The Northern Gateway Pipeline Project is a tragedy to Canada, an absolute tragedy.
What is the proposition? To create a pipeline from Bruderheim, Alberta to Kitimat, British Columbia that sends crude oil to the international shipping port in Kitimat that can quickly, in a “streamlined fashion” get to the greedy Asian markets.
Taken directly from Pecha Kucha Night Vancouver‘s website: “Each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds each – giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame.”
Pecha Kucha is an event held in cities across the globe. You can see in the image below by the blue dots on the map how global it really is. Continue Reading →
Some of you may know her as a stencil artist, some of you may know her as a graffiti artist, some a dancer, and some of you will simply know her as the artist. All these combined, what do we have? A great person and an inspiration to nearly everyone within her reach; oh yes, she does reach far.
Me, as an observer, would define Indigo as a relentless worker who cannot say no. You can see it in her eyes (or hair)! It’s a drive that only people filled with life carry with them, like a little gerbil in a cage, tirelessly running on its little spin wheel. Time, location, hunger.. these are things that do not effect these types of people, and Indigo is definitely tested; starving artist she be.
Her artwork is graceful. You know the feeling you get when you watch an eagle soar through the air? Kinda like that. It just has a being, an existence to it. A natural essence that seems to say: “Yes, this is how it’s supposed to be, can’t you see?”
This artist is also an incredible writer. Read for yourself some of her blog posts. Her stories put you in places. I like those kind of stories, I like those kind of places, a realm of reality that you know exists there, or has existed in the past, but you’re just taking a break with a cup of tea right now on your dreaming to take you there.
One of her latest projects has been the wooden boxes and shelves that you see here. She touches on her thoughts of why she has started this project on her blog.
Indigo once told me when we were in discussion about stenciling (maybe illegally, maybe not): “It’s not just making the stencil cool, it’s about placement. You don’t just stick a little stencil in the middle of a giant wall, it just doesn’t fit.” These words just make sense for all art. Whether it’s stenciling on a wall, or in a collage, pasting onto a sign, dancing to a song, or painting on a canvas if it doesn’t fit, it’s not a proper piece. Yes, granted many artists push these boundaries to new levels that expand the mind to immeasurable heights, but you still look at it and go: “My that looks easy,” or: “My that fits there.” Her art fits there.
Her artwork is easily available through her Cargoh storefront, but I mention this because they have just created a artist bio video of her, thats simply brilliant.
One of her recent projects is curating an art show at Becker Galleries in Granville Island here in Vancouver, you can see a bit of what to expect with this video:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq6k_2djVZs&feature=player_embedded]
Her next venture is a 4week stint in South Africa where she will be part of many great projects that range from desert festival group paintings, to teaching youth the art of expression, to showing in a few galleries that you need to follow her blog to stay updated on!
Note: All photos are courtesy of the artist.
During the break I had a few months ago before University started again for the fall semester I made a trip around the south west of BC, then up to Prince George to see the family. I was in super adventure mode, and also super photo mode, so one day my brother and I packed up the dog and some food and headed out for a nice hike.
It was only supposed to take us an hour or less to get to the place, but it ended up taking a few hours cause we went to far, and then found another lake, and then stopped for photos (yes, I’m a pain) etc. Finally, after I think two phone calls home to figure out where the Blackwater Rd. was, we found it, and our destination.
We had no idea, both growing up and active in sports, that there was a ‘Sons of Norway Ski Club’ in Prince George, or that they had their own cross-country ski club. But alas, they do, or did. Maybe its been long since disbanded. The trail looked a little run down, and not maintained. Especially the drive in, no way in the winter time in PG that anybody could get in their, unless they were riding in on their sleds.
We hiked in a km or two, and got to the trail head where we began the hike. As shown in the photo of the map, we started where approximately where the winter parking was, and headed along the road along the bottom of the map. As you can see, the dot right after the summer parking location has been scratched out to show where one is when their reading the map. I guess its along the ‘summer trail’ indicated by the solid line.
Our destination was the Fraser River, so we went all the way there, down the bank and to the river bed. It was beautiful and it was nice to have company, a dog and a brother, to share it with.
Have you ever done this hike? Did you drive all the way into the summer parking lot? The road was drive-able, but we didn’t do it. The weather was perfect though!
All along the way there were signs explaining the forests, and the history of the region. One such sign described how the bears would go up against the trees and dig their claws in them. You can see the marks in the photo below. 
I found the BX one the most interesting, we used to live by the BX Pub, which I think was partially made from the old BX after it was retired..
Since the fall is upon us, I thought I’d take a minute to remind everybody of why we live in Vancouver, since were about to get a good 4-5 months of rain.
The place is Spanish Banks, just north of UBC land, and just west of Kitsilano Beach, a trendy hipster area of Vancouver. Spanish Banks are one of my favorite beaches in Vancouver for its not as popular of a spot as Kits is, so its less crowded and one can usually find a place to steak a claim easily.
Who else loves this area? I swim in this water!
