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contents
09
17
27
09
23
33
PROFILE Jesh De Rox
COVER Bonjay, Bon Chic
Photo Spread 1 Whyte Noise
13
27
39
LISTENS Mother Mother
DESIGNS UrbanIzm
Photo Spread 2 Sid Neigum
17
31
47
PROFILE Bua State of Mind
BEAUTY Tropica
CARES A Little Help For Our Friends
39
On the Cover Bonjay Photo: Ashley Champagne
f o l l o w
u s
o n
f a c e b o o k
a n d
t w i t t e r
úå
. . . a n y t h i n g ,
1 0 1 2 4
1 2 4
s t ·
e d m o n t o n ·
b u t .
a l b e r t a
georgie Publishers Georgie Inc. Editor in chief Georgie Creative director Nathan Marshall Photo editor Ashley Champagne
INTRODUCTION Every issue we produce is a small testament to the talent that exists
Photographers/illustrators/Designers Ashley Champagne, Curtis Comeau, Brianna Hughes, Nathan Marshall Writers Grace Glowicki, Heather Noel, Colleen Nuc, Bianca Osborne, Ben Sir, Andrea Steen
both locally and globally amongst artists. Looking to expand our pool of creative contributors has allowed us to see visions come to life in ways we could only hope for. This summer we are so grateful for the talent and time that has been dedicated to some of our most diverse content yet. It is both overwhelming and exciting to be a part of, and also a witness to the creative world in which we live. Hopefully you enjoy this window into the lives of a few who make it so.
Copy editors Kris Samraj, Andrea Steen PR/Marketing Sarah Keats Sales Ivana Tisler Special thanks Kyla & Stacey (Bamboo Ballroom), Curtis Comeau, Justin Der (FOOSH), Nikki (Nicola Gavins Makeup Artistry), Lavonne Drynan, MODE Models, Indoor Recess, Doris Tan, Mary Jane Callsen & Patricia Jastrzebski (Celebrity Hair), Sarah Cameron (Fluid Hair), Fiona (Hi-Fi Models), Amy Laing, Cristina Shiferaw and Morgan Willard (Ponytails and Horseshoes), Adrianne Thompson Inquiries info@heygeogie.com Advertising sales@heygeorgie.com www.heygeorgie.com Copyright Š 2011 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.
georgie
09 georgie
profile
Je sh de R ox text andr e a s t e e n
photo a shl e y c h a m pag ne
In three short hours Jesh de Rox has changed my life. Some might argue that this isn’t the hardest feat, as in the past I have proven to be easily persuaded. Jesh would probably modestly say that he didn’t actually do anything, that my wanting to change my life was already inside of me and he just gave me the space to discover the thought. Regardless, mission accomplished. After meeting him, I see the world a little bit differently.
Confused? You should be. Describing what
on earth has it - it’s just a matter of seeing
Jesh does (or even him as a person) is no
it.” This is the basic principle of Jesh’s ap-
small task. On paper, Jesh de Rox is a portrait photographer based out of Edmonton. But (and please forgive my tendency here to wax lyrically) that’s kind of like saying David Suzuki likes science, or that Margaret Atwood writes novels. True statements, but fairly base ones. Jesh de Rox is a visionary: a successful public speaker, an optimist, a hopeless romantic. His photography sessions are celebrations of relationship and connection, often reminding the couples he works with why they fell in love. I think if we let him, (and I’m not alone here) Jesh can change the world. “There’s nothing more beautiful and inspiring than watching the human spirit unfold,” Jesh tells me. He’s spoken a handful of sentences at this point. Who is this guy, and where did he come from? “Think of the five people you love most in the world. Probably a couple of the people you included in your five were strangers at one point in your life, right? Well, what is a ‘stranger?’ Stranger is temporary, it’s temporal. When you take the distance away, when you take away fear and pretence, you see the beauty they keep at the core of them. It’s that inner worth that inspires us to love the people we do, and everyone
11 georgie
There’s
proach to his work. Jesh is the type of person who treats ev-
nothing
eryone he meets as friends that he hasn’t
more
pretence) come down literally thousands
beautiful
yet met. “I’ve seen that ‘wall’ (of fear and of times. When you authentically express who you are, when you genuinely communicate, it makes beauty more apparent (and photographs more successful).
and
When you walk into a conversation know-
inspiring
down, people tend to reveal their authentic
than watching the hum an spirit unfold
ing this, knowing that the wall will come selves more easily.” Using photography as a medium, Jesh’s creative process allows couples to see one another in a more genuine, authentic light, and his photographs capture that truth. Where did this idealistic outlook on life come from? As a child, Jesh’s family moved around - a lot. I ask Jesh if his parents were in the military. “I think they had wanderlust,” Jesh smiles. “I’m currently living in my 57th house. I think as a result of moving so often I didn’t develop as many attachments to the world outside of me and became more drawn to the one inside. I had to look internally to discover what ‘home’ meant.” This inherent ability to see people as they truly are has opened a number of doors
for Jesh. Not only is he a successful portrait
was unreal. That’s the power that’s hiding
capped to the degree that we know how
photographer with a worldwide clientele,
behind the walls we learn to build up.”
