The Ontarion - 190.1

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190.1 | JANUARY 2021

THEONTARION.COM

Making magic: How the music industry is adjusting to COVID-19 Guelph's Renaissance Man: Andrew Craig Diary of a Vet Student: When frustration boils over

PAG E 14 – 2 6

ARTS ISSUE TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWS 3.

Zavitz Gallery shifts to online format

3.

U of G grad showcases talent during

Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto

4 & 5.

Making magic: How the music industry

is adjusting to COVID-19

6.

U of G entrepreneurship program gives

students management experience

7.

A year of COVID-19: Timeline

8.

ON the Radar

ARTS & CULTURE 9.

Advertising with winter-themed

trade cards

10 & 11. Creating in a time of COVID 12 & 13. Guelph's Renaissance man:

Andrew Craig

27.

Book review: The Night Piece

27.

Guelph MFA alumnus' debut hybrid

novel challenges Western tropes

28.

Celebrating Lewis Carroll and

Alice in Wonderland

29.

Green thumb Guelph: Expanding your

plant family

VISUAL ARTS 14.

Laura Löster

15.

Alexa Collette

15.

Emily Escoffery

16.

Emma Ongman

17.

Hannah Catanzaro

18 & 19. Vickie Martin

DOWNTOWN GUELPH

55 WYNDHAM ST. N 987 GORDON ST. (519) 763-5544 (519) 265-4552 OR SHOP ONLINE AT

The Ontarion Inc. University Centre Room 264 University of Guelph 50 Stone Road East Guelph ON, Canada N1G 2W1 ontarion@uoguelph.ca

Racquel Rowe

22.

Nicolas Buck

23.

Barbara Salsberg Mathews

EDITORIAL STAFF

24.

Going beyond traditional printmaking

25.

A bookbinding tutorial from

Editor-in-Chief Ellyse McGarr

a graphic designer

26.

A Poem for Winter 2020

31.

Diary of a Vet Student:

When frustration boils over

FUN STUFF 32.

January To-Do List

33 & 34. Fun Pages

Executive Director Aaron Jacklin

Vickie Martin Dana Share Hannah Catanzaro Lara Carleton Anne O’Keefe Rachel Fioret Laura Lőster Grace Bilger Emily Escoffery Barbara Salsberg Mathews Daisy Stewart Alexa Collette Mary Kroetsch Carleigh Cathcart Emma Ongman Racquel Rowe Justin LaGuff

Business Coordinator Lorrie Taylor

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

21.

Why we need art in a time of crisis

CONTRIBUTORS

Marketing Manager Patrick Sutherland

Grace Bilger

30.

OFFICE STAFF

Phone 519-824-4120 Editorial: x 58250 Advertising: x 58267 Accounts: x 53534

20.

OPINION

SOUTH GUELPH

Print Editor Taylor Pace Digital Editor Eleni Kopsaftis Staff Reporters Allan Sloan Taylor Pipe

Circulation Director Salvador Moran

President Heather Gilmore Chair of the Board Hannah Stewart Vice President Finance Alex Lefebvre Vice Preseident Communications OPEN POSITION Staff Representative Allan Sloan

PRODUCTION STAFF Multimedia Content Creator Nicolas Buck Graphic Designer Brubey Hu

DIRECTORS Tasha Falconer Kanza Shams Miguel Mabalay Anne O’Keefe

The Ontarion is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors. Since The Ontarion undertakes the publishing of student work, the opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of The Ontarion staff and Board of Directors. The Ontarion reserves the right to edit or refuse all material deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise unfit for publication as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. Material of any form appearing in this newspaper is copyrighted 2020 and cannot be reprinted without the approval of the Editor-in-Chief. The Ontarion retains the right of first publication on all material. In the event that an advertiser is not satisfied with an advertisement in the newspaper, they must notify The Ontarion within four working days of publication. The Ontarion will not be held responsible for advertising mistakes beyond the cost of advertisement. The Ontarion is printed by Hamilton Web Printing.

NEWS

THEONTARION.COM

4 & 5 | MUSIC INDUSTRY

6 | U OF G ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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7 | A YEAR OF COVID-19

Zavitz Gallery shifts to online format The student-run gallery will feature new online exhibitions each week during the winter semester TAYLOR PIPE

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student-run gallery has pivoted to an online platform to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. Zavitz Gallery is located in the School of Fine Art and Music (SOFAM) on the second floor of Zavitz Hall. The gallery offers students an opportunity to showcase the work created during their undergraduate and graduate programs. “The gallery pre-COVID was all about students physically engaging visitors, fellow students, and faculty in connecting

to their creative vision,” said gallery coordinator Mary Kroetsch in an email. The gallery would typically be open to the public from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and gave students the experience of planning and executing an art exhibition. “From establishing exhibition schedules to actually presenting work in the space, students are involved in the entire process of running the gallery,” said Emma Ongman, gallery coordinator. In addition to getting an impressive line on their re-

sume, the students gain great practical experience. “Exhibiting work in a gallery space not only allows the body of work to physically come together, but also connects artists to their community,” said Ongman. “It opens up conversations about how the art is working, helps artists decide what direction they want to go in, and creates a space for meeting other artists and making lifelong connections.” The first exhibition of the new year will take place the second week of January and will be

online like the exhibitions that took place during the fall semester. There will be new exhibitions online every week during the 2021 winter semester. “While COVID-19 dictates how we continue to exhibit art in this format for the winter 2021 semester,” Kroetsch said, “we envision that the Zavitz online gallery will continue to be an option for SOFAM students to gain exposure for their artistic endeavors moving forward.” In addition to showcasing the art online, the gallery has started

creating how-to videos giving advice through a Q&A segment. The gallery is adapting to the COVID-19 world we’ve come to know. Now, more than ever, it is important to get in touch with art. “Art allows us to examine what it means to be human, to voice and express, and to bring people and ideas together,” Kroetsch said. “The students at the University of Guelph offer an incredible pool of talent that can do this, not just for our campus community, but beyond.”

U of G grad showcases talent during Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto Louise Solomon creates jewellery and fashion rooted in Indigenous culture to educate and bring community together TAYLOR PIPE

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University of Guelph graduate showcased her creations during a virtual runway show as part of Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto’s (IFWTO) COVID-friendly showcase. Louise Solomon is an Ojibwe multimedia artist and fashion activist from Toronto. Her Indigenous community is Neyaashiinigmiing — Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and her Ojibwe name is Minowensetchketkwe, “she who brings out the good spirit.” Solomon is an arts graduate from U of G. She said her time at the university was a profound

experience that allowed her to explore herself and her culture. “When I attended university, it was a time in my life when I really started to understand what residential school was, and the traumas it induced in my entire community and family,” Solomon said in an email. “The residential school system wasn’t part of the curriculum at school and was also not talked about in my family, so being raised Catholic and then learning about the atrocities and inhuman actions perpetrated in these schools shook my entire paradigm. “A lot of my art during uni-

U of G arts grad Lousie Solomon was recently featured in the 2020 Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto event, which featured modern fashion created by Indigenous artists and designers. CREDIT: LOUISE SOLOMON

versity was dark and explored my own relationship with institutions like the Church and breaking away from that, turning inward and not relying on an outside voice for my own spirituality.” Driven by her passion for Indigenous art and culture, Solomon founded Hand of Solomon (HOS). She describes HOS as an “Indigenous jewellery company that focuses on high-end wearable art in the form of avant-garde attire and statement pieces.” Her jewellery draws inspiration from meaningful Indigenous raw materials, including: hair, claws, teeth, sweetgrass, and other organic mediums. Solomon said her goal “is to design statement art that not only is a reflection but also a reminder of how strong and sacred we are as Indigenous women, especially in the current Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Inquiry.” Solomon was recently featured in the 2020 IFWTO. The event, which ran from Nov. 26 – 29, featured modern fashion created by Indigenous artists and designers. The works ranged from high fashion to athleisure. “It’s very focused on the community and creators,” said Sage Paul, artistic director of IFWTO. “I think that’s what separates Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto from other fashion weeks. It’s centered around the community and the work that our community is creating.”

Solomon founded Indigenous jewellery company Hand of Solomon (HOS), which contains high-end wearable art pieces. CREDIT: LOUISE SOLOMON

Typically the event would have live runway shows, a marketplace, panel discussions and hands-on workshops. However, COVID-19 restrictions led to a more creative and safe way to enjoy Indigenous fashion. “We produced four runway shows,” Paul said. “We brought together film, fashion, theatre and dance. It was kind of like a clash of titans bringing this together all with a single vision of creating a runway film focused on fashion.” Solomon was featured as the final designer during the Tu Gh'eh Tl'e'th Streams runway film. The film features conceptual fashion that expresses connection with the land. Paul said the pieces are also based around connection to culture and ancestry. “There are dozens of nations being represented,” Paul said. “You really get to see a nice range

of Indigenous culture.” Solomon said that having events like IFWTO is an important step for Indigenous culture to become mainstream. “I feel like we’re overlooked in the mainstream fashion industry, and Indigenous representation is still most often commodified or tokenized,” said Solomon. “I think this can change by educating people about our history, our oppression, our beautiful dynamic and vibrant living culture.” Solomon said she feels most strongly about educating and inspiring youth through fashion as a medium for storytelling. “I want young Indigenous peoples to see themselves in my art, see how they can express themselves, and see how they can push forward in fashion and art while still being respectful to our roots and teachings,” Solomon said.

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THE ONTARION

Co-owner of Side Door Dan Mangan plays for a Zoom audience in spring 2020 CREDIT: MARK BUSSE

Making magic: How the music industry is adjusting to COVID-19 In live music’s most grueling year to date, artists and venues turn to streaming TAYLOR PACE t’s no secret that the gig economy has been one of the many sectors severely impacted by the pandemic. Local bars, venues, and musicians have been forced to adapt and find innovative ways to continue live shows. One local bar in downtown Guelph, Sip Club, has been continuously making adjustments so that they can provide live music. On Nov. 26, they hosted musician Mike Todd to a sparse group of patrons. Despite it being the end of November, the back patio was still open, warmed with industrial heaters, and had windows facing inside, offering a near front-row view of the stage. The stage had been converted into what looked like a clear box for the musician to play in, separated from the audience with sheets of plastic that hung from the ceiling. The patio was also enclosed, separated from the

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outside streets by more hanging sheets of plastic.

Live music is such a hard thing to keep going, but it's such an important part of our culture. It can unite people. — Dewey, co-owner of Sip Club Besides the significantly smaller crowd and the plastic, the live show experience appeared relatively unchanged from an audience perspective. For musicians, however, many changes have taken place beyond the stage which have had a huge impact on their livelihoods.

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), the global music industry is worth over $50 billion, with live music making up over 50 per cent of total revenues. Many big names have been forced to cancel or postpone major tours since the pandemic began last March (Green Day, Celine Dion, Glorious Sons, Neil Young — to name a few), but local musicians across the country have arguably been hit the hardest. I Lost My Gig Canada, an organization created for freelance and gig economy workers to share their stories in response to the pandemic, has been conducting an ongoing survey to assess how many gigs have been lost because of COVID-19. Between March 30 and Aug. 15, with just over 1,000 respondents, the organization found that around 35 gigs per person had been lost within a five month period. This amounted to an average lost income of $25,040 per person.

Part of this loss is likely attributed to the venue's inability to host events, or to pay musicians, as fewer patrons come in (at the time of writing, only 50 people were allowed indoors at restaurants and other businesses in Guelph). Todd, who has played regular gigs at places like The Duke of Wellington and Sip Club, decided to change his approach when he realized no one could afford to pay him to come in and play his music, saying that “pay what you can seemed to be the most reasonable option.” While it continues to be a financial struggle, Todd does think there is a positive side to using this method. “I get to learn more about where I’m at,” he told The Ontarion. “I get to see what people think [my music's] worth.” Todd added that using this method hasn’t put him at odds with venue owners like it has in

the past. Before the pandemic, venue owners would negotiate about how much to pay him. “They’re just trying to make it work and support live music,” Todd said. This is exactly what co-owner John Dewey, who goes by Dewey, says Sip Club is trying to do. Before the pandemic, live music was a staple at the bar. Dewey says that at the beginning of the pandemic they cancelled a staggering

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ISSUE 190.1 | NEWS

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96 shows in two months. Always ready and willing to pivot and embrace change, Sip Club has been trying to do their best to adjust to the pandemic's restrictions while continuing to support live music. “Live music is such a hard thing to keep going, but it’s such an important part of our culture. It can unite people, ” he said, adding that it’s even more important for people to experience live music in times of crises, like the current pandemic. “There’s something very soothing and therapeutic about hearing live music.” Beyond rigorous sanitization practices, the alterations they have made include installing heaters on their back patio, and the aforementioned plastic sheets. They will also be installing vinyl strips, which Dewey says

are grotesquely called meat curtains, specifically because you can see through them, but they contain heat, helping to keep the patio warm. Each change the bar makes is backed by science after consulting with health officials, and his mom — who is conveniently an epidemiologist, he said. Dewey also said he was toying with the idea of having a band

play outside and streaming it inside the bar onto TVs and speakers. He’s not alone in this idea. WEF predicts the pandemic will accelerate the importance of streaming as the music industry fights back “with new ways to monetize music consumption and innovative models,” citing a live rap concert that online video game platform Fortnite hosted back in April, which attracted around 30 million live viewers. Similarly, Side Door, an organization that helps musicians perform, host, and curate shows in communities across Canada, the U.S., Europe, and the UK, has embraced streaming online shows since the pandemic started. “Although our company was originally for in-person shows only, we quickly expanded to the online sphere, once gatherings became unsafe,” co-founder and

CEO Laura Simpson states on their website. “The gig economy is so dependent on traditional routes of finding your show, your audience, or funding,” Simpson told The Ontarion. Simpson believes the biggest change for those in the music industry relying on the gig economy is the mental shift that has to happen, to accept the situation, and embrace change. “I really noticed that when people were able and willing to adapt quickly, they were able to find their footing faster.” Determined to connect people through art, Simpson said they began experimenting with Zoom shows within a week of shutting down their live shows. Since then they have done over 600 shows. Simpson says that she doubted

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they could recreate the magic of a live show online, until she watched co-owner Dan Mangan play. “I just remember calling Dan after his first show with tears in my eyes because I was so moved by the experience,” she said. “Not that I hadn’t seen Dan perform before, but it was that I could see and be with the audience.” The response from musicians and attendees has been similar. “I’ve had artists tell me that we’re doing God’s work, and the audience tells us that it’s their saving grace when they tune into these shows because they feel really connected,” Simpson said. Side Door was founded in 2017, but the online platform was developed in 2019. The platform is free to use, and allows artists of any caliber to create an account and schedule shows. The only stipulation is that Side Door takes 10 per cent from the ticket commissions. However, the ticket prices are always determined by the artist.

