Sales Darren Bolz

Bryan Terrific Monaghan (August 28, 1951- March 3, 2012) Two truly great men who’s lives and character moved many. “... People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou

Special thanks Curtis Comeau, Justin Der, Nicola Gavins, Amber Prepchuk, Ruth Bancroft, Lauren Hughes (Mousy Brown’s), Linda Ha (Barber Ha), Kyle Gambler (Flaunt Salon), Morgan Willard & Amy Laing (Ponytails and Horseshoes), Marie Zydek, MODE Models, Sandy Karpetz, Jordan Hillinger & Bill Demchuk (Fort Edmonton Park), Pete Harris (Metro Cinema) Inquiries info@heygeogie.com Advertising sales@heygeorgie.com www.heygeorgie.com Copyright © 2012 Georgie Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. -------------------------------------------------------------------Georgie Magazine is published four times a year. The views expressed in these pages are not necessarily shared by the publishers.

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designs

FOuR Legs GOOD PHOTO ASHLEY CHAMPAGNE TEXT HEATHER NOEL

Yevgeniya Kilupe is living proof that it’s never too late to pick up a new hobby. Born in 1938 in St. Petersburg, Kilupe only narrowly averted imprisonment in a concentration camp (she was turned away because the camp was too full). After waiting out the war in a POW camp in Latvia, she made a home for herself there, spending much of her adult life working manual labour in factories. But it wasn’t until Kilupe was in her 50s that she discovered the talent that would change her life: the art of paper-mâché mask making. What started out as a way to supplement an inadequate pension, selling her work in a local market for mere pennies, soon caught the eye of Latvia’s artistic community. Now, at the age of 74, her striking, one-of-a-kind hand-painted masks are being exhibited in art galleries and sold to collectors around the world through her Etsy shop.

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Art direction nathan marshall | Styling REBECCA FISHER-SWARBROOKE | Clothing provided by Colourblind, Bamboo Ballroom, Gravity Pope, Gravity Pope Tailored Goods | Hair Reanne Bachand (Ricci Hair Co.) Alysha Wetter (The Beauty Parlour) MODELS ADOLFO FUMAGALLI, MARC LACOURSIERE, KAYLAN WINTER BERRY, JESSICA & TEAGAN (NEXT MODELS), KENNEDY THORNTON, AMANDA DUNLOP | SHOT ON LOCATION AT fort edmonton park

Though I haven’t gotten the chance to meet Yevgeniya (our interview had to be done by way of a translator), I feel an instant affection for personality that shines through in her words. In response to one of my questions which got a little lost in translation, she replied that she is always “working peacefully and always with joy”. It is a phrase which seems to define her spirit; one that is as driven to create as it is brimming with optimism. When did you first start making masks? I started to make masks in the early 90s during the period of ‘Perestroika’. I was newly retired and was thinking about how I could make some extra money for food, as my pension wasn’t enough to get by on. What inspired you to start? Once I visited a kindergarten where my grandchildren were performing in a play. They were wearing paper-mache masks and it inspired me to give it a try. How did you learn the paper-mâché / painting techniques you use? First I found out about an authentic ancient paper-mâché technique and started to practice it. In the beginning it wasn’t as easy as I expected. These days the process doesn’t take much effort, but I am still continuing to improve my technique from mask to mask. Have you experimented with other forms of art? (For example painting, sculpture, drawing, etc.)? Yes, drawing has always been a hobby of mine, though I never had formal training. Ever since I was a child I painted with oil colors, both for my own pleasure and also to sell. Mostly I paint beautiful sceneries

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and still lifes. Also, I like to work with wood. I have made a lot of decorative wooden jewelry boxes, carved spoons, and decorative picture frames. When I was young I had a good singing voice and I sang a lot, so I recorded a lot of songs on old tapes. Why masks over other forms of art work? When you “get into the swing” of it, it’s much easier to make a mask then to paint a painting. And you can sell them more successfully as well. Where do you get inspiration for your masks? In the beginning, I started with some masks. After creating them I went to the local market to sell them. To put it frankly, the next masks I made were requests from my buyers. Every year, when I sold the masks at Christmas my buyers would ask: “Do you have a mask of a fox? Do you have a mask of a mouse?” My answer was: “I will make them for next year, for sure!” That’s the reason why the collection of my masks is now like it is. Overall, I have made sixty different types of masks, though currently there are 35 models. Do you work from photographs, memory, or imagination? I work mainly from photographs, which I have searched for and cut out of magazines. But I am continually improving the masks, trying to make them differently. For example, I have always made dogs masks with the ears going downward, but now I’ve decided to make them point upward. Also, I am continually changing the expressions of the faces of the masks. Recently, one person ordered a mask of Shrek from me. The person gave me a

