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Hot Art Wet City Gallery presented the third annual Hot Talks curated by Rachael Ashe. In partnership with the Eastside Culture Crawl, this was an evening of informative and entertaining talks by artists, designers, and craftspeople. The eight speakers represented a selection of the variety of artists participating in the 2016 Culture Crawl. Each speaker presented their work and shared the process behind what they do in a short “Show & Tell” style talk. Artists: Tristesse Seeliger, Vanessa Lam, Sherri Rogers, Bridget Catchpole, Anyuta Gusakova, Trevor Van den Eijnden, The Hive Printing, and Espiritu Design Studio.

Radius Clause
 
Boyfriend attempts to measure the spaces between reality and it’s depictions. She’ll trace the radial line which spans the circular feedback loop of media consumption and individual action, looking at how depictions of love & sexuality are perpetuated and justified by mainstream messaging. More specifically, Boyfriend will discuss the motivations, inspirations and references behind her Love Your Boyfriend EP and the tools she used to communicate those ideas.

Rap Game Bette Midler. English Major Rap. Rap Cabaret. Boyfriend has garnered a collection of buzzy descriptors that attempt to summarize her particular brand of performance. But perhaps, like the Grand Canyon, Boyfriend is best witnessed in the flesh. Catch her at Pemberton Music Festival from July 16–19, 2015.

HOT TALKS: Eastside Culture Crawl
November 13, 2014
 
We partnered with the Eastside Culture Crawl for a special edition of Hot Talks. An evening of short talks by artists participating in the 2014 Culture Crawl including: Jon Shaw, Holly Cruise, Claire Madill/heyday design, Patsy Kay Kolesar, Reilly Lievers, David Robinson, and Robin Ripley. “Show & Tell” style talk followed by Q&A (To see the Q&A, watch the video on Youtube).

The Eastside Culture Crawl is an annual 4-day visual arts festival in November that involves artists on Vancouver’s Eastside opening their studio to the public. The event is focused on the area bounded by Main St., 1st Ave., Victoria Drive, and the Waterfront and involves painters, jewelers, sculptors, furniture makers, weavers, potters, printmakers, photographers, glassblowers; from emerging artists to those internationally established. Check it out November 20-23, 2014.

HOT TALKS: Leanne Prain
October 23, 2014
 

Sewing Our Stories: Stitch Narratives
 
Inspired by a series of epiphanies that she had while researching multiple books on textiles, author Leanne Prain will take you through a personal journey of how multiple conversations with textile artists resulted in her obsession with linking the stuff we make to the act of storytelling. Amid the weft and weave of textiles, she has found societal commentary, personal confessions, humor, fictional dalliances, the secret lives of oppressed people, and simple snapshots of individual experiences. She believes that weaving a tale or dropping a thread can take on new meaning when we start to see textiles beyond the narrow scope of functional objects but instead, as an important part of the human experience.

From her research into the many motivations of those who participate in the yarn bombing movement, to a candid interview with a man who learned how to embroider while incarcerated, to a woman who stitches recollections of eHarmony dates on hankies; Leanne will share how she thinks that textiles can serve to tell us about ourselves and the lives of those around us. Talk followed by Q&A.

Leanne Prain is a Vancouver-based writer, maker, and graphic designer. She is the author of three books: Strange Material: Storytelling Through Textiles (October 2014); Hoopla: The Art of Unexpected Embroidery; and Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti (co-authored with Mandy Moore), all published by Arsenal Pulp Press.

In 2005, Leanne co-founded a stitch and bitch called Knitting and Beer in order to expand her knitting skills at a pub. While that has group disbanded, she continues to be amazed at what can be created with two needles and a bit of yarn. In 2006, she was introduced to knit graffiti (aka Yarn Bombing) via the Internet, which resulted in a downright obsession with the political and cultural aspects of modern textiles. Once the keeper of the infamous knit graffiti blog yarnbombing.com, she now lives online at leanneprain.com.

HOT TALKS: Miranda Lievers
August 21, 2014
 

In a world where we’re inundated with Pinterest-perfect snapshots of seemingly impeccably executed culinary adventures, craft projects, and even home renovations, it’s enough to assume that everyone else has got this already and that you should probably just stay in bed. Not often perfect (but usually close enough), the “sure why not?” approach can lead to a funny story, a new skill, and the courage to say yes again. As someone without that voice in the back of my head telling me I can’t do something, my initial response is most typically along the lines of “how hard can it be?!” Turns out, it’s usually the right call. Join me in a conversation about trying anything once, even when logic might suggest that something is probably better left to the experts! 30 minute talk followed by Q&A.

Miranda Lievers is a Railtown based entrepreneur with a passion for all things small business and DIY. After jumping ship from her fast-track corporate life, she dove head on into the photography studio she started with her husband Reilly. Now in their 11th year, her company Blue Olive Photography has earned countless accolades including being named among the most inspiring photographers in Canada and the best wedding photographers in Vancouver a few years in a row. Outside of running her studio, Miranda can usually be found throwing parties to connect like-minded people, chasing after her busy toddler, or getting way too excited about the next project she’s about to tackle.