I really noticed that when people were able and willing to adapt quickly, they were able to find their footing faster. — Laura Simpson, Side Door In 2019 they scheduled 244 shows. That number nearly tripled in 2020 to 642, causing ticket sales to increase by over 500 per cent, which Simpson says can largely be attributed to the pandemic increasing the demand for online events. As a growing company, this is of course good news for them, but it also means that all the artists they’ve worked with have experienced that growth as well. In Guelph, the Guelph Arts Council has responded to the pandemic by shifting many of their programs online, launching a digital cultural hub for the arts community, and providing resources for artist’s immediate well-being and income-rebuilding strategies. A detailed account of their response can be found on their website: guelpharts.ca/news

Mike Todd played the Sip Club on Nov. 26, separated from the audience by sheets of clear plastic hung from the ceiling. CREDIT: TAYLOR PACE

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THE ONTARION

U of G entrepreneurship program gives students management experience through virtual businesses Commerce students utilized U of G’s new management course to jumpstart their virtual business ventures

A spade card bottle opener that was previously for sale on Penta Beer Gadgets' Shopify store. CREDIT: PENTA BEER GADGETS

ELENI KOPSAFTIS

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nline student businesses from U of G’s new management course flourished amid new virtual learning methods during the fall 2020 semester. In August, the University announced a new entrepreneurship minor under the bachelor of commerce degree. According to a U of G news release, its purpose was to “bolster disciplines from across campus,” whether it be engineering or visual arts. The entrepreneurship degree also introduced the new fundamentals of entrepreneurship course — a required, 0.5 credit, second-year class for those pursuing the minor. The course description states that its students “will learn the theoretical concepts of entrepreneurship, use a variety of tools

A Thanos bottle opener that was previously for sale on Penta Beer Gadgets' Shopify store. CREDIT: PENTA BEER GADGETS

and framework to assess market opportunities and learn creative problem-solving techniques.” Customer discovery, risk assessment, and ethics are emphasized as core concepts of this class. Fundamentals of entrepreneurship, coded as MGMT*2500, was taught for the first time at U of G this past fall semester by Professor Felix Arndt who is also the John F. Wood Chair of Entrepreneurship in the department of management. “All of our students who take the course are, by definition, entrepreneurs because they do have to run a shop,” said Arndt in a U of G news release. “The business idea is totally theirs and they can come up with whatever they think will work.” The course ran remotely and had 65 students registered out of its 100 student capacity. Among them was Madison Koepke, who was chief content officer of the online beer product shop Penta Beer Gadgets (PBG). Koepke is pursuing a bachelor of commerce under the leadership and organizational management degree. She was tasked with running PBG’s social media and marketing when she and her classmates created the shop for the fundamentals of entrepreneurship course. “Operating an online store is not easy,” Koepke told The Ontarion. “As a team we had to learn the ins and outs of the Shopify stores and figure out how we would get our products from the website to the consumer. This meant along

with making bottle openers we had to figure out outsourcing and who we would source our other products from, as well as drop shipping to find the best way to get the products to the consumers.” Once the team got a handle on their business, Koepke said running the shop was just a matter of keeping up with orders, payments, advertisements, and new products. Shopify is a Canadian software service company that facilitates website creation, and it’s what the PBG team and other MGMT*2500 students used to power their websites. As part of their course requirements, the students in the fundamentals of entrepreneurship course were also responsible for applying course concepts to their operation. “This course has taught me a lot about analyzing, marketing, and advertising. When opening our shop we really had to know our target audience to figure out the best way to reach them. We learned how important advertising was and which forms of it were most effective,” said Koepke. PBG was inspired by university culture, so the team thought to make post-secondary students their target audience. Since one of the shoprunners had prior experience in making bottle openers, the idea to branch out into various beer gadgets for their business was “fitting.” Their website carried various bottle opener designs, such as the

key chain bottle opener, the wall mounted beer bottle opener, and a Thanos bottle opener inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Koepke stated that social media was a significant factor in running their shop successfully since the team was able to “utilize it and grow [the] shop without actually interacting with anyone” during COVID-19. “Running a business at any time, let alone [during] a pandemic, is not an easy task,” said Koepke. “We always wanted to be considerate to our target audience as we understand there is an extra financial burden many people are experiencing during these times. For this reason, we wanted to keep our products as cheap as we could to make them accessible.” When it was created, PBG’s online store received over 300 visits from all around the world, including Canada, the United States, Ireland, and Hong Kong. They ended up selling six orders, and all of the profits were donated to Movember, the global fundraising organization for men’s physical and mental health, which the PBG team was “happy to support.” Koepke stated that “we want to express our gratitude to not only the MGMT*2500 fall 2020 class but also to all of our consumers for liking, sharing and buying our products. We appreciate all the support to our business and [the Movember cause]!” PBG’s website is no longer running and the team has ceased operating the business. “Although

The business idea is totally theirs and they can come up with whatever they think will work. — Felix Arndt, U of G prof an amazing experience and opportunity, now that the assignment is over, we are each going our own way and focusing on our studies,” said Koepke. As of Dec. 16, the fundamentals of entrepreneurship is open for registration for the winter 2021 semester. It will be taught via the distance education format by assistant management Professor Cris Bravo Monge. So far, over 50 students have registered for the class. Here are some of the other fall semester MGMT*2500 businesses, which continue to operate online as of Dec. 16: Soft As Can Bee:  soft-as-can-bee. myshopify.com Wild Animal Co.:  shoppolarbear. myshopify.com

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THEONTARION.COM

DECEMBER 2019 On Dec. 31, the World Health Organization (WHO) was alerted to a cluster of pneumonia cases aris­ing in Wuhan, China, later identified to be caused by a novel coronavirus.

JANUARY 2020 The novel coronavirus situation was being monitored by Canada throughout the month, with signage, screening and warnings beginning around mid Janu­ary. On Jan. 22, the first case of novel coronavirus was reported in Toronto. A male, 56, travelled between Wuhan and Guangzhou before returning to Toron­ to. Testing and results were conducted in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Results were confirmed positive on Jan. 29. Dr. Teresa Tam, chief public health officer, said that while it may be rare, Canada is expected to have cas­es. On Jan. 30, the WHO declared novel coro­ navirus a “public health emergency of international concern.”

FEBRUARY 2020 Other countries around the world, like Australia, had begun closing their borders to China amid the growing health crisis. Canada, while beginning the return process of Canadian citizens from China, hadn’t felt the need to close its borders, as at this time, there were a total of four confirmed cases. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ar­ gued against restricting travel specifical­ ly from China stating that the sugges­ tion was inherently discriminatory. On Feb. 26, Minister of Health Patty Hajdu rec­ommended that citizens begin stocking supplies. However, this recommendation was met with criticism, as it was seen to be too vague and prompted other prob­lems.

MARCH 2020 On March 4, Prime Minister Trudeau created a cabinet committee dedicated to limiting the spread of novel coronavirus (now referred to as COVID-19). On March 11, Trudeau announced that there were plans in place for a $1B response fund, including funding to the WHO, a package to the provinces, as well as an additional fund to research of COVID-19 in Canada. Also, on March 11, the WHO declared COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic. Canada implemented the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to help people during the ongoing pandemic. Those eligible would receive a payment every four weeks, and be able to access the benefit from March 15, to Oct. 3, 2020. On March 16, Trudeau announced that travel restrictions were continuing to be discussed. In the meantime any international travel was routed through only four Canadian airports in order to “enhance the screening process” of those crossing the border.

On March 24, the Ontario Government ordered a mandatory shutdown of all non-essential businesses in order to curb the spread of COVID-19. Any Canadian currently outside of Canada was urged to come home, and those who were unable to due to illness or travel restrictions were given a $5000 stipend to support them until they could return. On March 30, Dr. Tam had changed her stance on masks, suggesting that those who were ill should be wearing a mask, but that it was still currently unnecessary for healthy individuals to do so.

APRIL 2020 Trudeau stated on April 2 that he was confident the pandemic restrictions would remain in place until at least July. On April 6, Trudeau announced additional aid to be added to CERB as there are “people who aren’t benefiting from [it] who probably should.” Also, Dr. Tam advised the use of masks on public transit in order to reduce the chance of respiratory droplets from landing on surfaces and people. She also offered suggestions to make masks at home, for those who could not acquire masks of their own. On April 10, the RCMP said that they were told to enforce the Quarantine Act despite the federal government’s unwillingness to enforce the Emergencies Act. Actions could see physical enforcement and fines of those suspected not to be following social distancing and health guidelines. On April 15, Trudeau warned against premature reopening of the economy, stating that Canada would be locked down for “many more weeks.” On April 28, it was revealed that 79 per cent of all deaths to date in Canada were linked to long-term care facilities. However, Trudeau urged Canadians not to “drop their guard” as the country began to show progress in combating the pandemic.

MAY 2020 On May 1, royal assent was granted to the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) which saw a monthly payment of $1,250 to students who could not work due to the pandemic. Throughout May, cases began to rise at an alarming rate compared to previous months. An outbreak in Alberta led to outbreaks in four provinces. Concerns over COVID-19 response spending began to surface. Parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux said that the federal debt could hit $1 trillion. Giroux also said it was possible that pandemic programs could cost “more than what the entire federal government spent last year on everything.” On May 19, Ontario began Phase One of its provincial reopening, and Premier Doug Ford was keen on letting Ontarians know that the reopening phases were more of a roadmap, rather than a schedule. Ford was insistent that he would follow the advice of health professionals on the situation.

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A year of COVID-19 An abridged timeline of the ‘what’ and ‘when’ of COVID-19 ALLAN SLOAN

JUNE 2020

OCTOBER 2020

On June 12, parts of Ontario were permitted to enter Phase 2 of the reopening plan. This included groups of 10 outdoors and five indoors, in places of worship, restaurant patios, and in barber shops. On June 18, Canada had passed 100,000 total confirmed cases of COVID-19. Canada’s total death toll on the same date was revealed to be 8,348.

Ontario reported 809 new cases, while Quebec confirmed 1,097 new cases. New Brunswick announced 20 new cases, 9 connected to care-home outbreaks. Manitoba saw 2 more deaths and 97 new cases. No additional lockdowns were put in place, and no new regions opened up.

JULY 2020 On July 17, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health issued a mandatory mask mandate for its population, the first city in the province to do so. On the same date, large portions of Ontario were permitted to enter Phase 3 of reopening with the exception of the Greater Toronto Area, and other larger metropolitan areas. Phase 3 included indoor dining in restaurants, live performing arts shows, and the reopening of movie theatres and playgrounds. A spike in COVID-19 cases occurred in several provinces as young people gathered in large groups ignoring many social distancing guidelines.

AUGUST 2020 Much of the country attempted to slowly reopen, cases in Ontario were slowly ticking upward, and more and more businesses were permitted to open under strict guidelines and restrictions.

SEPTEMBER 2020 After planning and consideration, schools were permitted to reopen for the regular school year on Sept. 8, under strict guidelines. On Sept. 23, Trudeau announced that Canada was facing a second wave of the pandemic. COVID-19 cases across the country continued to rise.

NOVEMBER 2020 On Nov. 3, Ontario introduced a new colour coded system response in order to better guard against the COVID-19 pandemic. The new colour coded system was designed to assess individual regions that may have differing needs from each other. Guelph was placed in Orange level, signifying intermediate measures. Talk of a vaccine had begun, with two candidates looking at nearing completion — one created by Pfizer and the other by Moderna. Both vaccines had an approximate 95% success rate at preventing infection. On Nov. 23, Toronto, and Peel regions were under the Grey colour code, and considered to be in lockdown.

DECEMBER 2020 On Dec. 7, Trudeau announced that the first 249,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine would arrive before the end of the year pending approval. On Dec. 9, the Government of Canada approved the Pfizer vaccine, guaranteeing 249,000 doses of the vaccine to be administered in December. Canada is expected to have 4 million doses by the end of March. On Dec. 14, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph region entered Red (control) level.

ENTERING JANUARY 2021 It’s important to remember that the pandemic is not over yet. While social distancing guidelines are in place for all of Ontario and Canada, it is important to remember your own due diligence. Masks are required in all indoor spaces, and groups are limited to 10. Stay safe and stay healthy.

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ON THE RADAR HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN THE PFIZER VACCINE WILL BE LIMITED AT FIRST, AND DOESN’T SIGNIFY THE END OF COVID-19

CLEAN MEAT TO BE SERVED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SINGAPORE For the very first time, lab-grown chicken meat developed by U.S. start-up Eat Just was approved for sale in Singapore on Dec. 1. Eat Just is an American company founded in 2011, and it typically manufactures and sells plant-based meat alternatives. However, the chicken protein that will be sold in an upcoming Singaporean restaurant is grown entirely from animal muscle cells that will be served as nuggets and priced as “premium chicken.” Elaine Siu, managing director of the Good Food Institute Asia Pacific, told the New York Times that this is the first time any country has approved a cultivated meat product like this. According to CBC News, Singapore hopes to increase the amount of food they produce for its city state, which currently sits at ten per cent, through high-tech farming and novel food production methods. This meat alternative is “still at a nascent stage given high production costs” said CBC News, and no specific dates have been released for when it will be available to patrons.

