Explore UVic on Nov 30

by | Nov 21, 2024 | Art History & Visual Studies, Events, School of Music, Theatre, Undergraduate, Visual Arts, Writing

Considering a future as a student in UVic’s Faculty of Fine Arts? Join us on Saturday, Nov 30, as we open our doors as part of Explore UVic—UVic’s free, all-day open house. We’ve created a fun-filled day of student panels, sample lectures, presentations, tours and more. Check out the schedule of events, plan ahead and make the most of your visit! (Free parking too!)

This is your chance to discover what it’s like to be part of BC’s only stand-alone fine arts faculty, which means you’ll be learning as part of a dedicated arts-specific community. On Saturday, we’ll be hosting an open house (10am-3pm in the lobby of the Fine Arts building) with representatives from our departments of Art History & Visual Studies, Theatre, Visual Arts, Writing and the School of Music who can answer your program questions.

We’ll also be offering behind-the-scenes tours of our facilities at these times and locations:

  • Art History & Visual Studies: 11:15, 11:45, 12:15, 12:45, 1:15, 1:45, 2:15 & 2:45 (meet in the Fine Arts building lobby)
  • Fine Arts/Writing: 11am-3pm, with live student readings at 11:30, 12:30 & 1:30 + a loop of student films (meet in the Fine Arts building lobby)
  • School of Music: 11:30, 12:30 & 1:30 with a special info session & audition demo at 12 & 1pm (meet in Music’s upstairs lobby, MacLaurin B-Wing)
  • Theatre: 11:00, 12:00, 1:00 & 2:00  (meet in the Phoenix Building lobby)
  • Visual Arts: 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 & 2:30 (meet in the Visual Arts building lobby)

You can also catch a sample lecture looking at how your brain responds to art & creativity with Art History & Visual Studies  professor Catherine Harding from 1:45-2:30pm in Sngequ House room 131. Find out how your brain reacts to paintings, music, poetry and performances: is your response to beautiful things different from your response to ugly ones?

Dr. Harding will share the latest research on how art and experiences in theatres, concerts and galleries can change the way you think and feel. You will learn how new technology in images, sounds and spaces affects your mind, body and emotions. By understanding how your brain connects with creativity, you can discover new ideas and tackle challenges. This can help you see exciting links between different things in the world around you.

Register in advance now for Explore UVic — or just drop by on Saturday: we’d love to meet you! 

UVic Symphony Orchestra: From Darkness to Light

by | Nov 19, 2024 | Award, Faculty, Graduate, School of Music, Undergraduate

When the UVic Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Giuseppe Pietraroia, presents the captivating evening of music From Darkness to Light on November 29, they’ll not only be  blending  drama, passion and rhythmic vitality, but will also feature a memorable performance by our 2024 student Concerto Competition winners.

As part of the concert, Jiran Miao — a fourth-year piano student at UVic studying under Music professor and esteemed concert pianist Arthur Rowe — will perform Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, op. 15 with the UVic Orchestra. Originally from Shaoxing, China, Jiran started playing piano at age five and has since dedicated herself to her craft, winning awards from the CDMF, Vienna International Classical Music Competition, Don Chrysler Concerto Competition, and Rocky Mountain Music Competition. She has also performed in cities around the world, including Vienna, Salzburg, Shanghai, and Vancouver, and has given solo recitals in her hometown.

When Professor Rowe first suggested she take on Brahms’ concerto, Jiran was hesitant due to the short preparation time ahead of the competition date. However, her love for Brahms and his “gentle portrait of Clara Schumann” in the second movement motivated her to complete the work. Jiran expresses deep gratitude for the support of her UVic professors, especially the mentorship of Professor Rowe, which has greatly shaped her growth as a musician. “From the day I first stepped into UVic for my audition, I knew I wanted to study here,” she explains.

Looking ahead, Jiran plans to pursue advanced studies, aiming to blend her musical insights with composers’ intentions and, as an international student, to eventually share her knowledge and experiences with other musicians in China. Her performance of the Brahms’ Piano Concerto — considered a masterpiece of the Romantic era — will offer powerful orchestral textures and intricate piano passages that will take you on a memorable journey from turbulent passion to serene introspection.

The concert will also include Franz Schubert’s Fierabras, D. 796: Overture and will conclude with Antonín Dvořák’s lively Slavonic Dances, Op. 72. Inspired by the folk traditions of Dvořák’s homeland, these dances brim with infectious rhythms, vibrant melodies, and the spirit of Czech folk music, promising a joyous and exuberant finale to the evening. Also, be prepared for turn at the baton by Arturo García Cuéllar, our Graduate Assistant Conductor.

Don’t miss this unforgettable concert that showcases the beauty and power of orchestral music and emerging student performers at their finest!

