[EDIT]ION 23

THE VOICE OF ATLANTIC CANADA, DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO YOUR INBOX.

A twice-monthly digital publication packed with timely news stories, opinion pieces, current affairs, arts curation, community messaging and positive local tales. The same quality journalism and world-class photography that you expect from [EDIT], but all unique to [EDIT]ION.

 

Click here to subscribe to the [EDIT]ION email newsletter. 

Design by Lindsay Vautour 

Featured in the issue below are:

*Les Hay Babies by Morgan Leet 

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It’s not often that you find a half-Australian, half-American, living in Newfoundland and Labrador. Even with no family ties there, photographer Jessie Brinkman Evans decided to make the Atlantic island her home. 

Finding her passion and talent for photography at a young age, and subsequently studying it in school, Jessie had now traveled far and wide to places like Italy, Greenland, Iceland, Nepal and beyond, snapping shots along the way. She's photographed for some major organizations, like Parks Canada, Conde Nast Traveller, AirBnB, and Visit Greenland. Her stunning work gives a window into the beautiful way in which she experiences the world and the many places she has been. Jessie tells [EDIT]ION that “I really believe that if you create something that makes someone feel a  familiarity with a place they maybe haven't heard of before or been to, I think it’s really special. Then maybe they’ll want to preserve not only their own home, but on a global scale too.”

Growing up in Los Angeles, and moving to Australia when she was 15, at first glance it seems somewhat random that Jessie would choose to not only move to the rugged climate of Newfoundland, but apply for Permanent Residency so she can call it home for good. It was her talents that brought her to the Rock though, and the magic of the landscape made her fall in love. 

“Almost four years ago I was in northern Greenland and I got a call from Canada Goose and they said that Canada 150 was coming up and they were outfitting a chef for this trip in Canada Goose gear, and they were doing this culinary trip across northern Canada. They asked if I wanted to go and photograph it. So, I said yes of course!... We came to Newfoundland at the end of June, so there were wildflowers, the temperature was perfect, and I thought it was just so amazing and obviously so beautiful,” she tells [EDIT]ION. 

After that first visit, she was hooked. Soon after she went back to Canada Goose with the proposal for them to send her on a road trip across the province, ultimately convincing them by sending a ‘mood playlist’. Her big swing paid off, and off she went back to the island. 

Jessie quickly felt right at home, telling [EDIT]ION how serendipitous everything seemed to be. “I spent two weeks driving around, and people just kept telling me where to go. And then I was sitting at the bar at Raymonds Restaurant, which was one of my favourite things to do (laughing). I was sitting there just hanging out and a man sat next to me, and that's now my boyfriend and the love of my life!” 

In addition to her now boyfriend, she also fell in love with the entire community. “Newfoundlanders are truly the friendliest. This a pretty hard place to live. Most of the time the weather is tough, and it's difficult to get fresh food and vegetables, and everything here historically has been a challenge. I find that Newfoundlanders are the strongest people, and they're tough and they stand in their conviction but they also are the most soft at heart people i've ever met, and that's a combination that I don't think I’ve seen in other places. I've met so many people that will just do things for their neighbours and for people they don't know,” says Jessie. 

 

 

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Transforming Portraits into Gold

Graphic Artist Donica Willis’s Blaqk Gold Project

by Jennifer Wood

Preston, Nova Scotia artist Donica Willis has been on the arts scene since she was a small girl. From an early age she expressed her talent in the form of homemade gifts for loved ones, and she spent her youth exploring art through many different expressions, including dance, performance, portraits and more.

High school represented a shift in perspective for Willis - she began to perceive the arts as a tough career path and felt that ‘the starving artist’ cliché would be an inevitable future for her.

Wanting to stay active in the arts while earning a reliable income, she transitioned to graphic design and completed a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) in Graphic Communications at Ryerson University. Upon graduating, she swiftly secured a full-time job at the university in the Student Affairs, Storytelling department with a design/web role that she still holds. Within her first year of graduating, Donica started her own business DW Creativ - a creative studio specializing in branding, graphic design and brand consulting. To date, she has worked on over 700 projects with over 150 clients and brands.

