Planet of the Arts SYLVIA DECLE Sylvia can be found next to the enigmatic “Studio X”, deep in the heart of the 2nd year Graphic Design area. She teaches and demonstrates much of the equipment integral to modern graphic design, including: the P.M.T. (Photo Mechanical Transfer) camera; the CR-Tronic typesetter; and the Chro- matec colour proofing system. While hoping that the department's equipment will be updated with advancing technology, she also hopes to retain the hand-set letter press equipment for production of hand-made carefully crafted books. Experienced in lay-out and paste-up and typesetting, publications are a natural extension for her talents. Sylvia came to E.C.C.A.D. two years ago to take on the position of Technical Assistant, much to the rellef of Richard Bidwell who at that time was the T.A. for both the Graphic Design and Media depart- ments. Since then the job has evolved into a 22- hour/week temporary position, though Syivia feels that to adequately accomodate student needs in such a rapidly expanding department requires someone (preferably herself) at a full-time perma- nent capacity. She is impressed with the dedication and level of output of students at E.C.C.A.D. and is happy to be here. As to her favorite dessert, warm apple strudel with ice cream will do all year, until the season for mince pie with hot brandy sauce arrives. RICHARD BIDWELL Richard accidentally began studying electronics at B.C.I.T, in 1964 when he signed up for the wrong course. His initial interest and ambition was to become a radio broadcast journalist. He notes that most radio broadcast journalists are Geminis, and wonders if he is perhaps tempting Fate with his eclectic electronic pursuits. These include: working for various T.V. stations (Kamloops and Vancouver, from 1966-68); ten years on the World Soundscape Project which explored the 20th Century phenomenon of environmental man-made noise pollution; development of the ComSat communication satellite which provides a technical link-up of medical in- formation to the South-Pacific islands; and ten years as the audio-visual electronics technician at the S.F.U. Communication Studies Department. Richard was also a student at S.F.U. from 1968-70 when he studied theatre and dance, attended sound workshops, and was actively involved in campus political life. Richard has lived on his sailboat “The Columbine” for over ten years.On a sailing trip to the Queen Charlotte Islands in 1978 the mechanical breakdown which occured seemed like a good enough reason to stay in Port Hardy for several years. While there Richard engaged in a variety of rugged B.C. frontier-type activities such as working as a wharfinger in Port Hardy, and spending months at sea aboard “ the Mighty Calistratus”, Canada’s only factory fishing ship. He also enjoyed a road construction job which afforded him the opportunity to blow things up with dynamite. Returning to Vancouver in 1981 Richard spent two years as chief engineer at Co-op Radio. He also applied for a job at Capilano College and, on the advice of a friend he bumped into on Granville Island, dropped off an application at ECCAD as well. Months later he © received a phone message that an interview had been scheduled “at the college”, to which he eagerly responded by showing up precisely on time at the wrong institution. Somehow through it all he became our Media Department studio assistant. Richard says he misses the punks who used to come through the doors of the college and feels that over the years students have become too conservative and less politically aware. Although he rarely eats dessert he does admit to a fondness for hot pecan pie with vanilla ice-cream. GARY COWARD One observation made while interviewing Gary was that he didn’t stop working once during the interview. He continued filling bags of plaster and programming the Foundation computer. This pretty well sums up his role of T.A. in Foundation: diverse and demanding. Given Gary’s previous educational experience (MFA from Michigan and nine years of teaching experience at Concordia) he is more than qualified for the job. One of the reasons Gary is here is because of his belief in the importance of art education. It's a way of looking at the world, loose but inquisitive. “The objects of art are not necessarily the end products, but a result of a way of ordering one’s own perceptions. The production of art is equal to the freedom of thought and trying to maintain that freedom for as long as possible.” When asked about his own involvement in art