Coming up in 2025 will be two more performances by our other two Concerto Competition winners: second year Master of Music soprano Olivia Charette, performing W.A. Mozart’s Exsultate, jubilate (Exult, rejoice), K. 165 with the UVic Symphony Orchestra on February 13, 2025; and second-year music education student Spencer Leong Cowie, who will perform his winning concerto with the UVic Wind Symphony in our 2025-26 season.

Robotics artist plots course for the future  

by | Nov 11, 2024 | Uncategorized

When it comes to transformational educational experiences, it’s hard to top that of Sie Douglas-Fish. Prior to arriving at UVic, they had never even left their 2,000-person hometown before — but now, as they graduate with a BFA in Visual Arts, they’re not only already living and working in a city of 4.2 million but also had their art featured on national TV and have a piece hanging in the Montreal offices of Amazon Web Services. That’s pretty impressive for a person who was roundly mocked in high school for simply wanting to be an artist.

“I grew up being told that my art was a waste of time and that my style wasn’t something people would want to buy,” Douglas-Fish recalls about their high-school years in the small BC town of 100 Mile House.

Dragon’s Den calling

But that didn’t stop them from choosing UVic as their degree destination and following a creative path that eventually saw their work featured on a 2023 episode of the national CBC TV show Dragon’s Den . . . on their birthday, no less. “Here’s these multimillionaires holding a piece of my art and saying, ‘Wow!’ It felt very validating to be acknowledged like that — and on my 21st birthday too.”

Not only did their time at UVic exponentially expand their creative, technological and entrepreneurialhorizons, but it also increased their confidence in their art, career and themself.

“The advantage of going to a university is that you have access to all these other experiences,” they say. “I had never engaged with other people about art before, let alone experienced an in-person critique of my work or had a life-drawing class. The first time I was actually able to see my own potential was at UVic.”

One of Sie’s pieces seen on Dragon’s Den

Sie officially graduates as part of UVic’s fall convocation ceremonies on November 13, which you can watch live here.

The future looks robotic

Hired straight out of school to work at Acrylic Robotics in Montreal — the robotic art company where they interned remotely during their final year of studies and also created the set of portraits seen on Dragon’s Den — Douglas-Fish is now doing things they never imagined they could. But their current path is a natural progression from both the digital art and graphics they did during three years as design director for UVic’s Martlet student newspaper.

Being at UVic also allowed them to gain experience as a freelance artist: not only by contributing art for the children’s book Sharks Forever by Writing instructor (and Fine Arts alumnus) Mark Leiren-Young, but also by setting up their first “artist alley” display at Victoria’s comic con — something they’ve since continued to do at other in cons in Calgary and Toronto. “I’m getting to the point now where I can travel to do them,” they say. “They’re really long days but are a lot of fun!”

Now based in Montreal, Douglas-Fish is currently seeing their art going out on a global tour with Acrylic Robotics and Amazon Web Services. “We’re taking one of our large robots to a bunch of different cities across the world: San Francisco, London, Seoul . . . my art is going to be seen in South Korea! How cool is that?”

As a full-time internal artist at Acrylic Robotics (a 10-person tech start-up whose motto is “Helping Robots Paint with Humans”), Douglas-Fish both creates original art and works with other artists to robotically reproduce their own pieces in sizes both small and large.

“We work with global companies like hotels where they need a duplicate of the same painting in every single room — like 500 of the same 20 paintings — or individual artists who want to create identical limited-edition paintings, kind of like what you’d do with prints,” they explain.

“I work with Adobe Illustrator and either create an original design or recreate the work of another artist . . . but a big part of my job is also preserving the artistic intention of the artist. There’s a lot of trial and error, but also a lot of artistic intuition: it’s fascinating!”

Showcasing their work at Toronto’s comic-con

They’ve also released their own collection with Acrylic Robotics, two pieces from which are now part of the permanent collections for both the American LGBTQ+ Museum and  Museum of Art & Design, both in NYC.

Building on their skills

Looking to the future (as only a robotics artist can), Douglas-Fish can see themself pursuing art direction in tech or maybe with a video game publisher like Ubisoft. But as a former high-school mentor and a three-year volunteer with UVic’s Peer Support Centre, they also like the idea of working with emerging artists.

“I can see myself teaching art at some point,” they conclude. “Maybe because I didn’t have an art community and nobody really cared about art in my town, it’s important to me to be in a position where I can support other artists. That was just something that I never had growing up.”

Sie’s work seen in the 2024 BFA exhibit

2024 Student Impact Award winners

by | Nov 7, 2024 | Award, Theatre, Undergraduate, Visual Arts

Since 2021, the Fine Arts Student Community Impact Awards have recognized individual achievements or outstanding efforts made by full-time Fine Arts undergraduate students beyond their traditional studies. Open to submissions from across the faculty, these juried awards are then presented annually as part of the Greater Victoria Regional Arts Awards, this year held November 6 at the Baumann Centre. Including this year’s recipients, Fine Arts has now given over $13,000 to 11 students in the last four years — all thanks to the generosity of our donors.

