Ali

Although Alison Dean is pretty laid back on her down time, which is filled with reading, music, movies and her family, her education back ground tells a different story. Focusing on literature and photography, she received both a B.F.A in drawing and a B.A in English at the U of R and a M.A. at the University of Guelph. Aside from working at the Mackenzie and a trip to B.C this summer, she will be catching up on some classic Cary Grant and Hitchcock movies.

Considering your interests and background, let’s talk style in Arts and Literature. Which period of art history do you think has influenced style the most?

One that I see pop up a lot is Japanese printmaking. I see it quite a bit in North American and European work, but also a lot of design work is pretty heavily influenced by it. Today I see it in style with Ukiyo-e prints and the defined black lines and colors.

With your interest in portrait photography, were you ever interested in fashion photography?

Yes, I am a huge fashion magazine fanatic! I love the theatrical and rich colors, and even though fashion photography is not very realistic or practical, it still looks really beautiful. I think a lot of movies fit in with that too, like Audrey Hepburn movies or ones where Edith Head did the costume design. For example, when Grace Kelly comes in wearing a specific outfit and that is the whole movie right there.

You have mentioned many older fashion icons and movies stars. Is that something that inspires you?

Yes, I think my favorite styles come from the 40’s and 50’s. Personally I just like them, but I think they have a huge influence on today’s style. And they keep coming back into style over and over again. I have really been enjoying old Hitchcock and Audrey Hepburn movies lately as they are interesting little time capsules. I didn’t used to like old movies, but once I started watching them, I realized how everything refers to them. For example, in Sleepless in Seattle, they always refer to An Affair to Remember. Once you start understanding where it comes from, it all makes everything mean more.

Would you say that there is style in literature?

My biggest influences have come from authors like Jane Austin and Thomas Hardy. My bias is visual in a lot of ways, and that is why I like Thomas Hardy, because his writing was so visual. And Jane Austin has had a huge influence, and it hasn’t diminished at all. People are either influenced by it, or reacting to it, so it still has a really big place in contemporary culture.

Interview and photography by Carey Shaw for Prairie Dog

The Senator pt 3

Karla + Mike

With Karla moving to Regina from the west coast a year ago, and Mike originally from Estevan, they now both work at The Exchange ensuring that Regina's music and cultural scene is diverse and thriving. Aside from the “office” work, Mike and Karla are both part of Regina's ten piece indie pop Library Voices and are co-owners of Young Soul Records, which is an operating collective record label which enables them to put out a lot of Saskatchewan based albums.

Music wise, what do you see coming back into style?

Karla: Glam rock. I have been seeing it everywhere

Mike: I think in hip hop there is a throwback to 8 bit sound. It's smart, but on the edge of ironic music programming behind rap songs. I am personally really into that right now.

If you could have anyone on your label, who would it be?

Mike: Rah Rah.

Karla: They are on our label. Our dreams have come true.

Mike: It is really of of the best albums we could have hoped to have put out. We have never had to actively seek out artists because there are so many great bands around here that we would like to be a part of.

What do you think of Regina's music scene?

Karla: There is a lot of good talent here, especially considering the small population. And it is nice because it is such a supportive atmosphere, compared to where I used to be (Vancouver). It is very cold and cutthroat there, but warm and supportive here. Huge difference.

Mike: Everyone is so supportive of the Exchange as well. It is really special to have a place like this, where the audience is supportive and respectful, and they treat it like they are going to see a band in their own parent's basement.

Music obviously influences style. Does it influence either of you?

Karla: I think anyone who isn't trying too hard, on every level, whether it be a small band or huge stadium band. I don't like it if it looks contrived.

Mike: We definitely see a lot of flat irons come through here.

Interview and photography by Carey Shaw for Prairie Dog.

New Site!

We (Common Weal Community Arts) finally have a new site!!!!

Links, galleries and events...check er out.

Combine

Over the past year at work, Common Weal has been working on the Dewdney Avenue Project. The project brought in 3 Canadian multi-disciplinary artists, who worked with the area of North Central Regina, in relation to the history, area, and circumstances of Dewdney Avenue. There is whole lot more background on this that you can check out here.

One of the final pieces that we created was a brochure which listed events, projects, artist info, images, and a city wide map that illustrated it all for the view. We had Combine design the brochure for us, and we love it. Danielle who worked with us was fantastic, and gave us everything we had hoped for.

If you check out their site, they have so much great work to take a look at. It is well worth the look.
And thank you Combine...for heading back to the prairies.

enjoy. xo.

Sara

Born and raised in Regina, Sara moved to Calgary eight years ago. In Calgary she worked with children with special needs and with trauma in women's shelters. Although she loved working with children, she decided to make a career change that brought her and her then, soon to be husband, back to Regina. This past spring she opened Stella and Sway Boutique, and brought a new kind of style to the working class women of Regina. A self proclaimed jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, she loves to dress people up, and now does it full time at her boutique. Although a complete change from what she used to do, she loves it and wouldn't change it for the world.