photo of Shrek, printed from the Internet, so I could be fully aware of the look of the character. After making the mask, the person who bought it admitted, “It looks like him, indeed”. But to make a new model for a mask is a long process and requires patience. So a lot of the masks have gained their ideal look after many years of work. For most of your life you worked in a factory setting. How has your life changed since you retired? My life is wonderful, because I have four children and a lot of grandchildren, although I live away from them. I shape the masks in my small town flat in the wintertime when nature rests. As soon as spring comes I leave town and don’t make masks at all. I have built my house in the countryside by myself. I have decorated it with wood engravings and painted it green. So in the summer I work only in the garden. Right after retiring, 20 years ago, I earned money by selling the products that I grew in my garden – salad greens, potatoes, etc. I also made jams, marinated cucumbers, and the like to provide for my grandchildren. Actually I work all the time because I love to pamper my relatives and guests. So I am always cooking something special for them, especially pastries. You have said (in your Etsy TV video) that you started making masks for extra income, and grew to like it. If you were suddenly rich, would you stop making them? That’s hard to say…Right now I am 74 years old and my arms are hurting from the creation of masks. However making masks during the dark days of winter is very fulfilling. It’s my work and I love it.

How did selling on the Internet change your lifestyle? My life really changed when artists from the capital city of Latvia (Riga) noticed me. When an artist named Linda Luse organized an exhibition of my masks at her art gallery in December 2010, everything changed. A lot of people started to interview me. My work got noticed and highly respected. What I’m most happy about is that I no longer need to stand in the cold near the supermarket to sell my masks for not much compensation, as I used to do. I get paid much more for a mask now, which gives me new motivation to work. Did you have much experience with computers and the Internet before? New technologies are unfamiliar to me. My children understand them, but it’s not for me. Has it made you busier, or given you more free time? I am just as busy as I was before. But it’s more fun to work when you know that your masks are being sold throughout the year, both at the art gallery and on the Internet as well, where I can earn much more than before. What do your friends and family think of your success? Do you feel “successful”? My relatives are happy for me and proud of my success. I am not a conceited person. I am very religious, quiet, and modest.

“I work mainly from photographs, which I have searched for and cut out of magazines. But I am continually improving the masks, trying to make them differently. For example, I have always made dogs masks with the ears going downward, but now I’ve decided to make them point upward. Also, I am continually changing the expressions of the faces of the masks. Recently, one person ordered a mask of Shrek from me. The person gave me a photo of Shrek, printed from the Internet, so I could be fully aware of the look of the character. After making the mask, the person who bought it admitted, “It looks like him, indeed”. But to make a new model for a mask is a long process and requires patience. So a lot of the masks have gained their ideal look after many years of work.”

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cover

chAins oF

LOVE

PHOTO CURTIS COMEAU TEXT KRIS SAMRAJ

Coupling modern garage rock with a Sixties revival sound, Chains of Love has tapped into a nostalgic vein that has resonated with fans and critics. The Vancouver Sun named them one of five bands to watch in 2012 and the Toronto label, Dine Alone Records, signed them last year.

styling milA FrAnovic | clothing provided By tWo oF A FeW, gypsy mArKet At one oF A FeW mAKeup christine JAirAmsingh | hAir vAnessA leBlAnc | shot on locAtionA At the WAldorF hotel (vAncouver)

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retty good success for a band that is just over a year old. Chains of Love began in December 2010, when Felix Fung, a guitarist and producer based in Vancouver, had an idea for a femalefronted project. As a musician and owner of the recording studio, Little Red Sounds, Fung drew upon many of the local Vancouver musicians that he knew.