to love ourselves. When we’re focused
he has learned to share his ‘experiential
Working with couples in Beloved sessions,
only externally, the circuit that love is can’t
technique’ with photographers (and any-
Jesh gives them a beautiful space to let
be completed and the process of giving
one who is simply interested in hearing
down the walls, to re-see each other and
drains us. But a fully connected circuit of
the man speak) across the globe in a way
themselves in a way that is explorative
love is a perpetual energy. The more I love
that is catching on like wildfire. “I believe
and regenerating. Some couples who’ve
someone, the more love they have and all
learning how to communicate honestly
experienced Beloved have described it
of a sudden, I have more love than when
and openly is the single most important
as ‘one of the best days of our lives’. “The
I started! How amazing is this? There’s no
skill a human can master. Authenticity is
worst thing that can happen is that we have
other energy like it.”
our birthright; babies don’t know how to
a lot of fun - it’s like a great first date. The
Based in Edmonton, Jesh de Rox travels the
be dishonest,” Jesh tells me.
best thing? I’ve seen couples fall in love
globe, sharing his message with thousands.
Through a series of experiences, both up-
again right in front of my eyes. That far
He is garnering quite the cult following:
lifting and powerfully emotional, Jesh cre-
transcends photography and touches to
Bali, Germany, Australia, you name it. Pho-
ates a space between couples that allows
something much deeper about what it is
tographers and lovers of Jesh’s vision are
for intimacy, honesty and renewing of the
to be human.” After witnessing firsthand
lapping up his words. He’s also pursuing
flame between them. He gives me an ex-
the powerful results time after time, Jesh
music as a medium through which to get
ample. “I brought a couple i hadn’t met be-
believed Beloved was something that de-
his message across. “I’m just exploring,”
fore onstage in front of a thousand people.
served to be shared with the world, and
Jesh says. “Photography, music, speaking -
As they faced each other, I asked them to
set out to spread what he’d learned to as
they’re all different ways of doing the same
imagine that the man was going on a long
many people he could.
thing. I’m creating spaces where people
trip and that they wouldn’t see each other
“Learning to love other people is a lot
are celebrated as they are. That’s what sets
for three years. I then asked the woman
about learning to love yourself. Human
me on fire.” Strangers no more, Jesh gave
to give this man she’d chosen three years
beings are so interesting - our eyes are
me a renewed outlook on life. It wasn’t his
worth of love and affection just in the way
pointed in the opposite direction of us. We
intention - he was just expressing himself
she touched his face - to pour everything
can’t physically see inside of ourselves,
authentically and communicating honestly.
he needed to remember about her into
the place where everything important in
Nonetheless, Jesh changed me. Perhaps
that one embrace. When she touched his
our lives is actually happening. Because
he has now changed you, too?
face, the energy release was incredible.
of this, we often don’t have accurate pic-
He started crying, she started crying, and
tures of ourselves and it causes all kinds
the whole roomful of people just lost it. It
of problems. Our ability to love others is
georgie
listens
r e h t o M
TEXT HEATHER NOEL PHOTO ASHLEY CHAMPAGNE
13 georgie
MOTHER
Ryan Guldemond doesn’t like saying his name. It’s the first
a challenge. But then once you actually get down to the playing
thing I learn about the creative force behind Vancouver band
it’s kind of nice, because you don’t really have time to get ner-
Mother Mother. I ask him to introduce himself to my micro-
vous.You just find yourself on stage having to play with little or
phone and he tells me it’s not that he doesn’t like his name, he
no sound check and you sort of dive in. Sometimes too much
just doesn’t like vocalizing it. He and band drummer Ali Siadat
deliberation can be a hindrance to playing a good natural set.
have met with Georgie in the green room of the Edmonton
Diving right in can be the best solution.”
Events Centre before they play the second show in their Ca-
Guldemond quickly dispels any hopes I have of a good celeb-
nadian tour. They are promoting the release of their new al-
rity story from the festival. Say for example Mother Mother and
bum Eureka, just two weeks young, and the five-piece power
Duran Duran toasting to double band names in a pub. “For all
pop group has already made waves. Rumour has it the 2000
the reasons Ali just described it’s kind of hard to meet people
person venue is sold out. Meanwhile the album’s first single
because you’re so busy just fulfilling your engagements. But
The Stand – a musical conversation whose main character pro-
you run into people and everyone’s pretty spirited and quite
claims that “everyone’s fucked and they don’t even know” – is
recreational at a thing like that. Everyone’s drinking and there
quickly scaling Canada’s Alternative Rock charts.
to have a good time. So sometimes you do find yourself in a
In fact, Guldemond, although a gracious interviewee, doesn’t seem compelled to say much about himself at all. The Quadra
t e g t s u j ally u s u I . . it e c r o f o t t o n y r t I . ss e c no process isthe pro s.They just cometo me,in my head orwitha ie d o l e m d o . o d g e v y l b o v d e e e ir r o m insp ing h t e m o s r o f t alys t ca e h t e guitar,andthat’ll b Island native resembles a young Dolph Lundgren with a slight-
pocket of recreation with foreign people and that can be
er frame and a pompadour haircut, and answers my questions
pretty fun.”