Gary said it was difficult to work at something unless you have a clear block of time to do so. He does manage to be quite involved with the art scene and is currently organizing a show at the Pitt about Palestinian Art. There’s hardly enough space to print his many interesting and evocative statements in context so here is a running stream of Gary’s thought. Just glean what you will. . . “Idealism doesn’t get you very far in the real world but | still prefer it.” “All art is propaganda.” “You can’t play the role of being an artist.” “I go for sticky-buns.” Volume 3 Number 3 December 1987 N.S.C.A.D., an E.C.C.A.D. Halifacsimile celebrated its hundredth anniversary this year. It is Anna Leonowens, the Anna of “Anna and the King of prefer Deborah Kerr to Shirley Jones), and one of its past presidents was Arthur Lismer, a member of the Group of Seven, a group with which Emily Carr (the woman)has often been associated, but was never a part. ft NSCAD is in Halifax, the other parenthesis in the Canadian aside. Halifax is a small city boasting at least five universities and colleges, and is the eastern base for the Canadian Navy. Halifax was incorporated as a city in 1749. Itis a city with few art galleries but many bars, each of which has their respective clientele. historic buildings in the center of what was once the interiors of the C19 buildings. NSCAD played a vital tion to Halifax. : In my mind NSCAD had a reputation: it offered both an undergraduate degree and an MFA; many of our administration and faculty had been there; their + visiting artist program was formidable; and its tuition fees were twice as much as ECCAD's. There had to be t something there. | visited NSCAD at the beginning of November, while attending the University Arts Association of Canada annual general meeting, and had discussions with: my counterpart, Brian Maycock, the Chairman of the Foundation Department; Gary Kennedy, the President; and many of the students in the MFA program. | had hoped to find answers there to some of the issues | saw developing here. | found only surprises. The physical space was a shock: tight, enclosed studios connected by a labyrinthian series of hallways limitations this places on size and weight of student work were obvious. Negotiating even a medium size canvas, let alone the buckets of sand we often see here, up four flights of narrow stairs would effectively edit many types of work. ~— 2 GAIL CARNEY . B Gail identifies strongly with the dichotomies of Raw Primal Emotion v.s. Intellect, as embodied in the Incredible Hulk. Her motto: “Hulk...head...hurt... when...Hulk...try...think...”. Growing up in Calgary, Gail managed to restrain her inner Hulk long enough to earn a double-major | (printmaking and ceramics) B.F.A. from the Univer- sity of Calgary in 1974, after which she spent the summer studying pottery at the Archie Bray Foundation in Montana. In 1977 she moved from Calgary and enrolled in the Vancouver School of Art, where she studied printmaking and lithography with Bob Evermon. She ran the Burnaby Art Gallery’s ceramic studio from 1978-83 after which she returned to E.C.C.A.D to become the studio assistant in the ceramic department. She believes that art is a product of discontent or yearning. She writes and draws constantly, and in keeping with her life-long habit of “secretive expression” she has no desire to mount shows of her work. Her latest idea is for a staff show called: What’s Your Hobby? Some of her own hobbies have included the study of geology maps, trees, wine-tasting (/ots of fun, she says) , and the beading and decorating of baking soda boxes. Her “significant other” is a 1966 Volvo station wagon named Rhino. She wishes she had twice as much energy. She also wishes she had more time, and plans a summer’s leave of absence to catch up on her own ceramic work. She loves to garden. Gail says she is happy as a studio assistant and would not want to be an instructor as she would then have to grade students. She feels the Coilege would be improved with more cross-over activity between departments; she notices the absence of the painters and misses them a lot. Her favorite dessert is homemade peach-and- blueberry crumble with strawberry ice-cream (it must be Haagen Dasz). @ & associated with myth and history. One of its founders is Siam’ (or “The King and |", depending on whether you The College moved to its present locale, renovated city, in 1972, restoring the exteriors and maintaining the role in the city: the Arts had made a significant contribu- and