Chains of Love began as solely a recording project with no intention of performing or touring. However, a year and a half later, Chains of Love is set to embark on a North American tour that will take them down the West Coast, east to play SXSW, and finally north to Toronto and a Canadian tour. A lot has changed in that year and a half. Early results of the collaboration were so promising that Chains of Love quickly outgrew their initial plans. The band is helmed, following Fung’s vision, by the talented voices of Nathalia Pizarro and Rebecca Gray. Steve Ferreira plays drums. Henry Beckwith is on keyboards. Brian Nicol plays bass. Fung on guitar rounds it out. Though most are only in their twenties, all members are veteran musicians. They’ve all played in other local bands, some of them together, and have previously recorded with Fung as well. “It’s a bit of an incestuous group,” jokes Gray. There have been some lineup changes since the group’s inception, but this is the lineup that will head out on the band’s first major tour. Chains of Love is not the first band who has mined the Sixties for inspiration. To keep things fresh, the band relies on a very instinctual approach to writing and recording. In the beginning, the band met every Tuesday at Little Red Sounds. Starting at noon and ending at midnight, they would record a new song during every session. Pizarro feels the short timeline keeps things honest. There’s no time to second-guess and, because all members are experienced musicians, everyone trusts each other. “Brian’s playing the bass line; he’s the bassist so the baseline is set in his mind. If Rebecca and I do harmonies and lyrics, Felix never comes in and says this lyric has to be different. We asked Steve to be the drummer because he’s a great drummer. So why would we question his drumming?” asks Pizarro. Even with the quick recording pace the band hasn’t released much yet. But what they have released has been well-received. The band has a specific vision

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– a 1960s throwback girl group with a full sound and modern spin. Their first single, “You Got It”, features the low fi, dense wall of sound and active rhythms that have become the band’s hallmarks. On “Black Hearts”, doowop harmonies are layered over Pizarro’s fervent voice, clearly referencing the influences of Ronnie Spector, the Crystals, and the Shangri-Las. The song titles and lyrics are often dark and point to heartache – “Black Hearts”, “Lies Lies Lies”, “Broken Heart.” But all good soul music comes from pain and Pizzaro and Gray sing those lyrics convincingly. Not that their music is depressing. Far from it. This is music to dance to, to forget your troubles to. On February 16, 2012, Chains of Love performed at the Biltmore in East Van – one last home performance to kick off their upcoming tour. Gray offered a simple, apt description of their shows: “It’s faster, it’s louder!” Their live performances showcase their best material – the voices and charismatic stage presence of Nathalia Pizarro and Rebecca Gray. As with anything, success depends on how you sell it, and Pizarro and Gray sell it well. The sound is raw and Pizarro’s strong, soulful voice is stirring. Pizarro also plays the tambourine and castanets (a Latin percussion instrument) with an exuberance and contagious energy that diffuses to the rest of the band and the crowd. Gray’s earlier description of Pizarro is spot on – “Nat plays castanets like a motherfucker!” Pizarro is a lot like Gwen Stefani on stage – she sings her heart out. “Can you smell my sweat?” she joked to the crowd halfway through their set. A couple of weeks before the show, Georgie met Pizarro and Gray for a photo shoot and to talk about the early success of the band. The shoot was at the Waldorf Hotel in East Vancouver. It also happens to be where Pizarro is currently living. Pizarro has worked the last two years at InSite, Vancouver’s supervised injection site. It must be a sharp contrast to work in the Downtown Eastside and return to this stylish, albeit cozy, hotel room. There are a couple of guitars in the corner. On her bedside table sit the castanets that will be so exuberantly played. The recently renovated Waldorf is something of a creative compound these days, with a hotel, a restaurant, a bar, a club, and shops and galleries. Coincidentally, the bar downstairs hosts Ice Cream Social, a long running popular dance night featuring Sixties music. Pizarro and Gray confess that the rest of the band

thAt’s not much to get your nAme tAttooed on A pretty lAdy – For the rest oF her liFe! members are not enthusiastic about promotion. As the frontwomen, Pizarro and Gray seem resigned that the task falls to them, but recognize its importance for a new band. It’s been a challenge to fund travel for the six-person band. In a time when music is easily stolen, it’s not easy to make a living. Nevertheless, Chains of Love has been pretty creative so far. Along with selling tracks digitally, on iTunes and through their website, the band also sells their songs on vinyl. “We love vinyl so we press good vinyl and hope people buy it,” says Pizarro. To help fund their tours the girls had a pretty interesting offer. For $5000 Gray or Pizarro will tattoo your name on their bodies. “That’s not much to get your name tattooed on a pretty lady – for the rest of her life!” laughs Gray.