politely and extensively. But there is a noticeable lack of per-
It’s the third time in four years that Mother Mother has ap-
sonal anecdotes in his responses and perhaps even a coyness
peared on the SXSW roster, just one indication of the busy
to his demeanour. It appears to be a theme throughout their
schedule they have kept since the band’s inception only 6
various interviews (music blog changetherecord.net refers to
years ago. Guldemond, who has been practising and per-
the band as “minimalistic answerers”) and an internet search
forming music since he was a preteen, says becoming a pro-
fails to dredge up even basic biographical information such as
fessional musician was at least in part serendipitous. “You’re
Guldemond’s age. I can’t tell whether the secrecy is accidental, or
never really lucky enough to make that conscious decision,”
fiercely defended, but the man seems to be a bit of a mystery.
he says. “You aspire and then if the stars align it becomes that
As the opening act begins to shake the green room, I ask
way, but it was more like a pipe dream then ‘I’m gonna be this
loudly about their recent experiences at SXSW, hoping to lure
now’.” In 2005, after graduating from the Vancouver Com-
out a fun recollection from the popular festival. “It was alright.
munity College School of Music, he started writing songs for
It’s pretty hectic, but kind of fun for that reason,” says Gulde-
a band he then called Mother. He quickly enlisted his older
mond. Siadat picks up where he leaves off and elaborates on
sister Molly and fellow student Debra-Jean Creelman as vo-
the atmosphere in Austin. “It’s really hard to get around, there’s
calists for the band. The trio was an acoustic act in those
a lot of traffic, you can’t park anywhere near the venues that
days. Although the band would ultimately go through many
you’re playing so just getting your gear into the venue can be
transformations, including the departure of Creelman, they
established their trademark sound -- the playful staccato vo-
That concept of being lucky comes up again and again
cal harmonies of two girls and a guy – early on.
throughout the conversation, but I get the impression they’re
On his approach to song-writing, Guldemond tells me that
not using the phrase in the Vegas sense. Rather, Guldemond
“no process is the process. I try not to force it or set out time to
and Siadat want to stress that they’ve been blessed and they
do it because usually that results in nothingness. I usually just
know it. In fact, when I ask them about the best and worst as-
get inspired by good melodies. They just come to me, in my
pects of the job they seem a little squeamish about respond-
head or with a guitar, and that’ll be the catalyst for something
ing. “It’s hard to complain or gloat about it. It’s a privileged
more evolved.” Incidentally, Guldemond doesn’t like singing
thing to do. [We’re] lucky enough to be in a spot on this earth
about himself much either. He claims that the lyrics to his
that allows you to do it, cause there are many places that are all
songs aren’t about himself personally, though he admits that
in unrest where this wouldn’t even be an option.”
all artistic output is, in a sense, autobiographical in nature. It is
Ultimately, the mystery of Mother Mother may be nothing
this method of song writing that has allowed for such a range
more than a side effect of extreme modesty. For Ryan Gulde-
of sounds and stories being told in Mother Mother’s reper-
mond and company, being in a band is not about personalities
toire. So while one song is written from the perspective of a
and egos, it’s about writing a good song. Still, with a little coax-
sociopath, another puts a fresh spin on the classic farmer’s
ing, I get them to temporarily forget how grateful they are and
daughter trope (“my daddy’s got a gun, you better run” sings
talk about what they want to do next. “There are little things,”
the chorus). Siadat sees this mixed-bag aesthetic as one of the
Guldemond admits. “Like how great it would be to have a re-
defining qualities of the band. “We’ve been lucky to not nec-
ally structured light show to accompany the music which we
essarily find a pigeon-hole sound and only work within that
don’t have yet. Or more money to stay in a nicer studio when your
identity. We’ve been lucky enough to do a variety of different
making an album so you don’t have to be transient. But I mean, re-
things, both sonically and with the character of the songs, with-
ally you just need to have the core be solid. It’s like they say, if you
out having the perceived identity of our band dissolve.” And
don’t have the cake what good is the icing? So all that stuff is just
somehow within that diversity we’ve maintained a coherent
bonus, and you don’t want to obsess over it, you want to stay true
identity and a sound.”
and close to the essence of what you’re doing.”
georgie
profile
BUA STATE
OF
MIND
17 georgie
The DJ | 2007
TEXT COLLEEN NUC
from my language to the actual visual world around me.”
ary, vegan and father. It’s hard to sum up New York’s Justin
On top of being a successful artist, Bua is also soon re-
Bua in eight words, but you get the picture - this guy is
leasing his second book, The Legends of Hip-Hop. Coming
pretty awesome. Justin Bua is the artist behind the famous
out in November 2011, the book covers the characters that
paintings celebrating New York’s hip-hop culture of the
paved the way for today’s urban culture. In his first book,
70’s and 80’s and is one of hip-hop’s most renowned art-
The Beat of Urban Culture, Bua combines “visual art with
ists of our generation.
history” with an in-depth look at his “life, work and the birth
He’s one of those people who make you feel like you’re the
of Hip-Hop,” he explains. The Beat of Urban Culture has
most important person in the world. I was just a suburban
been a huge success, because it gives readers a thorough
white girl calling from my laptop, armed merely with limited
look into how Bua’s paintings were created. Justin tells me
information I read on the Internet. But Justin talked to me liked
he hopes to promote his book here once it’s released. “I
he’s known me for years and made me immediately comfort-
love Canadians. You guys have a genuinely deep, profound
able. “How are you doing?