staircases that only the initiated can navigate. The @ === V/A MP UF \ Conclusion: | had new respect for our physical spaces at the College. NSCAD does not give letter grade marks, except for its academic or design programs. Students are awarded either Credit or Non-Credit for their courses. Instructors, however, have a traditional means in which they write lengthy criticisms, observations or sugges- tions to the students. Each student receives these comments along with C or NC. It seems to work. Would it work here? | don’t know. It must be acceptable to the Colleges with which NSCAD is associated. Conclusion: A committee to investigate the marks structure at ECCAD will soon be struck. The Foundation Department at NSCAD is only one semester in length with an, as yet, unclear constituency of courses to take. Students who enter in Foundation in the Fall begin second-level courses in January, and another 70 students,(and the same Faculty) begin the Foundation program anew. The students are impatient to “get on with it” and seem to see Foundation as something to get done and be over. The department has between 60 and 90 students, two classrooms, no budget, a sincere comittment from some instructors and resistance from others to change. Conclusion: The Foundation department at NSCAD is working to our model, of one year in length, with prescribed basic courses in the second semester. There seems to be no concern about years. A student (after Foundation) is not in 1st, 2nd,3rd,or 4th year. Students can choose a variety of courses and credits at various levels of introductory, intermediate or’ senior levels and need not specialize. (An ex-ECCAD student, Andrew Carlisle, didn’t even know what year he was in.) Conclusion: Emily Carr seems to emphasize specialization and hierarchy. NSCAD had a Faculty strike last year (1986) and is currently in non-binding arbitration trying to resolve an issue which may lead to another strike. The school has definite politics. The impending strike, the '86 strike, and it's aftermath, all affect the college community in a way which will not be resolved for many years. Conclusion: An art school is a small community which can have many secrets and uncertainties, mistrusts, and by its nature, ambiguities. Important issues must be clearly articulated and discussed before actions based on emotional reactions are undertaken. Lastly, NSCAD offers degrees: a BFA or an MFA. | realized two things in Halifax: our school offers more opportunities, better facilities, less concern with who's who, less concern with style. | believe that our diploma program students make work that is equal, if not better, than that which | saw at NSCAD. The diploma here has value, and that value rests with what is learned, what has been done. Reluctantly, | came to admit that if one is interested in being acknowledged as part of the network of artists and issues in the contemporary Canadian art scene, if one is interested in speaking about personal or political issues about art-making, interested in teaching at some time, or even being accepted for conversation at an informal reception that is art-related, an MFA seems to me a pre-requisite. NSCAD offers an MFA. Conclusion: A degree program at the College has both positive and negative sides. However, if the students graduating from Emily Carr College of Art and Design are to have a small foothold in the Canadian art scene, | think it is not the undergraduate BFA degree that should be offered, but a Graduate program with an MFA degree that could be pursued. We have a school which consistently demonstrates the quality of its students. An MFA would allow them, and others who would be attracted here, to receive that recognition for themselves and this College. John Wertschek Foundation Chair PS. | was very happy to come back here. It is cold in Halifax in the Fall. @ Planet of the Arts ‘SYLVIA DECLE ‘Sylvia can be found next tothe enigmatic “Studio 1X", doop In the hear ofthe 2nd year Graphic Design area, She eaches and demonstrates much ofthe scclopent niga coder aap ela, ‘PALT. (Photo Mechenleal Transfer) ont Tene penta and he Ge ‘ypesetting, publications area natural extension for her talents. ‘Sylvia came to E.C.C-AD. two years ago to take on the postion of Technical Assistant, much to the tell of Richard Bidwell who at that time was the ‘TAL for both the Graphle Design and Meda dopart- ‘mont Since then the job has evolved Into a 22- urea emprar poston, though Syivi fele ;Seomodate student {and level of output of students at EC.C-A.. and