Both Pizarro and Gray are statuesque beauties. They’re also very down to earth. And patient. As stylists prepare for the shoot, busily applying makeup and curling hair, Pizarro and Gray calmly sit and share a cigarette. With previous experience in other musical projects, both women have little illusions about the life of a musician. “When you’re performing you have these standards for yourself.You show up to a venue and there are five people there and you’ve spent three hours on your makeup! It’s a huge reality check,” says Pizarro. “Do you do it for the love of performing and music, or do you do it…” She trails off as a stylist hurries to finish her makeup, but it’s clear that both have answered the question – they do it for the love of music.

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art

“I appreciate [nature painting] and enjoy the occasional look, but that’s about it. I’d rather see the actual animal or even a photograph”

ike most North Americans – in cities, suburbs, and small towns alike – I am constantly surrounded by images of wildlife. It is usually wildlife native to North America, and often wildlife I could at least theoretically see in person by taking an hour’s drive from wherever I happen to be. In doctors’ offices and high schools, in living rooms and libraries, paintings of soaring eagles and predatory wolves emerging from misty woods are impossible to avoid. Bird watching field guides and Robert Bateman coffee table books are familiar to us all. The fact that we spend more time looking at pictures of wildlife than observing the real thing may be a contradiction worth considering, but there is no denying that North Americans are deeply immersed in the traditions of naturalist painting, even if our education comes primarily from spending hours in doctors’ offices staring glumly at paintings of moose. Ryan McLennan’s paintings poke fun at the convention in nature painting of arranging very realistically drawn animals in implausible and contrived scenarios – the eagle and the wolf that

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just happen to find themselves circling the same stump at the same time. McLennan’s paintings push this tendency to its limit, depicting scenes of animals which are individually realistic, but presented in bizarre and disturbing scenes. Despite these similarities, McLennan does not have much interest in conventional nature painting and does not consider himself a part of that tradition, preferring to draw inspiration more directly from his sources. “I appreciate [nature painting] and enjoy the occasional look, but that’s about it. I’d rather see the actual animal or even a photograph.” Ryan McLennan is an award-winning painter whose work has previously been featured in Juxtapoz magazine and New American Paintings. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia, growing up in what he terms a country town. “Just looking out into the front yard you could see deer, ospreys, eagles, and so on.” Sticking close to home, he attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, where he majored in painting and printmaking. I asked McLennan if animals have always been central to his work and he claimed

they have not. “They became central about six years ago,” which would have been not long after McLennan graduated. McLennan’s paintings generally consist of a single animal or a congregation of animals, set against an austere white background, gathered around a desolate centrepiece – a stone, a denuded tree branch, or the bleached white bones of some other dead animal. Bones also feature as jewelry, headdresses, and prosthetic limbs which the animals wear with darkly comic naïveté. Backgrounds are always blank. “I’d rather there be no connection to a specific place. These scenes are only happening in the painting; the background does not matter to me.” Taking the animals out of any conceivable habitat removes all doubt about the possibility of interpreting McLennan’s work as straightforward nature painting. McLennan’s paintings depict a world that only exists in McLennan’s paintings. Here is one of the central tensions in McLennan’s work: the animals he depicts are common North American mammals and birds which most of us have at some point seen in person. They are typically rendered with striking clarity and realism, and yet the situations in which they find themselves are utterly removed from zoological reality, owing more to Salvador Dali’s grotesque tableaux than James Audubon’s cool classifications. “All animals I paint are from North America. They are what I know and what I have seen throughout my life. I have a fairly good understanding of their patterns and habits.” And yet the behaviour McLennan’s animals exhibit seems ritualistic or even choreographed. It evokes museum diorama displays more than natural scenes. I raised this connection with McLennan. He replied, “I like that now that you mention it…dioramas and taxidermy are far more interesting to me than naturalist painting.” Death stalks McLennan’s paintings. On almost every canvas there is some evocation of death. It is in the trees, which are always bare; the bones, which litter the ground and hang from the trees; and the missing

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limbs and broken antlers of the animals. It is always in contrast with the sweetness and haplessness of the animals themselves, who seem to be fumbling, unknowing, through life. They coexist with death in ways which are often morbidly amusing, like the way they use the bones of their dead as decorations, or as prosthetic limbs.