GUELPH REGION GOES RED Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph moved into the red-control zone of Ontario’s COVID-19 response framework on 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 14. The announcement was made by provincial minister of health Christine Elliot on Dec. 11. The “red” zone indicates that indoor gatherings are restricted to five people whereas outdoor gathering are limited to 25. The City of Guelph has closed arenas, pools, and indoor skating rinks completely. Meanwhile, outdoor rinks, stores, restaurants, bars, trails, parks, libraries, museums, and washrooms may remain open but with restricted gathering limits. The Guelph Farmers’ Market will remain open, its gathering limit set to 75 people. This change was advocated for by Nicola Mercer, local medical officer of health, who said in a CBC article that the number of people entering the hospital “jumped dramatically like ten to 12 times the numbers in about a matter of five days.” As of Dec. 15, the number of new cases in the region amounts to 76 with 21 belonging to Cargill-owned beef processing facility employees. An additional 80 employees were reported as having close contact with these workers and have been sent home to be tested.

On Dec. 15, the Ontario government detailed a three-phase implementation plan to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to over 2,500 healthcare workers. The vaccine will require two doses per person, given weeks apart to be effective, and the initial shipment will contain up to 249,000 doses, CBC News reported. Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam, public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo, and former NATO commander Maj. Gen. Dany Fortin, who is leading the vaccine distribution process, gave an update on Tuesday, Dec. 8 about the rollout plan for the coronavirus vaccine in Canada. In the update, they said initial supplies will be limited and distributed to select delivery sites such as hospitals first. In Ontario, this currently only includes the University Health Network in Toronto and The Ottawa Hospital where workers providing care in hospitals and long-term care homes are being vaccinated. They stressed that control over the pandemic will not come quickly, and that during the rollout it remains crucial that we continue with public health measures. “We need to keep telling ourselves this is not a race to the finish, but a test of our collective effort of resolve, and we will endure,” Njoo said. As of Dec. 15, there have been over 146,000 coronavirus cases in Ontario, with over 3,900 resulting in death. Guelph manufacturer, Danby Appliances, has begun taking orders for their new freezer line that can store the vaccine. The freezers can reach temperatures of minus 80C, which is necessary for mRNA vaccines like the Pfizer vaccine which requires hyper-cold temperatures to be stored safely.

CANADA EXPECTING APPROVAL FOR MODERNA COVID-19 VACCINE BEFORE THE YEAR’S END According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine will be available in Canada before 2021 if it gains regulatory approval. A CBC article states that the Moderna vaccine candidate is “promising,” and that by the end of December 2020 Canada will receive up to 168,000 doses of the two dose vaccine. Founded in 2010, Moderna is based in Massachusetts and has been developing the vaccine since Jan. 2020. Regulators at Health Canada are “in the final stages of the review process,” and an authorization is expected within the week. "As with the early shipments of the Pfizer vaccine, [the Moderna vaccine]

moves us even further forward on getting Canadians protected as quickly as possible," Trudeau said in the CBC article. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine which must be kept at minus 80C, Moderna’s only needs to be stored at minus 20C, making it more easily accessible to rural and remote communities that don’t have the infrastructure to store Pfizer safely. Should it gain approval, the Moderna vaccine is set to be delivered to Canada within 48 hours of Health Canada’s authorization.

U OF G AMONG THE BEST RESEARCH SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY U of G has been steadily climbing the ranks of Canada’s top research universities, securing itself on the 15th spot among 49 others. With a sponsored research income of over $160 million in 2019, the school’s research funding has risen over nine per cent since 2018. Every student in the graduate program at U of G received over $56,000, while faculty members received over $198,000 for academic research, according to Research Infosource. However, U of G ranks first in research income growth from the private sector as a percentage of total research income.

#ONTHE R ADAR

According to a U of G news release, the funds account for grants, contributions, and contracts, and they support “U of G faculty, technical staff, and graduate students engaged in high-quality research and training opportunities across seven colleges and 15 research stations.” This makes U of G rank second in overall value of its research income among other comprehensive Ontario universities. “The University of Guelph consistently ranks among the top research universities in Canada, in keeping with the commitment of our researchers to conduct cutting-edge research that really makes a difference both within disciplines and in the world at large,” said Malcolm Campbell, vice-president (research) in the news release. “Once again, we lead in research intensity and in research partnership, which together demonstrate the confidence that research sponsors and a wide array of partners have in the excellence of U of G researchers, the quality of the discoveries they make and the way their research prepares a real-world-ready talent pool.” Campbell also states that discoveries made at the university expand “the frontiers of understanding” while simultaneously fueling innovation, driving economic development, connecting communities, supporting society, and realizing “our aim to improve life.”

Brisson, Leis & Associates

OPTOMETRISTS Judith A. Brisson, O.D. P. Lynne Leis, O.D. Reita Thomas-Parel, O.D. Violet Zawada, O.D. Jianchang (Iris) Shen, Optometrist

Serving the U of G community for 40 years, we provide personalized eye care including comprehensive examinations, contact lenses and eyewear. Exams available in English, French, Polish, Mandarin and Cantonese.

21 College Avenue West, Guelph (across from OVC) TEL (519) 822-2710 · FAX (519) 822-7877 www.eyesoncollege.ca · brisson.leis@rogers.com

ARTS & CULTURE 10 & 11 | CREATING DURING COVID

12 & 13 | ANDREW CRAIG

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27 | BOOK REVIEWS

 SELECTIONS FROM ARCHIVAL AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Advertising with winter-themed trade cards A look at the history of advertising techniques before the 20th century LARA CARLETON | ARCHIVES CLERK

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oday, most advertisements light up our screens through television commercials and images on social media, peak our interest through quick segments on the radio, or catch our eyes through billboards and posters. Smaller and more personal advertisements, like pieces we can tangibly possess and collect, are a thing of the past. In the late 19th century, North America saw the introduction of the trade card: a unique advertising strategy where companies would distribute small (similar to the size of a playing card) advertisements to support their businesses or to promote upcoming events. This technique was already well-established in parts of Europe dating back to the late 17th century, but was slow to cross the Atlantic.

Regional Collection, Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library. XR1 MS A149, Boxed with XR1 MS A140.

 GUELPH WHOLESALE JOBBING HOUSE,

CUSTOM COMPANY TRADE CARD, 1884

Take the Dominion Wire Mattress’ stock trade card, for example. The word “over” on the front of the card encourages patrons to flip it over and learn about their product on the back. This additional information is especially important when trade cards focus on their eye-catching appeal as opposed to the imagery’s relevance to

what’s being advertised. Though this trade card advertises a mattress, does its vibrant depiction of ice skaters — one resembling a musketeer — speak to the necessity of purchasing one? I suppose the argument could be made that ice skating is tiring thus creating the need, but let’s face it — the connection’s a stretch.

Regional Collection, Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library. XR1 MS A149, Boxed with XR1 MS A140.

 CURLING PARTY, EVENT TRADE CARD, CIRCA 1880S Trade cards quickly became a hot commodity as Victorians began to collect them because of their beautiful colours and sometimes cheeky humour. Their convenient size also made them easy to protect and share when kept in pockets, wallets, and purses. There were two main types of trade

cards: custom and stock. Custom trade cards were made with the intent of advertising for a specific company or product, like the Guelph Wholesale Jobbing House’s 1884 company trade card; whereas, stock trade cards were nonspecific and any company or product could be advertised by including their information on the card’s empty back.

Regional Collection, Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph Library. XR1 MS A149, Boxed with XR1 MS A140.

 DOMINION WIRE MATTRESS, STOCK PRODUCT TRADE CARD, FRONT & BACK, CIRCA 1886 The trade card collection Archival and Special Collections houses was assembled by Frederick H. G. Pole, a resident of Rockwood. The collection contains 189 trade cards, dating from 1880 to 1889, from various cities throughout southwestern Ontario, as well as some international examples. A majority of the cards featured in the collection are local, hailing from Guelph and Toronto. Interest in trade cards began to decline once the popularity of postcards and baseball cards surged at the turn of the 20th century. Over time, these beloved trade cards evolved into the business cards we

hand out today. However, one thing remains clear: these pieces of ephemera offer a glimpse of the business operations and cultural norms of the past — they are snapshots of time. From all of us in Archival and Special Collections, Happy New Year!

Interested in learning more about our Regional Collection? Visit Archival & Special Collections at lib.uoguelph.ca.

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ARTS ISSUE | JA N . 4, 202 1

THE ONTARION

"A Shot in the Dark" table read over Zoom. Top Row (L to R): Ally Keilhauer, Peter Kuling, Oren Bowes. Bottom Row (L to R): Graeme McClelland, Samantha Majoros, Thomas Smith. CREDIT: PETER KULING

Creating in a time of COVID A look at the creative projects conceived during the pandemic with the help of U of G funding TAYLOR PACE

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ver summer 2020, the University of Guelph announced they would be offering up to $5,000 in funding for faculty members to lead creative projects related to the current pandemic. The school’s ensuing research initiative, titled “Creating in a Time of Coronavirus,” saw the creation of seven vastly different projects across multiple disciplines. Here is a look at three.

A SHOT IN THE DARK “A Shot in the Dark” is a theatre ensemble radio play led by Peter Kuling, assistant professor in the school of English and theatre studies, and a group of theatre students. The hour-long play was created as a pilot episode for an original sci-fi detective radio drama series. Inspired by our current pandemic, the play takes place in 1918 during the Spanish Flu. A spaceship is sent into space with

film noir era detectives as they search for a new way to end the pandemic. The ship lands on Pluto, and the three survivors must solve mysteries with aliens to find a cure for the pandemic and bring it back to Earth. The play was written by Kuling and seven theatre ensemble students, fourth-year students who were required to create a final theatrical project as part of their program. “Their project was shut down because of COVID-19, so we never got to perform in March,”

Kuling said. All of the students are voice actors in the play, along with around 20 guest actors from across Ontario. They spent about six weeks writing the play, and have been recording on Zoom since after Labour Day. Kuling says they applied for funding “with the idea that we would all record from our separate homes with microphones, and create sound booths out of everything from cardboard and cartons to curtains and towels.” One of the ways they needed to adapt was by building their own recording setups, which Sam Majoros, one of the student writers and voice actors who plays the detective, did. “I have this huge, old TV box that is duct taped together, and I put it around my computer with a giant quilt over top, which just makes it nice and sound-proofed. So I crawl in and out of that for recording sessions,” she said.

In addition to being paid for their time, the students were also gaining valuable real-world experience. “It’s been really cool and a really good way to network our students with other professionals that I know from the industry,” Kuling said. “I can't tell you the smiles I see from the people that I worked with in the winter term last year who never got to perform, because we're performing and having so much fun creating sound effects and creating voices.” Kuling says he hopes the play takes off enough for them to write more episodes in the future. The play will be free to listen, available on the U of G website when it’s released.

ODDITI(M)ES Another pandemic-inspired project was the puppet show created by assistant professor in the school of English and theatre studies Troy Hourie and a group of colleagues and students, titled “ODDITI(m)ES - A Tragic Comedy in Pandemic Times.” The show took a comedic approach to the frustrations the pandemic has caused, and was derived from personal experiences and those shared over social media. Hourie said that the kind of puppetry he does naturally lends itself to tragic comedy. Hourie and colleagues Andrew Gaboury and Colleen Snell modelled the play after the tradition of Dom Roberto, a traditional form of Portuguese puppetry. “Basically, it’s a look at our

everyday lives and this absurd situation that we’re all living in now in pandemic times,” he said. There are three puppets in the show: a baker, a gardener, and a barber. The show depicts their experiences and reactions as the pandemic regulations continue to change, eventually moving back into Phase 2. The show had two days of live audiences in August, with about 20 people sitting in a socially-distanced space outside. One of these shows was recorded and is available to view for free on Hourie’s website. “It was about looking at how difficult all our circumstances are, but finding the humour in it that we can laugh at,” he said.

CONNECTING GENERATIONS THROUGH JOURNALLING Concerned with the isolation among certain groups, assistant professor in the history department Kim Martin worked with students to develop a series of journals to connect generations. They sent out 200 journals to seniors in long term care and children from low-income and single-parent households, along with prompts to fill the blank pages with artwork related to the pandemic. Prompts included things like “draw your life before COVID” and “get all of your frustrations out on this page!” The journals were filled out in August and collected, with many of them sent to their “partners,” meaning a child would receive a book from a senior, and a senior

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THEONTARION.COM a book from a child. They are also being displayed on the Art Apart website for public viewing. They initially planned on having a call for submissions aimed at those populations, but thought it might be more exciting if they exchanged art between seniors and children. Martin said that they wanted to focus on these groups because they were each heavily impacted by the pandemic.

Seeing each unique perspective about life reinforced the idea that everyone has a story. Everyone has daily struggles and triumphs, and we all have something to share, whether that be words of wisdom or a beautiful piece of artwork.

demic and consider how we connect and interact with one another. Bush said that an MFA student had approached her about creating a literary journal earlier in the year, and, although many similar programs across the country do, their program has never had one before. The journal was created by the second-year MFA students, who then reached out to incoming first-year students to join in. The journal is non-hierarchical and required no prior experience to contribute, said Evren Sezgin, first-year MFA student

and contributor to Held. “This issue was about revolt and renewal, how we are in this collective traumatic experience with COVID. And so it was really about bringing together marginalised voices and marginalised stories within the time of COVID. And really making sure that we were giving space for them to be heard,” Sezgin said. Another unique concept about the journal is that it is focused on collaborative efforts, each piece ideally worked on by multiple people. To connect with people who

hadn’t necessarily written in MFA programs, people outside the U of G were also encouraged to submit pieces. This included local artists, but also those across Canada and around the world. One of the team members is even based in Uganda, and was able to connect them with writers there. Another first-year MFA student and contributor, Anna LeePopham, said they really wanted “to connect with folks in places where there are fewer publication opportunities.” They needed at least 70 per cent of public contributors to

— Sophia Lago, U of G student “I think that both groups were pretty isolated,” she said, adding that “kids usually have a million things to do, so not only were they isolated, they were limited as to what they were able to do in terms of creative activities.” Both groups needed activities to keep them busy and connect with others, without being in the same physical space. Sophia Lago, one of the students involved in the project, said that working on “Connecting Generations” helped her to connect with others during the pandemic and develop transferable skills. “Scanning the journals to upload to the website was also a really great experience. It was inspiring to see a glimpse into someone’s life and their outlook on the global pandemic. “Seeing each unique perspective about life reinforced the idea that everyone has a story. Everyone has daily struggles and triumphs, and we all have something to share, whether that be words of wisdom or a beautiful piece of artwork,” Lago said.

