The Ontarion - 194.1

New mural honours Guelph’s official city bird

Shelby Bohn and UC Services wanted to commemorate Guelph’s recent designation as a bird-friendly city

ELENI KOPSAFTIS

The semester has finally come to an end at the University of Guelph, and by now all of you first-years living on campus have probably gotten a decent lay of the land. In other words, you’ve surely been to the University Centre pretty often, and maybe even ordered something at Booster Juice and seen the awesome chickadee mural there. Did you know that the artist behind the design is one of U of G’s own PhD candidates?

Shelby Bohn studies the behaviour and physiology of food-hoarding hamsters at the Department of Integrative Biology at U of G. While her degree might not initially seem related to art, Bohn loves finding new ways to tie the two together and connect people across different disciplines and barriers.

“I think a lot of kids are allowed to be artists early on, and I guess I just didn't stop,” said Bohn to The Ontarion. “ When I got older my parents noticed my interest and really fostered it in ways they were able. They allowed me to take over nooks of the house as ‘studio space’ and that freedom to play around and experiment has become a core part of how I approach art today.”

Bohn’s favourite artistic mediums include printmaking, digital illustration, and large-scale mural painting. Most of all though, they love making art that teaches people something new and interesting. It should come as no surprise then that UC Services reached out to Bohn to commission a new mural in the building. Specifically, UC Services wanted a mural that would honour Guelph’s new city bird, the

black-capped chickadee, voted for by the public for its “cheerful and friendly nature,” according to GuelphToday.com.

Back in September, Nature Canada designated Guelph as the 17th official “Bird Friendly City.” The designation was developed as a way to encourage Canadian municipalities to become safer places for birds.

“Birds play an essential role in maintaining healthy and resilient ecosystems in our communities and on our planet. But there are 3 billion fewer birds in North America today than 50 years ago,” reads a Nature Canada release. “Much of these losses are caused by human activities. As urban expansion continues, cities must act quickly to ensure that North America’s bird populations are protected and sup-

ported.”

Guelph earned its designation through several different initiatives, such as the city-wide canopy cover targets, diverse education opportunities for landscape conservation, and window treatment kits. Bohn has also participated in the latter initiative; their window mural at City Hall not only serves as a stunning piece of art, but also makes it less likely that birds will attempt to fly through it.

As for the UC mural, Bohn wanted to use colours that were already present in the building while also highlighting the chickadee design.

“We chose to include gryphon red, gold, and black, as well as the CSA blue. All of the other colours in the mural are different combinations of these four colours and

white,” said Bohn.

“I decided to surround the chickadee with red and gold leaves to indicate that a chickadee isn't an abstract concept floating in a vacuum. These are real birds that we can go out and see right now! As gryphons, we are inherently connected to the animals on our campus.”

Once the design was finalised, they transferred the design to the wall with a projector and pencil, then filled in the mural with regular house paint. After two weeks of hard work, the black-capped chickadee could finally fly freely along the walls of the UC.

To support Bohn’s fantastic work, you can visit her shop at miscbones.bigcartel.com or check out more of their art at shelbybohn. com or @misc.bones on Instagram.

Shelby Bohn's chickadee mural in the University Centre drew from common colours found on campus. CREDIT: TAYLOR PIPE

You can follow Bohn's artwork @misc.bones on Instagram. CREDIT: SHELBY BOHN

Book Bash showcases gryphon talent

Current and former U of G students spread their wings and showcase their written talents

ELLIE PETRAK

On November 6th, the Guelph Farmers Market hosted The Book Bash Festival where dozens of authors, literary organizations and publishers from the local area were showcased. At this event, two authors with U of G connections were there to showcase their Gryphon talent.

Guelph Student Colin Dunbar

Colin is a local author and 3rd-year student at the University of Guelph. At 20, Dunbar has already released a short story collection called Sanity in the Absurd

and a science fiction thriller trilogy called The Era of the Orb. The trilogy follows a protagonist that is trapped in prison, wherein every time he dies, he wakes back up in his cell while slowly uncovering his past alongside the reader.

The first book in the trilogy took Colin two years to write, but the following books took about a year each.

“I love to write in absurdist settings while still drawing from the real world,” said Dunbar.

Dunbar said The Era of the Orb

was inspired by a character trying to find their own identity, and the obstacles that come with that.

“I wanted to work on a book about a character that aims to find redemption for their past negative actions,” he said. “From there, I built a world around the character’s concept.”

He has also already published the first volume of his new fantasy series, The Creator’s Almanac which follows a kid named Art in a distant future where demons roam the Earth. The book explores the character’s trauma,

personal growth and the magic and mysteries of the world around them.

Colin worked with a number of different highly talented editors to help him refine, improve, and restructure the story in a way that best improved the reading experience.

“This was probably one of the hardest parts, finding as many professional editors and other authors willing to help me out as possible,” said Dunbar. “ I have been handling the organization of editors, artists, and promotion all on my end. Still, with full creative control, I could not be happier with how everything I have written has turned out.”

Dunbar is taking a double major in English and Criminal Justice/Public Policy with a minor in Creative Writing. His methods of staying on top of his creative projects amidst his busy school schedule include setting aside time each day to write consistently and routine is important for his writing process.

“One thing that has worked very well for me has been writing at least one sentence a day,” said Dunbar. “Usually, if I sit down to write that one sentence, I will continue to write more. If I don’t have the motivation to continue, it’s important to me to at least keep the routine.”

When asked about how the Creative Writing program at the University of Guelph has impacted his writing and his work he said, “ the courses in this program provide a great opportunity for me to workshop my stuff and get feedback and help from other students on my writing as well as my future projects.”

Dunbar’s future projects in-

You can find more information about Colin and his books at readcolin.ca

Guelph Alumni Nicola Ross

Nicola Ross is a biologist, writer, professional hiker, and Guelph Alumni. She has sold over 50,000 of her Loops & Lattes Hiking Guides

If your interests involve the outdoors, hiking, scenic views and exploring the local area, these essential guides were made for you.

The guides include maps that geographically show you where the hikes are and provide detailed descriptions of how to access each point. Each hike is listed in length and ranked as easy, intermediate or difficult, making it accessible for all students.

The book includes information not only on the hikes themselves but also on interesting sights and unique places to visit along the way. She includes places to stop in for a coffee or some food with each trail. With this guide, you can find out where to look for drop-in museums, galleries and activities within each hike. You can also look for the scenes and views portrayed in beautiful images included in each chapter.

The Waterloo, Wellington & Guelph Hikes guide is where you will find the best information on how to explore our local beauty in Guelph. It also includes a route within our very own Arboretum.

For more information on Nicola Ross and her Loops & Lattes Guides, be sure to visit loopsandlattes.ca

clude Volume Two of The Creator’s Almanac as well as a new short story collection.

Nicola Ross’ hiking guides are an essential item for any avid hiker in the Guelph area. CREDIT: ELLIE PETRAK

Colin Dunbar is a third year U of G student whose published works were featured at the Book Bash. CREDIT: ELLIE PETRAK

ELENI KOPSAFTIS

Two Canadian DJs have been sweeping up the nation by storm, and you may have even seen them perform right next door in Toronto.

Connor Lamont and Justin Deeley are the two best friends that make up BIPOLUR, an EDM duo hailing from Toronto. The two met at Fanshawe College and became instant friends as they were both outgoing and energetic guys with familial roots in music.

Lamont’s father has drummed in several bands for over 30 years and now teaches kids how to get into the musical scene. Meanwhile, Deeley’s father has been a DJ since back when the industry required him to slug vinyls with him everywhere he went.