“I stopped painting (the bear) over a year ago. It gave too strong of an environmental message. Not that I’m not interested in that, I just don’t want to make art about that so bluntly. I am more interested in life/death, religion, struggle, and things like this.”

There is a recurring character in McLennan’s animal paintings which is unlike the rest. It appears to be the carcass of a stuffed bear, woven from flowers, grass, and string. It is made up of the only living plant life we ever see in McLennan’s paintings, and it is in a constant state of decay and dismemberment. It is pulled apart, prodded, and fought over by the other animals. It is often strung up among the branches of the barren trees in ways that are pathetic and disturbing. “It was a symbol of what was not in the paintings, living vegetation and higher predators. It was something that sheltered and fed the animals, and a limited resource.” While sympathetic to ecological concerns, McLennan felt that the environmental message in his work was becoming too heavy handed. “I stopped painting (the bear) over a year ago. It gave too strong of an environmental message. Not that I’m not interested in that, I just don’t want to make art about that so bluntly. I am more interested in life/death, religion, struggle, and things like this.” I asked McLennan if he will ever paint human subjects. In a way McLennan’s work has always been about human subjects, allegorized as animals. “I don’t know what to do with humans at the moment. Everything about my paintings is so human that actually painting humans with these interactions would be boring. But you know, I don’t think it will be good for me to strictly paint animals forever.” I asked him if he thinks his future non-animal-related projects will have the same sensibility as his current paintings, with the same combination of humour and morbidity. “I don’t find myself to be that funny or very dark either. Anything can happen with the painting, but I feel the sensibility would remain somewhat in the same realm.”

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listens

f o r e s t e r

PHOTO ASHLEY CHAMPAGNE

TEXT Omar reyes

illu s tr at ion wAY NE Axani S t yl ing Sandy karpe tz cloth in g provid e d by Colour blin d , ame rican appare l gravity pope tailored goods, The observatory (Moscot “Lemtosh” colour: Tortoise) hair linda ha (barber Ha) makeup ruth bancrof t

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“If you’ve never eaten Pho before, then you shouldn’t order take-out and eat it at home because you won’t know what to do and it will make you never want to eat it again.” Our server had a passion for the integrity for how the legendary Vietnamese noodle soup should be experienced. Leaving it in the hands of a “Pho virgin” to fumble with at home was not going to happen under her watch. You can’t blame Wayne Axani, the lead vocalist and keyboardist of Edmonton band Forester, for attempting to try something new without the proper education. Some people learn better by the risks they take than by following an established set of steps. Sometimes this works for the best. Other times, it can lead to “playing shitty shows [and] putting a lot of effort into traveling,” quipped drummer, James Banks. “We played this festival that in our minds was going to be really good and ended up playing for four people!” Forester, by definition is someone who cares for a forest. To some this can evoke poetic serene imagery. For the band, it’s more a statement about nourishing and cultivating the opportunity to make music in a natural, unforced way. Even if it means never achieving commercial success. They don’t have a song in the charts. They’re not signed by any label. They’ve only released an EP and admit to having a weak online presence. “We are not the band trying to force people on Facebook to ‘like’ us,” remarks James unabashedly. But don’t be fooled. This 4-piece outfit, rounded out by Sean Roberts on bass and Brad Johnson on guitar, is positioned to earn the attention of fans one show at a time. Already, promoters have taken notice and the band is being booked with increased frequency to the point where they’ll soon have to be selective about where they play. This piqued interest is a result of Forester’s determined persistence and rave reviews of their energypacked concerts. Barsnbands.net describes their sound as “Every Time