In 2016, she created The Blaqk Gold Project - an endeavour with a mission to celebrate Black greatness around the world through art. The yearly series runs every February (Black History month) and it profiles a different individual for every day of the month via social media.

“I had been in a creative rut, where I was searching for an outlet outside of the work I did at Ryerson University and with my company,” she tells [EDIT]ION from the Toronto-based DW Creativ office. “I was experimenting with a photograph of Lauryn Hill in Photoshop and I decided to cover parts of her body with a gold-like texture or substance. I was pleased with the final product. I took on a challenge to create one treated photograph a day for the entire month of February. I just completed the sixth installation this past February, which focused on youth. The project has demonstrated an impact on Black youth by empowering them to shift their own perspectives of their greatness."

Blaqk Gold was recently featured on CBC. The news outlet reported on the impact the project had on a 3rd grader at Nelson Whynder Elementary School in North Preston. She plans to expand the project to offer on-the-ground programming throughout the year.

Donica is currently an MDes candidate in the Interdisciplinary Arts, Media & Design Program at OCAD University and is expected to graduate this year. She visits home as often as possible and she took advantage of her ability to work remotely and spend time with friends and family for three months in her home province this past summer.

“I was one of the lucky ones as my work wasn’t greatly impacted by the pandemic. It was nice to come home and be away from the restraints of Toronto. It was a peaceful and productive time for me.”

Be sure to check out more of Donica’s work via her business website and via her black gold site and social media platforms.

 

 

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Headed up by Harrison Teed and Matt Shields, Pristine is a direct reflection of the pair’s authenticity, laid-back demeanour, shared drive, passion and style. The Uptown Saint John lifestyle and fashion store is filled with stylish men’s clothing and accessories; a mix of custom Pristine creations and curated brands. 

Harrison first started Pristine in 2013, after moving back to Saint John and seeing a void in the men’s clothing market.  “I wasn't able to shop and find that unique vibe around here, so that's what spawned the idea,” says Harrison. So, he created a place that he would want to shop at, and it turned out that many others did too. A few years later, Matt came onto the team and now is part owner and store manager. Their relationship goes back much further though, as long-time friends who even lived together during university.  

When they sat down to chat with [EDIT]ION, in their store, their strong bond filled the conversation with a lively vibe and unique honesty. Matt described their relationship simply; “We can disagree about the color of a shirt, but still go and barbecue after.”

Their own line of clothing is featured throughout the store, ‘Pristine’ written across t-shirts, sweaters, hats and knits. All the bigger brands that you could be looking for are also there, like Levi’s and Vans, but they “also highlight some smaller brands and anyone doing cool things that you wouldn't find in somewhere like a mall. It’s a quality over quantity model,” explains Matt. 

Within their multi-pronged business model, they also design and make clothes for other brands. After seeing the team's eye for design and talent, people started reaching out to them for custom work. During our meeting, we sat next to their brand-new in-house printer, a huge machine that has opened up new opportunities for the business. The new tech allows them to quickly print designs onto clothes on a smaller scale, allowing for limited and custom designs at a lower price. 

This innovative new purchase came as the pair started to note where the industry is headed now, since the COVID-19 pandemic. “Brands have learned a lot of lessons during COVID, and inventory is one of them. Gone are the days of us just making 100 shirts hoping people are going to buy them. So in the wake of COVID we've made some investments to allow us some flexibility on that end. We’re more dynamic that way and can create products on the go and in a timely manner. If something happens in the city, the next day we can have shirts for it. So it opens up a lot of options for us,” says Matt.  

While they're own creativity has allowed them to thrive even in tough industry times, they’ve also seen support from the community. “It was really eye opening for me,” says Harrison. “The amount of people who personally texted or called, wrote me emails or messages, blew me away— basically, it had me in tears. People were offering me money to get them stuff later and asking what they could do. And not just friends and family, but people who I strictly had met through the store and were customers and whatnot, personally reaching out and being really concerned for the wellbeing of Matt and I and the store. My image of the store and what we were doing in the community was really clear to me then, when I saw how much it mattered to other people. It was super humbling, which is also a huge motivator.”

