“Tanpopo is a wonderful surprise and adventure for me. It started out in 2007 as a 20-page book with a finite ending, and now I’m turning it into a series. Tanpopo is about a mysterious girl who feels no emotion so she sells her soul to the Devil in exchange for the chance at feeling what it means to be human.  The Devil, named Kuro, appears as a poodle in the first volume, but he transforms into a boy in the second, and will make several transformations throughout the story.  In each volume,  based on a different piece of literature, has an underlying emotional theme, and Kuro teaches Tanpopo a new emotion, ranging from sadness, jealousy, all the way to happiness and love.  But of course there will be twists and surprises and an ending that I won’t divulge now.  Each book (volume) is inspired by a different poem, prose, opera, etc. (all public domain). I take the text and use it to tell the story, so each volume’s text is this classic literature but it tells the story perfectly!  The first book is based on Goethe’s Faust and I chose this because, well, I love Faust. I love literature in general.  It is also fun to create the series, to develop the characters and the storyline, and to watch it turn into a saga.”

Despite differing media, there is consistency in d’Errico’s work; it is always of the greatest quality and is inspired by a range of emotions — emotions which Camilla says come from deep inside of her, from what she feels or sees out in the world and how she interprets it.

“Often the paintings reveal part of my state of being when I was painting them, but it is never an intentional transposition of my emotions onto canvas.  When I paint I go off into another world, and let myself be led by what I feel. But, like any woman or any person, I can feel several emotions at the same time. The emotions come from deep inside of me, from what I feel, or what I see out in the world and how I interpret the world and what I think the girls in the paintings want to say.”

Camilla has worked for a growing list of impressive clients who have entrusted her with bringing their various visions to life. This aspect of trust is something Camilla admits can be the most challenging part about working with someone else’s characters.

“If [clients] don’t give the artist total trust and freedom to bring to life the vision, or they try to constrain the artist too much, it completely cuts off the creative energy and enthusiasm that the artist has, or had, for the project. This hasn’t happened to me often, and I’ve even turned down offers where I felt that it would end up this way.”

A recent offer that Camilla is pleased to have not turned down is one from ex-Marvel Comics writer and artist, and co-founder of Image Comics, Jim Valentino.

“The project with Jim Valentino is already finished so to speak. The artwork is done, and it has been announced by Image. Jim put together, for his Silverline imprint, an anthology of fairytales and fables. He asked some of today’s best comic artists and writers to contribute their talents.  We could either work with a partner (artist/writer) or some people did the whole story alone. We picked a classic fairytale/fable and re-interpreted it in a funny way.  The point is to bring comics back to kids, to involve them in comics and help them love comics.  I paired up with Bryan Talbot who is an unbelievable writer and artist.  We picked Little Red Riding Hood.  We even re-exhumed one of my favorite sayings of ALL TIME! (and you’ll see it on the last panel of the first page of the story).  What’s funny is that we cranked this baby out at the last minute, but with so much creative energy that you’d think we were out to save the world (and not just our butts!).  I involved fellow Canadian artists, Edison Yan and Ed Brisson in our little team.  And the result? Well, we were thrilled with it, and so was Jim, because he chose it to lead off the whole anthology and the Free Comic Book Day 36-page version.”

The Fractured Fables project will surface May 1, 2010 — part of an exciting year for Camilla d’Errico and her fans. While the world anxiously anticipates the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver near her hometown of Lumby, BC, Camilla is busy preparing for her exhibit which will be showcased during the Winter Games. Camilla has some fascinating work in store, which will touch on aspects of Northern nature.

“I’m playing with the idea of doing some black and whites that represent the various cultures, and because I believe Canada is such a wonderful and nature driven country I’m going to do a piece that represents my idea of Canadian nature.  There are gonna be some of the pieces from my past Vain Remains show which is VERY nature based, but not just ‘animals’, since the theme of Vain Remains was the circle of life, but the essence of nature.  If I can manage it, I’ll also do a brand new full color piece.”

In addition to her preparation for the Winter Olympics exhibition, Camilla has been planning to showcase her Helmetgirls series — one of Camilla’s fascinating trademark designs — at a solo show in Rome in June 2010 at the Modobizzarro Gallery.

“The whole show is based on Helmetgirls and it will be a black and whites show. I know that most people love my color paintings but I’m very attached to the black and whites and those are exactly what Helmetgirls is, since Helmetgirls started as black and white sketches, drawings, then they evolved into paintings.  This is a big step for me, because I want to start promoting and developing Helmetgirls into the graphic novel that I’ve had planned now for some time.”