Each with a rich background in music, Deeley and Lamont re-

call falling in love with dance music back in 2014. Not long after moving in together, the two began working on their latest project: BIPOLUR Music.

The band name originated from Deeley’s side; he grew up with a family member who dealt with bipolar disorder and several other mental illnesses for most of their life.

“It was definitely hard sometimes growing up but as I learned more about it, I wanted to figure out how I could support my family member in the best way possible,” said Deeley to The Ontarion. “‘BIPOLUR’ is an outlet for me that allows me to turn a hard part of my life into something positive.”

Since their debut, BIPOLUR has dabbled in many of EDM’s sub-genres, though they work with

tech house and melodic house most often. They use a digital audio workstation called Ableton for all of their musical creations with a variety of plugins, such as Serum, Diva, and Operator to enhance their work. When starting a new track, Lamont and Deeley like to start with a bassline or vocal and then build around that.

“We believe music is based on the deep roots of culture and try to make music that connects with the soul,” they told The Ontarion. “In our spare time when we’re not in the studio we like to go to parties or festivals to explore and dig even deeper into the culture. We think that’s really important as a producer and DJ to understand what a crowd would want to hear.”

This past July, they played

alongside some of the year’s biggest names in music such as Dutch disc jockey and music producer Martin Garrix. They also opened for American EDM band The Chainsmokers at Rebel Toronto for the Veld Music Festival.

“We had an absolute blast performing with The Chainsmokers. They are a great duo who we’ve looked up to in our early years of music,” said Deeley and Lamont. “That show will definitely be one to remember.”

As of this mid-December, BIPOLUR is wrapping up a set of shows and then returning to

Toronto for one last performance before the new year. In 2023, they plan to take their work to the next level with some festival lineups across Canada and the United States.

They’re also set to put out some of their best music yet. Their first album of the year, Bring The Kingdom, plans to release in either January or February and will feature support from artists Don Diablo & King Topher.

You can find BIPOLUR on all music streaming platforms and socials under BIPOLUR or bipolurmusic.

BIPOLUR: ‘Music that connects with the soul’ Musical duo BIPOLUR is wrapping up their most successful year yet, but they’ve got plenty more in store for the EDM crowd

This past summer, BIPOLUR played alongside Martin Garrix and opened for The Chainsmokers at VELD. CREDIT: PEXELS

Pushing the boundaries of explicity and heteronormativity through art

A look into Ro Smith’s boundarypushing journey and the artistic expression behind the genitalia

TAYLOR PIPE

The intersection of art, queerness and expression has been a catalyst for a new generation of artists to emerge and redefine representation.

In this generation is Ro Smith, a now-graduated University of Guelph art student whose passion for queer identity in art, the human form and anime transcends the canvas. Smith encourages his audience to question things by creating a moment to look past initial shock and into their own realizations of queer erasure in media.

“As an artist I feel like I'm able to numb myself and completely separate desire from just the artistic and visual appreciation of bodies and sexuality and all that amazing stuff.” Smith said to The Ontarion. “You have these naked forms and the Sistine Chapel that aren't related to sexual desire necessarily, but they’re still nudes. So what is that line? And what is that like tipping point that brings it to one side or the other? And why are there even sides in the first place as well?”

In Smith’s 2021 exhibition at Zavitz Gallery on the U of G

campus, To The Moon and Back, he explored the popular anime Sailor Moon and looked into how certain messaging within the show was undermined or even erased for a North American audience.

“Even like Sailor Uranus and Neptune being a lesbian couple, but yet in the North American version, they're made as cousins,” Smith said.

Smith looked deeper into the meaning of the censorship surrounding LGBTQ+ characters in media, specifically in anime.

“I really appreciate the privilege I have as a queer person living in the time that I'm in right now because there's been so many queer stories and artworks and just like expressions in general, that have either been not highlighted enough or have been censored for being overly sexualized” Smith said.

This exploration played a large role in Smith’s future works, like his BOYS LOVE showcase in Winter 2022. However, instead of Sailor Moon, he turned to other popular anime shows that catered to a more masculine audience.

“I always had this vivid mem-

ory of sitting down on the floor and watching Sailor Moon and my mom being behind me and saying, ‘Oh, isn't that a girl show?’ and that was the first time I ever recognized that we give gender to these properties when I was just enjoying it.” Smith said.

Smith said the collection was a mix of anime and gay erotica, but also had an interactive video game components during the gallery showing. Smith also said that it was a play on stereotypes but also a love letter to himself thus far.

“It was the fact that I was tapping into my own identity as…

being born a male and diving in and expressing what I truly love and what is deeply rooted within me myself as an individual, besides all the stereotypes that people throw at me,” Smith said.

This past summer, Smith was selected to be one of 30 artists chosen for a collaboration between Martk’d and Ebay where the artists had to design a white puma shoe with ‘pride’ as the inspiration. During a creative brainstorming session for this project, Smith asked how far he could push the boundaries of explicit imagery.

“I was like, should I just

make a Sailor Moon shoe? Should I just, like, do that?” Smith said. “But that didn't really feel true to me. I knew that I wouldn't be as proud of it as I would and so honestly, I just said ‘Fuck it. I'm just going to do my classic design.’”

The design Smith chose was a plain white shoe with a collage of male genitalia drawn in black ink. He lovingly refers to the shoes as 'Dick Kicks'. The monochromatic look of the shoe was symbolic to Smith and spoke to how pride has become a chance for marketing teams to showcase their performative inclusivity.

“I've gone through this thing of kind of losing ownership of the rainbow… with corporations and just all the rainbow washing that happens,” Smith said. “I felt like I could represent myself and my community without having to cater to what this corporate hyper marketing pride month of June has become.”

Smith has continued to create unapologetic artwork and said that he’s looking forward to getting to explore more facets of his identity through different mediums of art, like fashion and performance.

Even though he said he isn’t sure where life will end up taking him, one thing is for sure.

“Like I always say, the dicks ain't going nowhere - like they're gonna be everywhere,” Smith said. “So I don't know… But people better watch out.”

After attending a brainstorming workshop, Smith had 48 hours to design the pride-themed shoes he now calls 'Dick Kicks'. CREDIT: KYLE VANDENBERG

Smith's 2021 exhibition, To The Moon and Back focused on queer erasure in the North American version of Sailor Moon. CREDIT: RO SMITH

The speaker spinning local legend: Long Chung

Sitting down with Guelph’s very own speaker spinning TikTok celebrity Long Chung to get some insight into his journey to fame

TAYLOR MARTIN-ROBBINS

You are walking down the streets of downtown Guelph, taking in the sights when you see a crowd forming somewhere in the distance. Curious, you walk over to the crowd, and begin to hear singing.

As you push your way through, at the center of the crowd is a guy singing as he balances and spins a speaker on his head. That guy is Long Chung, a 26-year-old self-proclaimed ‘speaker legend’, or as TikTok knows him as, LongTendo255.

Chung, a local Guelph resident has a long history and passion for entertainment, beginning his journey seven years ago as a street performer.

“I started with balancing the speaker on my head, and it really

has some charm I guess,” he said.

The speaker spinning started out as being atop his signature fedora, but he quickly realized that his particular head shape was perfect for balancing things on.

It was this unique feature that got Barstool Sports to post a video of him performing which would then start his career on social media. In 2019, he joined TikTok, where he rapidly skyrocketed to fame.

Now, Chung is continuing to increase his following, as well as doing voice acting. He also is on Cameo, an app where you can get him to wish your loved one happy birthday with personalized videos.