They don't take this loyalty lightly, Matt explaining that “the things that we put out are things that we genuinely stand by. We have a moral duty to position ourselves in a way that's going to cater to our customer but also not perpetuate some of the negative sides of the clothing industry.” Their focus on sustainably and ethically sourced clothing is an ode to what they represent as a whole, authenticity. It’s no surprise the team has cultivated successful businesses and a community of people who relate to them. 

Instagram: @thepristinestore

 

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From a Dream to a Reality

Craftsman Tony Klipin on the Genesis of Dachs-Republic

by Jennifer Wood

Craftsman, dog-lover, painter, welder, all-around incredible human being, and mental-health advocate Tony Klipin likes to say that he is from everywhere and now he is in Saint John. He was born in Ontario and adopted by an English couple that moved to Newfoundland and then back to England. At 19, he escaped an abusive environment and joined the British Military service. He served his country for 13 years, and in doing so, he incurred unspeakable experiences of trauma in places like Germany, Iraq, Kuwait, Cyprus and Northern Ireland. He later worked in corporate sales and design for an Ireland-based civil engineering firm and then in sales and design for a kitchen outfitter in Newfoundland. 

The self-taught experiential learner has always had a gift for the arts, but his artistic dreams seemed to be stymied from the get-go. He was always creating new objects out of old ones, and when he moved from Newfoundland to Saint John in 2016, he started making his studio-owning dream a reality straight away.

Klipin is the founder Dachs-Republic (the name is a nod to three Dachshunds, sadly only one is alive today). The studio is a craftsman’s dream - complete with state-of-the art technology, tools, machinery, light and space galore. They focus on innovating furniture design by using old, discarded or unconventional materials to create unique, contemporary objects. This year they have crafted a variety of items like charcuterie boards, graffiti tabletops. wooden jewelry, and furniture.

“I had designed and created furniture here and there for years,” Tony tells [EDIT]ION from his Saint John workshop. “I was finally able to make it a full-time passion four years ago. The experience has taught me to follow my nature and to follow my heart. I enjoy encouraging others to do the same – for themselves and to encourage their children. It’s true what they say: it’s never too late to do what you love.”

Among several other projects, Tony is currently creating a surfboard table for an interior designer that is working on a pool house for her client. One of his most interesting projects has him transforming a fallen tree into a sprawling dining table for one of his customers.

“A massive oak came down on the grounds of my clients’ house about seven years ago,” he says. “The house is located on the Kingston Peninsula. It is amazing; it’s like going back in time by a century. The wood was milled and stored in their boat house for seven years. We then brought it here to store it in the studio where it is drier and warmer. It’s definitely the biggest table I’ve done to date measuring 5’ x 9.5’. We are aiming to complete it in the coming weeks.  

Klipin likes to joke that his impressive welding chops are thanks to ‘The school of YouTube’ where he taught himself the delicate craft through trial and error.

“Most of my learning stems from my mistakes!” He laughs. “Emtek, the company I worked for in Ireland, manufactured bridge parapets as well as other highway products. I know what a good weld should look like and the importance of jigs. I really enjoyed working with them, and often demonstrated my 'hands on approach' if they were short of manpower. I would go and install barrier on the highway all night long, or I’d go and help hang items at the nearby galvanizers to ensure they were ready for our projects. It was a great learning experience that I rely on today.” 

While Klipin is a creative genius, using his talents in woodwork, welding, custom painting and design, and his curiosity to learn new things is boundless, perhaps what is most impressive about him is the obstacles he’s overcome and continues to face in relation to his mental health and advocating for the mental health and well-being of others.

“People owe it to themselves to be the best version of themselves. Because of the childhood sexual abuse and military trauma I suffered, I have had a lot of counselling to learn what tangible supports I need to thrive. Mental health isn’t simply the absence of mental illness, and living with a mental illness doesn’t mean you can’t have sound mental health. Just as someone with diabetes can live a healthy life, so too can somebody with a mental illness. My passion - to create for this community - has become one of the most significant ways in which I maintain my mental health and well-being. I try and advocate by being open and authentic. We need to end the stigma that surrounds mental health. I refuse to be stigmatized by what 'a monster' did to a child, and the trauma I endured serving my country. 