HELD MAGAZINE The literary journal Held Magazine was conceived through the initiative’s funding as well. Professor Catherine Bush, director of the MFA in creative writing at Guelph, led a team of creative writing MFA students in developing the first issue of the multi-disciplinary, digital journal. The journal prompted artists and writers to respond to the pan-

The Connecting Generations team crafted this collage of their favourite artwork from the journals they received. CREDIT: ART APART: CONNECTING GENERATIONS PARTICIPANTS

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come from specific marginalized communities: racialized communities, those living with a disability, two-spirit, and LGBTQ+. They managed to have all the contributors belong to at least one of those communities. They are hopeful that it will be an ongoing project and are currently fundraising for the second issue.

You can read the journal at heldmagazine.com.

Guelph’s Renaissance Man: Andrew Craig Deriving his inspiration from a multitude of sources, Andrew Craig strives to make positive change through his passion for art and music ELENI KOPSAFTIS

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ith an array of titles spanning from singer to instrumentalist, and theatre director to cultural leader, Andrew Craig is the Renaissance man of southern Ontario. Having created orchestral arrangements like “United We Play,” organized a multimedia concert of “Global Marley,” and even produced plays like Portraits, Patterns, Possibilities: A Black Canadian Trilogy, Craig consistently draws in stellar reviews through a collection of musical experience. Craig told The Ontarion that he has “extensive training in Western European Art Music, more commonly, yet mistakenly called ‘classical’ music, and deep experience in jazz, funk, R & B, soul, [and] West African music.” He has also spent years studying the Carnatic music of South India, but in terms of local music, he toured much of the world playing Cape Breton music with Ashley MacIsaac, a Canadian fiddler, singer, and songwriter from the island. “My artistic focus has been centred in the African diaspora, but I consider myself a world citizen, and while being careful not to culturally appropriate, I feel the influence and impact of anything that’s authentic, meaningful, and demonstrative of devotion to craft, superior skill, and an abundance of talent,” Craig said. Craig also founded the Toronto-based Culchahworks Arts Collective which develops social justice programs and produces commemorations like the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. The organization focuses on celebrating stories drawn from African and Caribbean-Canadian/American cultural legacies. On top of that, he was a resident at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, a member of the board of directors at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto, a recipient of York University’s Bryden Award and the African-Canadian Achievement Award for Excellence in The Arts, and a consultant to numerous arts institutions like the Toronto and Ontario Arts Councils. In all of his leadership efforts, Craig is led by his passion for art and music.

Craig at a Culchahworks Arts Collective event in 2018. Culchahworks develops social justice programs and celebrates stories drawn from African and Caribbean-Canadian/American cultural legacies. CREDIT: ANDREW CRAIG

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THEONTARION.COM

All this said, there are a great many urgent, critical, and dramatic reforms needed in policing, and in the criminal justice system as a whole. It is a well-documented fact that the so-called justice system is routinely unjust to the BIPOC community... I, for my part, strive to be a positive change-agent — an artivist (artist + activist), and I hope that events like the protest back in June truly indicate that the tide is turning. ­— Andrew Craig

“I grew up in suburban Toronto in the early 1970s. This was the era when vinyl was king. Our family had one of those old wooden stereo consoles, with lids that flipped up on either side to reveal the turntable and radio controls,” he said. Craig reminisced on the console, saying his father had installed locks on the lids since Craig would reach in and scratch the records as a toddler. “Perhaps I missed my calling - maybe I was meant to be a turntablist,” he said. Early report cards from school indicated a love for music too, though he recalls “significant bullying” which “took quite an emotional toll” on him. “Eventually that pattern of bullying started to cause negative behavioural changes in me. By this point, my parents had separated, and my single mom could see the path down which her only son was headed. She decided to make a significant change, and ended up enrolling me in St. Michael’s Choir School. She had to take on a second job to afford it, but she felt it was worth the sacrifice.” At 13, it was his school’s annual winter musical tour that shifted his view on music. When he was not selected to attend, Craig asked himself for the first time: “what would happen if I took music seriously?” From then on, Craig pursued his musical career as if he were “a gun for hire,” striving to sing and perform whatever his clients needed. But in his 30s, he began to realize “just how much talent we have in this country that, at the time, was not getting properly recognized.” “Our nation’s ongoing preoccupation with our neighbour to the South meant that truly worthy Canadian artists were getting passed over routinely, in favour of American artists.” With this in mind, Craig started producing live shows and content that celebrated local talent. But most of all, Craig emphasizes his desire to create positive change. “I strive to create art that strikes a balance between satisfying my muses, and offering some benefit to my community, and society in general.” When Craig moved to Guelph with his wife 16 years ago, it seemed “miraculous” to him that a city of its size could boast five major arts festivals. He expressed particu-

lar interest in both Hillside Festival and Guelph Jazz Festival as being “world-class” with “cutting-edge programming.” Craig says he wishes he could be more involved in the Guelph music scene, and hopes that the pandemic “doesn’t permanently force out” many artists. “We are losing something extremely valuable with the onset of [COVID-19] and its attendant restrictions: the ability to gather. There is something very primal, very integral to our humanity in our being together, shoulder to shoulder, to engage in a shared, ephemeral experience. This is as old as humanity itself, and we would do well as a society to realize the importance of this. “I am certainly not suggesting we ignore the science that says distancing keeps us safe. I am, however, acknowledging that in staying apart, we are suffering in other, deeper, less tangible, but critical ways — ways that the establishment fails to recognize, much less validate,” he says, adding that “in the course of protecting ourselves from one peril, we open ourselves up to another.” Craig states he is “endlessly impressed” by artists’ consistent ability to shift in light of such crises, praising it as “the very essence of creativity and resilience.” While online mediums aren’t familiar to all artists, Craig says, “give us time, and we will create a whole new class of art, using the internet as our canvas!” Hillside Festival collaborated with Silence Sounds, a local venue for musical workshops and concerts, to do just that. The virtual format of their Unmuted performance event offered a way to celebrate powerful voices through music and spoken word across Ontario. It began in Oct. 2020 and will continue into Feb. 2021. Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. was Craig’s time slot for the event, so he “performed a combination of old and new songs that [he] felt were appropriate for the times.” Specifically, “Fight The Good Fight” recounts real stories of hope and resilience that Craig compiled during the pandemic, and “Forgotten To Love” was inspired by an exchange between him and a friend on social media in which they found common ground despite disagreeing. “It’s a reminder not to forget to love,” says Craig.

“I am so very honoured to have been asked to participate in the Unmuted Festival. Being afforded this opportunity means that my artistic voice and message have yet another avenue for egress, and that the curators feel I add value to the festival’s overall artistic output. I am also honoured to be in such fine artistic company.” Despite not feeling very involved in the local community, Craig has maintained his musical presence here in Guelph aside from his virtual performances with Unmuted. This past June, Craig performed and spoke at the peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in Guelph. There, he had told The Ontarion, “we’re 60 years past [the civil rights movement of the 1960s], one would have hoped that something more substantive would have occurred in that time.” “I’ve had the privilege of performing for many thousands of people before,” Craig says. “But never in a context like that.” Between his performances, Craig says he “spoke of a very tense encounter [he] had with Guelph Police, in which the officer ultimately judged [him] by, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. put it, ‘the content of [his] character.’ “I thanked him then, and I thank him now, for my life would have been very, very different had he treated me the way that so many BIPOC people are treated by police and how I also have been treated on other occasions. “Though the officer I referenced represents the institution of policing, his actions that night with me were unfortunately not representative of the norm. That story is the exception, not the rule.” Craig states that Black-identifying men have been “painted with the same brush” for centuries, “to say nothing of Black-identifying womxn, or Black-identifiying members of the trans community.” However, he maintains that if he does the same to those in positions of authority, “then [he] is no better than [his] oppressors.” “Some say that anyone who chooses to go into policing, regardless of their character, is complicit in the system of oppression. I hear this perspective, and respect it as a valid viewpoint, for we now understand the patently racist and oppressive foundations of these institutions. But if we use this metric, we must then apply it equally to religion, and to politics.” Craig explains that he doesn’t believe

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everyone who enters religious or political life is inherently evil or intends to do harm. He holds this same position in regards to policing, believing that some people do work to change the system from within. “All this said, there are a great many urgent, critical, and dramatic reforms needed in policing, and in the criminal justice system as a whole. It is a well-documented fact that the so-called justice system is routinely unjust to the BIPOC community... I, for my part, strive to be a positive changeagent — an artivist (artist + activist), and I hope that events like the protest back in June truly indicate that the tide is turning.” Craig’s future plans include re-posting piano improvisations he performed earlier during the pandemic lockdown called “Placid Piano for Pandemics,” while also working on a Culchahworks Arts Collective documentary about Toronto’s ‘Little Jamaica’ and its Reggae music from the late 1960s and early 1970s. He has also taken the responsibility of growing the national Curbside Concerts virtual performance company in Ontario in hopes of building community and getting artists back to work. “I would encourage young artists to find every possible avenue to make music they can, and put it out there. One never knows who will be positively impacted by what one creates. I would also say that it is wise not to depend solely on the arts for a living — the pandemic has proven the folly of that. “Remember, though, that the creativity and non-linear thinking fostered in the arts are eminently transferable to so many other non-arts careers, and in some ways, provides one with an advantage over traditional thinkers. The fuel of the new economy is creativity — the one thing artists possess in heavy measure!”

Andrew Craig and his music can be found on his Bandcamp page and website:  dreadlockfunkybro.bandcamp.com/  wixsite.com/andrewcraig

My artistic focus has been centred in the African diaspora, but I consider myself a world citizen, and while being careful not to culturally appropriate, I feel the influence and impact of anything that’s authentic, meaningful, and demonstrative of devotion to craft, superior skill, and an abundance of talent. ­— Andrew Craig

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VISUAL ARTS

14-26 | ARTISTS

18 & 19 | EXPLORATION THROUGH PAINTING

THE ONTARION

22 | EMOTION IN PHOTOGRAPHY

Laura Löster

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am a third year student at the University of Guelph majoring in studio art and minoring in both art history and psychology. I tend to create graphite or charcoal drawings that focus on realism and depicting subject matter in realistic ways. Throughout my university career, I have been attempting to break away from my usual methods and mediums and focus on new techniques and styles that I can add to my repertoire for creating artwork. My goal is to have a working understanding of multiple practices of creating works, so that I can use a style, method, or medium that best fits the messages that I choose to convey or comment on. MODERN DAY ATLAS This work is meant to comment on today’s society and the negative effects of materialism. Inspiration for this work comes from the Greek mythology of Atlas, the Titan condemned to hold up the celestial heavens (sky) for eternity. I chose this myth to comment on how in our society we are so enthralled with our material belongings that they become our world and that this constant need for the material can weigh down

on our shoulders. I also wanted to create a piece that commented on our society, yet had its roots in historical and mythological stories. MOTHER NATURE This work is meant to comment on the effects that construction and building development have on nature. The woman in this work symbolizes mother nature. Her body language expresses a sense of comfort yet the expression on her face suggests otherwise. The markings along her arms symbolize barren trees and scars; the trees that have died due to destruction leave irreversible scars upon mother nature and the planet. Finally, the perspective cityscape represents the construction of cities that are constantly looming over mother nature and are continuously on her mind. I created this image because I felt a need to bring to light the impact that urban development has on the environment, and I wanted to create a piece that presented this concept differently and could create discussion amongst its viewers.

State of Mind (The Shining), coloured pencils, 2020

STATE OF MIND

(THE SHINING) This work is a play on the pop art movement. I chose a scene from The Shining (1980) and attempted to place a more conceptual light on the work through the rendering of the medium. The use of individual lines creates a sense of disconnect and impaired judgment, which references the feeling that the character had in the movie. I created this work because I wanted to challenge myself to use a different drawing style and medium. I primarily use graphite or charcoal and tend to create works that are more realistic. This work differs in both those aspects and gave me another method and style to produce works.  @art_laura.loster

Modern Day Atlas, graphite pencils, 2019

Mother Nature, charcoal, 2017

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ALEXA COLLETTE

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work with self-portraits and use images of my own body as references to express my personal experience with mental illness. I am interested in the concept of vulnerability and exploring what it means in an everyday context. Using drawing and painting methods, I strive to bring awareness to mental health issues and give outsiders a deeper understanding of what it feels like to be constantly battling one’s own mind. I question misconceptions that discredit individuals with mental illness because external actions often arise due to inward mental processes. For this reason, I create images to generate feelings of empathy and promote education towards understanding the impacts of mental illness. My practice is an exercise in openness as I work through memories and moments that have shaped my life so far.

WHEN I DON'T FEEL REAL This work depicts my experience with severe stress and anxiety which took a physical toll on my body. It is difficult to explain to people that my pain originated from mental distress, which is invisible. Incorporating surrealism into my work, I projected my inner feelings onto the outside of my body to convey how I felt.

SOLITUDE

This painting is a self-portrait focusing on the feelings of loneliness and isolation associated with the stigmatization surrounding mental illness. It portrays vulnerability and how it can feel impossible to open up about one’s mental health. Despite asking for help, it can still feel like no one understands your feelings. Overall it reflects my personal experience with depression and anxiety.