Indeed a busy year for Camilla, her hard work and ability to progress as an artist are sure to result in some incredible designs for the upcoming year, and many to come.

Outside of a downtown Toronto (Canada) Starbucks, a young playwright parks his bicycle and enters the coffee shop. As he maneuvers his way into the busy caffeine haven he has a hint of tiredness, but there’s something in his presence that lets you know his enthusiasm is rarely hindered by fatigue. Possessing a confident, but quiet energy the eager mastermind is Darren Anthony, and he is only weeks away from the opening night of his first play, Secrets of a Black Boy.

Secrets is a play Darren has been working on for the last five years of his career, but one that has been in the works for his entire life. Because of that there is little dividing the former and the latter. He has taken his everyday surroundings, relationships, and experiences and translated them through the dialogues presented in his work.

Told through the voices of five young black men set in an urban Toronto community center, Secrets of a Black Boy is a story based solely on honesty. “I wrote the stories from what’s going on in Regent Park. The community center is closing down because the city wants to build condos…We talk about homosexuality, gun violence, the way we’re depicted in the media, how we see ourselves in society, how we handle ourselves in relationships, and cop experience,” says Darren truthfully.

Revelation through theatre is not a new concept to Anthony though as he has seen his older sister, successful playwright Trey Anthony, in a similar scenario just a short time ago. As the creator of ‘da Kink in My Hair – a play turned television series – Trey has been able to show Darren how to use his own truths to spread his message. “My sister did ‘da Kink in My Hair and I was inspired by that, and then I basically started writing journals, and then I started writing my first play,” says Anthony.

After solidifying two episodes on the show and lending his talent as a production assistant, working on  ‘da Kink proved to be a very valuable experience for Darren as a playwright coming into his own. “’da  Kink did a lot for black women. I think Secrets is right behind it. We’re tackling the thickest, darkest  issues  that are facing black males in our community. I think people are going to be really shocked at  what I have  to say, and with the secrets that are going to be revealed,” says Darren of his experiences  with ‘da Kink.

Though Darren cites ‘da Kink as a huge inspiration to his work, he promises that Secrets of a Black Boy packs its own originality, and will help to change the theatre game to something more relatable to his peers. “We have a live DJ on set playing throughout the play…I feel that with Secrets it’s more of a hip hop, party-in-your-seat type of vibe. I think it’s more urban,” describes Darren.

An urban feel is something that Darren has incorporated into Secrets because it allows him to reach the younger generations of our community. He wants to bridge the gap and step away from the typical theatre experience many of us are used to by providing a raw element. Most importantly Secrets creates a new voice – a voice that Darren believes needs to be heard. “I find when I go to theatre all the stories are just outdated, they’re not relevant. I don’t really see people my age or younger, and the reason why they’re not going is because they can’t relate to what’s going on onstage…Also when little black boys, and little black girls are looking up at the stage and don’t see themselves being represented they’re not going to go…We definitely want to have a younger crowd [to] make sure they know their stories are relevant and important,” says Anthony excitedly.

Without forgetting the other side of the spectrum Darren has written Secrets so that it is relevant to both young and old men from all walks of life. “I think that men in general are not connected with their softer side or they don’t really like to communicate. We have a tendency to tighten up or pretend that we’re hard because we don’t want to be vulnerable, or sensitive, or soft because we’ll be labeled…I think all men can relate to the story because it’s not just a black thing, it’s a male thing,” admits Darren.

While it appeals to men and women in different ways, Secrets is consistent and strong because it addresses the importance of communication, an issue that Darren finds very important. “I think with women, they’re going to connect with it because with the name ‘Secrets of a Black Boy’, women are just intrigued by secrets. It’s men on stage and they are going to be revealing something…I want this play to spark dialogue between men, and females, and whoever [else]. I feel like with society period, people are scared to share their feelings or put their heart out there and just wear their heart on their sleeves,” says Darren.

With a growing buzz surrounding Secrets of a Black Boy, the play is sure to grab the attention of diverse communities in Toronto and beyond. With the clock winding down to opening night at The Music Hall, Darren’s anticipation can hardly go unnoticed. The question is not so much if he is ready to reveal his truths, it is more a matter of the audience being able to handle it. Whatever the result, the direction he is headed in is one we should all get used to.

“My idea is always to reach my generation. The wise writer writes for the youth of his own generation, the critics of the next, and the schoolmasters of the ever afterwards” – Darren Anthony.

