Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Art show at General 54:
Shane Watt/Parlour Treats



Just to let you know that we are switching the art at the General.
And that means, it’s time for a party!

The new show is a split show for imaginary-map maker Shane Watt and interdisciplinary sister act Parlour Treats.

We are launching it all with a vernissage Thurday August 7pm. As usual there will be drinks, intriguing conversation and cake by Cocoa Local (good god I’ve missed their cupcakes! )

As is verni tradtion, we will be offering 10% off everything in the store.


Parlour Treats
Strawberry Hats, They will protect

Myspace.com/parlourtreats

Parlour Treats is multidisciplinary art collective invented by Sisters Jasa Baka and Tyr Jami. They make clothing and costumes, photography and performances together. Jasa writes and designs narratives while Tyr performs and contributes written material. They take turns behind the camera. Other projects of theirs are Pebble Beach and Twin Party.

Strawberry Hats, They will protect you began as a coloring book of Jasa's drawings which then turned into a puppet show of the images projected onto performers with overhead projector. The Winks as well as Aya Aikawa and Jasa wrote songs to accompany the narrative. The photos were taken to document the story and projections. The actors with projections on them give the drawn puppets dimension.



Shane Watt
Six Cites

Shane Watt is alive. He walks on two legs. He is currently investigating corners, angles, and spatial orientation in Montreal

I started making maps when I was 7 years old. My brother and I used to write our own Choose-Your-Own Adventure novels based on my maps. Little did I know that many years later I would be inspired to return to mapmaking. This is my way to escape into a world that's just like ours – but a kinder version. Why can't you have vast orchards in the middle of a city? Why are subdivisions - fragmented and false communities – so prevalent? Why can't you build within existing geography and historical structures?

These "six cities" are the document of my travels throughout Canada and the United States,the people, events and places are hidden in the geography....they are the street maps of my memories.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Nina and Electropura



Okay. Those of you who are by the store once in awhile will already have met my most excellent, most smilyest baby Nina (full name: Nina Mavis Heistek Littlefair). For the rest of you - this is yr formal introduction! She has her dad's eyes, ears, and hairline (I'm hoping I'm in there somewhere) and is ridiculously happy and easy to be around. We feel tremendously lucky. Nina is now 5 1/2 months old. I was inspired to take these pictures, by the amazing Lynn Van Gastel aka Electropura who brought in a new batch of old-timey styled baby hats and beautiful recycled baby dresses. We did a bit of an exchange for a couple of peices: I gave her some vintage fabric and clothing items from my travels which she made some of it into a hat and jacket for Nina. Most of the stuff tho pictured here is for sale in the store. She also has a line of pacifer clips ties, and onesies made from recycled t-shirts... perfect for baby showers, or for moms and dads looking for something a little more interesting than the usual Gap fare.