2 Ladies Afternoon Art Society Cont'd Susan - ...realized we had a lot of the same interests. TJA - Like floorwax. Susan - Like decorating. TJA_ - And decorating. Cleaning? Would cleaning be... Sueanne - ...Oh definitely cleaning. Susanne - Before you decorate you need to clean. TJA~ -Isee. Sueanne - It’s integral. ...We could start by talking about our first project, TJA = -Which was? Sueanne - It was called "Free Consultation For Holiday Shoppers", and... TJA -...Is that the actual title of it? Sueanne - Yup. TJA_ - Okay. Sueanne - And that happened on December twenty-second, : ninety-eight, and we uh, we went to Pacific Center shopping mall, and we just offered people advice, and were generally helpful, in their time of need, because, you know, it’s a... Susan - ...busy time of year. Sueanne - Right. : TJA_ - It’s a stressful time of the year too. Did you find that a lot of people weren’t interested, or did you have a strategy in how you were going to do this piece? Sueanne - No. Susanne - Nope, generally if you’re friendly, people are friendly back. And we’ve had a lot of people who needed our help, you know. People couldn’t figure out what to get in their last-minute shopping, so we just wanted them to get the right gift, you know, no pressure. Because, you know, there’s pressuring things that happen at malls, right, and we just want ed to try and alleviate some of that pressure. Sueanne - And as well, there’s a lot of people working in the mall at that time and working very hard so we also went into certain stores and helped fold clothes. - ... This was a, there was not really a visual aspect to this piece though was there? Sueanne - How do you mean? TJA_ -I mean it was, it was mostly rooted in, in the fact that you were servicing people, in offering advice. Susan - We were in uniform though. Susanne - Yes. Susan - It’s important to look neat. Susanne - That’s very true. TJA = - Do you think the uniforms were important in bridg ing the gap between the group and, say, the audi ence viewers? TJA Sueanne - I wouldn’t call them audience or viewers. I would say they were... TJA_ -...shoppers. Let’s say ‘shoppers’. Susan - Just people who needed help. Just people. TJA_ - Do you feel that if you weren’t in uniform, that, maybe some of the shoppers may not have taken... Susan - ...Oh, we’d always be in uniform. TJA _— -You’d always be in uniform? Susan - Oh, yes. TJA -That’s integral to the Ladies? Sueanne - It’s very important. TJA _ -To offer a clean image? Sueanne — Well... Susan - ...to look tidy, you know. Sueanne - And to let people know that we’re working togeth er to help them. Susanne - Yeah, and there’s pockets in the uniform. Like, it’s very handy. Susan - Very practical. Susanne - Right! Practical. TJA_ - Okay, when you were in Pacific Center, and you were offering advice to these shoppers, it was really something that was occuring outside of the art com munity. You didn’t let anybody know about this, or did you? Sueanne - Art community? Susan - What art community? Susanne - Do you mean Susan’s watercolour class? TJA = - No, Im not talking about the watercolour class,... You did an issue of press releases, or did you... Susan - Press release? Isn’t that for, like a movie premiere or something important like that? - Would you say this was a spontaneous event? How long did it take to conceive the idea to do this? Susan - Oh, we thought about it very carefully. Sueanne - Yeah, we meet every Sunday, and we talked about how we could best help people during that time. Susan - Yes. Sueanne - And we thought about it for, for a long time, and... Susanne - That’s true. Sueanne - ...decided that this was the best way that we could help people. ...The people in the mall seemed real ly receptive. Susanne - They really liked us a lot. Susanne - They really liked us being there. At, at one point we sat in the information booth and, well, we had crowds of people coming up to us: asking for direc tions here, there, the mall hours, where Club TJA Monaco was, and, well, we were as helpful as we could possibly be. - At what point did you start advertising? Can I use that word? advertising your services? ...For instance this "Sticky and Sweet" on Robson and Hornby. Sueanne - We handed out invitations ahead of time. Susan - And we had some friends who were interested in coming. Sueanne - And we were handing out cupcakes, so, we want ed to hand out cupcakes to our friends as well. TJA = - What kind of cupcakes? All - Chocolate. Sueanne - Chocolate and... Susan - Vanilla. Custom iced. Sueanne - Each one. TJA TJA_ - Sprinkles? Sueanne - Some of them. Susan - Yeah. TJA = - Would you say your projects have become more focused since you first started doing your works? Susan - Focused? Sueanne - Oh, I think we’ve done a wide variety of projects. ...And they’ve all been different and very particular to each place that we do them. Susan - And I guess we always wanna make things look nice. That’s our purpose. Sueanne - Yeah, that’s right. ...And we’re always helpful. Susanne - That’s what being a Lady is all about, really. Being helpful. Susan - We like to help people, all the time. Sueanne - And to pretty things up. They kind of go together. Susanne - Being nice and making things look nice. Susan - You make people feel nice. Susanne - Or you help people make things look nice. Susan - Exactly. So that they can feel nice. The Ladies’ project, "A Lovely Makeover", runs at the Access gallery until the 9th of October. Previous projects by the Ladies’ Afternoon Art Society: "Sticky and Sweet" "Spring Collection" "Wallpaper Woodwards" "Free Consultation for Holiday Shoppers" Apr. 16, 1999 Mar. 3, 1999 Feb. 7, 1999 Dec. 22, 1998 Metamorphosis Rosa Quintana & Rachel by Wendy Hainstock My nose was pressed hard against the pane of memory, smudging oil over the body parts that lay beneath those drawings. I recall my own body; my eyes dance with her limbs and wear her masks. It is on these pages that she asks me to see her stories and to feel her relationships. Rachel questions the roles we have played, invisible strings tempting our wrists, swollen breasts pulling the ground closer to become folded bodies, childlike, playful. I remember how that feels. I see her reaching back into mem- ory through her shell while her soul pushes through her throat and strengthens her voice. 24 influx: Magazine October 1999 Brett @ the Grunt Opposite is Rosa painting magic into her lover, her father, her friends who hide beneath each animal. All of the paintings move and show me how easily friends could be made- how if I moved slightly forward, I might sense bal- ance. Although these pieces are reflections of two sepa- rate women’s lives, you cannot help but leave the gallery feel- ing as though you were still inside the picture. Getting the Corners @ Or Gallery by Sascha Yamashita Reid Shier, curator of the Or Gallery, has intro- duced the Vancouver art scene to a group of artists from Britain with the help of fellow curator Matthew Higgs. Matthew arrived in Vancouver with a single suitcase con- taining all the works to be displayed at the Or focusing on - contemporary British conceptual and minimalist art prac- tice. In this exhibition, entitled Gezting the Corners works are placed in and upon the gallery walls and floors creating an interesting manipulation of the gallery space. Most pieces are quite discreet, and minimal in size. Some use text - oth- ers, small, almost banal objects as sculptures. But all invari- ably reject the nature of more traditional presentation. The works allude to a reconsideration of the marginal settings in a gallery space. These works of art have been referred to as ‘corner works’ as they are less determined in a physical nature but interact with the viewer in a stealth-like manner. As the viewer seeks out his/her position in the gallery (or perhaps the works find the viewer first) it is inherent that Getting the Corners is at the forefront of contemporary art. Ladies Afternoon Art Society Cont'd ‘Susan realized we had a lot of the same interests. TIA - Like loorwax. Susan ~ Like decorating. TIA. - And decorating. Cleaning? Would cleaning be. Sueanne - ..Oh definitely cleaning, Susanne ~ Before you decorate you need to clean, TIA -Lsee. ‘Sueanne - I's integral. ..We could start by talking about our first project, TIA -Which was? ‘Sueanne - It was called "Free Consultation For Holiday ‘Shoppers’, and. = Okay. ‘Sueanne - And that happened on December twenty-second, ninety-cight, and we uh, we went to Pacific Center shopping mall, and we just offered people advice, ‘and were generally helpful, in their time of need, because, you know, isa Susan ..busy time of year ‘Sueanne - Right. ‘TIA. It’sa stressful time ofthe year too. Did you find that lot of people weren’t interested, oF did you have a strategy in how you were going to do this piece? ‘Sueanne - No. Susanne ~ Nope, generally if you're friendly, people are friendly back. And we've had a lot of people who needed our help, you know. People couldn't figure ‘out what to get in ther last-minute shopping, so we just wanted them to get the right gif, you know, no pressure. Because, you know, there's pressuring things that happen at malls, right, and we just want ed to ty and alleviate some of that pressure, Sueanne - And as wel, there's a lot of people working in the ‘mall at that time and working very hard so we also ‘went into certain stores and helped fold clothes, ‘This was a, there was not really a visual aspect to this piece though was there? ‘Sueanne - How do you mean? TIA ~Imean itwas, it was mostly rooted in, inthe fact that ‘you were servicing people, in offering advice. Susan -We were in uniform though, Susanne -Yes. Susan_ ~ It's important to look neat, ‘Susanne ~ That's very true. TIA ~Doyou think the uniforms were important in bridg ing the gap between the group and, say, the audi cence viewers? TA - ‘Sueanne - I wouldn't call them audience or viewers. [would say they were.. TIA ~...shoppers. Let's say ‘shoppers. Susan ~Just people who needed help. Just people. ‘TIA - Do you feel that if you weren't in uniform, that, ‘maybe some of the shoppers may not have taken... Susan. ~...Oh, we'd always be in uniform, TIA. -You'd always be in uniform? ‘Susan Ob, yes, ‘TIA -That’s integral to the Ladies? ‘Sueanne - Ie’ very important. TIA ~To offera clean image? Sueanne - Well... Susan_ =...t0 look tid, you know. ‘Sueanne - And to let people know that we're working togeth er to help them. Susanne -Yeah, and there's