I Die beating the shit outta Coldplay!” I asked Wayne if this was a description the band had come up with. “Ha ha… ummmm I didn’t write that personally, but I can’t speak for the others.” For an emerging band they have gained a lot of ground in a short time by producing a hauntingly tender video and putting the finishing touches on their second EP. There are also plans to do a Western Canada tour in the summer. After listening to their current EP, “The Prison Leader”, I could see how the “rock ‘n’ roll pianocore” sound they created is unique and could translate to an amazing live show. In the song, “Burning Diamonds”, I can almost feel the pulsating veins on Wayne’s throat ready to burst as he pounds the keys and scorches the chorus with the intensity of someone singing their last song. Despite their current rise, James remains modest in what he hopes the band will accomplish. “… I’m being realistic here- if we got to open for a bigger band that we all liked and just be an opening act and see four thousand kids, I think that would be awesome.” I politely laughed at their response, surprised because I was expecting them to say that they would aim to play at Rexall or tour around the world and perform in intimate settings. “We’ve played to the pool table being at the front row. So yeah, intimate shows are not the best,” chuckled Wayne. It is precisely this type of candor and humility that I found disarming about Wayne and James. Since this was my first “rock band” interview I felt nervous about…well, pretty much everything. Were they going to like this Vietnamese restaurant? Who would pay for the bill? Would I offend them to the point that they would storm out a-la-Chris Brown? I was immediately put at ease when James, covered in dried paint, dressed in what I call “tradesperson casual”, and Wayne, eerily resembling Dan Levy stepped into the restaurant with the enthusiasm of two schoolboys

ready to talk about their secret club. “It was my first concert when my mom took me to KISS, when I was incredibly young, probably too young. I remember smelling pot like crazy”, confessed Wayne as I asked him where his love for music began. James, the one known as the “mom of the group”, encountered a pivotal crossroads at an early age when he had to choose between playing hockey and taking guitar lessons. “Literally, besides friends and family, playing and writing songs is all I care about.” I would typically be skeptical of anyone making this kind of claim. But when Wayne said this I could tell that beneath his self-deprecating charm and humour, he is serious about the music that he crafts. As our conversation continued I couldn’t help notice the amount of “bro love” emanating between Wayne and James. They were both sincere in throwing veiled compliments to one another and both seemed to have a genuine sense of respect and admiration for what each contributed to the band. I was definitely the third wheel that night. I soon discovered the back-story to their relationship. Surprisingly, they were in a band together four years ago. They even recorded an EP but it was never released because the band broke up after an ugly fight. Hurt feelings ran so deep that Wayne and James didn’t talk for an entire year. Wayne’s face lit up as he told the tale. “I was actually in my garage getting drunk with my friend Brad and our old music came on. You know when you’re a little tipsy and you have strong feelings? I was like, ‘This is really good.’ I think I texted James that night something like, ‘This was good stuff. Too bad.” After swallowing their pride, growing up and allowing things to fall naturally this second time around, Wayne and James are ready to act like a forester and care for what’s entrusted to them. This means not taking themselves too seriously, producing the best music they can, and hopefully learning how to eat Pho.

profile georgie designs

A r t D i r e c t i o n nathan marshall | S t y l i n g A l i S ch i c k | Cl o t h i n g p r o v i d e d b y M eese and foosh | Ha i r k yle gam b ler ( fla u nt salon ) | m a k e u p am b er prepch u c k EYE W E A R p r o v i d e d b y the o b ser v atory ( O l i v er P eoples “ Barr i e ” colo u r : M atte Blac k and T hom Bro w ne “ T B - 0 0 1 ” )

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Photo Ashley champagne // TEXT Colleen nuc Illustrations Diego Mazzeo

This man shows no sign of slowing down. Sitting on a chair in a sound booth at CJSR, the University of Alberta’s campus radio station, David Stone just keeps moving. “I’m so sorry – I have to run out and fix a wire in the on-air booth,” he says the minute he sits down. “Apparently there’s no sound right now.” A few minutes later he emerges from the on-air booth, smiling. “If I worked for a big commercial station, I would be working with the most advanced equipment and I wouldn’t have to be worrying about things like this. But I’d also have someone breathing down my neck and telling me what to play, which is something I wouldn’t respond well to. So it’s a tradeoff.” It’s no surprise Stone works in the music industry. The guy loves everything from obscure DJs to Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”. Stone not only hosts CJSR’s successful electronic radio show, BPM, on Saturday evenings, he is also resident DJ at Y Afterhours, works with the Union in bringing the best live music to Edmonton, and has worked with Vue Weekly as music editor. “I get to wake up every day and live in the world of music and I’m very thankful for that,” explains Stone. “But I don’t do this show and DJ to be cool – I’m a nerd. I collect music, and electronic music is something I have a particular passion for.”

