Art collective We Make Stuff has released their first volume; it’s a beautiful book.
Volume One showcases artists from the Vancouver area.
You can purchase your copy here.
Tag Archives: Vancouver
Dear new TWU student
Dear new TWU student,
I don’t know you, and you don’t know me. But as a person who has travelled ahead of you on the journey you have begun, I wanted to write to wish you a happy O-day and welcome you to the campus I once affectionately called home. I hope you’ll find it life-giving.
If you like, give me just a moment of your time for a couple pointers.
First things first. Fruit. It’s highly overpriced at the cafeteria. Get it from Willowbrook Farm Market in Walnut Grove. Soup is cheap and sometimes worth the savings so you can stock up on ice cream at opportune times like November when it rains the whole time. But it’s actually way better to just keep exercising. The gym isn’t far compared to other university campuses, even in the rain.
If you sleep well on those sad excuses for mattresses, I admire you. Extra foam mats?
I’m gonna sound like a parent here. That’s because parents have lots of hindsight. In this situation, so do I. If you do your pre-readings for class you won’t look or feel lost; confidence is half the battle: how will you ever feel good about learning if you haven’t applied yourself to your end of the bargain? Finish some papers early and the benefits are amazing. You’re less stressed and you have more time for refining it into work you can be proud of. My roommate created a clever schedule of his papers and dispersed them throughout the semester, successfully avoiding any all-nighters. Every percent actually counts. I didn’t graduate with distinction, but knowing I could have was a bit of a sore spot on graduation day; a mistake I won’t make again if I take further education.
Lastly, don’t give into the tendency to take your environment for granted. Look around – life is beautiful. Don’t allow yourself to complain: you have the most freedom you’ve had in your life up until this point, hopefully you’re studying something you’re interested in, and you’re part of the world’s 2% most privileged demographic. Keep perspective!
Have a blast. I look forward to hearing some stories one day.
Recommended classes:
The beauty of TWU is its liberal arts approach. You get to take a smattering of great electives!
POLS 101 – Intro to Political Thinking (Cal Townsend)
SOC 101 – Intro to Sociology (Gordon Chutter)
RELS 102 – New Testament (“RELS 102 with Kent Clarke changed everything for me.” – Jonathan Gibson) Prepare to have your faith cross-examined by a professor who won’t let you take your beliefs lightly.
ENG ___ (Holly Nelson / Lynn Szabo). The entire English faculty are world-class. Plus, they teach you how to write well, which pays off in every other course you will ever take, and for the rest of your life.
RELS 465 – Christian Thinkers of the Western Tradition (Cal Townsend)
HIST 403 – Engendered History (Robynne Healey). All the history professors at TWU are outstanding. You will have your eyes opened to the world like never before.
BUSI 280, 342, 377 (recommended by Business Administration student Jeremy Cockrill) I (Craig) didn’t take business, but I really wish I had.
Anchor Guitar Studio, Vancouver
Anchor Guitar Studio: Home of an inventory of Sparrow Guitars and the new Anchor Guitar line. All guitars are assembled and set up in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Anchor Guitar Studio manufactures guitars, carries guitar parts and has a full in-house repair shop. The studio also supports the local Vancouver arts community. They are involved in music, photography, design, and film projects.
Located in the heart of Railtown Vancouver, the Anchor Guitar Studio was born out of a love for music, guitars, and community. We are a shop who values quality in all areas. The Studio is a place where you can check out some guitars, get your guitar repaired, play some music, or collaborate on a creative project.
Created in 2010, the Anchor Guitar Studio focuses on the highest quality products. Every guitar is handcrafted in Canada, and built with a high commitment to quality. Our guitars boast unbeatable tone, superior cosmetic appeal and playability second to none. You will cherish your Anchor Guitar for years.
We have an inventory of Sparrow guitars that are finished, assembled and set-up in our workshop. We have also been manufacturing a line of jr’s and teles that are built from the ground up. Each one is constructed here in Vancouver.
EMAIL:
info@anchorguitars.com
TELEPHONE:
604-558-4728
ADDRESS:
103-339 Railway Street, Vancouver, B.C.
Plus, they have the most amazing shirts: I’m sportin’ one… you should consider it too. (Pictures courtesy of Anchor Guitar Studio)
Brocken Spectre @ Converge Magazine Social
Brocken Spectre (Colin Ablitt, Nic Campbell, Colin Campbell, Scott Bjerkness) played our Converge Magazine social on Saturday, June 2, at the gorgeous Five Stones Church in New Westminster (exposed brick, hardwood floors, right on the river).