When I Don't Feel Real, acrylic on canvas, 18" x 24", 2020

 @alexaacollettee

Emily Escoffery

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Blue, oil and acrylic on canvas, 60" x 60", 2019

Red, oil and acrylic on canvas, 60" x 60", 2019

mily Escoffery is in her fourth year at the University of Guelph. She is majoring in studio art with a minor in museum studies. Emily is an artist who explores the boundaries between the digital and the painterly in her artworks. She utilizes traditional techniques with non-traditional subject matter to create non-objective pieces that examine the painting process. These techniques employ colour, form, and a contained composition that is evocative of colour field paintings. As she develops her process, she finds herself attempting to discover her identity as an artist and find the in-between space in which she tries to situate her paintings. PAINTINGS' DESCRIPTION Blue and Red are paintings that began as preliminary drawings on digital drawing software. These digital compositions are then transferred onto the canvas using the grid method (i.e. which is drawing a similar grid on both the digital image and canvas to guide their outlines). I prep the canvas by laying down an acrylic underpainting, and then the grid is drawn on top using a graphite pencil. White pastel pencil is used to transfer the outline of the digital image, and this is used instead of graphite because the pastel blends seamlessly into the oil. I intentionally only want the graphite grid to show because this allows the biomorphic shapes to be more obviously ambiguous, and it reveals parts of my painting process. In terms of ap-

Solitude, oil on canvas, 48" x 48", 2019

plication, I paint each section in thin layers and either leave it as is or I blend the sections together to create a blurring effect. This ambiguity and blending of forms relates to the concept of liminality, which is a transitory space that is characterized by its indeterminacy. This space foregrounds the temporal border, or in between, of the fixed perimeter of the shapes and the edge of the canvas, which is an idea I like to explore in my paintings.

 @emilyescoffery

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Still of a Composite Signal #2, 2020

emma ongman

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mma Ongman is an interdisciplinary artist in her final year of the undergraduate program at the University of Guelph. Recently, her practice has focused on the intersection of the digital

and physical worlds. This year, she is the Zavitz Gallery Coordinator, co-editor of Kaleidoscope Magazine, and a Juried Art Show coordinator. Her works can be found at emmaongman.com.

ARTIST STATEMENT Still of a Composite Signal #2 is a digital image that was screen-captured from a video I created using an analogue video synthesizer — a device that generates videos through the manipulation of

wave-form composite signals in real time. I am interested in exploring the immortality of technology, the potential that video and image-making hold beyond their intended uses, and their capability to imitate real life. I spend a large

percentage of my life on a computer and find that this video still recreates a sense of hypnosis often generated by my screen. This is an individual photograph that is part of a larger, ongoing series.  @emma.jennine

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Hannah paige

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y name is Hannah, and I am a fourthyear student at the University of Guelph with a major in studio art and a minor in art history. My work aims to capture the technological world and internet culture through paint. Often, my art is used to critique and relate art conventions and art history to digital landscapes. This practice stems from the impulse to document fleeting digital phenomena that may be erased by technological advances. The digital images presented in the medium of paint creates a humorous meta-narrative involving the viewer and the image. I have dubbed this genre of art Cyber Pop Art, and I hope that these pieces can become a catalyst to modern-day pop art. I am very inspired by the work of American pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. The piece Untitled - Paint is a critique of painting and photography in the form of an old Windows XP laptop. The painting depicts the classic windows desktop photograph Bliss being obscured by the open Paint software window. Within the painting window is an abstract painting form. This is nostalgic for kids from the early 2000s, as it was common for children to scribble within the paint application and then fill the lines in with color using the paint bucket tool. Forged Painting is a meta painting replicated from a screenshot from the video game Animal Crossing Wild World (2005) on the Nintendo DS. Within the game, the player may purchase paintings that are duplicates of paintings from real-life art historical canon. For instance, the player may purchase paintings such as Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Georges Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La. When purchasing these works, the player must decipher if the painting is the original or a forgery by identifying the discrepancies of the painting. If the player buys a forged work and tries to sell it to the shopkeepers, the player will be presented with the text “This is a forged painting!... forged!”

Q. HOW DOES UNTITLED PAINT ACT AS A CRITIQUE OF PAINTING AND PHOTOGRAPHY? ​ : This painting was for an asA signment in my Painting II class. The assignment was called "photo fail," and the goal was to capture photography through paint. Untitled - Paint acts as a critique of painting because the imagery of

Forged Painting, acrylic paint on canvas, 2020

Q. I) WHAT WAS THE MOTIVATION BEHIND CREATING FORGED PAINTING? II) WHAT MESSAGE ARE YOU TRYING TO CONVEY WITH THIS PAINTING?

Untitled - Paint, acrylic paint on canvas, 2020

the Microsoft Paint software is obstructing the view of the desktop photograph, bringing up the debate of "did photography kill painting?" At the same time, the image stems from a screenshot of the Microsoft Paint software, re-

lying on photography. This shows the important and complicated relationship between photography and paint. Photography aids the production of painted images, and painting was the basis for photography as an art form. Both

mediums are important in the art space. Photography did not ruin painting as a medium, rather, painting was improved using photography with artists being able to paint from photographs.

A: The motivation for painting Forged Painting was to capture pixels and polygons on screens through paint. I painted in squares to capture the illusion of pixels on a canvas. This is similar to Roy Lichtenstein's use of the Ben Day dots in his comic book paintings. I like to think that painting video game screens is a modern-day version of painting from comic book sources. The message I wanted to convey is presented through the text. For instance, the text reads "This is a forged painting!... forged!," referring to not only the in-game painting but to the painting I created of them. The painting is forged in the sense that the contents of the image are not mine and I did not invent these characters. At the same time, this is a screenshot that I took from my personal Animal Crossing game, and my character was designed by myself. Overall, this painting captures the blurred lines of the ownership of images.  @xx_hann_art_xx

Guelph artist explores the mind through painting Guelph-based artist Vickie Martin opens up about her life, her art, and the importance of exploration ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY TAYLOR PIPE

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n the early 90s Vickie Martin was walking down Wyndham Street in downtown Guelph after being diagnosed with adult-onset visual impairment. After finding out her life would be forever changed due to her vision loss, she couldn't help but cry. However, something inside Martin told her to stop where she was. After collecting herself, Martin turned around and found herself standing in front of Wyndham Art Supplies, an independent retailer of art materials. “I went in there not knowing anything,” Martin said. “I

said that I wanted to learn how to paint and needed the stuff for it.” Martin paused for a second, then laughed. “I had no idea what I was getting myself into.” Martin grew up in Oakville, Ont. As a child, she wasn’t necessarily interested in art, but more in entertaining herself through various activities. “There were always crafts that we did,” Martin said. “I used to sew and make all my own patterns for my clothes and we drew and did that type of thing. But it wasn’t like that was the direction I was going to take.” She enjoyed math, especial-

Martin uses granular powder and paste to add textures to her paintings.

Martin would allow people interested in her art to visit her studio pre-COVID. Her studio space has over 100 paintings.

ly the problem-solving aspect of equations, and this interest led to her pursuing a career as a computer science professor at Sheridan and Seneca college. Martin moved to Guelph in 1988 with her husband David Martin. It was a few years later that she was told by a doctor that her sight would never be the same. She couldn’t do her regular activities, and her vision loss left her career in ruin. “I had a really hard time dealing with the fact I was losing my vision the way I did,” Martin said. “It was so sudden and it takes a while for you to handle that. I ended up trying to take my own life.” Shortly after, Martin found herself with a tear-stained face, drawn into Wyndham Art Supplies. She started taking painting lessons and eventually opened her own studio in 2004. Her artistic style is a textural eye-popping experience. Martin uses various colours and mediums, such as moulding paste and granulated gel, to create pieces that provoke one’s inner-self to

interpret the individual piece’s meaning. “I started using all these different mediums, so I ended up really having a fascination about texture and with building my canvases,” Martin said. Martin has two different styles of painting. Her signature work is more abstract and built on colour-blocking and texturalized canvas-building. Her representational work is a more literal painting style of recognizable objects like a forest or flowers. However, both artistic styles come from the same source of inspiration – Martin’s inner self. “When I’m creating a piece, I can see the finished painting in my head,” Martin said. “So before I even start I already know what that painting is going to look like… It’s not what I actually see outside with my eyes, but it’s what I see and feel inside.” Martin said she gets the visions for her finished paintings through dreams and meditation. “I started noticing these paintings I was dreaming about were appearing on paper,” Martin said. “I started believing that

and trusting that intuition. As I started trusting that more, it became more vivid in terms of what was happening and what I was doing so I really just went with it.” Martin enjoys giving back to the community. In the past she’s often offered up her works to various organizations to either display in their spaces, or auction off the pieces to raise funds for their individual causes. Martin has donated artwork to: Wellington Hospice, Arc Industries, HIV/AIDS Resources & Community Health (ARCH), Kiwanis Club of Guelph, Stonehenge Therapeutic Community, and the Women of Distinction Awards. “I always felt that if you give back, you may help somebody out,” Martin said. “When people see paintings it can be a very healing thing.” Martin said her abstract works are often more colourful to provoke feelings of happiness. “It’s just part of me. I like colour. When I look at a painting with a lot of beautiful colours

Representational piece: Land of the Magic Birches

it uplifts my spirit,” Martin said. “So I think that’s just part of my signature… I like the clarity of it and you have to learn how to create that. Every artist has their own colour palette.” Everything Martin does all leads back to one thing — exploration. “I always think that painting is a sort of exploration,” Martin said. “I always think of it like a journey… It’s just learning to be adventurous and there should be some playfulness. Art should be fun and you have to have the passion. If you don’t have the passion, you can’t wake up every day and do it.” Representational piece: My Garden in Memory of My Mom

An abstract painting inspired by Quebecois artist Jean-Paul Riopelle.

Martin uses texture to speak about a forgotten language in this ancientEgyptian inspired piece.

A close up of a painting done as part of a series inspired by the work of Jean-Paul Riopelle. The painting is done entirely with a palette knife.

To see more work by Vickie Martin, visit vickiemartinoriginals.com Martin was inspired to create this piece after a trip to Egypt with her husband.

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grace bilger Grace Bilger lives in Guelph and studies at U of G where she is majoring in English and studio art with a minor in creative writing.

ARTWORK DESCRIPTION For this piece, I wanted to address the pandemic as a whole and how the virus has begun to impact our identities. COVID-19 is constantly on our minds. We fear the virus, hoping that we can avoid it and hold out until we can receive a vaccine. If the worst case arises—such as contracting the virus—many are scared to imagine how it will affect their lives. They may feel slightly ill, or they may be reduced to a pile of wires, tubes, injections and antiseptics meant to keep their body alive; they become a virus-hybrid, bordering between human and medical.

COVID-XIX, 11 x 14 inches, Prismacolor pencil crayons on paper

COVID-XIX, details

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This style was inspired by the cramped feeling of horror vacui and the abstract-surreal representations of Arcimboldo Giuseppe’s portraits from the 1500s. The title is a humorous nod to the royal traditions of the past. The Renaissance had Charles V immortalized as a ruling force in his portraits. In modern times, we will always remember COVID-XIX as our own tyrannic king. The past was ruled by a crown. We are ruled by corona.

COVID-XIX, details

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Racquel Rowe

 https://racquelrowe.ca  @kellrowe

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acquel Rowe is an interdisciplinary artist from Barbados who has lived in Guelph for the past six years. She uses art to explore how historical events and perceptions shape modern day depictions of black wom*n and black culture and thus how these things affect her lived experience. Her work takes the form of video, performance, and public intervention. Throughout all of her videos, colour is formally and symbolically employed, reminiscent of the vast Caribbean landscapes. Following a performance, she finds herself uncovering deep rooted memories of home that become stronger the more a performance is repeated. Recently, the majority of her performance art was shot at Ed Video Media Arts Center, and would not have been made possible without the help of staff and fellow artists Carolina Benitez and Madeleine Lychek.

WASHING RICE II (2020) Recently, I began exploring the history of rice and rice as a cultural staple for many ethnic people. Rice is a low budget staple that’s foundational for many families. Washing rice is important because it not only removes the starch, but also dirt and other impurities. Washing Rice II originated from watching my grandmother enact this ritual in my childhood.”

TAKING DOWN (2020) “Taking Down focuses on an act that many black wom*n are familiar with — taking their braids out. When they are long you may have to cut them first, and there is talent involved in being able to find where your hair ends and proceed accordingly. This process can be long and arduous but ultimately satisfying. The work analyzes public vs private life and black hair.”

Washing Rice II (2020): Rowe is sitting on the ground, on top of a folded tarp, wearing a headscarf, red tank top and blue skirt. Her legs are spread out wide like a triangle. On the ground in front of her is a pile of rice, a metal bowl with water, and a glass bowl that she is putting rice into.

MAKING SWEET BREAD WITH GRAN (2020) “Making Sweet Bread with Gran is one of my newer works where I focus on the matriarch of my family as she does different tasks. I was fortunate enough to spend the summer at home in Barbados where I spent time learning how my granny makes traditional Barbadian dishes. This work examines the relationship between culture, food, history, and the passing on of traditions.”

BURIED (2020) “Buried explores the old and painful narratives that surround black bodies and cotton. It is a reexamination of this long and painful history of enslaved labour, capitalism and materiality. During the performance, I am buried under a pile of cotton balls, remaining underneath until I can no longer bear it.

Taking Down (2020): Rowe is seated in a chair in front of a bright yellow backdrop, wearing all black with scissors and a pile of hair in her lap. Her arms are lifted as she is undoing one of her braids.

Making Sweet Bread with Gran (2020): Rowe is standing over a grey countertop, wearing a blue and yellow shirt. She is watching her granny, who is wearing a white shirt, knead dough.