Stone developed a passion for music at an early age, which helped him find his niche in junior high. “Music was definitely an escape for me,” recalls Stone. “It was a way to make friends because when I was in school, I was always the smart awkward kid with the glasses. Music was a way I could separate myself from that. So it was a bit of a survival mechanism in a way.” Perhaps Stone’s draw to music was also due to the fact that he grew up with a deaf mother. “I am very close with my mom and we developed our own take on sign language,” says Stone. “My dad used to take my mom dancing and she would follow my dad’s lead. She told me that even though she couldn’t hear the music, she could feel it. I never could figure out how that worked as a kid until I went to see a live band for the very first time, and I felt the music. And I understood.” In high school, Stone ventured into British electronic music like Depeche Mode and Blue Monday. “I remember there was this old record store by my house named Oracle, and I used to go there and buy British 12-inches of dance remixes and really shitty pop music. That was the start of it.” Stone’s early days as a DJ included teen parties

Glasses: Thom Browne “TB-001”

I GET TO WAKE UP EVERY DAY AND LIVE IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC AND I’M VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT in community halls. “The first party I played was called Viva Las Vegas 1999,” says Stone. “I remember I was only supposed to play for an hour in this sweaty little room in the basement of a Polish hall, but the crowd was so big I ended up playing until 6:30 in the morning. I got pneumonia and was sick for a month after that, but it was so worth it because I started getting gigs and I just stuck at it.” 27 georgie

Stone did, however, take a short break from the world of DJing to pursue an education at the University of Alberta, which got him involved with CJSR. “My show with CJSR happened completely by accident,” explains the DJ. “I didn’t plan to do the show. I was working at a record store, basically just so I could get discounts on records, and a salesman from CJSR wanted the store to sponsor a show, so we decided to just start one up.” The show first aired at 1 a.m. on Wednesdays, but quickly gained popularity and moved to the Saturday evening slot, from 6-9 p.m. “I don’t know exactly how many people listen to the show, but I’d like to think I’ve got hundreds of people listening. I got recognized the other day from my voice at a restaurant. And I’ve had parents tell me their kids call me “the

Stoneman” and that they throw dance parties in the living room every Saturday. That’s pretty cool.” Although Stone has made a name for himself in the community, he’s not sure if he’s an Edmonton lifer. “I was born here and I’ve seen the city go through a lot of changes,” he says. “We have a shitty hockey team right now but I love them, because they’re my hockey team. I’ve been very fortunate to know so many incredible people who are doing so many incredible things right here in Edmonton. But maybe one day I’ll move to a different city. As long as I’m happy, I can live anywhere.” One thing is for sure, though – Stone shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. “I want to be that 60-year-old in the club where everyone is like, ‘Oh man, have you met David Stone? That guy is crazy! And he’s not even creepy!’ That is my ultimate goal.”

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beauty

Oh you pretty things photography Ashley Champagne

hair Lauren Hughes (Mousy Browns)

makeup NICOLA GAVINs

models Kendall S. and Linda K. (Mode Models)

clothing provided by BAMBOO BALLROOM

eyewear provided by THE Observatory 29 georgie

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Glasses: Oliver Peoples Vintage “1955” colour: Matte Black/Tokyo Tortoise

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fashion

S t r e e t h e a r t s Photo HARVEY MIEDREICH Matt Janssen & Megan Martin (mode MODELS) makeup Amber Prepchuk Hair Morgan Willard (ponytails & Horseshoes) Styling Marie Zydek Assistant Yves St Bass

Model

LEFT Sweater | Gravity Pope Tailored Goods Hooded Coat | Gravity Pope Tailored Goods Jeans | Gravity Pope Tailored Goods Shoes | Holt Renfrew

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Sweater | Holt Renfrew Skirt | H & M Shoes | Gravity Pope Shoes

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Jacket | Holt Renfrew Shirt | H & M Jeans | Holt Renfrew

A S H L E Y C H A M PA G N E N I C O L A G AV I N S A my L aing ( P o n y t a i l s & H o r s e s h o e s ) S T E P H D E L A L B A (MODE MODELS)