Playing an unfamiliar venue to a largely-unfamiliar crowd can be a big challenge. Being a social event with appetizers aplenty and drinks flowing, everyone is already pretty chatty. But halfway through their first song, “Parallel Dances“, something magical happened. A stillness was setting over the room; everyone was tuning in. A couple minutes later, and a big round of applause for a band that barely anyone in the room knew (yet).
Brocken Spectre will be playing a show with In Contra and Aida Saturday, June 16 at the Southside Community Church venue. Doors open at 6:39. Tickets are well-worth it at $10.
1st Annual Converge Magazine Social
I’ve been thrilled to write for Converge Magazine since its inaugural issue last year. It brings creative people together as we document, applaud, and critique events and trends in fashion, the arts, entertainment, and the world at large, and has been a great way to meet people.
I know some of my blog readers, but many of you are anonymous. Nonetheless, I want to extend a warm invitation to all readers of my blog, if you are in the Vancouver area, to come to our social. Tickets and RSVP at the Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/326242700781344/
Hope to see you there.
Jonathan Inc. – The Greatest Songs I Never Wrote
Langley dream-folk-rocker Jonathan Inc. released a new covers album this past Friday, April 20.
Stream or download the entire “beard-core” tracklist for free at his Bandcamp page (click the link).
Russ Rosen @ Granville Island Backstage Lounge
The Russ Rosen Band is playing April 22 at Backstage Lounge on Granville Island. Doors at 7:00 pm.
Opening up the evening is the amazing reggae/dancehall/gospel artist Ezra Kwizera.
Come for the afternoon and enjoy all that Granville Island has to offer. Then settle in for an evening of story and song from Russ’s new recording “Waiting For Abraham” with musicians Brett Ziegler, Chad Bjorgan and Jonathan Perkins.
Tickets $8.00 or $20 with a CD.
Facebook event link: http://www.facebook.com/events/329673780419492/
Ezra Kwizera
Russ Rosen Band Event Poster
Upcoming film: Underneath The Ash Tree (Chris Nash, Vancouver)
Right after checking out the profile of an upcoming independent film, “Underneath The Ash Tree”, that focuses on the theme of family, today I had the good fortune to run into its director, Chris Nash, at the lovely Water Shed Arts Cafe in Langley, BC . We talked about his upcoming project and I was left with the deep longing to help this exciting project in some way. Chris and his team are trying to raise $15,000 by the end of April so that they can make the project happen by Summer 2012. The plan is to begin filming in June.
I will be doing my part by interviewing Chris and Jacqui (production director) to talk to them about the exciting and fearsome aspects of undertaking a milestone project like this.
Interview with Chris and Jacqui. Filmed by Rosanna Peng. Interview by Craig Ketchum:
It doesn’t end there. You, reader, are invited to participate in making the film happen. Auditions are March 14 and 17 in Vancouver. People and businesses are volunteering services and resources. If you donate to the Kickstarter project, you can even get your name in the credits! Read more below.
Here is what Chris says about the film on the website, Underneath The Ash Tree:
The title of this film is a bit of a misnomer. It is derived from my name (Nash), which literally means ‘at the ash tree.’ However, unlike the characters in this film, I come from a very strong, stable and un-dramatic family. Impassioned outbursts are a rarity in our clan and risky ventures are usually suppressed. So when I decided to explore the concept of ‘family’, I branched away from my own experience in search of something darker and grittier, but nonetheless real.
For seven years I studied countless cracked and crumbling relationships, devoid of hope, and I sought to immortalize them on film. At long last I have finally chiseled four fragile people – two young couples – and called them a family, in the sense that all they have is each other and they are inescapably intertwined.
Some people are lucky enough to be born into a family. For others it is a rite of passage. Regardless, the strongest bonds are forged in the fires of love and bloodshed, so I have stripped this quartet of all the comforts that allowed me to grow up healthy and safe. They are neither strong nor stable. They have no guidance or community. On top of this hollow sagging earth I have infused heavy drama and risk, and here you have my film: Underneath the Ash Tree.
What lies underneath the facade of small town normalcy? How does desperation get pushed to the point of life-or-death? What do we crave most at our cores: Trust or Truth?
I hope you will join us as we explore these curious characters, trapped in situations they perceive to be inescapable and struggling to climb toward hope and redemption.
Thank you so much,
-Chris Nash, writer/director
Read more at www.underneaththeashtree.com
Find the Kickstarter fundraising project: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/underneaththeashtree/underneath-the-ash-tree