 

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Michelle MacKinnon's Pandemic Portraits

By Conor McCann 

Michelle MacKinnon has long had a fascination with the mundane, the ordinary, and the day-to-day.

Originally from Millhaven, Ontario, a town MacKinnon describes as having more cows than people, she left to attend York University for her Bachelor of Fine Arts, and later her Masters.

After graduating, she decided to pursue teaching and applied to Memorial University's Grenfell Campus in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, where she taught for a short while before moving around the country for work.

Following a series of teaching positions at Queens, York, and Algoma, MacKinnon and her partner returned to Corner Brook.

During her Masters, MacKinnon had gravitated to large-scale, hyper-realistic portraiture, over 9-foot tall in some cases, but after moving back to Newfoundland her practice shifted, as she began looking at her newly transient life, and at the things which you can take with you, that which felt familiar and comfortable. This led her to focus on illustrations of textiles, and the various knitted and crocheted objects which give warmth to a home.

MacKinnon had been gearing up for a solo exhibition at the Grenfell Art Gallery when the pandemic hit. With her studio locked up and her work too large to bring home with her, she put her energy towards teaching as classes shifted to online.

As the semester ended and the province settled in for an indeterminate period of lockdown, for a time MacKinnon didn’t make anything, until one day, burnt out by the push and pull of social-media mixed-messaging, she decided to set a goal for herself.

The goal she set was something small and attainable, something creative but without the nagging feeling that whatever she made needed to be her magnum opus. She decided to paint a small watercolour self-portrait, using the only materials she had at hand.

For MacKinnon, revisiting paints and portraiture, a medium which she hadn’t worked with since she was in school, felt like a familiar return in a time of uncertainty.

From that first painting MacKinnon began her Pandemic Portrait series, a celebration of small accomplishments of the day-to-day, a strange and nebulous concept in the age of pandemics and isolation.

A year later, with over one-hundred portraits and a showing at the Rooms in St. John’s, MacKinnon’s Pandemic Portrait series has grown from one attainable goal into a celebration of art, community, and the small, everyday victories which have propelled artists through the difficulties of lockdown.

[EDIT]ION: Your Pandemic Portrait series has been ongoing since last May, shortly after the pandemic began. How did the project begin amid the lockdown?

Michelle MacKinnon: I woke up one day and looked around my house and thought, you know what? I want to paint a picture today. Such a weird childlike thing to think, but I decided I wanted to paint something. I wanted to return to something familiar. I looked around my place, and I had watercolours and watercolour paper, so I thought, cool! That's the medium that I have in my home. That is what I'm working in. I hadn't painted really since I was in my undergrad.

When I was thinking about the subject matter, I was like, okay, I guess I'll paint myself because I am here. And portraiture feels like a familiar returning-to in these times of uncertainty.

I did a little self-portrait, and that's how the pandemic portraits started.

[EDIT]ION: In those uncertain times of the early pandemic, you managed to create something new when many people were struggling just to find a daily routine. Were the pandemic portraits a way of making something during the downtime?

Michelle MacKinnon: It was more that I just needed a way to start making again.I think that artists felt this pandemic perhaps a little more uniquely than others. We have this pressure on us—artists of all sorts—that this was this time when we were at home; well, now it's time to make this next masterpiece, or big new body of work. You can be on CERB, and you can just sit at home and make your work. This is your time. And I wasn't feeling that at all in the beginning. I wasn't feeling like making. And at the same time, we started getting all of these mixed messages like, no, this is the time to sit back and self-care, take a rest. Don't feel productive in the time of the pandemic. Honestly, I just felt bombarded by seeing this all the time on social media.

When I decided to do that first portrait, part of it was because I woke up and I felt like I wanted to do something creative; but I needed to set a small achievable goal for myself that day. When I decided to do this portrait, I thought okay, I'm going to do this and take no more than three hours to work on it. I'm going to spend the first hour sketching it out, and I'll spend the next two hours painting it. And then that's it. Whatever I get done is what I get done, but at least I'll have done something today.