PHOTOGRAPHY

ART DIRECTION, STYLING & MAKEUP HAIR MODEL

Shot on location at Dadeo, Metro Cinema and 29 Armstrong

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Leopard Shorts, Floral Skirt, Cuff, Turquoise Ring (Saraswati) | Bamboo Ballroom Turquoise Necklace and Black Ring (So Pretty Jewelry), Black Tassel Necklace | Coup Green Tassel Earrings | Groove Stone Turquoise Necklace | So Pretty Jewelry and semi-precious Socks | American Apparel Shoes (Beau Coops For Karen Walker) | Gravity Pope

Polka Dot Dress | Foosh Bracelet | Coup Rings | Oak and Fort Necklace (Amor) | Bamboo Ballroom

DESIGNERS AGAINSTChild SLAVERY TEXT Penelope Wainwright ILLUSTRATION Richard Roberts

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Richard Roberts - DACS UNITED 2010 www.theotherstream.com

Art is a powerful form of expression and can be an impetus for great change if directed in an appropriate way. Throughout history, art has often been used to express unspeakable truths in a creative, emotive manner. Designers Against Child Slavery (DACS) is doing just that. DACS is a collective of digital artists and illustrators who use art as a medium to bring awareness to the issue of child sex trafficking. Founded in 2010 by 19-year-old graphic designer and illustrator, John Mark Herskind, DACS came into being following a particularly influential interview. “About two years ago, I interviewed an art director who started a group called The Blind Project. He told me about sex trafficking in Southeast Asia and it got to me. I Accompanying the art were actual stories of some of the survivors, thought, how can I use my skills as a graphic designer/ which were given out to the attendees as a token of further inspiration. illustrator to bring attention to this horrible issue?” The stories were taken from a Blind Project initiative called “Be a BiogOn September 24, 2010, Herskind and DACS went on to hold an art exhibition in his home town of Columbia, South Carolina to raise funds for organizations that support the issue directly. Most of the proceeds from the exhibition, entitled Expose, went to The Blind Project and its partner organization, Night Light. The funds were used to build a print shop and an after care facility for victims of the sex trade. “We had an awesome turn out; there were over 400 people! The venue was 7000 square feet and it was just packed. I get chills just thinking about it now, even two years later. In total, we raised about $10,000.” Just recently, the print shop and its twelve girls finished their first ever run of t-shirts for DACS. In October of 2011, Herskind and DACS took their artistic and political endeavor to the next level with their second exhibition entitled Episodes. It took place in the Red Bull Space in SoHo, Manhattan, with approximately 300 people in attendance. The theme of Episodes is based on the lives of young sex workers from beginning to end. “The whole idea behind Episodes is to tell the story of trafficking victims, from the time they are tricked into the sex trade, to the time they are free. We narrowed it down to three things called episodes: “Coercion”, where they are tricked, physically taken or lied to and pulled into the sex trade; then “Enslavement”, the second episode; and “Restoration” the third. We had certain artists create pieces for each episode, which were in chronological order, so as people walked through and looked at the artwork, it told the story of one of these survivors.”

rapher”, where survivor stories are shared and designs are submitted to create a fashion label. “ We ended up raising $15,000 and it was all donated to The Blind Project and we look forward to seeing how they use it.” Herskind does not describe himself as political per se, but his chosen cause and artistic content echo it fully. “I can’t really say why it stuck out to me over AIDS in Africa or poverty or what not. It is just so disturbing, and people don’t talk about it. It does not come up in everyday conversation, so I wanted to assist in creating art work that was a catalyst for conversation.” The momentum of DACS is building and 2012 is already off to a busy start. The issue is continuing to gain exposure. DACS is set to have a booth at Coachella with partner organization, Redeem the Shadows. DACS is also scheduled to appear at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in collaboration with the International Justice Mission, a human rights organization that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery and oppression. DACS is also planning another New York exhibition this fall and will be touring Thailand to teach art therapy at the respective after care facilities throughout the region. When asked how one could get involved with the cause, Herskind responded, “Educate yourself, read up on it, and find documentaries. There is a great book by Gary A. Haugen called Terrify No More, which is a good place to start. Educate yourself, then educate others, and talk to others about what you have learned. As far as supporting DACS directly, email us about how to get involved with art, donate through PayPal, and support our partner organizations, The Blind Project and Redeem the Shadows.” Giving a voice to the voiceless is no easy task, so we tip our hats to DACS for taking up such an honorable cause, and hope that you have been inspired to get involved.

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