How did it happen? Working with kids in Calgary, to opening up your own boutique in Regina?

I had always been interested in owning my own business. I was going to purchase a children's clothing shop in Calgary, but I always wanted to be able to create it from the beginning to the end. I wanted it to all be my own creation. And when you work with kids you are always working with so many other people, like parents, therapists and doctors. And even though I had never worked in retail before, it wasn't scary for me, because I knew I could interact well with other people.

What do you think of Regina's market for shops and boutiques?

We have a lot to offer in this city. We have the mixture of contemporary to streetwear. Regina does have a really good mix, and we are really stylish here. We have a lot of influences, which is cool. And it is getting even better now, because there are so many more new shops opening up and offering what big cities have to offer.

If you could have any style icon walk into your store, who would it be?

I love Kate Hudson's style. She can put on jeans, boots, a wrap, and a big belt and she looks fantastic. I love Katie Holmes new sophisticated look which I think is really sexy. And whenever Jennifer Aniston does a dress, it is always really simple, which I think is great. I am a total t-shirt and jeans kind of girl, although I love helping women feel confident and beautiful in what they are wearing.

Compared to many weddings, your wedding style was quite simple.

I didn't want to go full out vintage, but I wanted a dress that was simple, because I knew something different wouldn't look right on me. My husband Ben was wearing a Burberry tie, so with my red shoes and the red and ostrich feathers in my veil, it was kind of a modern vintage look. It was like a romantic comedy of a wedding.

If you could go on any kind of shopping spree, where would you go?

Oh. New York sample sales. Los Angeles sample sales. I would look up Daily Candy, find out where all the sample sales were, and I would be off.

Interview and photography by Carey Shaw for Prairie Dog.

Common Circles: Addressing Violence Through Art

Last October I started working at Common Weal Community Arts as the Southern Artistic Coordinator. And around the same time I started working on the upcoming programming for the next few years. During that period, there was a lot going on in my life and my friends life, dealing with the topics of violence. I think we felt angry/confused/tired/helpless. We felt we needed to actually DO something about it. Because of this, a good friend of mine Danette, who is an artist and teacher, started brainstorming on possible projects that Common Weal could do with this topic.

Fast forward to August, and we have now finished a
workshop series called Common Circles: Addressing Violence Through Art with some fantastic artists (Jori Cachene, Traci Foster and Sherry Farrell Racette). Common Circles was a workshop-based project approaching the issues of violence against women and
families using visual art, creation and voice. Working within themes of independence, generosity, belonging and freedom, the workshops provided an avenue for participants to explore, learn, share and visually represent these ideas in relation to the topics of violence. We also presented the work created and workshop series at the "Missing Women: Decolonization, Third Wave Feminisms, and Indigenous People of Canada and Mexico" at the University of Regina. To finish up the project, we will be working with Combine, to create a book about the project and to pass on the ideas behind the workshops, so schools and organizations can carry on what we have created and facilitated. The book should be done sometime in October...a year later, a full circle.

To find out more about the project, visit Common Weal Community Arts. Sign up for our e-list and we will keep you in the know.

Thank you to all the participants, artists and elders...it was the perfect way to spend the summer. xo.

Matty

Thirteen years ago, while going to university and playing with Mrs.Svenson, Matt Johnstone started as a line cook at a little new place called the Cathedral Village Freehouse. Fast forward thirteen years ahead, and he is now the manager and director of operations for the Freehouse, which is now a Regina staple. When Matt does have some rare free time, he plays bass with Bandwagon Device and Johnny Hatch and the lost disciples, and also plans to cook ALL of the food for his own summer wedding.

I see you have the Converse on. Are you a lifelong fan?

These shoes are only about six weeks old but I broke them in at the Iron Maiden show. They were way too white on the toes, so I had to muddy them up. But my first pair of All Stars was when I was 12 yrs old and they were a pair of pink high-tops.

Tell me about the Batman shirt?

I am showing my Batman pride! This is my first Batman shirt I have ever had, except for under-roos. I am pretty sure I had Batman under-roos when I was five years old. So this is a throwback to my five year old under-roo wearing.

With style today, is there anything you think men just shouldn’t wear?

This whole new thing with the headbands. It isn’t that I don’t like it, I just don’t get it. Or very short Adidas sportswear.

Back in the day, anything you have worn that you wish you hadn’t?

Steal toed combat boots. I really wish I had never worn those. I had bought a pair of orange high top Doc Martins when I was sixteen because they were all the “rage”. I think I wore them for six weeks, and never put them on again.

Would you say the Freehouse has a specific “style” of clientele?

It is very casual and individual, which really works. We have anybody and everybody come into the Freehouse. We will have suits sitting next to punk rock kids, and I love that about it. We had someone with a mohawk sitting next to the Mayor the other day. I think Regina is a lot like that, it is a very individualized city. People just do what they want to do, and generally speaking, people are left alone.

Interview and photography by Carey Shaw for Prairie Dog