Buried (2020): Rowe is lying still on her back in black underwear, on a light green backdrop. She is buried from her breast to her head in cotton balls, which appear as a mountain on her head.

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Conveying emotion within photography Natural elements such as weather and colour can evoke different emotions within the viewer

EVOKING EMOTION THROUGH COLOUR TONES:

ARTICLES AND PHOTOS BY NICOLAS BUCK here are several different ways you can evoke emotion through photography. Some can be done with actors and specific environments while others can be achieved through the weather, time of day, and basic editing. Below I exemplify how weather and colour affected the images I took. The reason behind why we would want to evoke emotion can vary from project to project. However, in my opinion, the biggest reason is to make our audience feel a certain way in order to connect with the project.

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EVOKING EMOTION THROUGH THE WEATHER:

 Bright vivid colours create a sense of happiness. The contrast between colours conveys excitement and liveliness within the image.

 Fog is a great way to portray a sense of mystery in your photo as the viewer wonders what is behind the mist. It can leave them feeling anxious or fearful due to the lack of visibility.

Icons by Iconfinder

 Images that have more muted colours can convey more of a calming and peaceful feeling, and the soft colours don’t pop out or fight for attention against each other.

 Different types of clouds can affect your photo’s mood. Capturing dark storm clouds or fluffy clouds can exemplify feelings of drama and calmness respectively. Dark clouds take the brightness away from the scene creating more shadows while fluffy clouds brighten up the sky with their light colours.

 A sunset can create a feeling of happiness and excitement through its orange tones. It can also give off a sense of dreaminess or freedom with the streaks of light created by a lens flare.

 Blue tones in a photo can suggest a feeling of loneliness or sadness due to the cold nature of its colour. These tones can be captured just before sunrise and just after sunset.

 Orange tones in a photo suggest a feeling of warmth, comfort, and happiness. These tones can be captured just after sunrise and just before sunset.  @Buck.Films

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Barbara Salsberg Mathews

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arbara Salsberg Mathews has been creating art since she was a child. While in her teens, she wrote and illustrated two children's books. She also studied mime in Paris, France in 1979. Barbara graduated with honours from the Ontario College of Art & Design (1981), completed a B.A in fine arts at the University of Guelph (1982), and a B.Ed. at the University of Toronto. She earned her M.Ed. from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and taught arts in high schools for over 25 years. She is also the

proud parent of two adult children. Barbara has undertaken numerous private commissions, and has exhibited her work in several Toronto shows and in Guelph. Using acrylics, she particularly enjoys capturing the story and mood in local landscapes. Barbara has received a number of grants and awards for her work, including from Canada and the Ontario Arts Council and Ontario Society of Artists. Barbara now lives with her husband in Guelph where she continues to paint and illustrate.

 https://salsbergmathews.com |  @maddysmom_4u

Wyoming, acrylic painting, 2020. This work depicts Guelph’s 67 Queen Street. “If you look closely at the top oval window, you may be able to see the ‘ghost’ of J.W. Lyon, who owned and ran the World Publishing Company in Guelph. Wyoming can be found in the Guelph Civic Museum.”

Petrie Building and Cutton-Kelly Block, acrylic painting, 2019. “If you look carefully, you might just see two cats and a stripper.”

VOLUNTEER WITH US! The Ontarion is always looking for passionate and creative volunteers to join our team of reporters, copyeditors, photographers, and illustrators! FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THEONTARION.COM/VOLUNTEER @THEONTARION The Cough, watercolour and ink illustration, 2020 “This illustration is from ‘Kid COVID Fights Back!’, which is downloadable for free at: kidcovid.ca I wrote and illustrated this book to help children learn to protect themselves and others from the virus. It is available in 5 different languages.”

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Going beyond traditional printmaking How I broke out of my comfort zone and tried something new ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY MARY KROETSCH

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opened my supply kit for Printmaking III and laid all that was in the box onto my work table for my first virtual studio art course. There were new inks, papers (mainly thin Kozo, which is a rice paper), and plates that took me back to earlier days of falling in love with printmaking when all I had to work with was some home-grown

printing plates made from recycled styrofoam packaging. However, some of the materials and tools to make a print that I was getting used to (and were only available in the print studio at Zavitz Hall) were missing, which threw me off a bit. I felt confused during my first two assignments, one of which required a digitally-produced print

mail exchange which left me questioning if the class was actually about printmaking. Up to that point, I had been schooled to accept that there were only four types of traditional printmaking: relief, intaglio, lithography, and serigraphy. I personally place digital printmaking into more of a photography category, minus the camera. "Both liquids are different versions of acrylic artist mediums that can be used on their own or added to other mediums to extend the drying time in paints or change the paint texture. They are used as a final layer to seal. I just used them straight out of the bottle onto the copper plate."

Hand Geometry, 2020

Shortly after these assignments, I was introduced to Barbara Balfour, author of a discussion paper called “The What and the Why of Print.” Without going into too much detail, Balfour defined a print as being anything that comes from the standard laundry list of items required in traditional printmaking, no matter what type of print: matrix (the plate), something to make marks on on the plate, ink, pressure, and substrate (the surface printed on). Balfour’s definition stuck with me. You had to utilize the five items in the creation process, but within each there was potential for creative adaptations. Inspired by her words, I was ready to try some new things and see what would happen. The assignment was to create an intaglio print — a print created by carving the surface of the matrix and filling the sunken areas with ink. I was given a copper plate to carve into; however, I wanted to do more with the plate. I wanted to create many kinds of background textures using all kinds of chemicals and tools, like the ones we had access to in the Zavitz print studio. So I approached the copper like a painter’s canvas. I have a lot of leftover acrylic mediums from all kinds of painting projects so I started painting them on to the plate. After each layer I sanded, scratched, and manipulated. I even had a small print screen and used that to squeegee on a layer. Then it was time to carve. Using an etching needle I began to draw

simple lines. It was satisfying to cut through all the medium layers to reach and mark the copper. Along the way, medium flaked off. I embraced it. The final printing of the plate involved returning to the traditional rules for inking and running through a simple press we were required to make as part of this class. I couldn’t resist implementing the traditional element of chin collé — a process of adding rice paper just before going through the press. The Printmaking III virtual course helped me to loosen up creatively. I love traditional printmaking, but now I also love experimenting with new ways to utilize some of its tools to create really unique prints. Mary Kroetsch began her art adventure around the age of 10 when she had her first sewing class. Ever since, she has been exploring her passion as a creative. A self-described studio lab rat, her method of making is all about exploration and the manipulation of the materials she plays with. She isn’t satisfied with “doing things right” and craves the happy accidents she encounters by not following the rules. Primarily self-taught, Mary is working on her studio arts degree at the University of Guelph.  mary-kroetsch-textile-mixedmedia-artist. com

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A bookbinding tutorial from a graphic designer DIY your next notebook ARTICLE AND IMAGES BY BRUBEY HU

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Mark sewing stations on the folded line.

y name is Brubey Hu, and I work for The Ontarion as the graphic designer. With interests in publication design and book arts, I am always fascinated by the formal quality of books and how they transform reading into a physical and aesthetic experience. Bookbinding refers to the process of assembling papers together into a stack using threads and/or glue. There are numerous ways of binding books, from hardcover binding, used to protect sacred contents like those found within a Bible, to perfect binding — an inexpensive method that is largely used for magazines and promotional brochures. I personally enjoy binding blank books for notetaking and doodling, but you can bind books for diaries, recipes, and more. Here is one simple bookbinding method which uses cheap and readily available materials.

THE FIVE-HOLE PAMPHLET STITCH

Materials: • • • • • • • • •

Printer paper x 10 (inside pages) Cardstock x 1 (cover, same size as the inside pages) Wax threads (2 ½ times the height of the spine) Needle Awl (or pushpin) Ruler Pencil Clip Bone Folder

BOOKBINDING TERMS Sewing Stations: The spots through which you sew Spine: The edge where the pages are gathered and bound

Instructions:

1. Using the bone folder, fold the printer papers in half and stack them together. 2. Using the bone folder, fold the cardstock in half and stack it outside of the inside pages. Then use the clip to hold all of the papers together. 3. Using the ruler and pencil, mark five sewing stations on the folded line. First mark Station C in the exact centre of the spine. Then mark Station A half an inch away from the top edge, and Station E half an inch away from the bottom edge. Station B goes to the centre between Station A and C; Station D goes to the centre between Station C and E. 4. Use the awl or pushpin to pierce the sewing stations. 5. Thread the needle. Do not tie a knot, leave a loose end. 6. Start binding at Station C. Pull your needle through Station C. Leave about three inches of thread. 7. Go through Station D. 8. Go through Station E. 9. Go through Station D again. 10. Go through Station B. 11. Go through Station A. 12. Go through Station B again. 13. Go through Station C. Tie a square knot around the long stitch that crosses over Station C. And cut the excessive thread.

HOW TO TIE A SQUARE KNOT

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2.

3.

4. Inside and outside of the finished booklet.

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A Poem for Winter 2020 POEM BY DANA SHARE ILLUSTRATION BY JUSTIN LAGUFF

my mind is displaced my body in one space but it is itching to expand these boundaries can my soul rest among these stagnant energies ? never I want to fly but the air is too polluted I cannot see any path ahead the background buzz steadies secrets stay locked inside my head but I want to paint them in the sky put red against this grey stay in this atmosphere forever birth new stars on every coming day but for now I am lost with two feet on hardwood floors and an indefinite need to break the ceiling

Dana Share is a fourth-year English literature student at the University of Guelph. Her main interests are writing poetry and prose poems, which allow her to truly represent her own voice and thoughts and connect to every day in a meaningful way. She loves anything to do with romantic, lyrical writing, and can get lost for hours with a cup of tea and a book. If you would like to see more of her creative works, check her out on Instagram @danasstudio.

Justin LaGuff is a cartoonist and illustrator currently enrolled in the studio art program at the University of Guelph. Their work has been featured worldwide in anthologies and self-published artist multiples. In their free time, they like to read or camp in Algonquin.  justinlaguff.com  &  @jlaguff

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Book review: The Night Piece A dreadful, hopeful, insightful, and reality-questioning collection of stories ALLAN SLOAN

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If there is one collection you read this year, The Night Piece: Collected Short Fiction won’t come close to disappointing, staff reporter Allan Sloan says. CREDIT: PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE CANADA

ndré Alexis (Days by Moonlight, Fifteendogs) is an award-winning Canadian author. In 2017 he won the Windham-Campbell Literature Prize for his body of work, a prestigious award offered across four categories: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama. The Night Piece: Collected Short Fiction (2020) is exactly that, short fiction. The book itself is divided into separate characters and locations, yet rarely do the stories play off of one another. The one that drew my attention, however, was the title story “The Night Piece.” “The Night Piece” is an interestingly told tale, one that you wouldn’t necessarily appreciate without reading “Wilderness” and the four “Ottawa” stories that precede it. Those five very short stories set the tone of what’s to come. Alexis’ use of imagery and subtle language draws you in

but doesn’t simplify itself too much. There is a layman's edge to the writing, where everything is describable, but the horror and despair throughout “The Night Piece” carries complex feelings of dread. “The Night Piece” tells the story of a fifteen-year-old boy named Michael who meets a dying man at a wedding. Without any provocation you are suddenly swept into the story of this man; a man who is simply looking for work but is constantly plagued by tiredness and a possible brush with the supernatural that may or may not be real. When the story itself eventually shifts back to Micheal, the feeling of despair transfers from the dying man to the boy, keeping him up at night for a short while. Alexis’ command of the story is something I haven’t seen written on the page since Lovecraft's Dagon or The Shadow over Innsmouth.

But, to compare Alexis to Lovecraft would be doing him a disservice, as he is very much his own writer. Alexis uses the page as a brush to paint a vivid picture. You see the eyeless woman as you read, and it is just as unsettling to you as it was to Michael and the dying man. In this story you are Michael, and the perspective change to the dying man for the bulk of the story puts you in the terrifying role of listener, unable to resist his mystery and dreadful air. Michael’s immediate thoughts after the story also echoed my own — was the dying man lying? There’s no way his story is true, so why am I terrified that it might be? We never truly find the answers, and there are enough questions left by the end of the story where it could go either way, which is the most haunting part of the story. Throughout the other stories in the collection, Alexis' command of the written word continues. There are flashes of humour in an almost poetic nature throughout. It is no surprise that Alexis is an award-winning writer, and this collection exemplifies his talent and passion for the craft. If there is one collection you read this year, The Night Piece: Collected Short Fiction won’t come close to disappointing.

Guelph MFA alumnus’ debut hybrid novel challenges Western tropes You are Eating an Orange. You are Naked. explores life within multiple cultural spaces TAYLOR PACE

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heung-King’s insightful debut book, You are Eating an Orange. You are Naked. (2020) was released this past October. The narrative deals with philosophical questions, including those around existence, with the secondary character, You, repeatedly questioning the purpose and meaning behind things, teetering between existential nihilism and devoutly believing that there is meaning and significance in everything. The story depicts the narrator and his significant other, You, in a series of eloquent, sharply-intelligent conversations happening in various places around the world, from Macau to Toronto. As Sheung-King puts it, they are in a “kind of” relationship, trying to navigate different cultural spaces at once. Sheung-King began working on the novel during his MFA in creative writing at the University of Guelph. Despite his local ties,

however, Sheung-King told The Ontarion that he had a worldly upbringing similar to that of the narrator, which inspired much of the novel. Having grown up in Hong Kong, he moved to a boarding school near Buffalo when he was 15. Later, he studied film at Queen’s University, and eventually ended up at the U of G to get his MFA in creative writing. One of the first courses he took in grad school was playwriting, which inspired him to write a ‘hybrid’ novel, as he notes that “in the middle it kind of becomes a play, with just the characters talking to each other, and there are things like stage directions.” The narrative structure is written in easily digestible episodes so that you can “take it apart and put it together.” Sheung-King says that because the book is about “challenging views like Western tropes and

the structure of what a novel is, it only made sense that I bring in other forms and elements.” While the protagonists are from China and Japan and living and travelling in different countries, the story is not one about immigration, “in the sense that they’re trying to be part of society, they’re constantly resisting and asking questions. That resisting is where their identity is comfortable,” he said. “I feel like being a person who grew up in Hong Kong but was born in Vancouver made me want to create characters that are also capable of navigating many different cultural spaces at once.” “Hong Kong is a post-colonial city, yet you’re constantly in the midst of transition. It’s something I think my characters captured,” Sheung-King said. You can find You are Eating an Orange. You are Naked. at your local bookstore and online at Book Hug Press, and Amazon.