love for the arts. The Legends
How’s Edmonton?” he asks
of Hip-Hop will definitely be
like we’re old friends; he immediately won me over. Bua was born in 1968 and raised in New York’s Upper West Side. He describes it as a “confusing and chaotic” time and was immediately drawn to the city’s graffiti culture. “[New York] was like the Wild Wild West in the 70’s. Reaganomics was dropping. There was poverty,
confusion
and
chaos. There were no rules, and because of that, it was an incredibly creative time - a dangerous time, but a creative time. I saw a lot of graffiti around me, which has a lot of texture. The train tunnels and walls were my museums.” Influenced by the rhythms of break dancing, graffiti and hip-hop, Bua trained as a classical painter. “My mom was really into classical art
A lot of my paintingsare like seeing [NewYork] from a distortedview, a sort of undulatingterracotta. Iwould listentothe boom box running downthe city, andthat music,the music of theworld,becomes your musictoo.
The success of his books is due no doubt in part because Bua has witnessed so much of urban culture first hand. Hanging with the likes of Run D.M.C and Grandmaster Caz from Cold Crush Brothers, Bua explains he has seen the shift in today’s hiphop culture. “[Hip-Hop] today is not what it used to be. It’s definitely more producer driven and money driven. It’s a different kind of world and has taken on a different meaning and sensibility,” although Bua admits listening to it anyway. “Hell, I was just listening to 50 Cent at the gym. Don’t get me wrong, hip-hop today can be really catchy.” Bua recently took a break from teaching figure drawing at the University of Southern California to take on directing. His recent
so I have a lot of that on my
19 georgie
there.”
walls, particularly the Dutch and European masters,” says
projects include a Nike commercial as well as (American
Bua. It shows in his paintings. Even if you haven’t heard of
Revolutionaries), a series on Ovation TV. The show delves
Justin Bua, you’ve probably seen his distorted cartoon-like
into the lives of some of the most influential artists of our
posters around university campuses and music stores. His
generation. “The series first started off where I was just a
style is definitely one of a kind. “A lot of my paintings are
talking head, but then the network decided to do original
like seeing [New York] from a distorted view, a sort of un-
programming. So now we’re doing original content and I’m
dulating terracotta. I would listen to the boom box running
directing each show. I’m moving my visual language into
down the city, and that music, the music of the world, be-
the realm of film.”
comes your music too. So everything was superimposed
On top of being one of today’s most influential urban artists, BIGGIE | 2007
Artist, novelist, director, professor, break-dancer, vision-
I love Canadians.You guys havea genuinely deep, profound love forthearts. Bua has also been a strict Vegan for over 16 years. His daughter, now 6 years old, was raised vegan. “I’m not going to lie,” laughs Bua, “I did it for vanity at first. But then I started getting a six-pack and I started running faster. It was then that I also saw the bigger picture. Not only that animals shouldn’t die for us to live, but even further, [nothing] on the planet needs to suffer for our cause. We need to treat [the planet] with love, and we don’t. We are incredibly abusive.” Justin Bua could be called a revolutionary himself. He recently held a contest on his website asking artists to answer one simple question: What is unity? “It’s one people, one world, one love,” says Bua. “It’s about anybody, no matter what breed, colour, race or religion you are. It’s about coming together in unity for a higher cause. We live in a very self-centered generation and I think people really need to look after each other. What keeps capitalism going is we all strive to be that [wealthy] one percent.” Bua does admit to being susceptible. “I’m a victim of this as well. I was flying back to New York and I was put in coach. I was like, what? Coach? I can’t be in coach! And then I’m thinking one day I’ll be in first class and that keeps me going. It’s the drive.” However, Bua does believe that switching to a plant based diet would change the world in a positive way. “If we all moved to a plant based diet, it would completely revolutionize our system. It would change everything.” I think having a few more Justin Buas around FM JenkinsI | 2009
21 georgie
couldn’t hurt either. Check out Justin Bua on Facebook -- www.facebook.com/buafans.
Piano Man II | 2007
1981 | 2007
georgie
23 georgie
cover
BONJAY
BON CHIC TEXT ANDREA STEEN PHOTO ASHLEY CHAMPAGNE Like a lot of music currently emerging from the Great White North, Bonjay is not easily categorized. Since ‘fantastic’ and ‘seriously cool’ don’t exactly describe their sound… To me Bonjay is reminiscent of a Santigold, Thunderheist, and Major Lazer mash-up, but with a vibe uniquely their own. I’m a bit nervous telling this to Ian “Pho” Swain and Alanna Stuart. There’s nothing worse than telling an artist how their work is perceived and getting it wrong! Thankfully Ian agrees. “We do have a lot of the same influences as those other artists. I actually had to describe our sound in a few words the other day and this is what I came up with: bass-heavy, left-field soul.” Of course, in those few syllables Ian nails it. This is exactly how Bonjay sounds. The Toronto-based duo recently returned home after playing SXSW in Austin, Texas. Playing a festival as big as SXSW means you have done something to be noticed. “SXSW is for upand-coming artists, it’s really fresh and different,” Alanna explains. “Every type of music is there, from hip hop to indie rock, even country. There are tens of thousands of people in attendance. It
was nice - we actually made Stereogum’s “Bands to Watch” list.