I finished it and I was happy, and then I woke up the next morning and thought, you know what? That was good yesterday. That was nice to be able to have that capable goal that I finished. I'm going to do that again.

[EDIT]ION: Portraits aren’t often what we think about when we think of Newfoundland art. Why did you choose to do portraits rather than painting saltbox houses, or dories?

Michelle MacKinnon: I didn't grow up here, so for me to make art about Newfoundland specifically doesn't feel fitting, as I'm not a Newfoundlander. I'm looking at it from a different set of eyes.

I had a comment from a few people when I started painting the portraits, where they said "when are you going to start painting artists from other provinces? Because you're going to run out of Newfoundland artists soon, right?" I don't know if that just fuelled me, but I was like, oh no, definitely not! I would run out of paper before running out of art-folks in Newfoundland.

So that really got me thinking. Newfoundland really feels like a separate part of Canada sometimes, or a forgotten part of Canada, especially in the arts world. But we have such an incredibly vibrant art scene over here, and it's pocketed across the Island.

I just thought it was really important to show these art-folks, and to connect people who perhaps don't know about all of these amazing artists within this scene in Newfoundland.

[EDIT]ION: Community seems to be an important theme for your work. How does that idea of a community inform this series?

Michelle MacKinnon: When my partner and I had been moving around the country so much with different teaching gigs, Newfoundland was the first place that we moved to that we felt at home with immediately. Not just with the place, but within the community. We actively try anywhere that we are to engage with the community as soon as we get there, to go to openings, to go to artist talks, to go to workshops, to just become immersed within it. And Newfoundland felt like it was coming into the community with open arms. I think that's also why I gravitated towards doing the portraits; each portrait almost feels like a little love-letter to each person within it, just as a thank you for inviting us into this community so openly.

[EDIT]ION: A lot of your work focuses on the ordinary; even the titles for this project often emphasis the mundaneness of the pandemic. How important is this celebration of the ordinary for your art? 

Michelle MacKinnon: That's been a common theme within my practice for a very long time. When it came to the knitted objects, I was focusing on these objects that we use daily—and especially in Newfoundland—that are just so commonplace that we take them for granted as objects that are constantly in rotation, that we're using, and celebrating them.

I have this one pair of socks that my very good friends bought for me when we moved to Newfoundland the first year. They picked them up at the Mount Moriah Cash'n'Carry, a tiny little shop on the way to where we lived at the time.

They knew that we moved into a basement apartment that was really cold, we'd never dealt with wood heating before, and they brought them over and said we got you these socks from the Cash'n'Carry so that you can feel more at home. And I just thought that that was the loveliest sentiment. It's this every-day, mundane object that all of a sudden became something that made me feel warmer, and made me more comfortable in my home and in a new place.

[EDIT]ION: You’ve painted some notable Newfoundlanders throughout this series, and from a wide background of practices and professions. How did this project grow to include people like Mark Critch and Celeste Mah?

Michelle MacKinnon: I started putting out on Instagram for people to tell me about an artist that they love that they think I should do a pandemic portrait of! And I really thought that I would get two or three people messaging me, but I got overwhelming amounts of people—which I adored—because I learned about tons of new artists that I had no idea about. All of a sudden it wasn't just Corner Brook and St. John's; I was getting artists from all over Newfoundland and Labrador.

Jordan Bennett was the first artist that I reached out to without knowing. I sent him a message and gave him all the information, and thought, okay, we'll just press send and see what happens. And Jordan was wonderful, he messaged back immediately and said he was more than happy to participate.

And then when I reached out to ask Celeste Mah for her portrait, I wanted to reach out into culinary arts, and thinking about the arts in a more expanded way. She was also incredibly open to the idea and excited about it. Then she got me connected with the Jeremys [Charles and Bonia, of Raymonds Restaurant]. So I love that this has been so much about connecting with people that I know already, but it's turned into meeting so many other artists in the province.

[EDIT]ION: For many, you’ve done the impossible of creating something new and interesting during the pandemic. What advice would you have for others embarking on their own projects?

Michelle MacKinnon: If you feel like taking a break, take that break. That's important. I think that taking breaks is an important step in being productive, so if you're feeling in that place of needing to slow down and do something completely differently, that is more than okay.