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Guelph MFA alumnus Sheung-King was inspired to write a "hybrid" novel after taking a playwriting course in grad school. The novel incorporates character dialogue and stage directions. CREDIT: SHEUNG-KING

For more on Sheung-King, visit sheung-king.com.

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ARTS ISSUE | JA N . 4, 202 1

THE ONTARION

Celebrating Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland Alice in Wonderland’s timeless story sparks wonder through all of its retellings RACHEL FIORET

he month of January marks the birth of famous author Charles Dodgson, publicly known as Lewis Carroll. Born in 1832, Daresbury, U.K., Carroll is of north English descent. Growing up, he attended the Rugby School, which he later admitted to strongly disliking, and from there he attended Oxford. The Church of England also played a prominent role in his life. Carroll was academically gifted, and his success often came easily to him. He had always been passionate about telling stories, which he would do for his younger siblings. Carroll's writing career began with poetry and short stories, which he submitted to magazines, though it wasn’t until a day trip in Oxford with his friend’s three daughters — one named Alice — that he found his inspiration for Alice in Wonderland, published in 1865. The original novel, the 1951 cartoon Disney movie, and the 2010 film each offer unique depictions of the rich symbolism this story contains and the magical ways in which we can fall down the rabbit hole into Wonderland.

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THE CHESHIRE CAT The Cheshire Cat appears three times in the written story, and poses as a teasing character. However, in the 2010 film, the Cheshire Cat aids the Mad Hatter when he is almost killed by the Queen of Hearts. Though the Queen of Hearts would view the cat as an irritating character, the Cheshire Cat acts as a guide to Alice in her journey through wonderland in all three versions of the whimsical tale.

THE UNBIRTHDAY PARTY The idea of the unbirthday party originally arose from Through the Looking-Glass (1871), Carroll’s sequel to the first novel, although Disney decided to incorporate it into both films. Carroll writes that the Mad Hatter struggles with the concept of time, so he decides to fight it by having an “unbirthday” party. Imagining that the time can rewind allows

the characters to live in a time that might have been better for them than the present. His fight against time is ironic, because he is a character in a dream and does not experience real time, so he was merely an element of Alice’s imagination. This was illustrated in the 1951 cartoon, where the White Rabbit and Mad Hatter work on fixing a broken clock. The broken clock symbolizes Alice’s fear of growing up and leaving her girlhood. In the 2010 film, the broken clock represents how she feels a pressure for time as she does not want to be married, so she tries to reverse time.

BLUE CATERPILLAR In the original story, the Blue Caterpillar was kind to Alice when they met. However in the 1951 film, he was rude to her and acted as though she was irrelevant to him. In the 2010 adaptation, the Blue Caterpillar was shown before Alice reached Wonderland, when it was crawling on Hamish’s shoulder. When she sees him in Wonderland, he mentions he will be going through a transformation, and at the end of the film, when Alice is about to set sail, he flies away as a blue butterfly. This transformation through the film not only reflects the Blue Caterpillar’s transformation, but also Alice’s, as her character changes throughout her adventures.

Rabbit's house and tried to chase him. When Alice fell in the 2010 remake, there were other things falling around her like a grand piano. Upon hitting the ground, Alice landed on a ceiling which flipped to be the floor of a house.

TALKING FLOWERS The concept of talking flowers was introduced by Carroll in Through the Looking-Glass, however, Disney decided to incorporate them into the setting of both the 1951 and 2010 films. Shortly after Alice lands in Wonderland and escapes the room through a tiny door, the talking flowers become a part of the plot. These flowers are significant to the story, as they introduce a new perspective on other characters. Alice encounters a tiger-lily, a larkspur, a violet, roses, and daisies. Each type of flower represents an element of her character. Daisies and violets are often used to symbolize purity and innocence, and Alice is a young, innocent girl. Tiger-lilies reflect confidence which Alice proves to have as she travels through Wonderland. A larkspur symbolizes the strength of love and attachment, which Alice gains towards other characters throughout the story, such as the Mad Hatter. The white and red rose represent the contrast between the Queen of Hearts and the White Queen. The variety of talking flowers adds to the unique setting of Wonderland.

THE RABBIT HOLE Each adaptation of the story takes a slightly different stance with the rabbit hole. In the novel, Carroll writes that as Alice fell down the hole she was screaming and talking to herself until coming to the realization that no one would hear her. When she hit the ground, she landed on the grass of the White Rabbit's house. Disney’s 1951 adaptation shows Alice crawling through what appeared to be a normal hole in the ground, until she falls down. Her dress acted as a parachute so the fall appeared quite relaxing and she was able to observe all that was surrounding her. When she landed, she found herself in the White

THE USE OF MAGICAL POTIONS The 1951 and 2010 films do not fail to incorporate the original “eat me” cake, though they utilize this part of the story in different ways. In the 1951 film, Alice eats carrots to shrink and fit through the tiny door. In the 2010 film, she experiences extreme shrinkage when she drinks a shrinking potion, then extreme growth after eating the cake to reach a key. Later in the movie Alice requests the magical cake when sneaking around in the Queen of Hearts’ garden, which she uses to grow and disguise herself.

Patrons enjoy the props at Maddie Hatter cafe in Erin, Ontario. CREDIT: MADDIE HATTER via @maddie__hatter on Instagram

FEMINIST APPEAL The original novel was written in an age of distinct gender roles and Alice’s character was to represent a young girl who was interested in exploring and thinking outside of societal norms, which she completely embraces once reaching Wonderland. In the 2010 film, Alice is portrayed as a young woman who values her personal ambition over the societal norms of the Victorian era. As she is on her way to her surprise proposal, she discusses her dislike for corsets and stockings, saying that she doesn’t feel the need to wear them even though they are in style. Alice challenges the norm when she rejects the marriage proposal at the end of the movie, and by telling her sister's husband that he should know her sisters’ worth. Though Alice was already strong minded, she leaves Wonderland with a new perspective on life and prepares to continue her father’s dream of sailing. She gracefully values her ambitions over others’ expectations of her. The written work and recent adaptation both represent Alice as a young woman who is willing to break free of societal norms in pursuit of personal goals.

FINAL THOUGHTS Carroll’s original work, Alice in Wonderland, has sparked inspiration for the Disney adaptations which give us multiple ways to experience Alice’s journey through Wonderland. The use of ideas from Through the Looking-Glass in both movies has allowed for

an even more intriguing story. Although the films depict stunning visuals of Wonderland, reading Carroll’s original work allows your mind to create your own version of Wonderland, as Alice’s did.

ALICE TODAY In addition to Disney’s adaptations of the book, Carroll’s story has continued to inspire many other art forms and experiences around the world. • Music: Avril Lavigne’s Alice, and Taylor Swift’s Wonderland. The lyrics of these songs transport you to Wonderland just like the story does. • Fine Art: Many adaptations of artwork related to the story have been created internationally. A famous sculpture inspired by Carroll’s book, Alice in Wonderland, resides in Central Park, New York City. • Quotes: Many quotes from the original book and films are prevalent today, such as “I knew who I was this morning but I’ve changed a few times since then” which can be found on posters, mugs, t-shirts, etc. • Experiences: Maddie Hatter, a cafe in Erin, Ont. Go there for a tea party and feel as though you are a part of the magic of Wonderland!

ISSUE 190.1 | ARTS & CULTURE

THEONTARION.COM

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HOUSEPLANT CORNER

There are various shops in Guelph and the surrounding area that carry house plants, such as Belgian Nursery, Blooms + Flora, Plant, Secret Garden Boutique, and Sweet Violets. CREDIT: PEXELS

Green thumb Guelph: Expanding your plant family Guelph is teeming with nurseries that will help get you started or expand on your plant journey DAISY STEWART

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ouseplants are everywhere. In fact, most grocery, hardware and big box stores will have a plant section that will leave you feeling tempted to bring home a new green friend. Since I’m running out of space in my home, I’ve started to be more mindful about buying plants from my favourite local stores, even if it makes me sad to leave those poor plants under the fluorescent lighting in front of a draughty automatic door. Shopping for plants is one of my favourite forms of retail therapy, especially during winter. There’s something dreary about the days being shorter and the lack of vibrant spring and summer colours outdoors. Walking around a plant store or nursery always lifts my spirits, and I’m grateful that I have so many places in Guelph to explore. Plus, there’s nothing better than a store full of beautiful and well-cared-for plants run by experts who have the same enthusiasm for indoor gardening that you do along with the knowledge to help you succeed with your new addition. Here is some information about a few of the lovely house plant stores in Guelph.

BELGIAN NURSERY This stunning nursery is actually in Breslau, but it’s worth the drive. Belgian is open yearround and offers an amazing variety of indoor and outdoor plants. Walking through Belgian Nursery in the winter is one of my favourite ways to boost my spirits. This nursery has an appealing layout, featuring various greenhouses full of different kinds of plants. Walk through the cactus room to enjoy Belgian’s aspirational cactus display while you choose a spiky friend of your own. Make sure to take a look at the back of the room to see a bunch of baby plants taking root. Icons by Iconfinder If you struggle to find a pot to fit a unique plant, you’re likely

to find something you really like here. Belgian Nursery has a wide variety of pots and other accessories to take your indoor and outdoor gardening to the next level. Make sure to budget some time to make the most out of your visit since there is so much to do and see at this gorgeous nursery not far from home.

BLOOMS + FLORA Located in downtown Guelph, Blooms + Flora is perfectly styled and curated. You might find yourself wanting to entirely redecorate your living space when you get home. They have beautiful plants, pots, housewares, and cut floral arrangements. While Blooms + Flora may not be the most houseplant-filled store on this list, I’ve always found their selection to be really unique and worth a look. The store itself is gorgeous. Plus, the pots and hangers are seriously dreamy. Need a gift for a plant-loving friend? Blooms + Flora offers a subscription service where they’ll send you a plant or cut flowers monthly!

PLANT Plant is a wonderful shop to

experience for plant lovers of all skill levels. The staff are welcoming, supportive, and enthusiastic about you and your indoor garden journey. This Old Quebec Street store is filled to the brim with a variety of large and small houseplants. The store is tidy and well labelled with helpful signage to point you in the right direction of a plant that will work for you. Each plant is labelled with information on how to care for it. If you have questions, the staff are knowledgeable and always pleasant to talk with. The Plant team also hosts a variety of workshops. Check out their social media pages for dates, times, and topics. You can also tune in to weekly virtual store walkthroughs where the Plant staff show off their new stock. It’s like browsing from the safety of your home.

SECRET GARDEN BOUTIQUE Guelph’s newest plant store opened during the pandemic and is a must-see for collectors or those with an extensive wish list. Filled with rare hoyas, aroids, and other rare finds, it

wouldn’t surprise you to hear that plant lovers have come from far and wide to visit this new store. You might even see a line of them out front waiting for the store to open so they can get their hands on an especially rare or desired plant. Keep an eye on Secret Garden Boutique’s social media for new releases and don’t hesitate if you see something you like!

SWEET VIOLETS You’ll love this cozy store. I was drawn in to Sweet Violets for the first time a few summers ago when I saw they had a stunning outdoor display with beautiful cut flowers and houseplants in wooden boxes. The store was full of patrons rushing in to grab bouquets, so I suspect they are quite popular, and the reason is no mystery. I hope you’ll love visiting Guelph’s beautiful plant stores and talking with the passionate, engaged owners and staff. Make sure to check in with the stores before you visit to familiarize yourself with the COVID-19 protocols in place. Mask up and enjoy your journey in plant parenthood.

OPINION

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THE ONTARION

31 | DIARY OF A VET STUDENT

Art in the form of painting, listening to music, learning to play an instrument, singing, and engaging in other creative outlets can be very beneficial to your mental health. CREDIT: UNSPLASH

Why we need art in a time of crisis Studies show that artistic outlets can help provide a sense of normalcy during the COVID-19 pandemic ANNE O'KEEFE

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s we enter 2021, it's hard to believe that it has been a full year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. For an entire year the whole world has lived in a state of perpetual fear and anxiety due to the coronavirus. While we patiently wait for the distribution of the vaccine, it's important for us to reflect on our needs during these troubling times. Art is essential to the well-being of humans during crises, especially an event such as the global pandemic. Some may argue that enjoying art is nowhere near the top of the priority list during these unprecedented times. While some may choose to live by this notion, I believe it is of the utmost importance that we incorporate art into our lives right now.