With his newfound fame, Chung has met many famous TikTokers, as well as some major

celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Howie Mandel and The Kid Laroi. However, despite all of this attention, Chung manages to stay humble, simply just wanting to show off his talent.

“All I care about is entertainment,” he said.

If he could give any advice to people looking to get famous, he says to just believe in yourself, because you never know what you can bring into the world.

“Just try your best- you never know what you can do in your life,” he said.

As for next steps, Chung is starting to expand his career into the film world. Look out for the Tiktoker in an upcoming short film “Big Sale” coming out in 2023.

A STUDY

Long Chung's TikTok account has 204.9K followers and 6.7 million likes.

CREDIT: LONG CHUNG

Art Submissions from the U of G SciArt Club

JiYe Ahn DVSc, Veterinary Anatomic

Pathology

Drawing wildlife gives me inner peace between hectic graduate student life. While drawing them, I get to know them better and I feel humble to be alive on the same planet with these beautiful creatures.

Madelyn Gerrits

Landscape Architecture

Working in a native plant nursery over the summer really opened my eyes to the beauty of some of the naturally growing perennial species we have here in Canada. I was exposed to many plants and wanted to draw out a couple of my favourites including the classic Black-Eyed Susan, the dainty Blue Wild Indigo, and the striking Wild Columbine. These three were digital prints that I created to later be printed and sold for charity through the UofG Art With A Heart club. I intend to create more of these in the future with other native plants to showcase

Kraemer Animal Biology

The weeping willow holds significance in many forms to me, which was why I chose it to be the subject of my sketch. It represents my childhood because I often saw some growing near ponds and rivers around the neighbourhood I resided in. In my culture, its drooping branches that gently sway in the wind makes it symbolize sadness and elegance, reminding me that there is beauty in everything, including life’s downfalls.

Ellen Jiang Food Science

Winter

Taking things one fold at a time

The origami club at the U of G helps students bust their stress with the help of the traditional Japanese art of paper folding

AADYA KAPOOR

Origami was first started in the 17th century. It is one of the oldest Japanese traditional artforms and is now famous all around the world. It is an intricate art of paper folding that can be done by people of all ages. Over the years, origami has also gained recognition to be a very useful stress buster and has many positive effects on one’s mental health.

where she saw how origami can actually make people happy. This inspired her to start the origami club at the university. Now she is the president of the club.

They also shared how doing origami helps all of them get into the zone of creativity and simultaneously it acts like a stress reliever for themselves and the students who become a part of the club.

They shared how the turnout of the students was not very much during the beginning of the club, but as people started talking about the club, they grew and now they have students who come to the sessions regularly and enjoy their time folding origami.

Origami helps one relax and calm down, strengthens our brain and improves our focus as this art of paper folding makes one pay attention to the detail. Keeping this in mind, Danielle Halasz, Elizabeth Chiu and Spencer Hang, students at the University of Guelph started the Origami folding club for the students in 2021.

Ever since then they have been holding biweekly meetings and slowly but steadily the student turnout for their club has increased from ten to fifteen students last fall to about a hundred students during O week this fall.

Halasz, Chiu and Hang told us about how they all got into the art of Origami. Halasz is a fourth-year student at the university, she told us that she used to teach origami at a health centre voluntarily

Origami is an art which has different ranges of complexity, and some things are really difficult to fold. However, the club strives to be considerate for all of their novice members and they handpick all the origami patterns that they will be sharing in the bi-weekly sessions.

Chiu, the instructor for the Origami Club, said she ensures that the origami patterns that are being taught in the class are easy to follow yet very interesting. To find easy origami that everyone can follow, she usually creates a list of patterns that she would want to do with everyone. She then puts them in a hierarchy of easy to difficult. and decides to share and teach those patterns which are either easy or intermediate level. The club also uses a document camera which helps them show all the steps of the patterns easily on a big screen and helps everyone keep up.

The best thing about the club is that anyone can join in, with or without any experience with origami and can learn the art of paper folding along with relieving stress.

How to make a Lotus flower

Step 1 - Take the square paper and make half-folds on both sides and then unfold each half-fold. Folnd the square paper into half diagonally on both sides and unfold them again. These 4 folds are to create creases on the square paper.

Step 2 - Hold a corner of the square paper and fold it inside, joining the corner with the centre of the square paper. Similarly, fold the rest of the 3 corners of the square paper.

Step 3 - Fold in all 4 corners of the current pattern once again.

Step 4 - Without unfolding any of the previous folds, carefully flip the current paper pattern to the other side.

Step 5 - Hold the corners and fold them inside towards the centre of the pattern like we did in the previous steps.

Step 6 - Now unfold the last corner folds of the paper pattern.

Step 7 - Hold any one of the corners and fold out 2/3 of the paper outwards. Similarly, fold out the rest of the corners.

Step 8 - Keeping the folds of the previous step intact, carefully flip the current paper pattern to the other side.

Step 9 - Notice that there are 2 squares, one on the top and one on the bottom. Hold a corner of the top square and fold it towards the centre.

Step 10 - Similarly, fold in all 4 corners of the top square towards the centre of the pattern.

Step 11 - Now carefully flip the current pattern and unfold one of the bottom layers.

Step 12 - Fold out the bottom layer to the front nicely and neatly. One by one, fold-out all 4 layers from the bottom and towards the front to complete the origami lotus.

Taken from - https://www.thecraftaholicwitch.com/origami-lotus-flower/

The club likes to switch up their folding designs weekly, but strives to make it easy for beginners and novices to understand.

CREDIT: AADYA KAPOOR

Step-by-step guides are provided for those who attend a folding sessions with the Origami Club. CREDIT: AADYA KAPOOR

ICON BY FLATICON

Multiple artistic mediums thriving at The Bookshelf

TAYLOR PIPE

On Quebec st. lies a well-known building that is home to one of Guelph’s most unique businesses, The Bookshelf.

The Bookshelf has been around since 1973 and is celebrating its 50 year anniversary in 2023. It was opened by Doug Minett and Barb Minett.

Over the past 50 years, The Bookshelf has employed more than 2500 staff, many of whom were University of Guelph students. Ten years ago, Ben Minett, the son of Doug and Barb, took over running The Bookshelf along with his wife, Steph, and sister, Hannah.

The Bookshelf’s website describes itself as "a bookstore that shows movies, a cinema that serves dinner and a bar that launches books.” The bookshelf often plays movies in its cinema has a bar component attached. However it is most known for being a bookstore and has become a social hub for many in the Guelph community.

“The Bookshelf has always tried to be innovative and tried to avoid stagnancy,” said Ben in an email to The Ontarion. “The world is always evolving and transforming itself. We have tried to flow with changes and sometimes to be change makers ourselves.” Ben said that The Bookshelf has continuously hosted famous authors and directors over the years.

“We believe that an integral part of our reason for being (around) is to provide a space for emerging talent - to give new writers and

artists a voice on our shelves and on our virtual platforms,” Ben said.

During the holiday season, The Bookshelf worked on a collaborative campaign with The United Way and The Guelph Community Foundation on their Home For Good Campaign. The initiative, which is called Neighbors Helping Neighbors focuses on eliminating homelessness in the community.

Ben said that as a staple in the community for the past 50 years, The Bookshelf wanted to give back.

“Over the pandemic we have seen a rise in homelessness, poverty, mental health and addiction. Having a home is a huge factor in recovery and the Home For Good Campaign's goal is providing a home for everyone,” Ben said. “This is very important to The Bookshelf and our staff.”

The Bookshelf has donated $20,000 to the campaign thus far. Those who wish to contribute can make a donation at The Bookshelf or at homeforgoodgw.ca. Minett added that the city of Guelph would be matching donations.