most eclectic version of Feist’s “How my Heart Behaves” you’ll ever
We’re finally getting a bit of a reception down in the States.” Ian
hear!). “It was one of the coolest moments,” Ian exclaims. “When we
describes a CBC Radio 3 interview they did. “We played a set on
performed “Gimmee Gimmee” (their break-through single) for the
a street corner in Austin. It was great! People seemed perplexed,
first time, we got a bigger response than any of the covers we had
but entertained. We actually managed to attract a few hundred lis-
been doing. That’s when I knew we had something special. As a DJ
teners - it was quite the moment.” I’m sure those who witnessed
you think about music differently, you’re very musically aware. You
that outdoor jam session are going to brag when the duo hits the
think, what different purposes could these songs serve in a DJ set?
big-time. The perfect “I-was-there-when!” moment in Bonjay his-
Now (that we produce our own songs) I think, how can we make
tory.
people feel a certain way? How can we make them feel ecstatic, or
“SXSW was great,” Ian continues. “We learn from everything. Up
melancholy?”
until now we’ve been a duo doing the DJ kind of thing - we just
Feist, Caribou, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs? Not exactly island rhythms and
show up and play records. But after recording an album and creat-
neither is Bonjay, even though both their band name and album name
ing our own music, the songs started to become more elaborate,
come from Grenada slang. Bonjay is slang for “Good God” - an ex-
so we added a drummer. It’s a whole other level of things that have
clamatory phrase used around Alanna’s house by her mother and aunt
to happen to make a great performance.” Alanna chimes in. “Anybody we add from this point would be to complement the music, not to change it. We want to send our true sound across. We always thought we’d keep the band to only a couple of people, but as we start writing the new album…” Alanna pauses, then laughs. “I’ve never told Ian this before! I think it would be great to have backup singers to do live harmonies, perhaps to increase our vocal layers and the feminine influence within the group.” Bonjay began with Ian re-editing interesting dance music over which Alanna would sing. “We did a dancehall reggae version of
success is making music that moves people, both physically and emotionally, and also making a healthy living, as long as we can
(who hail from Grenada). Their album, titled Broughtupsy (emphasis on the first syllable) is slang for “good manners” - but that’s about it for island vibes here. Bonjay’s dancehall influence is more of a “Canada-2011-big city thing,” Ian explains. “It’s just not us to make music like Lady Saw. I grew up around kids from the Caribbean; our music is urban Canadian music,” a reflection of the big mosaic of cultures present in our country. “A lot of our songs had to do with issues of finding your place in the world and the challenges you face as you grow up. Broughtupsy captured that; it’s a word that rolls off the tongue nicely,” says Alanna.
“Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and “Staring at the Sun” by TV
Then there’s the matter of putting food on the table. When asked about
on the Radio. We started getting some attention and then thought,
success, Ian and Alanna respond professionally - I can tell they’re get-
‘Oh, we should actually work at doing this!’”
ting used to this interview business. Alanna says that consistency is
Alanna has an inherent vocal quality that exudes both confidence
key to her. “Consistently putting out music, caring about it one hun-
and skill. She tells me that she started singing in church at 8 years
dred percent, never giving up and never settling.” Ian says that for
old, where she spontaneously signed up for a female solo compe-
them, “success is making music that moves people, both physically
tition. “No one had ever told me I could sing, I was just an outgoing
and emotionally, and also making a healthy living, as long as we can.”
kid,” she laughs. “It was just ingrained in my head to work hard.
I smile. I’m glad there’s an inclusion of money in there somewhere!
Over the years I figured if I was really going to have a career in
Ian chuckles. “It’s realistic to say that we want to be around to make
music it wouldn’t be my voice that made me stand out, but what I
the music.”
did with my voice.” It was about this time that Alanna started work-
Next up Bonjay plays the UK’s Great Escape Festival. Then on to Ber-
ing with Ian. Partners for about four years, it has only been for the
lin to write and polish their new album while playing a few choice
last year or so that Bonjay has been putting out their own original
shows in Germany and Paris. Alanna coyly remarks that the best is
work. “It’s really started to take on a life of its own,” Alanna reflects.
yet to come and we all laugh. I have a feeling I’m having my own I-
I ask them about the difference between performing original
was-there-when moment -- the day I interviewed Bonjay before they
tracks and the covers that made them recognizable (probably the
really hit it big. This urban Canadian duo is here to stay.
georgie
27 georgie
design
TEXT BEN Sir // Photo Curtis Comeau // Art Direction Ashley Champagne // Model Jill Billingsley // MakEup Nicola Gavins // Hair Sarah Cameron (Fluid Hair)
RBANIZM My ailing ’91 Volvo sputters up to a parking lot in a Northwestern industrial district in Edmonton. The car has its third date with a mechanic in as many months and will not start again if I shut it off. Its thirsty wheezing follows me through the door into IZM’s discrete showroom and shop.