is happy to be here. ‘As to her favorite dessert, warm appl strudel with {icecream will do all year, until the season for mince ‘lo with hot brandy sauce arrives, RICHARD BIDWELL. Fichard acidontaly bogan studying elocronics at .C.T n 1964 when he signed up forthe wrong ‘course: His inal intrest and ambiion was to bocome a fado broadcast joumalst He notes that most ado ‘roadeast jouralists are Gomis, and wonders it ho is perhaps tompng Fate wit his eclectic eloconic pursuits. These include: working for various TLV. stations {(amloops and Vancouver, trom 1968-68); ten yoars on the World Soundscape Project which explored the 20) ‘Cantu phonomonon of envitenmental man-made noise pollaion; development ofthe Comat communication. Satelite which provides tchnicalnk-up of modal in formation tothe South Paci lands; and ton yoare a ‘he audovisual ocronies technician at tho SFU. Communicaton Studies Department. Fichard was also a Sodert at SFU. from 1968-70 whon he studied theatre ‘and dance, atnded sound workshops, and was actively Involved in campus potica if, "chard as ved on bis eaiboat “The Columbine” for over ton years On a saling bp tothe Quoen CCharoto Islands in 1078 the mocharical breakown, which occured seomod ke a good enough reason fo ‘Say n Port Hardy for soveral yoars. Who there Richard ‘engaged in a vanety of rugged B.C. tontier-ype ‘actvites such as working asa wharinger in Port Hardy, ‘and sponding months at sea aboard the Mighty Calista, Canada's only factor fehig ship. Ho also ‘enjoyed a road consructon job which afforded tim the ‘opportunity to blow things Up with damit turing to Vancouvorin 1981 Picard spont wo years a chet engineor at Co-op Rac. Ho also applied for ajob at Capilano Callege and, onthe advice of a fond he bumped into on Granville Iland, cropped of ‘an application at ECCAD as wall Months later bo ‘received a phone message that an intrview had been scheduled “alte colege’ o which he eagery responded by showing up predea on meat he wrong ‘Somehow through itll he became our Media Deparment tudo asus ichard says bo misses the punks who used ‘come trough tho doors ol tho callago and foo that ‘over the years students have become too conservative ‘and less potcaly aware ‘Altough e rary eats dossort ho doos admit 0 a ones for hot pocan pr with vanilla icecream. GARY COWARD One observation made while Interviewing Gary ‘was that he didn't stop working once during the Interview. He continued filing bags of plaster and Ergpranming the Foundation comput. Tle prety ime up his role of T.A. In Foundation: dverse Tha demanding, Given Gary's previous educations ‘peinca (FA tom Mlehigan and nie years of way of looking The object products, but result of perceptions. The prodi ‘of ordering one's own ona artis equa tothe maintain that When asked about his own Involvement in at Gary sald twas difcult to work at something tunloes you have a clear block of time to do 60. He {does manage to be quite Involved with th Volume 3 Number 3 December 1987 N.S.C.A.D., an E.C.C.A.D. Halifacsimile hae Tho Nova Seota Cotego of At and Design Fcolebratd ts hundrcthanevorsary tis yoo is Stzocatd wih myth and history. Gne of ounces is }} ana Lecnewens, th Ana ona ado King of Stam’ (or"The King and, depending on whether you prefer Deborah Kor to Shey Jone), and one ot ast reson was Arbur ismar, a mamboro tho ‘Group of Savon group wit which Emily Carr (bo \womr)has an been associat, but was never a = — oe cashmere te, pee epee eg ot fame Stig en am Siemans econ esate cae wed aloe prt wring ionresat., Sheeran Servagy Spe a arus Ss eeea weedeat tet sorte attend weet Soe ee, Seen ena eres seseaneeee eee See Sa semecne eee {sues | saw developing here | found only surprises. “The physical space was a shock: toh, enclosed studios connocted by alabyrinitian series of halways ‘and staircases that only the inated can navigate. The Fmtatons thi places on size and woight of studont ‘work wore obvious. Negotiating oven a medium size ‘canvas, lot lone the bucks a sand we often seo foro, up fou ighs of narrow stairs would ffoctvely PPh GAIL CARNEY t t J) PPh hoped fod anor hereto same a be t 3 Gall identifies strongly withthe dichotomies of Raw Primal Emotion vs. intellect, as embodied in the Incredible Hulk. Her motto: "Hulk-.head..hurt.. when... tythink.." Growing up in Calgary, Gall managed to restrain her Inner Hulk ong enough to earn a double-malor (Printmaking and ceramics) BFA. trom the Univer- sity of Calgary In 1974, after which she spent the ‘summer studying potery atthe Archle Bray Foundation