The Bookshelf hosts regular screenings throughout the week in its cinema, has a bookstore that is open to the public for perusing, and also has a bar called Ebar, which Ben says will see some excitement in 2023 during their 50 year anniversary.

For more information on what is happening at the Bookshelf, and what is playing, you can visit bookshelf.ca.

“An immense pleasure to read ... The love of invertebrates and the complexity of human behaviour are beautifully married in this imaginative thriller ... The invertebrates are truly fantastic. The murders are clever and gruesome ... A riveting novel that is difficult to put down ... I thoroughly enjoyed it”

Marvin Gunderman - Entomology Instructor at McMaster University’s Department of Biology (retd)

Murder Bugs: A Love Story is a mystery novel set in southern Ontario, featuring two U of Guelph entomology professors helping local police hunt a serial killer who uses insects as weapons.

Published by Fire Ant Press. Mark Coakley also wrote the critically-acclaimed true-crime classics Hidden Harvest and Tip and Trade (ECW Press). Buy paperbacks, audiobooks and Kindle at amazon.com/author/markcoakleybooks ... or search amazon.ca Ebooks and free samples: markcoakleybooks.com

The Guelph staple bookstore/cinema/bar gave back to the community during the holidays and has some big plans for its 50th anniversary

The Bookshelf is open from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and is open from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. CREDIT: TAYLOR PIPE

Ben Minett and his wife, Steph Minett took over the family business alongside Ben's sister, Hannah.

CREDIT: TAYLOR PIPE

Looking inside oneself

U of G student Anna Syme uses art to reflect on her own body and mind

ALEXANDER BRADSHAW

Creativity works in mysterious ways. As for University of Guelph student Anna Syme, her work has been taken to a new level by looking into herself with her series titled Contrast to Connection . Through this series, Syme illustrates the difficulties of introspection, and how crucial it is to embrace your genuine feelings, instead of covering things up with a mask.

Syme draws, paints as well as takes photos, and draws inspiration from Salvador Dali’s art, with a definite influence from the Dada and Expressionism movements. Anna’s art has a way of turning abstract views into something that people can connect to despite how nonsensical the piece may be. As she grew up, Syme’s parents taught her a lesson about the importance of listening to one’s own body and mind, and that the best way to fascinate an audience is to connect with them.

Art is made to express one’s raw and honest feelings, but the real magic is how the audience connects with it. Things change as more people relate and see themselves or their lives in the piece in front of them.

Anna creates pieces that show loss, growth, and understanding, things she relates to from past experiences. Her art

looks for a community that associates their explorations of themselves and as a queer woman.

She wants to share her struggles of finding her own identity, while becoming more authentic in the process. They convey real emotions of hardship that highlight their beliefs, which can be seen throughout their work.

Despite being a full-time student at the University of Guelph and studying studio art just like their father, Anna spends their summers away in Nova Scotia working as an artist. Leaving Ontario when the summers get too hot to go back to Annapolis Valley, she says the distance is manageable, but that doesn’t stop her from feeling homesick as the semester ends.

Being away from home for the first time, however, gave her the opportunity she needed to recreate herself. There is comfort for her back home, yet the distance allows her to separate school and work.

In Contrast to Connection, Syme’s newest project, shows her struggle of finding who she is. It explores the connection between what she desires versus what is healthy. It is here where she learns to embrace parts of herself that had been neglected in the

Art by Anna Syme 2nd year student, Studio Art

past, whereas now those parts can show the importance of self-love over the validation of others.

The series reveals the questions and answers they had been spent so long searching for, where the judgment was there now stands worth. Syme said the re-

curring theme of blur and faces emerging from the surroundings expresses her internal split and intense state of constant self-interrogation to the point of overwhelming confusion.

Humans are a complex compilation of our own experiences

and emotions that help shape us to be who we are. Anna Syme’s art shows that complicated understanding by showing firsthand that they have gone through similar issues. Her talent speaks for itself, and her potential seems to have no roof either.

Artwork from Syme's Contrast to Connection exhibit.

The power and importance of language

A look into the various and beautiful ways humans communicate

PAULA HENRY-DURU

Communicating is the universal means by which we interact with loved ones, friends and strangers alike. We speak, write, sing, sign, draw, and act, and through all these methods we try to get a message across to others.

Language is important because without it so much knowledge would be lost. In probably every culture on Earth, stories have been passed down for generations, whether as ancestral stories, folktales, myths or legends. However without physical copies, stories are made vulnerable and can be lost through time. In this case, written language is preferable for long-term passage of information.

them any less impactful.

Sign Language is another form that allows us to communicate with each other. Although this form of language is primarily used by members of the Deaf and Hardof-Hearing Community, anyone can learn it to make communication with others a richer and fuller experience.

Humans also communicate through art. We paint, take pictures and make films. We carve sculptures, and craft jewelry, we choreograph dances and design clothes. This form of communication seems to be at the basis of language. It’s on the principle of ‘show don’t tell’, and humans have been communicating like this for millenia.

Dating as far back as 60,000 years ago, art has been found as paintings and engravings on cave walls and is often thought to be at the beginning of human art and language development. Cave art consisted of humans and/or animal drawings created to tell a story, and that’s not so different from what we do now.

From bold displays like graffiti on walls to tiny tattoos on fingers, we express ourselves in a bid to communicate with others. Art is the language that speaks for itself; even if we can’t properly explain what we mean in our creations, somehow people understand and connect to it on their own.

Written language takes the stage in online articles, books, subtitles and closed captions in movies and videos. It goes beyond words, and includes pictures, symbols, texts and digital writing as well. With technology, most of our writing now is done on phones or keyboards, where we send emails and text messages but this doesn’t make

Whether it's in-person or through a screen, the power of language is undeniable and the proof is there in monumental speeches and in poems that can move one to tears. Besides all the damage that can be done with language, I truly believe that at its core, language is a beautiful thing and this is why it’s so important: it brings us together and gives us a way to share knowledge and even parts of ourselves to others.

Stories that have been passed down for generations were put into writing as a way of preservation.

CREDIT: UNSPLASH

Many believe the earliest form of language and storytelling can be found on the walls of ancient caves. CREDIT: PIXABAY

ICON BY FLATICON

Practice might not always make perfect

How to stop perfectionism from ruining your creative drive

ANDREEA BURLACU

T

he arts are a way to express yourself, flex your creativity, and improve your mood. However, perfectionism can turn imagination into intimidation. Perfectionists set very high standards and often criticize themselves when they don’t achieve them.

Many artists’ perfectionism leads to procrastination, while other people fear trying art at all. We’re often too hard on ourselves because there’s no such thing as “perfect”. It’s much more fun to give the arts a try and be free of expectations. Here are some ways to overcome perfectionism and make practicing art your new favourite hobby.

3) Let go of your expectations

When starting your art, remember art is subjective and it’s okay if it isn’t flawless. Even Albert Einstein said, “You have to color outside the lines once in a while.” There doesn’t need to be a greater meaning behind your work - you can create for fun, make something messy, or just express how you’re feeling. Whatever you come up with is beautiful because it represents yourself when you made it. No one else has the same vision as you.

4) Try things out and make mistakes

The best way to develop skills and techniques is through trial and error. If you want to improve in the arts, you have to practice by trying new things. Take a class, join an artistic community, and explore new ideas without the fear of failure or judgement. Your pieces may not always work out how you expected, but you’ll learn valuable skills in the process that could make your next piece even better.