Jerad Mack and Shane Pawluk ignore the car’s gasping, and educate me about ethical furniture design, wasteful societies, and what’s inside Bruce Willis’ bedroom. The duo are the mind and muscle behind IZM -- an industrial design team seeking to restore purity and longevity to furniture ownership. “We used to work with some exotic woods, but wised up a bit after we saw where it’s coming from, knowing that rainforests are being clear cut,” says Jerad. These artists work with wood as their medium and limit all their materials, wood and finishes, to native North American products that contain zero volatile compounds. This is important to the two men as it provides an extra platform for them to stand behind their work. Integrity is a fundamental part of their craft and philosophy. They feel this distinguishes them in
a culture of furniture that has grown increasingly wasteful. “Most people are used to buying furniture and throwing it away in 5 years. And people are okay with that,” Shane reflects. “I’m not against Ikea, but one thing it has done is make people think its okay to throw things out every two years. Furniture has never been like that. I think this is the first time in the history of man that furniture has been disposable.” They speak of the disappearance of antiques within our landfill culture, and their desire to create heirloom furniture that can endure generations. “All of our pieces’ names used to end with izm, which got old pretty quick,” says Shane. Jerad continues, “We would rather give strong, memorable names, something that evokes some feeling or emotion” to our newest creations. Their latest masterpiece is a striking table called Iconoclast.
It sits at the front of the showroom lying low and long, a pair of antlers placed as the centerpiece. I can’t help but picture a dozen Vikings clinking mead filled horns around it, beating their drunken fists upon the unflinching table top. The name, Jared explains, came easily because “it does break away from conventional appearances.” The longer I speak with Jared and Shane, the more I realize how much they do as well. Both men spent time doing what Shane calls a “a very Albertan thing in Cuba” -- building gas plants. They left the lucrative field of Alberta construction to start IZM. Now, instead, they utilize their creativity, a force ignored in large-scale construc-
tion. It’s working. In 2008, IZM’s distributive reach didn’t extend much outside of Western Canada. Today, stores in Eastern Canada, as well as San Francisco, Detroit, Miami, and New York showcase their work. And they’ve garnered some notable fans. “We went to check out the store in New York and we couldn’t find the dresser that was supposed to be displayed. They came up to us and said ‘Bruce Willis bought it off the floor.’ I guess he had to have it, and he wouldn’t wait for one,” Shane laughs. This fan base should continue to grow as IZM hopes to find itself placed in five more North American stores soon. They have their sights set on Chicago
and Los Angeles among others. But their hopes extend past this continent. Shane would also love to have their work available in Brazil while Jerad notes the importance of Vancouver as a global city. “It’s very connected to China, and more and more people over there have money.” Vancouver has much to offer these guys. They’re quick to say how good Edmonton’s furniture audience is, but it is small. The benefit of a large hub such as Vancouver lies in the competition. “There wouldn’t be more competition if there wasn’t a bigger audience. All you have to do is be better than the rest of those people, and I’d rather strive to be the best than try
We used to work with some exotic woods, but wised up a bit after we saw where it’s coming from, knowing that rainforests are being clear cut
to hunt down an audience,” says Shane. They sound confident, but that confidence is well founded. It grew out of the twelve to fourteen hour days that Jerad and Shane put in, sometimes seven days a week, to get IZM going. All those hours were spent in the heart of the operation -- the large workshop behind the comparatively small showroom. One of their two employees, Kenton, is applying a finish to a tabletop that I almost walk into and ruin. Jerad’s dog Deuce, the furriest member of the IZM family (to my knowledge) approaches me for a quick sniff and bark, and permits me to stay on his turf. The shop is expansive, much
larger than I expected. Slabs of wood stacked on shelves shoot to the high ceilings on one side of the shop. Although in January, a particularly busy month, even this space proved restrictive, forcing them to store materials in the showroom. Shane mentions their environmentally conscious finishes again, “you didn’t smell anything walking back here did you? Before, you’d be working and by the end be gasping and thirsty.” He’s right; the dizzying fumes of varnish are surprisingly absent. “All furniture should be green, by definition,” he emphasizes. I’ve never thought of furniture as something having come from the Earth, or the impact
it can have on it, but the guys at IZM clearly do. The name declares that IZM is ‘a movement concerned with the discipline of how one should live, what sorts of things exist, and what are their essential natures.’ This talk of gasping and headaches makes me think of my poor car, idling out front and contradicting the environmentally friendly discussion we’re having. Jerad, Shane and Deuce see me out of the shop and behind the wheel of my wheezing car. I wave goodbye and pull up to the mouth of the parking lot before making a slow and cautious (a very non-Bruce Willis) turn into the street.
