I walked around the Folk Fest stages and camp grounds for four rather hot days with my 4×5 inch Wisner Field camera and shot Ilford HP5 film.
July 7-10 2022 Winnipeg Folk Fest
Nov 13, 2021 Tarbut Festival
An Evening of George Gershwin
Featuring the Jon Gordon Ensemble
“Jon is a native New Yorker, saxophonist, and composer, as well as a professor in the Desaultels Faculty of Music at the University of Manitoba. He has played with a wide range of musicians including Benny Carter, Aretha Franklin, Lionel Hampton, Harry Connick, Jr., Bruce Springsteen, Clark Terry, Roy Eldridge, John Scofield, and Maria Schneider. He is a winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk Competition. His most recent album, Stranger than Fiction, was released in September 2021. With Erin Propp and Monica Huisman on vocals, Jon on alto saxophone, Carter Graham, piano, Julian Bradford, bass, Fabio Ragnelli, drums, and Andrew Littleford, trumpet, this band of outstanding musicians and singers will showcase the repertoire of the incomparable George Gershwin. Expect jazz standards that range from Embraceable You to Summertime, with many toe-tapping rhythms that have formed the basis of the Great American Songbook.” from https://www.radyjcc.com
Son of Dave at The Albert, Nov 12 2021
Opening Acts The Resilience and Ozconscious.
Nov 12, 2021 Keith Oliver C2 reception
Spikes, Holes and Other Things
November 5 – December 23, 2021
C2 centre for craft, 329 Cumberland Ave, Winnipeg
First Friday: November 5, 2021 | 5-9pm
Exhibition Opening: November 12, 2021 | 7-9pm
The Manitoba Craft Council is pleased to present Spikes, Holes and Other Things, a solo exhibition of new work by Keith Oliver, curated by Helen Delacretaz.
“Keith Oliver’s Spikes, Holes and Other Things truly epitomizes MCC’s aspirations for contemporary craft: a synthesis of sensuous materials, technical mastery, exceptional functionality, and a singular aesthetic. The artist’s signature is craft’s thumbprint – the unique ability to connect body, mind and heart, creating objects that are both human and humane.” – Tammy Sutherland, Director of the MCC
Keith Oliver’s furniture has been influenced in part by the shape and patterns found in nature. The layering of texture and play of colour contrast with the basic utilitarian demands of furniture design through his 30+ year career in furniture design.
Oct 16, 2021 Matt Magura and buds
A night of Roger Miller tunes at Xcues on Sargent Ave, Winnipeg
Oct 16, 2021 Gargoyle Theatre Open House
THE BIRTH OF THE GARGOYLE: A MESSAGE FROM ANDREW DAVIDSON
“It is my belief that the world is full of exceptionally talented creators who will never commit to writing projects for the stage, because of this simple reason: the chances of that project ever being staged are minimal. I know this because I’ve tried to get shows workshopped and presented, to no success. It’s frustrating and, frankly, it’s demoralizing.
The problem is, there are so many barriers to entry. Finding a stage. Finding rehearsal space. Insurance. Ticketing. Publicity. Finding a tech person. Finding money to rent the stage. Finding money to do anything. Finding a house manager. Running food and beverages, if you even get to that. Packing in. Packing out.
The Gargoyle Theatre was born out of a desire to remove as many of these barriers as we can. We want to make it as simple as possible for Winnipeg-based creators to get their new theatrical productions onto the stage. That’s it. ”
from https://www.thegargoyletheatre.com/our-story
October 7, 8, 9 2021 Winnipeg Comedy Festival
Sept 23 2020, Road Trip out West
“Bunnock is a fun game that can be played by two to eight players or more.
Two rows of 22 bones are set up about 10 Metres (32 feet 10 inches) apart with one guard at either end 40cm (16″ )apart as shown above. The object of the game is to first knock down the guards (Black Bones) then the inside soldiers (White Bones), before the other team. Each player throwing two bones each with the first team to throw to be decided by a coin toss. The first team to knock down their oppositions Bunnock with the least amount of throws will win the game.” from http://www.bunnock.com
“The exact origin of Bunnock is unclear, however the most widely accepted version is that Bunnock originated in Northern Siberia during the early 19th century. It is thought to of been created by Russian soldiers that needed to entertain themselves whilst posted in remote areas of Siberia. These soldiers had an abundance of horse anklebones of which they found out they could stand upright. It is also believed that originally players would be situated in the centre of a circle, with players throwing outward at a circle of bones.[3]
Bunnock would be introduced to Canada in the early 1900s by Russian and German immigrants. Most of these immigrants would settle in Saskatchewan, in which Bunnock became a popular farmyard pastime, farmers using their own horse anklebones.