But I would say that when you start feeling that want to create again—I'm someone who likes things kind of set out, I like timelines—set small achievable goals. Even if you're sitting down to create something and you don't know what it is, and you don't know what you want to work on, just saying, you know what, this afternoon for three hours I'm going to sit down and I'm just going to make things.

If it turns into something that's great! If it doesn't, that's fine. Experimentation is also just as important. I think that being able to be soft with yourself, and understand that this is an unprecedented time that none of us have gone through before; it doesn't mean that you need to make that next big thing. You can just be slow and see what comes out of it.

Click here to view Michelle's Pandemic Portraits. 

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Canada's First Black Lawyer, Abraham Beverley Walker

Canada’s First Black Lawyer is a Saint Johner and He Has No Gravestone

As Canada's first Black lawyer, the Saint John-born icon was a champion of race equality and a journalist. Yet, today, he rests in an unmarked grave in Saint John.

PRUDE Saint John Inc. and friends including local historian and writer Peter Little are working to commemorate Abraham Beverley Walker by restoring his grave site and also placing a plaque in his memory at the Saint John Law Courts. 

 

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Nature's Medicine

by Morgan Leet

Registered Nutritional Consultant Deborah Ferguson can't remember a time when she wasn't interested in natural health and wellness. From a young age her mother encouraged eating homemade nutritious meals, so it has come second nature to her. The knowledge of nutrition has been passed down throughout her family, as she told [EDIT]ION she is "most proud of in my life to date is how our children feed our grandchildren. It is a great sense of accomplishment to see them providing and teaching their children the same healthy diet and lifestyle principles with which they were raised."

[EDITION: When did you first decide to pursue Nutritional Consulting as a career?

Deborah Ferguson: In my early thirties I chose to leave my career in the corporate world and to re-educate myself to follow my true passion. For years I had been studying and practicing in my own life the very principles that I apply today in my profession. Over the past 28 years I have consulted with thousands of clients experiencing a wide array of heath issues ranging from chronic digestive disturbances to blood sugar imbalances, stress/anxiety and high blood pressure to name a few. My focus is to determine the underlying or root causes contributing to the existing health condition with which my clients are dealing and guide them in making the necessary nutritional and lifestyle changes.

[EDIT]ION: Why do you think pursuing natural forms of health is important?

Deborah Ferguson: I believe in the significant benefits of natural approaches to good health. The symptoms the body gives us is the only way it has of telling us something is out of balance. Our job is to make the necessary changes to ensure balance is restored.

Often an individual will experience symptoms leading up to the diagnosis of a serious health condition. Many years ago, an elderly Naturopathic Doctor who I had the privilege of knowing said to me "In your practice always listen to the whispers of the body before it starts to scream.” Sage advice.

Some of the common symptom’s clients experience include digestive distress, sinus problems, low energy, especially the mid afternoon drop, insomnia, skin conditions, headaches, joint pain, stress, irritability, depression, food cravings, inability to lose weight or belly fat.

Today it is well acknowledged that diet and lifestyle are significant contributors to diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and cancer along with other major illnesses.

[EDIT]ION: What is your go-to healthy meal? 

Deborah Ferguson: My go to healthy meal is generally a protein, a slow burning carbohydrate (ie quinoa, sweet potato, brown rice) and vegetables. There are so many healthy ways to add flavour to food and in today’s busy world most appreciate a degree of simplicity in preparing nutritious meals. The key to eating healthy is having a protein source and adding colourful vegetables to ensure we are getting essential phytonutrients and antioxidants. I see so many people who eat a beige diet, like meat, chicken and white ie potato, rice, pasta diet. Often the only colour on the plate is a splash of ketchup! Healthy food is an essential component in creating and maintaining vibrant health.

Facebook: Deborah Ferguson 

 

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Canadian Comedy Icon Mary Walsh Stars In New Series 

There's a lot to love about the legendary Mary Walsh. Perhaps one of her most loved characters though is Mrs. Eulalia, who she has played for years alongside Cathy Jones. Together the comedic pair is known as The E's; two brassy older women who say and do what they like.