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TROPICA Photo Ashley Champagne / Model Barbie Soliman / makeup Nicola Gavins Hair Mary Jane Callsen & Patricia Jastrzebski (Celebrity Hair)
WHYTE NOISE
Photo Brianna Hughes | Models (Hi-Fi Models) Katelyn K., Courtney W. and Tiz R. | Hair (Ponytails and Horseshoes) Amy Laing, Cristina Shiferaw and Morgan Willard | Makeup Adrianne Thomson | Styled by Kyla Kazeil & Anastasia BoruK (Bamboo Ballroom)
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LEFT Jumpsuit | C’est Sera Scarf | Tin Box Belt | Colour Blind Bracelets | Bamboo Ballroom RIGHT Hat | Head Case Glasses | Occhiali Vest, Ring | Etzio Dress | Foosh Bracelets | Plaid Giraffe Plume Hair Clip
RIGHT Glasses | The Observatory Swimsuit | Foosh Belt, Cape | Bamboo Ballroom
Hat | Head Case Glasses | Occhiali Vest, Ring | Etzio Dress | Foosh Bracelets | Plaid Giraffe Boots (Frye) | Gravity Pope Plume Hair Clip Shirts, Jacket, Jeans | Derks Shoes | Jaisel Bracelets | Mars & Venus
Kaftan, Ring | Bamboo Ballroom Bracelets | Etzio Boots (Acne) | Gravity Pope Plume Hair Clip Necklace | Tin Box
Hat | Foosh Top | Sophia’s Jacket | C’est Sera Jeans | Bamboo Ballroom Necklace | Tin Box Shoes (House of Harlow) | Gravity Pope Dress | Colour Blind Sunglasses, Bag | Mars & Venus Shoes | Stylists Own Shirt | Foosh Jacket | Queue Cords | Plush Shoes (Clarks) | Gravity Pope
Hat | Head Case Glasses | Observatory Boustier | I Am Woman
Glasses | The Observatory Purse | Plaid Giraffe Crop Top (Boustier), Pants | Bamboo Ballroom Cape | Sophia’s
T Shirt, Jean Shirt, Shorts | Jaisel Belt, Bracelets | Mars & Venus Bag | Plush Glasses | The Observatory Shoes | Model’s Own
L-R Vest, Tank, Shorts, Shoes | Foosh Necklace | Gravity Pope Hat | Headcase Longboard | Plush Glasses | Observatory Swimsuit | Foosh Shorts / Stylist’s Own Belt, Cape | Bamboo Ballroom Shoes | Colour Blind Jumpsuit | C’est Sera Scarf | Tin Box Belt | Colour Blind Bracelets | Bamboo Ballroom Shoes (House of Harlow) | Gravity Pope
Top, Tie Belt / Oak & Fort Dress / Kika Turquoise Necklace / Tin Box Wood Necklace / Plaid Giraffe Shoes / Colour Blind
Shoes (Male) Fiorentini & Baker (Gravity Pope) | Shoes (female) Camilla skovgaard (Gravity pope) | chair, Emeco (Inspired Homes)
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TEXT Bianca OSBOURNE Photo Ashley Champagne Models (Mode Models) Dayton Thomas, Kim Barbour MakEup Nicola Gavins Hair Sarah Cameron (Fluid Hair)
SID NEI GUM
Three years ago Sid Neigum was as far away from fashion as one could be. He was attending post-secondary school and fronting a now defunct band -- having no clue what the years would bring... Today he is one of Canada’s rising stars of fashion. He has interned with Yigal Azrouël, an important designer in New York City, and recently completed his first year at New York’s illustrious Fashion Institute of Technology. Sid now finds himself among fashion’s elite presenting expertly curated collections at Vancouver and Toronto fashion weeks. From Drayton Valley to New York City, he now runs with a very exclusive crowd, bumping elbows with the likes of Alexander Wang. Mr. Neigum has come a long way in just three years. Often referred to as a “young” designer, his design esthetic is anything but. His use of avant-garde silhouettes with lush and textured fabrics, such as leather and yarn, proves his taste is mature beyond his twentytwo years. Nowhere in the Sid Neigum line will you find gaudy fabrics or remedial garment construction. Sid only chooses high-end fabrics and expert tailoring. He also works hard, often eschewing sleep to construct the perfect garment. So yes, the guy is young, but Sid Neigum is quickly becoming a jewel in the Canadian fashion scene. How does a full-time student balance the nonstop fashion circuit and fast-paced lifestyle that comes with being twenty-two. I sat down with Sid to find out.
Where did you find inspiration for this collection? It’s hard to narrow it down to a few things. The hard part is to not let everything inspire me. Life is constantly inspiring. Little things can amount to big inspiration, but some things are more inspirational to me than others. For instance, music, architecture, contemporary sculpture and furniture design all inspire me. I try to design things that I would want to wear myself and things that I would like to see on people. Even something as simple as walking down the street can be inspirational -- seeing how someone styles something can trigger an idea. Like I said, inspiration is everywhere.
Do you try to create classic pieces or do you prefer to keep your collections on trend? That’s a fairly easy one for me. I don’t like trends. There are very few trends that I buy into. I tend to find mainstream trends rather uninteresting. That being said, I wouldn’t call my pieces ‘classic’ either. The goal in mind is to create something new and modern. Fashion changes so quickly,one day you’re in and the next day you’re out. In your opinion, where is fashion headed next? It’s hard to say where it’s headed. I’ve been loving androgynous and unisex looks. Unisex being, of course,
menswear for women. It’s clothes that work for both men and women. There has been a lot of underground popularity here in NYC with skirts and long tunics for men, they are shown in a masculine way. It feels right considering the trend towards dropped hemlines for women. I love the concept of Genderless clothing. Of course, men and women have different body types, so I still make pieces tailored to each, but almost half of my last collection was unisex. For me the idea is more about styling. One of my favorite looks right now is a midi length knit shirt/dress with a leather jacket. It’s something that works for both. .