In the 1960s, Joseph H. Gartner working at a horse meat processing plant, was granted the ability to salvage horse anklebones to make a set for his father. People living around Macklin, Saskatchewan caught word and also wanted sets. Gartner created a rulebook which standardized the rules and setup of Bunnock. These rules are still used today.” from Wikipedia
Sept 22, 2020 Road Trip out West
Going from Saskatoon, and a nice bike ride through there.
Lunch in Kinley, Saskatchewan where we found some vintage treasures and then on to Macklin.
Sept 20-21, 2020 Road trip out West
Covid-19 derailed our usual spring time road trip across some large part of Canada so we waited until the last possible moment and went at the end of September. Good timing too, as in late October and November provinces and towns in western Canada started to close down and tell people to stay home and stay away.
We attempted to camp near Neepawa but the campsite said they can’t allow tents because even though the bathrooms were open now, they could get shut down at any moment for health reasons, and so they didn’t allow tenting, only RV’s with their own toilets. Sheesh! You might as well not go for a walk as it “might” start raining.
So we found a “free” campsite in the Arden Manitoba 1967 Centennial playground and cooked margarine soaked chicken on the fire.
After looking around Arden Manitoba we headed north to Russell and Saltcoats.
Conan Hodgkinson headshots, Aug 13, 2020
Groundswell, Feb 8, 2020
Ironwood
Saturday, February 8, 2020, 8pm
Canadian Mennonite University, Laudamus Auditorium
The Ironwood String Quartet is made up of four dynamic and passionate Canadian musicians: Jessica Linnebach, Carissa Klopoushak, David Marks, and Julia MacLaine. Since its debut in 2014, Ironwood has become one of the country’s premiere chamber music ensembles, performing throughout Canada, in Europe, and at their own Classical Unbound Festival in Prince Edward County. They have received critical acclaim for their “take no prisoners” approach to standard and contemporary quartet repertoire. GroundSwell is pleased to welcome the Ironwood Quartet with a program of works by Nicole Lizée, John Cage, David R. Scott, Caroline Shaw, and Ana Sokolović.
Curated by Michael Matthews
Grand Canyon, Jan 30 2020
From Williams Arizona to the Grand Canyon and then Sedona!
Trip to Vegas, Jan 29, 2020
James Culleton loves a succulent and a cactus.
Too bad they won’t grow in Winnipeg.
Today was quite a day. We went from Las Vegas to the Hoover Dam and then on to Williams Arizona.
“Erected at the 2007 Burning Man Festival in the Black Rock Desert of northern Nevada, Big Rig Jig is a sculpture from the young Brooklyn-based artist Mike Ross. Constructed of two repurposed 18-wheeler tanker trucks, Big Rig Jig “utilized two decommissioned trucks, referencing a global oil industry at the nexus of our world’s political, social and environmental systems,” according to the sculpture’s official website, which is no longer active. “By repurposing these symbolically rich objects, the artist conveys his admiration for and anxiety over humanity’s power.”
The entire sculpture was anchored to a giant metal base with custom-built screws and other support gear. It had to be stable – more stable than most sculpture – because the inside of the curved tubes were filled with steel-truss work that allowed Burning Man participants to climb around inside. If they reached the top of the second truck, any climbers would be about four stories high.” from Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/big-rig-jig
Trip to Vegas, Jan 28, 2020
Late night in Vegas and back to the furniture market, ending up at the Tim Burton exhibit at the Neon Boneyard.
“Paris Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corporation and has a 95,263 square-foot casino with over 1700 slot machines.