in Montana. In 1977 she moved from (Calgary and enroed in the Vancouver Schoo! of Art, Whore she studied printmaking end lthography with ‘Bob Evermon. She ran the Bumaby Art Cceramie studlo from 1978-85 after which she we constaiiy, and in keeping wt ub of cera expreeeon” she tmount shows of her work Hor atest ideal for tall show called: What's Your Hobby? Some of her own hobble have Included the ‘Slay of geology maps tees wineteting ots of {in, she ays), tnd the Beading and decorating of baking ode boxes: Hor sigan other a8 068 ‘Volvo tation wagon nemed Rhino, Sho wishes she had twice as much energy. Sho also wishes sh had ‘more timo, and plans 8 summer's leave of absenew {o catch up on hor own ceremic work, Sho loves to ‘would nat want tobe an instructor as she would then have to grade students. Sho feels the College ‘would be improved with more cross-over activity ‘between departments; she notices the absence of S Conclusion: !had new respect for our physica ‘paces atthe College. TNSCAD dovs not give ltor grade marks, excopt forits academic or design programs. Students are awarded either Croat of Non- Croat for oi coureos. Instuctors, howover, havo a adtional moans in which they write lengthy crcisms, observations or sugg9s- tions t he stidonts, Each student receives thoes comments along with Cor NO. It sms to work Would inwork hore? I don't know. It must bo accoptabio tothe CCologes with which NSCAD is assocatod, ‘Conclusion: A committee to Investigate the ‘marks structure at ECCAD will soon be struck. “Tho Foundaton Dopartment at NSCAD is oly ono ‘somestor in length wih an, as yet, unclear constituency ‘of couraos to take. Stusonis who enor in Foundation the Fall bgin second-level courses in January and ‘anothor 70 students (and the same Faculty) bogin tho Foundation program anew. Tho students aro impatont ‘gat on witht and seem to se Foundation as someting 10 got done and be over. Tho dopariment has betwoon 6 ‘and 90 students, two castrooms, no budget @ sincere ‘omitment from some instructor and esstance from ‘others to change. ‘Conclusion: The Foundation department at [NSCAD Is working to our model, of ene year In length, with presetibed basle courses Inthe second somesier. “There ems tobe no concern about years. A student (ator Foundation) is natin Tst, 2nd, Srjor ath Year. Sudonts ean choose a varity of courses and ‘ods at various ovis of intedvetory, intermediate or soniorloels and neod net specialize. (An ex ECCAD student, Andrew Carislo, cit even know what yoar ho ‘was in) Conclusion: Emily Carr seems to emphasize specialization and hierarchy. 'NSCAD had a Faculystiko last year (1986) and is, ‘current in non-binding arbiraton tying to resolve an Issue which may load ¥ anothor stk. The school has ‘efit poiics. Th impending stk, tho"86 stiko, and its aftormath, al affect tho cologo community in away ‘which wil not bo resolved for many years. ‘Conclualon: An art schoo! Is'a small community ‘which can have many secrets and uncertainties, mstrusts, and by its nature, ambiguities. Imporiant Issues must be clearly aculated and discussed before actions based on emotional reactions are ‘undertaken. {asty, NSCAD offors dogroes:a BFA or an MFA. 1 realized wo tings in Halftax: our school offers more ‘opportunites, botr facies, less concor with who's ‘tho, loss concom with style | bolo that our diploma. ‘rogram students mako work that sequal, inet betor, than that which | saw at NSCAD. The diploma horo has ‘ave, and that value rete with whats leamed, what as boon done. Reluctantly, came to admit hati ne Is intrested in boing acknowlodgod as part of to network ‘of arts and ius in tho contomporary Canadian at Scone, if ona intorostod in speaking about personal or potical issues about art-making, intrested in teaching at ome timo, oF even being accopted for convorsaton at an informal rocopton thats artlated, an MFA sooms to ‘me a pro-oquiste. NSCAD offers an MFA, ‘Conclusion: A degree program at the College has both postive and negative sides. However students graduating from Emily Cerr College land Design are to have a small foothold inthe ene, think I isnot the undergraduate [BFA dogree that should be offered, but a Graduate program with an MFA degree that could be pursued. We have a school which consistently demonstrates ‘the quality of ite students. An MFA would allow them, ‘thers whe would be attracted here, to receive ‘that recognition for themselves and thie College. John wertschek Foundatien Chait PS. | was vry happy to come back here. It is cld in Haltaxin the Fal @