Indie Profile: Shannon Harvey And The Messages Of Monkey 100

At Scout we are inspired by people who create. We met Shannon Harvey of Monkey100 at last year’s East Side Culture Crawl and cornered her last week to ask her a few questions. Read on…

Shannon Harvey is an ex-pat from the United States and recent immigrant to Canada. She is a socially engaged artist (S.E.A Monkey) with a career spanning community murals, theatre, installation and artist residencies. She sees Monkey100 as an extension of this work: an engagement through the arts to instigate dialogue and positive change. Read more

The Scout List: Time To Wipe Out Your Enemies

our carefully considered first rate list of super sweet things that we’re either doing, wishing that we could do, or conspiring to do this week…

MONDAY

Godfather II at the VanCity Theatre
“I don’t feel I have to wipe everybody out, Tom. Just my enemies.” Enough said.
March 2 | 7pm | Vancity Theatre | $10

Call for Submissions
Attention: artists, musicians, sellers of clothes, crafts, books, vinyl, vintage, and antiques – beginning this month, the community-based art resource center known affectionately as Blim will be hosting a Community Market on the last Sunday of every month at the Cambrian Hall (Main and 17th) from 11–6 PM. If you are interested in setting up a table to flog your kickass wares, check out the Blim site.
March 2 | Blim | See site for details

TUESDAY

Truchard After Dark
Truchard Vineyards is a small family owned winery in Carneros region of Napa Valley. At Salt tonight – proprietor Tony Truchard will be on hand to pour tastes from some of his favourite labels and vintages. ‘Truchard After Dark’ is a stand-up, cocktail party-styled event, giving guests an opportunity to try a variety of Truchard’s award-winning wines and mingle at the same time.
March 3 | 9pm | Salt Tasting Room | $25 (including wine and canapes)

WEDNESDAY

How to Read World Literature
You might think you know how to read world literature, but this is a lecture by a dude who owns the distinction of being a visiting Professor at Harvard and Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. Maybe he knows something you don’t. Maybe. The only way you’ll find out is by attending his free lecture. Check it.
March 4 | 7pm | Vancouver Public Library | FREE

The Western Front Auction Preview
The Western Front is an artist-run centre that focuses on developing, with artists and performers, the production and presentation of exhibitions, performing arts, new music and media art. Basically, they act as an infrastructure and support system for artists of all kinds who are looking to take their gig to the next level. They offer workshops, hold exhibitions – that sort of thing. They’re a pretty awesome force in the development of Vancouver’s arts scene. To support their cause, the Western Front Society is holding its 36th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Auction, on Saturday, March 7, (tickets are $130) but tonight there will be a free preview of auction items. It’ll be worth dropping in for a look.
March 4 | 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. | Western Front (303 East 8th Avenue) | FREE (and artisitcally enlightening)

THURSDAY

Clues and Animal Names
From the Biltmore: “Sealed with a Kiss Presents Clues with guests, Animal Names. Clues is a new project begun by Alden Penner, former member of Montreal’s The Unicorns that includes former member of The Arcade Fire, Brendan Reed.” Top that for twelve bucks on a Thursday night!
March 5 | Doors 8/show 9:30 pm |The Biltmore | $12.50 at the door or at Zulu

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Michelle Sproule grew up in Kitsilano and attended Bond University in Australia and the University of Victoria before receiving her graduate degree in Library Sciences from The University of Toronto. She lives by the beach in Vancouver and enjoys wandering aimlessly through the city’s shops and streets with her best friend – a beat up, sticky, grimy, and uncooperative camera.

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The East Side Culture Crawl

I ran into an old friend at the East Side Culture Crawl this weekend who confided that he had returned to the crawl this year after a five year hiatus. “It started to be all the same” he said, “and I needed a bit of a break”. He’s an artist who lives in Strathcona and my guess is that he was so immersed in the scene the other 361 days of the year that this small window when the artists studios were thrown open to the public held nothing new for him.

As a comparative neophyte, I couldn’t imagine any way in which I could possibly see everything there is to see in a full week of touring the Crawl, let alone three days. I put in a solid effort this weekend, and only made it to a handful of studios.

On Thursday night I went to 1000 Parker Street. It seemed to me that the high concentration of artist’s work spaces here must make a visit to this location the most efficient way to take in the Crawl. I wasn’t the only one thinking this. It was busy and hard to find space to linger anywhere, but that was fine. Neither my friend nor I could figure out a source for the wine and beer we saw floating past us in the hallways and the flow of the crowd kept us moving – a fate we happily accepted with the hope that we might stumble upon the magical wine room in our travels.

I was as captivated by the crowd and the building as I was by the art. We never did find the wine, so we just browsed and browsed. Studios that stood out included Arleigh Wood’s: an uncluttered space with a ‘gallery’ feel showcasing both old and new canvasses that gave a soft and dreamy voice to a wintry tree meets bird thing that the artist had going on. At the vast and obviously productive Wild Rose studio, Susan Setz and her charming husband (Joe?) were offering a wide range of clothing made of sheer nylon and printed with tattoo graphics. These, when worn, give the wearer elaborate multi-tats that look pretty hardcore.

On my way out I noticed the Utility Furniture design and production shop. Like all of the furniture that I saw at 1000 Parker, designer Derek Morton’s was beautifully crafted, but his pieces in particular had something more. Despite simple form and clean lines they emanated a wonderful warmth. If I were rolling in cash and looking to decorate, this would definately be one of my first stops.

On Sunday I took a different approach, visiting small work/live artist studios scattered throughout the Strathcona neighbourhood. More sidewalk between locations meant I could see fewer studios. Still, I enjoyed the wandering as much as the studios and the East Side Culture Crawl organizers made it ridiculously easy for me by marking each participating studio with a cluster of yellow balloons. On my mother’s urging I stopped in at Shannon Harvey’s Monkey100 studio – and I am so glad I did. Their motto: “Through t-shirt design, cards and community action Monkey100 seeks to inspire and be part of the movement for a better world”. Take a look.

I also popped in to Ouno (an online store worth a visit). They are known internationally for their use of vintage fur in, among other things, serene looking throws, pillows and scarves (made by hand in BC). During my too short visit, I adored the pillows with strong prints and the courier bags in their range of natural fabrics. On my way out, I eyed some Christmas stockings made from reclaimed material and trimmed with old fur remnants. If you’ve never heard of Ouno design before, visit their web site.

I am so proud of Vancouver when I see this kind of ability and vision supported by community.

We ended the day with a final cruise through 1000 Parker street. It had been impossible to take advantage of everything that the East Side Culture Crawl offered in the space of three short days, especially when one still has to stop to eat, drink, sleep, and finish the laundry. I took photographs that I hope will give an impression of my experience with more detail than this post covers with words. Have a look, I tried to title images with artist details wherever I could. If something you see interests you, leave a comment and I will try to provide you with information.