The theme is the city of Paris, France; it includes a half scale, 540-foot (164.6 m) tall replica of the Eiffel Tower,[1] a sign in the shape of the Montgolfier balloon, a two-thirds size Arc de Triomphe, a replica of La Fontaine des Mers, and a 1,200-seat theatre called Le Théâtre des Arts. The front of the hotel suggests the Paris Opera House and the Louvre.” from Wikipedia
“The Fountains of Bellagio is a vast, choreographed water feature with performances set to light and music. (See musical fountain.) The performances take place in front of the Bellagio hotel and are visible from numerous vantage points on the Strip, both from the street and neighboring structures. The show takes place every 30 minutes in the afternoons and early evenings, and every 15 minutes from 8 pm to midnight. Two minutes before a water show starts, the nozzles begin to break the water surface and the lights illuminating the hotel tower turn to a purple hue (usually), or red-white-and-blue for certain music. Shows may be cancelled without warning because of high wind, although shows usually run with less power in face of wind. A single show may be skipped to avoid interference with a planned event. Additional shows can occur for special occasions including weddings. The fountain display is choreographed to various pieces of music, including “The Star Spangled Banner” by Whitney Houston as the first show of the day, “Time to Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocelli, “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood, “Your Song” by Elton John, “Viva Las Vegas” by Elvis Presley, “Luck Be a Lady” by Frank Sinatra, “My Heart Will Go On” by Céline Dion, A 3 song medley by Tiesto and “The Sound of Silence” by Disturbed.[15]
The fountains are set in a 8-acre (3.2 ha) manmade lake. Contrary to urban myth, the lake is not filled with treated greywater from the hotel. The lake is actually serviced by a freshwater well that was drilled decades prior to irrigate a golf course that previously existed on the site. The fountains actually use less water than irrigating the golf course did.[16] They incorporate a network of pipes with more than 1,200 nozzles that make it possible to stage fountain displays coordinated with more than 4,500 lights. It is estimated that the fountains cost $40 million to build. The fountains were created by WET, a design firm specializing in inventive fountains and architectural water features.[17]
Four types of nozzles are used for the various effects:
- 208 Oarsmen – jets with a full range of spherical motion
- 798 Shooters – shoot water upwards
- 192 Super Shooters – send a water blast as high as 240 ft (73 m) in the air.
- 16 Extreme Shooters – send a water blast as high as 460 ft (140 m) (added in 2005)
This fountain was the largest fountain in the world when it first opened but then surpassed by Dubai Bay fountain and Okada Manila in 2010 and 2017 respectively.” from Wikipedia
Las Vegas, Jan 27, 2020
Second day in Vegas. Visiting the Las Vegas Market spotting some trends. Then on to White Castle. I have never been to White Castle for a burger. It was OK. Oh yeah, and we saw a Zombie Burlesque show!
Trip to Vegas, Jan 26 2020
Travelling to the Las Vegas Market with James Culleton to see all the Furniture, Home Decor and gifts.
“We are so thrilled to present you The Empty Club. The new venue of Parisian artist @andresaraiva right on Fremont Street. A permanent addition to Downtown Las Vegas Art collection created for @lifeisbeautiful .
#andresaraiva #installationart #justkidsofficial #lifeisbeautifulfest #dtlv#lasvegas #contemporaryart #fremontstreet #mra @ Downtown Las Vegas” From Facebook
Ainsley Malegus, Jan 15, 2020
Headshots and “glam” or model shots.
Headshots are easy, because the posing and lighting are strait forward, and fashion or style portraits are tricky because almost anything goes as long as it looks good. There are many distracting things, embellished poses, makeup or jewelry that would not work in a headshot that are perfectly fine in a panache photo. In a headshot we want to simply see the person’s face and feel a connection and energy through the eyes so the casting director can tell if they are workable in a role. A Vogue Advert type of photo just needs to amaze and dazzle and can get away with “showing off” and can present the person in extreme ways that may not even end up looking like the actual human. The Theatre or Movie headshot must show the person as they really are when they walk into the room for the audition otherwise the producers and directors are going to feel fooled. A fashion photo can show the model as anyone, the headshot has to be closer to the real actor. This is my photographic theory when it comes to these two types of studio shots.
Groundswell Dec 6, 2019
Nick Photinos
Friday, December 6, 2019, 8pm
Winnipeg Art Gallery
Cellist Nick Photinos is a founding member and co-Artistic Director of the four-time Grammy Award-winning music ensemble Eighth Blackbird. As a solo artist, he has toured with Björk, recorded with Wilco, and regularly performs at the Bang on a Can Festival in New York. Joining Nick is Winnipeg’s own Minna Rose Chung and cello ensemble The C-String Collective. Photinos will perform music by some of the most acclaimed names in new music, such as Michael Gordon and Jacob TV, as well as works by a newer generation of groundbreaking composers. A few recent classics will also be showcased, notably Steve Reich’s Cello Counterpoint for amplified cello and pre-recorded audio (2003) and Arvo Pärt‘s Fratres (1977/1982).