Congratulations go out to the recipients of our fourth annual awards: Rebecca Fux, Thomas Moore and Claire Jorgensen, each of whom receives $1,000 for their individual projects.

 

Connecting through art

Claire Jorgensen (Visual Arts) receives the award for winning a competitive commission to create a new large-scale mural embodying themes of diversity, community and wellness for UVic’s Island Medical Program — titled “A Dream of Vitality” — which she then painted live over the course of a month in the lobby of the Medical Sciences building.

As Visual Arts chair Megan Dickie points out in her nomination letter, “Over the period of two years, I have seen Claire develop into both an incredible artist and a very caring individual who participates in community development.  Creating an artwork that reflects community, diversity, wellness and place is not easy, yet Claire has produced a place for the mind and eyes to wander, explore and discover. Her mural reflects nature and its power to spark consideration of place and personal past, while also welcoming contemplation and a sense of community and wellness.”

Claire painting “A Dream of Vitality”

For Jorgensen, engaging with the community through her arts practice both encourages reflection and promotes discussion. “My art has provided me opportunities to become involved within the community and allows me to feel connected to the university,” she says, pointing to opportunities like the annual Jamie Cassel Undergraduate Research Awards, her EQHR painting commission “Scenes of Knowledge” and her leadership role in the Visual Arts BFA graduation exhibit Silver Bullets.

“In fourth year. I knew I wanted to push myself further,” she says. “I knew I had a passion for art and wanted to find more opportunities to share this, so I said yes to every opportunity . . . I developed my practice, workflow and discipline. I learned how to write applications, and put myself out there.”

Currently on a year-long academic exchange in the UK, Jorgensen appreciates the financial support this award brings. “I would like to acknowledge and recognize the donors who funded this award as patrons of the arts, for whom I have immense gratitude. I appreciate their contribution as they have made a tangible impact and difference in my life — not only with their generous financial contribution but the validation and recognition that my efforts within art and the community has been seen,” she says. “In the UK, the currency exchange rate is almost double, so this award is incredibly helpful!”

Connecting through performance 

Thomas Moore (Theatre) receives the award for his work directing and producing three shows with Timetheft Theatre Society — Of Theseus at the Victoria One Act Play Festival, the independently produced Horse Girl, and Carpet at the 2023 Fringe Festival — all of which provided opportunities for young queer and neurodivergent artists.

As Theatre alum, producer and sessional instructor Matthew Payne points out in his nomination support letter, “Thomas demonstrates a skill set that is versatile and strong. His passion for theatre work and his ability to devise complex thematic material has set him up as a key player in the Victoria theatre scene — at the ripe old age of 21. As someone who started a theatre company after university, I cannot imagine having the gumption and chutzpah to start my professional career before leaving university, yet Thomas seems fearless in this regard.”

Thomas (right) in Horse Girl

For Moore, the title of this award is particularly meaningful. “Theatre work — especially indie theatre — is all about community,” he says. “Without having meaningful connections to artists and audiences in the community none of the shows Timetheft produces would be possible. As much as we want to produce theatre to develop our own artistic practice, we are also always thinking about what audiences want to see or what hasn’t been seen.”

This award also reflects the skills he’s learned in UVic’s Theatre department. “Being given the opportunity to learn about all the different departments in theatre has allowed me to organize and develop show teams that can work together,” he explains. “Theatre history classes have also deepened my understanding of the art form and enabled me to be more confident in my directing choices.”

Connecting through artist-run centres

Rebecca Fux (Visual Arts) receives the award for her work mounting two exhibits of new paintings at separate local artist-run centres during her final year of studies: You Can Cry In Front of Me at Xchanges Gallery, addressing aspects of grieving and healing for young women after sexual assault, and The Weather Inside at the Fifty-Fifty Arts Collective.

As gallery coordinator Cindy Wright emphasizes, “Xchanges is unique in that artists are required to stage and sit their own exhibitions over three consecutive weekends as well as being on-hand for the opening reception. Young artists who are still doing their BFA or in the early stages of their careers sometimes struggle with these commitments, but Rebecca was able to meet her deadlines and stage her exhibition without difficulty. And considering we had 27 proposals for the space, which were assessed by three independent jurors, Rebecca’s work clearly stood out.”

UVic Chancellor Marion Buller (left) with Rebecca & one of her BFA show paintings

Artist-run centres have played an important role in Fux’s development as an artist. “I first experienced community in the arts at the Vernon Community Art Centre in 2019,” she explains. “They provided me with invaluable experiences such as mentorships, a residency, employment as an art instructor and were instrumental in my decision to pursue a BFA at UVic. In 2023, I made a goal to once again insert myself into my community, and positively impact local organizations.”