1) Find an art form you enjoy

When we think of art, we often think of painting and drawing. However, visual arts also include photography, collaging, scrapbooking, sculpting, and filmmaking. There are many other forms of creativity, such as singing, writing stories or poems, acting, dancing, knitting, playing an instrument, cooking, or even decorating a cake. You might not love one type of art, which is okay! Try a variety of different art forms to see which ones are the best outlet for you.

2) Think of yourself as an artist

It’s easy to dismiss ourselves as artists when others seem to have more artistic skills. Yet, everyone is creative. Your ideas are special, and you are as much of an artist as anyone else. Once you value your own creativity, it’s easier to get started on your art without comparing it to others.

5) Remember art is supposed to be fun

If your art piece is becoming stressful, put it down. Often, you’ll have better ideas and more motivation after taking some time to relax. Try self-care such as going for a walk, talking to a friend, or taking a nap. Stepping away from my art lets you stop focusing on what’s “wrong” with it and get excited to work on it again.

It's important to strive for balance in our lives rather than perfection. The arts are a great way to relax, but perfectionism can turn art into stress and worry. Fear of judgement and inadequacy are felt by even the best painters, actors, and singers. However, they persevere and create wonders.

Your art can be as simple as a macaroni necklace or as complex as the Dance of the Swans – either way it is still a masterpiece.

There doesn't need to be a

profound meaning behind your art for it to be a masterpiece.

CREDIT: PEXELS

ICONS BY FLATICON

snowflake by Elisa Haley

snowflake

how exquisite the snowflake how unique swiftly sailing through the air scanning for a spot to settle showcasing a free-floating foxtrot to those eyes watching below all wanting to catch their very own sparkling snow

all longing to be its location to land they are waiting patiently with outstretched arms wildly waving around their hands although, lovely to look at a heartless hazard to hold they never could’ve imagined how up close something so beautiful could be so carelessly cold

Elisa Haley

4th year, Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Psychology

Raisins

I groan a large groan as I see them there. So putrid, so sickening.

Oh I cannot compare, how much hate I have for these wretched things.

Your foul taste lingers on my lips, soiling everything you may touch. Please never masquerade as chocolate chips, I never thought this betrayal could hurt so much.

How were you granted such privilege, as to not be called dried grape?

I am disgusted by your every ridge. It’s a pain in which I find no escape.

Now I may be coming on strong, but please do forgive.

If I could not speak out against what is wrong, I would have no raisin to live.

Julia Oliverio

4th year, B.A. majoring in International Development Studies

POEMS BY THE U OF

burnt beginnings

five fires ago, lit by sun-kissed maybes and fingertips fraught with sweet nothings / you fell for the unassuming flutters which wrapped the nostalgias of yesteryears in tight, curt knots / warped by the promises you’d never kept / we left our last fire unattended until it bore a hole in my sweater sleeve forgotten yearnings for the dregs of the charcoal’s warmth reminded me that all was not lost

Dylan Curran MA in English

Special thanks to @theguelphpoet for their Campfire Confessions prompts

Musings of a winter landscape

Enveloped in my thoughts, I stood next to the bare, old oak, the snow reaching to my knees, the frigid wind cutting into me like a sharp razor slicing silk. Yet I felt nothing, my body numb with cold, my limbs stiff and heavy, like stone. My eyes, two dark voids, stared out to the barren view, the frost-covered ground shimmering in the gentle moonlight.

I am the snow, delicate yet pernicious, dreamy yet piercing. I become the trees, stark and desolate, stiffly swaying side to side through the frozen air. Consumed, I transform into frost, disappearing into the atmosphere, an illusion glistening in the corner of your eye.

Sabina Tillinger 2nd year, Psychology & Philosophy

The HandyMan

He’s a fixer

Who’s trying to fix her, Gotta lotta ideas and experiments One’s bound to stop the tears and torment Even if it just happens for a moment.

He’s a fixer

Who’s failing to fix her, Now he’s gotta lotta fears around failure Because he feels like he’s failed her When really, some wounds cannot be eradicated And he hasn’t yet comprehended Some fractures can only be mended.

He’s a man who can’t seem to end His own psychological torment So he focuses on her, Who wears her hurt like it’s a shirt, Because it’s so much easier to fix the girl Than to focus on your own little world That’s crumbling And falling apart With no one to fix it

With no one to fix him

Laura Marie Phipps 3rd year, Psychology

Chicken McFly

I’ve been a butter fingers, and a scaredy cat. But that changes tonight. Tonight I’m taking flight.

I’m not Marty but I’m pretty Mcfly. And since i’m not the other guy, Everyone calls me chicken.

These aren’t butter fingers, they’re chicken fingers penning picturesque playful poems.

Dotting I’s and crossing T’s like finish lines.

I’m not gonna lose this time.

It’s a winner winner chicken dinner and I’m on the plate.

So you can try and call me a chicken to insult me. But I eat that negativity down to the bone.

I’m no bird brain dumb cluck, I’m at the top of the pecking order, and oh so ready Ready to ruffle some feathers. But enough with clucking, It’s time I flew the coop. Right now I’m in a pleasant mood, because I know this poem was finger licking good.

Robert Colanardi

4th year, Software Engineering with a minor in Philosophy and Creative Writing

by Ramya E.

Salvation

The visage of corporation Turn to a conglomeration Of water and of the remnants of green Now dry, cold, and beautiful.

The geese and herons in the distance Even maintain the cognizance Of a tremouring mind. Its existence to preserve the water. Its name a symbol for lives lost On behalf of those whose lives were renewed In a place anew. Where to be when you can only move body And not mind.

Where to go when you want to find Salvation.

Ramya E B.A. Mathematics

The Guelph Poets Society is a passionate collective of poetry enthusiasts dedicated to providing a platform to share talents and discover more poetry.

They host biweekly, one hour meetings full of different styles and formats of poetry, fun prompts and tons of sharing. There are opportunities for publishing your poetry on their Instagram, other university publications and external platforms. They also provide the opportunity to perform poetry at various events.

Connect with them: Instagram: @uog_poets Email: poets@uoguelph.ca

Salvation

OF G POETS SOCIETY

RECORDING

We are above.... Yet I have never felt more

Below. up, up, You are far away now, far up, but I can feel you beneath the sheets we once lay in and between the blouses you wore.

I surface, take a breath In, A sweet smile, faded laughter Out.

A hand pushing my head closer. A warm chest, warmer heart beat. (Rewind, Rewind◄◄ ) My love for you is lost, replaced with a grief I buried inside.

It weighs me down Deeper, D E E P E R, aching in my chest. A dulled pain I refuse to feel. People speak to me, but they are blurred. The world is spinning, running past while I watch on Fast Forward Reality is on a remote (the remote?) island and I am the survivor.

Sub merged into solitude, but unable to breathe lest the ocean I live under drown me. FREEZE FRAME (Pause II)

I am stuck, A sliver of time dreaming of days when you were here, finger poised upon the button yet afraid to press Play

So, for now, I take my time, pretend I am talking to a real person, rather than a memory on repeat. (skip, skip, skip) Click.

The tape has ended, I cannot bear to be alone. When I dream of your spirit, I can see through your smile. (Please Stop )

All the Blue

I can feel the misty spittle-spray of the ocean, roaring at me with all the might and ferocity that one should expect from such an expanse.

The clouds are full, dark and moving rapidly. They beg me to go inside but I don’t mind the rain. I’m waterproof anyway. Dampness from the wooden pier seeps into my fingertips as I grasp it, mesmerized by the power in the wind whipping back my hair, and pulling at my blouse so that it dances along to my heartbeat. We are one, you and I, I think to the storm. Rough waves respond with a tickle at my toes, and together we laugh.