Secrets of a Black Boy opens September 23rd at The Music Hall

For tickets call 416-778-8163 or visit Ticketmaster.ca

www.SecretsofaBlackBoy.com

Introducing Jared Nickerson, “J3 Concepts”:

Born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Jared Nickerson is a freelance illustrator responsible for some unqiue and awesome designs. Discovering an artist in himself at an early age, Jared (also known as J3 Concepts) stuck with his artistic abilities and honed his skills in artistic design. In addition, Jared took the time to educate himself on the use of illustration programs such as Adobe Illustrator, his medium of choice to this day. While Jared’s regular freelance work consists of designing for videogames, art direction, and textile design, he also makes creative contributions with Nike, and as Community Director for laFraise, a clothing co. which offers limited edition t-shirts featuring a continuity of fresh design.

Vectors:

Working with vectors, Jared translates his inspirations into phenomenal and wide-ranging art forms. Vector graphics files store the lines, shapes and colours that make up an image as mathematical formulae. A vector graphics program such as Jared’s preferred Illustrator, uses these mathematical formulae to construct the screen image, building the best quality image possible, given the screen resolution. The mathematical formulae determine where the dots that make up the image should be placed for the best results when displaying the image. According to Jared, vectors provide versatility and are appropriate for any sort of product. Vectors allow Jared to change color schemes in seconds, and increase size without losing quality. For J3 Concepts, the advantages are huge.

Characters:

Using vectors, Jared is a master at giving life to characters through visualization and expression. With inspiration from music, and from everyday life, Jared is able to construct unique and thought-provoking characters. It is in these characters that J3 Concepts finds fun in his work as he continues to evolve as a successful freelance artist. Keep an eye out for this successful and very talented Canadian creative.

Showcasing the EH? Game of J3 Concepts:

For more from J3 Concepts, check out www.jthreeconcepts.com.

A heavily involved humanitarian, Che Kothari contributes to many projects including Manifesto – a non-profit organization started by Che that is geared towards community building among the urban youth. For more information about the photography, and community involvement of Che Kothari check out www.chekothari.com.

To order prints visit: www.chekothari.com

]]> http://www.eighteensixtyseven.com/2009/07/10/focused-che-kothari/feed/ 2 http://www.eighteensixtyseven.com/2009/06/23/plan-be/ http://www.eighteensixtyseven.com/2009/06/23/plan-be/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:37:34 +0000 redef http://www.eighteensixtyseven.com/?p=717 Written by: Crystal Coburn

Bryan be. Espiritu: TheLegendsLeague & IdeallClothing

Just when you think you get it, you don’t. Just when you think you know him, you won’t. Welcome to TheLegendsLeague , established by Toronto’s own artist/writer/designer Bryan ‘be.’ Espiritu, and inspired by us since 1981. Don’t get it twisted though because not everyone can make it to TheLeague, and don’t be offended by his ability to disregard your insincerity with one design and one line. The onslaught is not completely intentional, nor is it his sole purpose. Because to Bryan the love for his craft and the integrity behind it is greater than any of us may ever be ready for. The complexity of his many layers is really very simple, but this doesn’t mean any of us are not smart enough to “get it.” Instead, we’re not honest enough with ourselves to be open to understanding his admissions that frighteningly question our own. So in fact, we may be smarter than is necessary to understand him.

If you were aware of Espiritu when Myspace was still the place to be you would have come across his page for TheLegendsLeague, read the welcome mat, and still been baffled by the tenants living there. As time passed and you checked back in to see what you had missed your understanding should have grown, but if it hasn’t let him clarify it for you.

“TheLegendsLeague came up from a conversation I had with Gavin Sheppard from The Remix Project…I wanted to start this site that kind of puts some shine on the people that inspired and influenced me…So TheLegendsLeague is basically the pool of individuals and experiences that have influenced me to live in the way that I’ve lived; both negatively and positively,” explains Espiritu.

That conversation was about four years ago and since then Bryan has taken off with his site running at the keyboard recording the things he’s seen, felt and heard through his expression of music, poetry, drawings, and completely candid posts.

While he could have easily done reposts on some of the coolest gadgets and fashion forward clothing other blogs already had he stayed with what was most honest to him. Which is why his number of readers continues to grow and the people that have been around since Myspace are still around.

Highlighting strong influences in the beginning such as Che Chothari, Angus Mcpherson, Bjorn Arthur without the intention of being a name dropper, Espiritu says, “I never really have a shortage of things to pull from because of the amount of things that have happened in my life, and the amount of people I have been fortunate enough to come in contact with.”

