Elizabeth Johnston

_For the second year in a row, the Part-time Faculty at Concordia held a showcase to highlight the research and achievements of its professors who teach at Concordia. I was pleased to participate with my book No Small Potatoes. It was a great opportunity to meet some of my colleagues as well as the many passersby who stopped to chat and find out more about the part-time profs who bring a unique perspective to their teaching at the university.

“Part-time faculty bring an applied knowledge but also a pedagogical one to thousands of students,” says Peluso, part-time Political Science Lecturer and President of the Concordia University Part-time Faculty Association (CUPFA).

“This unique view can only improve students’ perspective of their education and their future careers. Concordia’s reputation is enhanced by having such faculty in our classrooms.”

There were over 40 part-time faculty members showcasing their work, and I was honoured to be among such talented people. Looking forward to next year's showcase, and hope to see you there!

It's only two more days before the opening of Art x 9, an event organized in conjunction with Les Journees de la Culture. Art x 9 combines an art show with activities, and it's all free!

At left, you can see a mosaic of art work details from each of the pieces made by artists involved in the show. It's just a sneak peak, though, and to see the full pieces, you'll have to come to our show, which opens on Friday, September 30 at 10am, and goes until 5pm on Sunday, October 2nd.

The vernissage is this Friday, from 5 to 7pm. Please drop by for some wine and nibblies to help celebrate our event. Don't forget to RSVP for the vernissage and/or show by clicking here.

There will also be several free activities:

• facepainting,
  
• a talk about the Irish drum,
  
• a talk about Quebec stones used in making jewellery, and
  
• a screenwriting activity.
  

For more info, check out the Culture Days web page.

See you there!

Dans moins d’une semaine se tiendront les Journées de la Culture, notre culture célébrée partout au Québec.

Pour ma part, ce sera la première fois que j’y participe en tant qu’artiste et non visiteur. Malgré que je suis de la Montérégie, j’ai été généreusement accueillie au sein d’un groupe d’artistes dynamiques de la région de Montréal.

Je suis artisan-joaillière formée à l’École de joaillerie de Montréal. Je travaille principalement l’argent sterling et les pierres naturelles. Je travaille rarement autour de thèmes précis dans ma création. Je dirais même que je sais rarement au départ ce que deviendra une pièce sinon que la grande majorité de mes créations ont pour inspiration une pierre, qu’elle soit précieuse ou non.

Pour cette exposition, il nous était demandé de créer une pièce autour du thème de notre perception du Québec.  Suite à quelques réflexion, j’ai choisi « Persistance ».  La persistance du peuple Québécois dans sa différence, dans ses convictions, dans ses idées. 

Je voulais que la pièce ait un goût de nature, d’espoir mais qu’elle soit minimaliste.

Je n’en parlerai pas plus, je vous laisse la découvrir, ainsi que toutes les créations de mes 8 acolytes, sur place dès vendredi soir.

Au plaisir,

Virginie

The work I am showing at Art x 9 is the first attempt at a self-portrait where I am confronting my identity; it is an exploration in what constitutes a Quebec/Canadian citizen. While conceiving and painting this piece, I quickly realized the convoluted path I was to
follow in my attempts in understanding my own identity let alone in trying to communicate it to others. Social, familial and gender issues
all come into play in layers, covering, uncovering, yet always
affecting the other. At first, I was interested only in the
bi-culturalism aspect of my heritage, but the more I worked at the
painting, the more I became aware that one's identity is the sum of
many things that can reach beyond the culture of one's parents.

    I have been painting and drawing horses for many years and now and
then, they may play a minor role for a while. You can see them in the
self-portrait I am showing at Art x 9 —small, but there. Horses will
always be an important part of my identity.
         If anyone would like me to create an identity piece for them, or a
more traditional portrait, I would gladly accept the commission.
        Also, please let me know if you would like to be on my mailing list
regarding new works, or if you are interested in attending my
workshops and lessons re painting and drawing.

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Contact the artist via her website. Click on the horse above to be taken there.

I'm always encouraging my creative writing students to start a writer's group as a way of carrying on the work they begin in my classes, and from time to time, I get queries asking if I know of any open writing groups.
        As it happens, a couple of my former students have an ongoing group. Recently, I asked them if they were looking for new members, and they are. So, here's a word from one of the founding members.

JustWrite Montreal is a small group of writers with a desire to do what the name states: write. We've found meeting other writers is a great way to stay motivated, improve one’s skills, and that doing so in a low-pressure environment makes it fun. All forms of writing is welcome, with meetings spent providing comments on written work, brainstorming ideas, and talking about new discoveries in writing.
        Open to new members, the group meets every two weeks at either the Starbucks on Ste-Catherine (Montreal) or less frequently at the Starbucks on Boulevard du Quartier (Brossard, near the Dix30) - depending on what works best for all. Transportation is often available too.
        A Google group exists (JustWriteMontreal), which is used to organize meetings, share links to blogs/articles, and occasionally post written work. There is no cost to join the group. All that is required is an eagerness to write, to critique fairly, and of course buy something at the Starbucks!
        If interested, please e-mail me (chapmanjeffrey @ gmail.com) to find out more.

So here in the beautiful city of Montreal in slightly less than two weeks our Culture Days 2011 will take place. Les Journées de la culture is comprised of several hundred amazing, fun free events happening all over Montreal. This is a celebration of the artistic and cultural abundance in the city and Culture Days are going on country-wide. So much to see, do and experience.I will be participating in an activity called Art x 9. This event includes myself and seven other Montreal-based artists who have made works celebrating life and art as we see it in the context of Montreal. From the 30th of September to the 2nd of October join us at Studio BBG for demos and workshops (Screenwriting, Bodhran Playing, Face Painting, Jewelry Demos and more).

        My piece for this show is a textured acrylic work inspired by the architecture of the city. This piece represents the way that upon leaving my home I am immersed in the culture of Quebec and its art as soon as I step out the door each day. A wrought iron spiral staircase winds down to street level from a beautiful brick facade, stained glass windows, with fleur de lys motifs look out over the street. Gardens with Tiger Lillies explode into life around the stairwell. The side walk is covered in chalk drawings of different coloured hand prints representing the cultural diversity that blesses the city and amidst all of those hands is the Fleur de Lys again chalked in this time on cement. Underneath it all on the bottom panel lies the Spirit of The City uniting the whole, sending living shoots up through the cracks in the sidewalk, full of patience and mystery, only this connected being knows all of the secrets that this city has to offer.
        This piece differs from my regular work in that I am usually working on a much larger scale and the theme of my work is usually much more mythological and meditative with a lot more texture. I seldom do cityscapes of any sort as I am inspired by the truly natural world. This was a challenge for me in that I had to find some way to meld the two so that the piece would speak from my heart and also convey what it is for me to live here and how I am affected by the art and culture of this city.
        I am glad to do commissioned works and viewings of my current work are available by appointment. You can see pictures of a few of my other paintings below or on my web sites listed below.

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To get in touch with the artist:

514-473-5682
www.elissabaltzer.com
http://elissafaeryfire.blogspot.com/
elissabaltzer@gmail.com