Oh, so much blue. It’s painted deeply dark in the sky and reflected in the sea, a collection of shades overlapping as they flow. It runs along my wrists in criss-crosses, proving my existence, and falls from the clouds in heavy droplets that kiss my cheeks.

I wonder how a colour can come to own such power as the storm suddenly breaks, and spots of sun shine through.

Beckett Keyes

4th year, English with a minor in Creative Writing

clearing out

a hundred years gone by for only one reason the thickness of an oak curving against my back

we’ve both had hearts carved into us been broken, beaten, called it love we’ve both waited our lives to be understood

and the steady rush of rain is always loud, always alive but so, too, is this

and i have always been a fool but i’m starting to believe it romantic again it started as a joke but the grass really does tell stories and every sense is sun and the smell of leaves

i’m wide open again let the cavity of my chest fill with water become a pond, sweet relief anything could live in me

so i am holding out hope i am holding your hand and maybe the suffering was meaningless after all this time

the glory was manufactured the show was just a show but when every day is a realization, the water becomes clear you can’t see to the bottom, but you know it’s there you know, and i know, that this was meant to be more than that: you know this is

Ava Dineen 3rd year, Mathematical Science

Sun Catcher

I have a window keeping my room bright, I listen close when it’s soaking in sunlight. Through it, I hear whispers of hidden souls, Languages silenced and stories untold.

Mingling with my mind, like plovers’ pursuits

They see me as their own, as lovers en route When they glimpse in me a familiar sight When we’ve both bled in similar fights, Keen to share with me their wisdom They lend me their power and might

It rings sharp in my ears Singing what they know Adorned by them like jewels, Where I lead, they go

It’s my job to sort through their kind, To help find out which stars align To pick and choose my favourite gems To keep with me till daytime ends.

Through the window in my corner mind, I like to look through the glass at night, When I do, I’m shown what’s behind, Glowy greens of grasses entwined, Purple skies and rainbow figs, Dancing clouds and talking pigs,

It’s something more, it’s something else, Something that lives beyond myself It’s not me, and it’s not mine, Landscape visions so sublime, Skydrops dripping into ether, She loves him, he’d never leave her, Perfect feelings of sunsets deep, Of moving minds and daring leaps. Looking close, it goes away, Like arrays of particle waves

These captured realms, they move with me, Like moons direct intent of sea, They don’t pass by like meteoroids, Not flying free, interest devoid, They orbit me like stars and planets, Caught and stuck in my centre void

I climb through the maw of my window

When eyes are closed and my mind is gone The styled flow I saw becomes real The thing I’ve been chasing all along I play in stars and live fantasies Consumed in cosmos, it’s cruel to leave

But waking comes and seas are lost Kingdoms fall when morning dawns I’ve kept something though the window has closed, Memories of a world much better than home

It accents my life with the strides I take Finishing my heart like a picture frame Shadowing my moves, pushing each action Filling my tone and fuelling my passion

Leaving me breadcrumbs to cut through the crude We’ll meet sometimes when I strike the right tune I’ll march through this lifetime with the magic they gave And join them forever when I’m laid in my grave

Cassidy Boyle

Sun Catcher by Cassidy Boyle

Aimee Copping: The woman behind Transstar

The Ontarion spoke with local musician Transstar about songbuilding, queer culture, and her upcoming album Untraceable

SOPHIE SCHAFER

G uelph is home to some truly amazing artists, and Transstar is one of them. Aimee Copping, known by her stage name Transstar, creates electric pop. Innovative music built from scratch that twists and turns, delighting the senses and providing a new way to interact with music.

On Nov. 25, Copping performed at the Guelph Civic Museum and channelled old Hollywood during her glamourous, yet eccentric set.

Copping knows how to captivate an audience, her first set, full of slow-moving songs, had people wiping away tears, and her second set was so upbeat and energetic that audience members were out of their seats dancing. There wasn’t a still foot in the room; it was utterly impossible not to tap along with Transstars catchy beats.

Showcasing new music and some old, each song offered something different. Copping sang songs about her friends and loved ones, songs that detailed the Trans experience, and even songs about her living room. Each moment of the show was carefully considered. Her thought and care shone through, making the evening a truly special time.

Copping has had a long and interesting music journey, which she was ever so kind to sit down and share in an interview. Copping has a fabulous personality. Dry, witty humor, she is down to earth and laughs easily at herself.

Copping has a BA in English from Concordia University, and is currently halfway through her MA in Critical Studies in Improvisation at the University of Guelph.

Copping explained she has always been naturally gifted in music. For as long as she can remember, she has understood instruments. She doesn’t consider herself a flashy musician although she can create moving sounds, and loves to write songs.

Copping started recording music in 1981 when she was in the first year of her undergraduate degree. Laughing, she recalls her Portastudio, her very first recorder that put music onto cassette tapes. Copping found local success right away when those cassette tapes were played on

CBC radio. However, none of these old songs are available to listen to today.

Lately, Copping has been focusing on her recent work. In those early years, Copping was the lead musician of a band called Amateurs, but she didn’t stay in the music scene for long. In fact, after the ‘80s, Copping did not make her return to the music scene until 2013.

Life happened and things moved the way they were supposed to. Her transition back into the music scene came naturally.

Copping rediscovered her passion for song-building, even finding that she could write better than before. Coincidentally her transition back into music matched up with her gender transition. 2013 was a pivotal year in her life’s journey.

During her re-entry into the music scene, Copping moved to Berlin. She found that she was not happy, and there was something missing in her life. She realized that she wasn’t helping anyone other than herself, and it was unfulfilling.

Aimee Copping, also known as Transstar, has a new album coming out in January called Untraceable. CREDIT: EDITH WILSON

She got involved with an organization known as El Sistema, a non-profit music education project for children who cannot afford music lessons. Copping moved back to Toronto and started her own music program called Blackball. Besides the slight lull due to the pandemic, she has been running workshops for elementary aged children ever since.

Every artist experiences highs and lows, successes and failures. Copping explains that her greatest weakness is her ability to market, and deal with the business side of the music industry. The music world is ever changing, and moving quite quickly at that. It is hard to keep pace and maintain a large audience.

As for successes, Copping says there are many to come in the future. She has no specific goals, and would just like to grow her audience.

Copping shared two major lessons that she has discovered throughout her music journey. The first is that songwriting takes a lot of time and effort. Copping shared that to write a song that is lyrically brilliant, is to be really lucky. A good song and a good chorus doesn't come around very often.

She said she felt that in the last two decades many songwriters have overlooked the complexity of song building. She added that when you want to write songs that are strong, memorable, and listenable, you need to design and build. It takes time.

Copping said the second lesson is to never forget that the audience is everything. The only reason an artist has the platform they do, is because of the audience. To put on a good show you need to understand that you are there for them. An artist needs fans like they need oxygen.

Our conversation then turned to Queer culture, and Copping’s experience as a trans woman who creates music. She explained that Queer culture does not have a lot of nuance, there is a lot of black and white.

is essentially a handbook for non-Trans people to understand what it is like to be Trans. It shares how Trans people cook, or walk down the street, or how they get killed.

Copping said the reality of being Trans is that horrible things happen to you everyday, and it is unsurprising. Untraceable is about this experience, “It’s like

Copping sang songs about her friends and loved ones, songs that detailed the trans experience, and even songs about her living room

Musically that has meant that queer artists must be very flamboyant, heavily focused on costume and dramatic performance. Copping believes that a very singular understanding has been asserted, and her own music doesn’t conform to this idea. She would love to see change in the queer community, and plans to help change it herself.

This January Copping is releasing her new album, Untraceable . All year long singles have been released in anticipation of the album drop. Her title track, Untraceable was released this past March, and serves as a very powerful anthem.