One of the biggest concerns that has come out of this pandemic has been the rising number of people suffering from mental health related issues. I’ve seen it firsthand as a student. Individuals are feeling isolated from each other and their own families, and kids are dealing with the stress of online school amongst countless other things. It’s been an uphill battle for many, including myself. While there isn’t one magic fix to all our problems, art can provide an immense relief. Art in the form of painting, listening to music, learning to play an instrument, singing, and engaging in other creative outlets can be very beneficial to your mental health. According to the Mental Health Foundation of the United Kingdom, getting involved with the arts, especially visual and per-

forming arts, can enable people to deal with a wide range of mental health conditions and help alleviate psychological distress. Whether that be through attempting a Bob Ross painting or finally learning how to play the piano, the options for artistic expression are vast and there is an accessible, affordable, and enjoyable option for all. The distance we’ve had to keep from one another during this virus has been a tough pill to swallow. While social media has kept us in close contact, there is a certain feeling about sharing an experience with someone in person that can't be replicated over a Zoom call. So, the question is: how do we bring people together when they need to be apart? Performance or live art of any kind is a crucial experience

to incorporate into your life right now. Since the start of the pandemic, live performances and venues have become a faint memory of the past. The euphoric feeling of being part of a crowd at a concert is something that simply cannot be beat. Many different venues understand this and have chosen to host live concerts and events that are available to stream from your home. Since early March, Billboard routinely updates their website with information about various upcoming concerts and performances. Dozens of dates with a variety of artists have become available for streaming with ticket prices ranging from around $10$20. While it might not be the same as being there, it is still a unique experience that you can share with your friends and fam-

ily. It’s an activity worth bonding over and something else to discuss that's not related to the number of COVID-19 cases arising on any given day. Overall, living a healthy and fulfilling life presents a challenge right now. With so many elements of our day-to-day life altered, it is hard to deal with our newfound way of living. These days art has become a form of medicine. It represents a way for us to heal and cope with our struggles, and it’s a pathway for our self-expression that serves as a unifier among people. Pablo Picasso once said, “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” Ultimately, that's what we need to do now: Come home, dust off our fears and allow ourselves to engage with our creative side.

ISSUE 190.1 | OPINION

THEONTARION.COM

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 DIARY OF A VET STUDENT

When frustration boils over OVC students get vocal about their school’s shortcomings CARLEIGH CATHCART

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n Dec. 2, the school I’ve called home for almost four years (and spent several years working hard to gain entrance to) got ripped apart on social media after making an extremely out-of-touch post. Capitalizing on the ‘Giving Tuesday’ trend, on Dec. 1, the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) asked the public via Instagram to “[Gift $25] to help support veterinary student well-being during these unprecedented times.” This donation was apparently going towards purchasing students a “gratitude” and “mindfulness” journal to aid them in the stressful experience of attending vet school during a pandemic. The problem with this post was not the concept itself (though it was absolutely an empty gesture on the part of school, in an attempt to make itself look good while actually doing very little). What finally caused people — including not only my own colleagues and classmates, but also alumni and family members of students — to aggressively call out the college, was the total disconnect between OVC’s tailored public image and its own contributions to the burnout, stress, mental illness, and struggles of its students. Don’t get me wrong, vet school is difficult on the best of days. No one expects OVC to hold hands, spoon feed, or give out degrees. As students, we knew when applying that we were in for long days, hard tests, and extreme volumes of content. We knew we would be intellectually and personally challenged, and many of us welcomed that challenge. We knew the career was a demanding but rewarding one, and we came prepared for the long road ahead. Vet school is inherently difficult, but schools shouldn’t be making things more difficult by excluding students from conversations, or placing a disproportionate weight on grades for acceptance into the college and winning awards. Let me explain. For several years, the administration has blatantly ignored students’ pleas to be included in conversations surrounding our

curriculum, scheduling, and professional development. We have been left in the dark time and time again regarding schedules and timelines. Suggestions for changes are often dismissed, appearing to be too much work compared to maintaining the status quo. Our selection process is grossly flawed. Ontario residents have one — one — vet school in the entire country to which they are eligible to apply. There are only 100 domestic spots. To get an interview, only grades are considered. Yes, you need to include experience, reference letters, and mini-essays in your application, but these are only used to disqualify you, and are not taken into account when ranking candidates for an interview. After interviews, the ratio becomes 65:35 for grades and interview score, meaning that grades are still the main factor of consideration. Manager of Student Affairs at the OVC Elizabeth Lowenger has justified this system at Future Vets Club admissions debriefing sessions by saying that “past academic performance predicts future performance,” which points to the rigor of the DVM curriculum. What the OVC fails to note is that the people being denied interviews on grades alone are not ‘poor performers,’ but are people with mid-to-high 80’s averages who happen to be a fraction of a percent lower than someone else. This emphasis on grades continues within OVC, where students are ranked within their class (though we do not have access to these rankings). Student awards are often merit-based on actions, but when two students are subjectively tied, the award is specified to go to the student with the higher average. It’s little wonder that students are not able to dissociate their worth from a numbered grade when the profession itself is dictated by filling in bubbles on a piece of paper, or that students burn out when there are one to two tests per week on an eight-month basis, in addition to five to eight hours of class five days a week. According to a 2015 Canadi-

On Giving Tuesday the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) asked the public via social media to donate $25 to support a veterinary student's well-being during the pandemic. CREDIT: PEXELS

an Veterinary Journal study and a 2018 Time article, our profession holds one of the highest vocational suicide and mental illness rates. It’s entirely unsurprising when graduates enter the field already exhausted and cynical. To be fair, there are also factors beyond the OVC to take into consideration. The public has a cruel tendency to berate veterinarians for charging for their services, and vets also face the intrinsic challenges of the profession, which include long hours, financial constraints, a wide array of animal species and their anatomical differences, and patients who can’t talk. After a minimum seven years of university, we graduate tired, in debt, and often without the hands-on skills and experience we need to feel worthy of belonging to the profession. It’s tough. Throwing a pandemic into

the mix certainly doesn’t make things any easier. COVID-19 and its many barriers are not the fault of OVC, but the complete lack of consideration or compassion from the administration is. Ignored emails, missing information, thoughtless comments, and administrative incompetence have made the lives of all OVC students far more difficult than is necessary, especially in a global pandemic. What makes this all particularly grating is OVC’s insistence on pushing itself to the public as an amazing institution with world-class education and ground-breaking wellness support for its students. Sorry, but this is categorically false. I should point out that many of our professors and clinicians are stellar and the research conducted here is phenomenal. But as a teaching school, OVC has a lot of work to

do in supporting its students. And asking people to do this work for them through a donation is what finally drove students to call out the school on its hypocrisy. I’m tired of the words ‘wellness’ and ‘resilience.’ Resilience is something that occurs when people are given the chance to recover and bounce back. This is not possible when the onslaught of challenges is never-ending, and every step forward results in two more backwards. Resilience is not possible in a year of constant disappointment, anxiety, and uncertainty. It’s not possible when supports for depression and other serious mental illnesses have been made less accessible due to pandemic-related restrictions. And it will never be possible until OVC owns up to its role in contributing to the anxiety students continue to face in this college.

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JANUARY The events listed are happening and abide by regional COVID-19 restrictions as of Dec. 16, 2020.

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JAN 10 JAN 5 – 6 The Park Tool School at WBI By: Winterbourne Bicycle Institute Park Tool School is a course that was designed by the famous bicycle tool company to help the average rider learn how to do their own basic repairs and preventive maintenance. Jan. 5 at 9:00 a.m. - Jan. 6 at 5:00 p.m. / Winterbourne Bicycle Institute, 180 Southgate Dr Unit 8, Guelph N1G 4P5

Ear Cleaning & Nail Trim Fundraiser By: Mattie’s Place and The Canine Social Company The Canine Social Company groomer will be joining Mattie's Place the first Sunday of each month for a combo nail trim & ear clean clinic for only $20. First-come / first-served COVID protocols in place. Dogs / Cats / Rabbits / Guinea Pigs 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. / Mattie’s Place, 159 Fallingbrook Rd, Toronto, M1N 2V2

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National Virtual Career Fair By: Jobs Canada FairPark Tool The National Virtual Career Fair is hosted to support Canada’s economy and unemployment rate as organizations are preparing to hire and bring employees back to work. List of exhibitors released one week prior to the job fair. Free admission for job seekers. 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. / Online, register through eventbrite.ca

The Power of Land: How One Indigenous Community Is Transforming Education in Order to Heal By: Hamilton Jewish Family Services Hear about how Stanley Mission's Land Based Education Program is radically healing a community. Learn about how culture, language, values, and life are being reclaimed through this project. 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. / Zoom (online)

JAN 15 Pick Your Own DIY By: Crafty Creatures Join us in studio with 1 or 2 friends for a chance to pick your own DIY and time at your convenience. Current DIY options include: hand-painted wood signs, string art, fall wreaths, holiday wreaths, indoor cactus wreaths, santa cookies & milk trays, holiday stocking hangers, holiday doormats, medal hangers, and friends photo board. 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. / Crafty Creatures, B5 - 940 Jamieson Pkwy, Cambridge, ON N3C 4N6

JAN 22 Ice Skating at The Bentway Skate Trail By: The Bentway The Bentway Skate Trail returns under the Gardiner for another year of outdoor fun and a safe skate season this winter. In order to keep our community healthy and safe this skate season, pre-registration is required (6 timeslots per day with a 25 person capacity each) 12:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. / The Bentway, 250 Fort York Boulevard, Toronto, ON M5V 3K9

JAN 24 Online Baking Workshop: Italian Cookies (Biscotti, Pizzicati, Amaretti) By: Shiela's In this workshop, you will be taught how to make three types of cookies — hazelnut chocolate biscotti, pizzicati with jam, and soft amaretti cookies! You will be sent a list of ingredients, a Zoom link, and other helpful information five days before the event. If you want to rewatch the workshop, the recording will be shared with you 24 hours after the event. 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. / Zoom (online)

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Bob’s Dogs Crossword Contest For your chance to win two Bobsdogs and two pops, just complete an EASY crossword, snap a picture, and send it to puzzles@theontarion.com by Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. Winners and anyone else who fills in the crossword correctly are announced in the paper each issue. Winners can arrange a time to pick up their voucher at The Ontarion office. No winner from last issue.

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Across 1–Child's plea 5–Behind time 10–GI's address 13–Curb 14–Truly 16–Asian holiday 17–Stubborn 19–Pal in the 'hood 20–More recent 21–Aztec god of rain 23–Moo goo ___ pan 24–Portent 28–Gave a speech 30–Guess 32–Entered 33–Sire 35–Egg cells

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36–Two-time U.S. Open champ 38–Burning 42–Latin 101 word 43–Roe of sturgeon 45–Root vegetable 49–Partial shadow 53–Car heart 54–Cabinet dept. 55–Suffix with cloth 56–Discussion 58–Expunge 60–That, in Tijuana 61–Privy 65–Romanian coin 66–Comic Boosler 67–Jester Jay 68–Switch settings 69–Pilfer 70–Corm of the taro

1–Cower 2–Trojan War hero 3–Stupid person 4–About 5–Nervous twitch 6–Hill insect 7–Cereal box abbr. 8–It's outstanding 9–Egg yolk 10–Basically 11–Discern 12–Ear opening? 15–The Wreck of the Mary ___ 18–Pleasant smells 22–PC linkup 25–Floor coverings 26–Moral principle 27–Family tree word 29–Strands in a cell? 31–___ tree falls... 34–Lustrous black 36–South Pole explorer 37–Beautiful 39–Hunky-dory 40–Hardy's partner 41–Pitcher's asset 42–Dug in 44–Copycat 46–Penpoint 47–Thunderstruck 48–Flower parts 50–Tendentious 51–Forward 52–"Am not!" rejoinder 57–Coup d'___ 59–It may be landed 60–"Evil Woman" band 62–Pupil's place 63–Genetic material 64–Animation frame

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FUN PAGE

FUN STUFF | JA N . 4, 202 1

HARD CROSSWORD 1

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SUDOKU

4

7 2

Fill in the empty squares so that each of the digits 1 through 9 appear once in each row, column, and 3-by-3 block.

9 3

1

4

3

EASY

8 5 7

1

R

T

4

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S

E

A

N

A

N

N

A

19

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13

17

A

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23

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35

27

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N

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H O

P O G R O M

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P 24

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29

36

A

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57

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I 53

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70

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8 3 5

1–Jessica of "Dark Angel" 2–Comic Kamen 3–In ___ (stuck) 4–Clear of vermin 5–Sensation 6–Somme summer 7–Hindu princess 8–Like most sumo wrestlers 9–Many 10–Tart 11–Chop ___ 14–Took the wrong way? 15–Removed faults 20–Hew

5 4 1

7

25

37

P

18 22

31

38

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54

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60

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42

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61

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N

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68

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11

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1

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3 5

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© 2013 KrazyDad.com

6 4

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© 2013 KrazyDad.com

HARD

4

U

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O H M S

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22–Jazz flutist Herbie 24–"Dallas" matriarch 26–Shop shaper 27–Carplike fish 28–Sudden convulsion 30–Shoot-'em-up 32–Iroquois foes 33–Maintains 34–U-Haul competitor 37–Untamed 40–Chest related 42–Fragment 45–Not very much 47–Comfort 50–8th letter of the Greek alphabet 54–Bobby of the Black Panthers 56–Sticky 57–Franklin D.'s mother 58–Was aware of 59–Arrow poison 60–Old hands 62–Broccoli ___ (leafy vegetable) 63–Getting ___ years (aging) 64–Protuberance 67–Dip in liquid

Down

MEDIUM 3

S

16

6 8

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EASY A

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7 2 6

6

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68

73

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1

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49

33

38

41

44

57

31 37

40

32

22

36

39

11

25

29

35

10

15

21 24

28

9

1–Diary of ___ Housewife 5–First name in architecture 9–Stubborn sort 12–Italian bread? 13–Wild guesses 15–Moises of baseball 16–Make indistinct 17–Creed 18–Pouting grimace 19–Join 21–Equality of measure 23–Friends' pronoun 25–___ vital 26–Weigh-in abbr. 29–Norway's capital 31–Win over 35–Dada pioneer 36–Seasoned rice dish 38–Audacious 39–Afternoon affairs 41–Located 43–Conked out 44–___ la vista 46–Weird 48–Palindromic preposition 49–Clown Kelly 51–Tabula ___ 52–Abbr. on old maps

18

20

27

8 14

23 26

7

THE ONTARION

53–Arena shouts 55–Succulent 57–Superficial 61–Nerve cell 65–Sigmund's daughter 66–Foot bones 68–Look ___ hands! 69–Film unit 70–Standoffish 71–Footnote abbr. 72–Shock's partner 73–Notice 74–Sandy tract

Across

HARD

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49

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19

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26

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