pockets in the uniform. Like, it's very handy. Susan_ =Very practical Susanne - Right! Practical ‘TIA. - Okay, when you were in Pacific Center, and you were ‘offering advice to these shoppers, it was really ‘something that was occuring outside of the art com ‘munity: You didn't let anybody know about this, or did you? ‘Sueanne - Art community? Susan -What art community? Susanne - Do you mean Susan’s watercolour clas? TIA - No, 'm not talking about the watercolour class,..You did an isue of press releases, or did you. Susan. Press release? Isn't that for, ike a movie premiere or Something important like that? Would you say this was a spontancous event? How long did it take to conceive the idea to do this? ‘Susan Oh, we thought about it very carefully. ‘Sueanne -Yeah, we meet every Sunday, and we talked about hhow we could best help people during tha time, Susan -Yes. ‘Sueanne - And we thought about it for, for along time, and. Susanne - That's true. ‘Sueanne -...decided that this was the best way that we could help people. ..The people in the mall seemed real ly receptive Susanne They really liked us alot. Susanne - They really liked us being there. At, at one point ‘we satin the information booth and, well, we had crowds of people coming up to us: asking for direc tions here, there, the mall hours, where Club TIA ‘Monaco was, and, wel, we were as helpful as we ‘could possibly be. At what point did you start advertising? Can T use ‘that word? advertising your sevices?..For instance this "Sticky and Sweet" on Robson and Hornby. ‘Sueanne - We handed out invitations ahead of time, ‘Susan - And we had some friends who were interested in TA coming. ‘Sueanne - And we were handing out cupcakes, 0, we want ced to hand out cupcakes to our friends as well TIA -What kind of cupcakes? All ~ Chocolate Sueanne - Chocolate and, Susan. -Vanilla. Custom iced, Sueanne - Each one. TIA ~ Sprinkles? Sueanne = Some of them, Susan ~Yeah. TIA Would you say your projects have become more focused since you first started doing your works? ‘Susan - Focused? ‘Sueanne - Oh, I think we've done a wide variety of project. ‘And they've all been different and very particular to each place that we do them. ‘Susan - And T guess we always wanna make things look nice. ‘That's our purpose ‘Sueanne -Yeah, that’s right. ..And we're always helpful. ‘Susanne ~That’s what being a Lady is all about, really. Being helpful Susan -We like to help people, all the time, ‘Sueanne - And to pretty things up. They kind of go together. Susanne - Being nice and making things look nice, Susan -You make people feel nice Susanne - Or you help people make things look nice. Susan ~ Exactly. So that they can feel nice. ‘The Ladies’ project, "A Lovely Makeover" runs atthe Access gallery until the 9th of October. Previous projects by the Ladies’ Afternoon Art Society: Apr. 16,1999 "Sticky and Sweet” Mar. 3, 1999 "Spring Collection” Feb. 7, 1999 "Wallpaper Woodwards" Dec. 22, 1998 "Free Consultation for Holiday Shoppers" Metamorphosis Rosa Quintana & Rachel by Wendy Hainstock ‘My nose was pressed hard against the pane of ‘memory, smudging oil over the body parts that lay beneath those drawings. I recall my own body; my eyes dance with hher limbs and wear her masks. It is on these pages that she asks me to see her stories and to feel her relationships. Rachel questions the roles we have played, invisible strings tempting our wrists, swollen breasts pulling the ground closer to become folded bodies, childlike, playful. I remember how that feels. I see her reaching back into mem- ‘ory through her shell while her soul pushes through her throat and strengthens her voice. 24 influx: Magazine October 1999 Brett @ the Grunt Opposite is Rosa painting magic into her lover, her father, her friends who hide beneath each animal. All of the Paintings move and show me how easily friends could be ‘made- how if I moved slightly forward, I might sense bal- Although these pieces are reflections of two sepa rate women’s lives, ou cannot help but eave the gallery eel- ing as though you were sill inside the picture Getting the Corners @ Or Gallery by Sascha Yamashita, Reid Shier, curator of the Or Gallery, has intro- ‘duced the Vancouver art scene to a group of artists from Britain with the help of fellow curator Matthew Higgs. ‘Mathew arrived in Vancouver with a single suitcase con taining all the works to be displayed atthe Or focusing on contemporary British conceptual and minimalist art prac- tice. In this exhibition, entitled Getting the Corners works are placed in and upon the gallery walls and foors creating an interesting manipulation of the gallery space. Most pieces are quite discret, and minimal in size. Some use text = oth= ‘ers, small, almost banal objects as sculptures. Bu ll invari- ably reject the nature of more traditional presentation. The ‘works allude to a reconsideration of the marginal settings in a gallery space. These works of art have been referred t0 a8 “comer works’ as they are less determined ina physical nature but interact with the viewer in astealth-like manner. ‘As the viewer seeks out his/her position in the gallery (oF pethaps the works find the viewer first tis inherent that Getting the Corners is atthe forefront of contemporary ar.