Copping explained that Untraceable

being mugged every day,” she said.

Filled with brilliant songs, and many sad ones, Untraceable is an album to watch out for. The album will be released early this month and Copping encourages you to check out your favourite streaming service to give her music a chance.

Copping said she is passionate about songbuilding and resonating with her audience. CREDIT: SOPHIE BROWN

TikTok’s influence on music

How the popular app has changed the way we consume music

TikTok is one of the biggest apps right now, it has such a big group of people using it. It has a very influential power to it. It influences popular dance trends, fashion trends, music trends, and the list could go on for a while.

Music, in particular, has a lot of influence from TikTok right now. This obviously hasn’t always been the case since TikTok has only been around for a few years. So, here’s how TikTok took a hold on music, and it has become one of the main influences on music today.

versions, like Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey and Bloody Mary by Lady Gaga. That’s another interesting thing Tik Tok does, it can make older songs re-popularized.

Different styles of music have taken very short-lived eras because of Tik Tok. Trap Pop was quite popular in 2019, take 7 Rings by Ariana Grande, for example. In 2020, the resurgence in 80’s music was popular with songs like Blinding Lights by The Weeknd, and Levitating by Dua Lipa. In 2021, Pop/R&B was popular with Peaches by Justin Bieber, and MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) by Lil Nas X. Later on that year, Pop/Punk returned to popularity with good 4 u by Olivia Rodrigo.

This year, the trends have changed just about every month with the current state of how fast Tik Tok trends change. There was a trend of naming female musicians in the titles of songs, like Doja, Billie Eilish, and Dua Lipa. Another trend was making nursery rhymes into teen angst like abcdefu.

TikTok has many new popular dance trends that often last a little while, until a new round of dance trends start. They tend to use fifteen second clips of songs, becoming the most memorable part of the song. So, when musicians are making music now, they will make songs shorter trying to cater to the audience's short attention span left by Tik Tok.

For example, pop songs used to range from three to four minutes. Now, they tend to range from two to three minutes. Adding on, ‘sped up’ versions of songs have also become really popular on Tik Tok, another way of making songs shorter for the short videos of Tik Tok.

Recently, older songs have returned in popularity due to Tik Tok, and have sped up

Sampling has also resurged a lot in the last year. Take Big Energy by Latto which samples Fantasy by Mariah Carey, or I’m Good (Blue) by David Guetta and Bebe Rehxa which samples Eiffel 65’s Blue (Da Ba Dee)

Some of the 2022 trends in music haven’t been the most entertaining. However, Taylor Swift’s new album Midnights broke all kinds of records by occupying all Top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100. Not only does she have many fans listening, but the darker Pop sound made an easy trend for lots of the songs to be popular on Tik Tok.

Tik Tok doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere any time soon, so it’s safe to assume that in 2023, music will still be heavily influenced by the app, and all the fast-paced trends. It’ll definitely be interesting to see what kind of music comes from 2023.

SPENCER EGERHAZI

From sped-up tracks to reinvigorating oldies, TikTok is redefining how Gen Z consumes music. CREDIT: UNSPLASH

ICON BY FLATICON

U of G Community Submissions Gallery

1st year student, Arts & Science

1st year student, Art History

A work of Art

Written by Nida Ansari, 4th year student, Psychology (Co-op) major and French Studies minor

You asked me to paint you a picture but I didn’t know where to start when I asked what of, you replied ‘just show me a work of art’ so I painted with strokes as big as your smile with colours as bright as your eyes every corner of the canvas as sharp as your thoughts this masterpiece came as no surprise you asked me to paint you a picture and exactly a work of art I drew so why were you so surprised to see that I had painted you?

Leia Meskew

Suvi Coulson

Paige Quinn

Alumni, BSc Environmental Sciences (2016-2020)

Exploring cultural importance at the Art Gallery of Guelph

How the Art Gallery of Guelph creatively celebrates home and identity

JAIDYN MCCRAE

Have you ever seen the large bear statue that lives on Gordon street? The Begging Bear, a name coined by its creator Carl Skelton and affectionately used by locals, proudly stands just around the corner of our campus. Often adorned in costumes and decorations, the bear exists as a staple of Guelph’s local art scene.

As such, It makes sense that it resides just outside of the Art Gallery of Guelph, (AGG) a pillar of Guelph’s rich artistic community.

It’s taken various forms through the years, most notably when it was rebranded from the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre to what it’s known as today. The change in name didn’t reroute the gallery’s course though, with it remaining dedicated to exploring culturally-relevant themes using creative means.

Having a central hub for creative exploration is a cornerstone of making exemplary art accessible to a broader audience. Locally run galleries such as the

AGG prove that you don’t always need to travel to larger cities to see great art. More importantly, it gives you the opportunity to see firsthand the art that makes up the cultural fabric around you.

I must admit, I’d never actually toured the AGG until recently. During my time at the University, I’d always pass the Begging Bear and muse at its costume that day, or see the unique metal statues that stood in its backyard, but never ventured through its long-established doors. On my first visit a few short weeks ago, I was immediately struck by the grandeur of its art.

Inside its open and lofty interior is a collection of four exhibitions. Homecoming, Qautamaat, For Catherine, and Planting Displacement, had been on display at the AGG since May 5 and ran until Dec. 31, 2022.

On the first floor was Qautamaat. According to the AGG’s website, the exhibition explored the “ideas, images, and objects evoking aspects of daily life and relationships that are distinctly Inuk.” Its vast collection featured mixed media works ranging from graphite, felt, embroidery floss, and coloured pencil with larg-

er installations scattered among them.

Each of these exhibitions centered around the idea of home. A flexible concept, it stresses the idea that home can mean a wide variety of things to each person and is defined through the motions of everyday life.

Exploring how things we see, use, and do make-up the important patterns of our everyday life, these exhibits work to emphasize

that art is everywhere.

In the new year, the AGG is opening three new exhibitions.

Mary Kelly: To Witness the Future, Insoon Ha: Dirge, and Jason Lujan: Under a Star-filled Sky will debut on Jan. 19, in exploration of new concepts and themes.

If you enjoy curated art with real purpose, definitely check out the AGG in 2023. If you spot the Begging Bear, you’ll know you’ve found it.

The Quatamaat exhibit focused on identity, home and how daily life shapes both of those. CREDIT: JAIDYN MCCRAE

The Quatamaat exhibit ran until Dec. 31. CREDIT: JAIDYN MCCRAE

Art included in the Quatamaat exhibit was created by various artists with a shared vision. CREDIT: JAIDYN MCCRAE

Get inspired with pottery at Play with Clay in Guelph

Play with Clay brings unique art styles to the Guelph community

SYDNEY BAYNHAM

Play with Clay is one of Guelph’s treasured artistic influences and inspirations for the community. Located downtown Guelph, Play with Clay offers a wide range of opportunities to create your own pottery pieces through clay-building and pottery wheels, and even gives you the chance to paint your own unique piece.

Over the winter break, I had the chance to visit the Play with Clay shop in person. I had the opportunity to speak with one of the owners, Mario, who opened the shop with his wife Nina. Together they started pottery as a hobby, but eventually they started a business in an attempt to share and inspire others with their craft. 13 years later, they have two locations -- Hamilton and Guelph-and their shop is alight with colour from the sheer amount of customer painted pottery pieces.

With COVID-19 restrictions loosened, the Play with Clay shop was able to fully open their Clay Bar this year. The fully licensed bar allows you to book a reservation to paint a pottery piece all while having a glass of wine with your friends. Univer -

sity students (over 19, of course) can turn their study brain off, have a drink, and create something. Plus, they’re open until midnight!