In their new season of the spin off seiries with CBC Gem, called Broad Appeal, the duo takes it on the road, traveling across Canada and meeting celebrities along the way. You'll see people like Maraget Atwood and David Suzuki making appearances, as the E's talk aging and living in the their 'third act' of life. 

The series not only makes light of this stage in life, but shawcases how truly enjoyable it is, through a feminist lens. As always, Walsh is able to perfectly balance social commentary with biting wit and joyful laughter. 

You can watch it all on CBC Gem, available free as an App for iOS and Android devices and online at CBCGem.ca, and on TV screens via Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV.

 

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James Mullinger on Renaissance Man Hayden McNamee

Hayden McNamee’s podcast 20 Minutes or Less is admirable for packing a lot into those few minutes, but also for avoiding the curse of so many shows. You learn a lot in those twenty minutes and, unlike so many other podcasts, it never overstays its welcome.

McNamee’s innovation is apparent in his interview style (touching, tender, thoughtful, intelligent) and in the other mediums that he flexes his creative muscles. He is also a prolific photographer and a profoundly insightful poet.

Located in the Kennebecasis Valley in New Brunswick, he devotes each and every day to creativity in some form. He has taken tens of thousands of photos over the past half decade and has acquired many accolades. In addition to a wealth of highly personal work, he has also photographed Sloan and Interpol at the Area 506 festival. He has won numerous awards and his photographs have been shown in galleries in Amsterdam and in the world-renowned Coningsby Gallery in in London, England. In short, he is a renaissance man of the highest degree.

“With photography I feel that the most important part is the people around you,” he tells [EDIT]ION. “I have been unbelievably blessed with the friends around me and their unconditional support for what I’m doing. I wouldn’t be as motivated or maybe even would have dropped photography if it wasn’t for them. So for me being able to the amazing things I get to do I give all credit to them for pushing me to keep going. This is my thank you to them. Always surround yourself with people that support you.”

 

 

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Les Hay Babies is a New Brunswick-based indie trio, celebrated globally for their unique style. Their authenticity has made for a huge fanbase locally and beyond.  

[EDIT]ION met with the band to hear more about their booming career. 

[EDIT]ION: Can you tell me the story of how you first all met?

Les Hay Babies: We met when we were simply; Katrine Noël, Julie Aubé and Vivianne Roy. We had bumped into each other during various years of Accros de la chanson - an annual battle of the bands type event throughout Francophone schools in New-Brunswick. We had become friends, but had never hung out all three together until 2010. That’s when we all got to hang out for the first time and that Fall, we decided to form Les Hay Babies. Can’t stop, won’t stop.

[EDIT]ION: You have traveled internationally to tour, what was the favourite place that you've all performed together?

Les Hay Babies: We have toured heaps in Switzerland, France, Belgium, some southern United States and across Canada. Along the way we met lots of wonderful folks, we’ve seen some of the most remarkable venues and also got to enjoy beautiful views along the way. Choosing a single favourite spot is nearly impossible since they’re all incomparable but the breathtaking views in Switzerland put the cherry on top for me (Vivianne). The people in Switzerland are just so interesting and always willing to teach us something about the region. I think that’s as important when you’re on tour, because it’s also inspiring to create more music.

[EDIT]ION: In what ways do you think the music scene is different in New Brunswick, than the rest of Canada or the world?

Les Hay Babies: Since New Brunswick is a bilingual province, it makes for two rich music scenes. Both are very close knit, varied and crafty. Sometimes, the two come together and it’s a beautiful thing. We’re always trying to keep up with what’s going on musically on the english side as we have lots of  creative friends making amazing music! Making a living off music in a small poor province isolated from big centres isn’t the easiest task in the world, so there’s this awesome local support here in the Maritimes. Beautiful small festivals, great little venues, theatres, bars. And people love to go out to see live music. 

[EDIT]ION: What do you have coming up?

Les Hay Babies: After releasing our last album, ‘’Boîte aux lettres’’, the pandemic struck and we didn’t have the chance to play our music live anywhere, so we’re extremely excited to announce we’ll be playing at the ECMAs and finally starting to tour in September of this year! See you there!

 

 

 

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