Curated by Gordon Fitzell
Groundswell, Nov 14, 2019
The Naked Voice
Thursday, November 14, 2019, 8pm
Winnipeg Art Gallery
“A duet with a humpback whale, magical sound worlds, and “I love you” sung in 100 languages…For her final season with GroundSwell, co-founder Diana McIntosh has curated a program that combines live electronics, video, tape, extended vocal techniques, and theatrical elements. The Naked Voice features the amazing and unique vocalist Helen Pridmore performing solo vocal works by Canadian composers – including Ana Sokolović’s magnificent opera for solo voice Love Songs, and recent works by Martin Arnold, Emily Doolittle, and Jennifer Butler. Showcasing her breadth as a composer and performer, McIntosh will also premiere her own new work, Doubletalk.
Curated by Diana McIntosh”
from http://gswell.ca
Groundswell, Sept 14, 2019
NAIL Quartet
Saturday, September 14, 2019, 8pm
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, U of Winnipeg
Our 2019-20 season kicks off with NAIL quartet, the exciting coming-together of two duos: Mercury, featuring powerhouse clarinetist Lori Freedman and Montreal bassist Nicolas Caloia, and the long-standing Amsterdam duo of Ab Baars (tenor saxophone, clarinet, shakuhachi) and Ig Henneman (viola). These four original composer-performers bring a program of improvised and composed works by group members. Avant-garde meets unparalleled musicianship in this quartet that is a force to be reckoned with.
Curated by Jim Hiscott
Since 1991 GroundSwell’s Artistic Directorate has been delighting and challenging its audiences with an eclectic combination of all that is good about new music. As Manitoba’s only series dedicated to presenting contemporary music, GroundSwell has showcased diverse programming featuring everything from inspiring interpretations of 20th-century classics to exciting fusions of visual art, theatre, dance, and the written word.
The Artistic Directorate is made up of Winnipeg composers Gordon Fitzell, Jim Hiscott, Michael Matthews, and Diana McIntosh. Every season GroundSwell brings you exciting new worlds of contemporary performance, from local music to international works, and is proud to promote and explore the best of Canada’s diverse and vibrant new music scene.
Son of Dave, Times Changed, Aug 15, 2019
“Benjamin Darvill (born January 4, 1967), known by his stage name Son of Dave, is a Canadian musician and singer–songwriter, based in the United Kingdom. He was a member of Grammy award-nominated folk rock band Crash Test Dummies in which he played harmonica, mandolin, guitar and percussion before returning to his blues, Beat-Box and harmonica driven solo work in 2000.
SOD was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was inspired to learn the harmonica after hearing James Cotton and Sonny Terry play at the Winnipeg Folk Festival.” From wikipedia
“The buildings but have a history as connected as the buildings themselves. The Fortune Block is the one on the corner of Main Street and St. Mary’s Avenue, whereas the Macdonald Block is the addition a bit further down on Main Street.
In 1869, the Hudson’s Bay Company surrendered all but 450 acres of Rupert’s Land to the Dominion of Canada. The land that remained was laid out as a town they called “Selkirk” in 1872 and the first lots began to be auctioned off later that same year. It was through this auctioning off that Molyneux St. John purchased lots 19 and 20 for $1325 and $1750 respectively. With this purchase came the HBC’s condition that a structure with a minimum $2000 value be built within 18 months of the sale.
This condition was not met with either of the two properties, with both sitting undeveloped for a decade. A large number of lots in the area stayed vacant or had insubstantial frame buildings constructed due to the main business district remaining north of Portage Avenue – for many, Graham Avenue seemed too far away. However, the arrival of Winnipeg’s building boom in 1880-1884 put pressure on the properties that had not yet been developed.”
Read more at:
http://heritagewinnipeg.blogspot.com/2015/09/heritage-on-main-macdonald-and-fortune.html
Robin Chestnut, Headshots
Mike Wood, Headshots
Dean Bareham, Headshots