Fux is also proud of the impact her exhibits had on the local arts community. “Women over 50 were fascinated by my comfort in addressing sexual trauma in young girls, and excitedly shared their thoughts with me and others,” she explains. “Many expressed that they could have benefited from the #metoo movement when they were my age. I gained so much from visitors’ generosity with their feelings and I believe their visits to the gallery allowed for the same.”

Congratulations to all!

Other related winners at the 2024 GVRAAs included Theatre alum Kathleen Greenfield, who won the ProArt Mid-Career Artist Award for her work with the local SNAFU Society of Unexpected Spectacles, while current UVic Symphony instructor Giuseppe Pietraroia earned the John Mears Achievement in Music Award for his work with Pacific Opera Victoria, the Victoria Symphony and so many other local organizations. Also among the winners were the Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival (CRD Regional Impact Award), currently co-led by Theatre alumni Francis Matheu and Willow Hayes (plus Maddy Hooson-Kirstein) — which has a very long history of being led by and hiring Theatre students and alumni — plus the Pacific Opera Victoria production of Die Walküre  (JAYMAC Outstanding Production Award), which was directed by AHVS alumna Glynis Leyshon.

Interested in applying for the 2025 Student Community Impact Awards? Watch our social feeds for the application call in Spring 2025.

Fine Arts Dean Allana Lindgren presenting the awards at the GVRAAs on Nov 6

Indigenous Writers & Storyteller Series

by | Oct 25, 2024 | Events, Faculty, indigenous, Writing

When this year’s installment of the sxʷiʔe ̕m “To Tell A Story” Indigenous Writers & Storytellers Series returns to UVic on November 1, it will be the latest gift to the community by the Department of Writing and professor Gregory Scofield.

“My goal is to honor the nations on whose territory we live, and to celebrate and honour the writers and storytellers in our communities,” he says. 

Scofield is following up last year’s successful event by presenting two acclaimed Indigenous authors this year: Icelandic/Red River Métis poet Jónína Kirton and Cree author Joseph Kakwinokansum. 

“It has been and continues to be a very exciting time for Indigenous writers and storytellers,” he says. “There are so many important stories to be shared, told and celebrated across Turtle Island through the mediums of literature, film, music, dance and oral storytelling . . . . As more Canadians become aware of truth and reconciliation, more people are reading works by Indigenous writers and gaining knowledge of our history.”

Scofield

About Jónína Kirton

Jónína Kirkton was born in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba: Treaty 1 territory, the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, Dene peoples and the homeland of the Métis. She graduated from the SFU Writer’s Studio in 2007 and since that time has published three books with Talonbooks. She was 61 when she received the 2016 Vancouver’s Mayor’s Arts Award for an Emerging Artist in the Literary Arts category, the same year her first collection — page as bone, ink as blood — was released.

Her second collection of poetry, An Honest Woman, was a finalist in the 2018 Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. Her third book, Standing in a River of Time, was released in 2022. It merges poetry and lyrical memoir to take us on a journey exposing the intergenerational effects of colonization on her Métis family. She currently lives in New Westminster BC, the unceded territory of many Coast Salish Nations. Although she acknowledges and is thankful for the teachings offered through academic institutions, she leans heavily into what some term ‘other ways of knowing.’ Her writing is often a weaving of body and land as she firmly believes until we care for women’s bodies we will not care for the earth.

About Joseph Kakwinokansum

Joseph Kakwinokansum is a writer, creator, and storyteller. A member of the James Smith Cree Nation, he grew up in the Peace Region of northern BC and is a graduate of Simon Fraser University’s Writer’s Studio and Writer’s Studio Graduate Workshop.

He was selected by Darrel J. McLeod as one of the Writers Trust of Canada’s Rising Stars of 2022. His short story “Ray Says” was a finalist for CBC’s Nonfiction Prize in 2020 and his manuscript Woodland Creetures was awarded the 2014 Canada Council for the Arts Creation Grant for Aboriginal Peoples, Writers, and Storytellers.

His debut novel, My Indian Summer (loosely based on his own childhood) was winner of the 2023-2024 First Nations Communities READ Award and shortlisted for the 2023 ReLit Award for fiction. His work has been published in the Humber Literary Journal and the anthologies Resonance: Essays on the Craft and Life of Writing, Emerge: The Writer’s Studio and Better Next Year: An Anthology of Christmas Epiphanies.

Kakwinokansum was also selected as the 2024 Storyteller in Residence for Vancouver Public Library.

The free event  sxʷiʔe ̕m “To Tell A Story” Indigenous Writers & Storytellers Series, starts at 7pm Friday, November 1, in UVic’s First Peoples House. Books will be available for purchase & signing