The Play with Clay shop inspires our community to interact with their artistic side, and to create something without rules. University students are constantly forced to follow the rules and guidelines, but when creating and painting your own pottery piece, it is uniquely yours. Let loose and have some fun with it!

Play with Clay is the perfect opportunity to try something new during these cold winter months when you want to hide indoors. A cup of hot chocolate and a bit of paint at the Clay Bar can be the perfect pick-me up on a cold winter day.

Play with Clay offers community members a chance to express their artistic creativity while creating a piece they can use in their everyday lives. CREDIT: SYDNEY BAYNHAM

ICON BY FLATICON

snow on campus

Across 1- Good fortune 5- Tropical eel 10- Tooth 14- Casa cookware 15- Like Santa 16- Golden calf 17- The Tower of Pisa does this 18- Lab work 19- Verdi opera 20- Very long 22- Unit of magnetic intensity 24- At all 25- Jiffy 26- Recreation 29- Memorable time 32- Bank offerings 36- 100 centavos 37- Title of reverence for God 39- Notice

Down 1- Hang loose 2- Peter Fonda role 3- Scottish social unit 4- Leaping marsupial 5- Like wool sweaters in storage 6- Follow instructions 7- Hi-___ monitor 8- Respecting 9- Affirmatives 10- Ignominious failure 11- Passage into a mine 12- Lymph ___ 13- Delighted 21- Blasting stuff 23- Revered remnant 26- Froth 27- Pertaining to punish ment 28- Actor Davis 29- Proclamation 30- Comic O'Donnell 31- Restless 33- ___ Is Born 34- ___ lift? 35- Four-door 37- Eureka! 38- Align the cross hairs 41- Ragu competitor 42- Medicinal application spray 47- Disappear 49- Rib 40- Naive 43- ___ tai 44- Intolerance 45- And here it is! 46- Parisian pupil 48- Mystery writer Josephine 49- Sacred text of Islam 50- Tree-ring indication 52- That guy 53- Without exception 57- Appendix 61- "The Time Machine" race 62- Favored crime of pyromaniacs 64- Madcap 65- Pieces partner 66- Irish county 67- Steven Chu's cabinet dept. 68- Engrave with acid 69- Camp sights 70- Tabula ___

51- Make into law 52- Sharpens 53- Nixon pal Rebozo 54- Landed 55- Campus mil. group 56- First name in courtroom fiction 57- Bud of "Harold and Maude" 58- Scene of first miracle 59- Supermodel Sastre 60- Vega's constellation 63- ___ Remo

University Centre Room 264 University of Guelph N1G 2W1 ontarion@uoguelph.ca

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EDITORIAL STAFF

Editor-in-Chief Taylor Pipe Staff Reporter Eleni Kopsaftis

BOB'S DOGS CROSSWORD CONTEST

For your chance to win two Bobs dog’s and two pops, just complete the crossword snap a picture, and send it to puzzles@ theontarion.com by January 19th at 3 p.m. Winners and anyone else who fills in the crossword correctly are announced in each issue. Winners can arrange a physically distanced pickup of their voucher by emailing the same address.

Last issue’s winning puzzle was submitted by Asfiya Anjum! We also received correct submissions from Laura Seidel and Hannah Abush. Better luck next time!

EASY SUDOKU HARD SUDOKU

Fill in the empty squares so that each of the digits 1 through 9 appear once in each row, column, and 3-by-3 block.

Ontarion

working days of publication. The Ontarion will not be held responsible for advertising mistakes beyond the cost of advertisement. The Ontarion is printed by Metroland.

CRYPTOGRAM

A cryptogram is a collection of words - often quotations - where each letter has been consistently substituted with another letter.

Tips:

1. Use a pencil

2. Letters will not stand for themselves.

3. There are two commonly used one-letter words: "i" and "a"

4. The most common letters in the English language are: E, T, A, O, I, and N.

If you are in need of a hint, see below...

MOXNXKL XB TIOZQTB NZI LOIQNIBN ED ZGAQK XKJIKNXEKB, VXKCXKL NELINZIO TIETWI MZE KIJIO SKIM IQRZ ENZIO, RXNXUIKB ED CXBNQKN ITERZB. VEESB VOIQS NZI BZQRSWIB ED NXAI. Q VEES XB TOEED NZQN ZGAQKB QOI RQTQVWI ED MEOSXKL AQLXR.

- RQOW BQLQK

ANSWERS

FROM ISSUE 193.4

“In modern America, anyone who attempts to write satirically about the events of the day finds it difficult to concoct a situation so bizarre that it may not actually come to pass while his article is still on the presses.”

- Calvin Trillin

A GROUP OF GRYPHONS ENJOYED AN ENCHANTING EVENING. THEY PAINTED OLD JEREMIAH, TOOK IN A SHOW AT THE GEORGE LUSCOMBE THEATRE, AND DRESSED THE BEGGING BEAR FOR THE FREEZING NIGHT AHEAD!

A B C D E F G H

Hint: E=O, B=S, Z=H

I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

JANUARY TO-DO LIST

JANUARY 1

New Year's Day Park Run

• 9:00 a.m.

• Eramosa river trail

• Free run! Register online at www.parkrun.ca/eramosarivertrail

JANUARY 6

Guelph Storm Hockey Game

• Various times

• Visit tickets.guelphstorm.com for more information

• Also on January 20, 22, 27 & 29

JANUARY 9

Krispy Kreme Sale

• 10:30 a.m.

• UC Courtyard

• $15 per one dozen donuts

JANUARY 11

Tales From The Hill

• Guelph Civic Museum

• Monthly storytelling by the Guelph Story Tellers

JANUARY 12

Snow Days: DIY Bookmarks with TESS

• UC Courtyard

• Free!

Student Mentoring Social + Gingerbread House Building

• Peter Clark Hall

• College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Opportunity to find mentorship.

Painting the Cannon

• UC Courtyard

• Come paint the cannon with Student Wellness. Hot chocolate and coffee provided.

JANUARY 14

Justin Bieber Drag Night

• 8:00 p.m.

• Royal City Studios

• Tickets $25. Buy online at eventbrite.ca

JANUARY 15

Cinderella - Ballet Jörgen

• 2:00 p.m.

• River Run Centre

• Buy tickets online at riverrun. ca

Mighty Kin Show

• 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• The Wooly Pub

• Traditional celtic music and performance!

JANUARY 20

Tragedy Ann

• 8:00 p.m.

• River Run Centre

• Folk music performance. Purchase tickets at riverrun.ca

JANUARY 24

Bob Ross Paint Night

• 5:30 p.m.

• H.L Hutt, Room 348

• Guided paint night with the Environmental Governance Society

Dial Down Academic Stress & Anxiety

• 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

• Online Workshop

• Learn the most common anxiety escalators along with practical tips to decrease anxiety

JANUARY 25

Decreasing Headaches Workshop

• Online, weekly from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

• Yorklands Green Hub

JANUARY 19

Interview Skills Workshop

• 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

• Online, Hosted by CFRU

• Join CFRU in their virtual workshop series

Make Your Own Mocktails & Charcuterie

• 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

• Maritime (South Residence), John Eccles

• RSVP on GryphLife!

• Decrease stress-related tension and migraine headaches, and better cope with headache pain

JANUARY 31

Relaxation & Stress Management Skills

• 7:30 p.m.

• Online, every Tuesday & Thursday for 12 weeks

• Intensive skills training in how to calm anxiety, relax the body, and settle a busy brain

ICON BY FLATICON