What have you found the most challenging in your journey over the past three years? The amount of work is the main challenge. When you’re starting your own business there is almost an unlimited amount of work. You get out of it what you put in. The deadlines are very strict. Balancing the demands of being a professional designer with the demands of being a student have proven to be challenging. School is coming to an end this week so there will be several all nighters. So what’s next for you? I’m working on my spring summer 2012 collection, which I’ll have completed by the end of June. I’ve decided to extend
my stay in NYC to finish my collection, away from the distractions of home and to get the business end of everything in order. In mid July I will be taking part in a menswear tradeshow called TMRW (showcasing progressive designers, brands, retailers, artists, writers, musicians and thinkers). I’m really excited about it. It’s a chance for me to connect with stores that I love, like Oak, Seven and If. I feel extremely lucky to be able to do what I love to do everyday and I want to use fashion as a gateway to more creative work. Fashion isn’t just clothes. It’s interconnected with so many other things, like music, art, design and sculpture, and those are avenues
I definitely see myself exploring. Last summer I made a dress out of car tires and I’d love to do more projects like that. I’m very interested in exhibition and performance art. This summer I’m working on a project with The National Ballet of Canada, which I’m not allowed to say much about, but I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve also applied to show my next collection at Milk Studios for New York Fashion Week this September. For my next collection you might see a little color and of course leather. I love leather. But that’s all you get. Fashion is in the future.You will have to wait and see.
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TEXT GRACE GLOWICKI
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On March 11th I slowly realized something terrible had happened. “Did you hear?” “What a tragedy.” “Unbelievable.” I wasn’t sure what people were talking about until I got home and opened my computer. Japan had been hit by a massive earthquake registering 8.9 on the Richter scale. Thousands were dead and more than ten thousand were missing. The highly developed country was crippled in an instant. I found myself sitting for hours absorbed in the myriad of photos, videos, articles – with each click finding the magnitude of the disaster that much more unbelievable. Something inside of me quivered. Life is fragile. We have little control and everything can change in a split second. The scale of the disaster was too large for me to comprehend. Instead of sitting dumbstruck like me, James White snapped into action. “When I woke up on the morning after the quake struck Japan I knew immediately that I wanted to do something to help.” White, a graphic artist from Halifax, is a big name in the design world. He’s worked for clients such as Nike, Google, Wired Magazine, VH1 and Toyota. “I wanted to use my abilities to help in some way. The decision was not only obvious, but it was the only one. The best one.” He promptly
s d n i e f r our
designed a poster to be sold from his popular website, www.signalnoise.com. Charging $29.99 for each poster, White is donating 100% of the profits to the Canadian Red Cross for their disaster relief efforts in Japan. The poster is blunt and powerful, depicting a cracked Rising Sun symbol with two words -- ‘Help Japan.’ “The design came together very quickly as I wanted something simple, striking and obvious as to what it represented. The Japanese Rising Sun symbol with a fracture symbolized what had happened, where it happened, and that they need our help.” Launching the poster, James expected to sell a handful. Much to his surprise, quite the opposite happened. He was instantly overwhelmed by hundreds of orders. “I immediately sold out of the first run of posters, which is something I really didn’t expect. I pack and ship posters by hand out of my basement so the task of handling all the orders was huge. So much so that I had to enlist a fulfillment company to handle the second run of posters.” James’ hard work and ingenuity has paid off – to date he has raised and donated $19, 000 to the Red Cross for their Japan relief program. Just as incredible as the amount of money it has made are the countless appropriations of the image itself. “I received a staggering number of emails in the days after its release from high school kids, companies, charitable organizations, magazines, et cetera all wanting to use the image for their own initiatives. It traveled all over the world, to places I myself will never see.” One of these places was seen by a follower of White’s work. “A person in Toronto sent
me a photo of a roughly printed version of the poster that ended up in a Korean grocery store. My ‘Help Japan’ text was replaced and translated, urging people to donate. It was a beautiful example of my design being used to help, and crossed over to another language.” As often the case when artists use their work for charity, James has received a bit of negative criticism for his Japan poster. A few critics saw the project as a shameless display of selfpromotion, suggesting he was using the tragedy in Japan as a vehicle for exposure and credibility. James responded to this in an online question and answer session, explaining that whenever an idea is attached to an image (whether it be political, religious, racial, etc.), it will unavoidably receive a dose of negative feedback. Of course his ‘Help Japan’ poster wasn’t safe from this. “My image took on a life of its own after I released it, which generated both positive and negative feedback online. I learned to have thick skin, and that if you are doing something that ultimately helps, you should stand up for it no matter what.” Thank goodness for that thick skin. James’ creativity, resourcefulness, compassion and initiative have collided in a poster which is raising an incredible amount of much needed aid money. Asked what he’s taken away from this project, James replies, “I learned to never underestimate the power of an image. Sure, some things work better than others, but I expected to sell maybe 10 posters and be done with it. This went far, far beyond that.” The death toll in Japan has passed 14,000 and 13,000 people are still missing. Even though time has passed and other stories fill the front pages of our newspapers, Japan still needs help. You can buy James White’s poster at his website, www.signalnoise.com.
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