However not everything he expresses is easily understood, a reality he found harder to deal with in the beginning as he was still mostly writing for himself. “Sometimes I may put something up and you take from it what you will but you may not understand it totally…I was getting a little bit frustrated…What makes it hard is sometimes when it’s so close to [my] heart and the response to what [I’m] doing isn’t exactly as [I] meant it,” says Espiritu as he tries to explain the difficulties of being misinterpreted.

To explain how he would be able to make people understand his message better ultimately through his clothing line IdeallClothing he says, “They gotta hear you before they listen, and they gotta see you before they watch.”

“Not everyone was totally understanding the concept of TheLegendsLeague [and] I always wanted to get into the clothing thing,” says Espiritu.

It seems like every day someone is saying the same thing and wants to turn their shopping habits into a career designing clothes. It also seems like everyday people are rushing their ideas and not really designing anything worth holding onto. After a couple of trips in the washing machine it’s not just the colour that starts to fade.

Fortunately enough this is not the case for Espiritu. With TheLegendsLeague as the backbone for IdeallClothing Espiritu has been able to survive the rinse cycle, as early in the fashion game as he is. This is a rare occasion where the colour may fade, but the quality remains because it’s more about the message on the shirts than the threads holding the fabric together. As Espiritu explains, “It is really more than clothing. For those who care about that it’s always gunna be around and it’s always gunna mean something,” and because of that selling product has always been easy for him.

By making sure the pieces he creates relate back conceptually to something in his life he has been able to reach other people. Even when he first alerted Myspacers’ to meet him at a spot in downtown Toronto called China Doll to purchase a shirt of “The James’s,” which celebrated the lives of James Brown, J Dilla, and Rick James, his product flew fast.

“It felt like running legal drugs…I had a pocket full of fives and an empty pocket and people was just coming up…and buying multiples and there was only 3 shirts! But then I left with no product and a pocket full of money,” says Espiritu proudly.

Now with his online store a success nine months and counting, as well as having his clothing  stocklisted at Livestock in Toronto it’s safe to say that he’s followed his heart in the right direction.

“The thing with doing stuff that’s close to my heart is, I said this when I started Ideall…and I’ll maintain this, is that if I don’t feel like it’s right anymore, or if I don’t feel like it connects to me anymore…I’m just gunna stop. I have no plans on selling it to anybody ever even if it’s at that point where things are just great and somebody is offering to buy it. I will not do that and I won’t have designers doing random shit. I’ll end it,” says Espiritu.

So you see Espiritu is not the kind of person to take advantage of although it’s understandable that you might at first. One day you might consider his kindness to be his weakness because he’s smiling at you from ear to ear. But on another day, perhaps the day you walk into Livestock and see an Ideall t-shirt for sale, not on sale, of a blond white woman deep-throating a baseball bat with the words “Get off Ya’knees. You Ain’t From NY” beside the image you may say, “damn this guy is serious!” That’s the thing with Espiritu. One picture is not the whole picture. So pardon yourself for not getting it at first, because he’s not just fuckin’ with you.

Welcome to TheLegendsLeague.

Emerging out of the ‘90s, the turntable prodigy set off around the globe alongside Q-Bert’s Invisibl Skratch Piklz, and later with Craze and the Allies. In 2004, Kanye West selected him as his tour DJ – a gig that he continually holds. Recently, the Canadian DJ has been headlining multiple tours alongside Diplo, The Rub, DJ Mehdi and Kavinsky, and his older brother’s group Chromeo. Aside from touring, his work can be seen in the production for Chicago’s Kid Sister, and through his collaborations with Nike and strong influence on Mr. West’s Graduation album. Such an impressive resume can only be accompanied by a fascinating story. 1867’s Andrew Panday caught up with Canadian DJ icon, A-Trak to discuss his rise in the music industry and his roots in Judaism.

Interview By Andrew Panday

Andrew: On a scale from ‘One to Moses,’ how Jewish are you?

A-Trak: You can’t do ‘One to Moses,’ because if I pick any number you’re not going to have any reference to what the highest point is!

Andrew: You’re getting really technical on me, A-Trak. How about ‘One to Ten’?

A-Trak: A three — not very Jewish. I grew up in an artsy Montreal neighbourhood called Outremont where there’s a small concentration of Hasidic Jews. I went to a public elementary school and I remember the first time I told my friends I was Jewish, they were like, “well why don’t you dress in black and wear the hat and have the curls?

Andrew: Wait, why didn’t you? You ARE Jewish, aren’t you?

A-Trak: Yea, but my parents just weren’t very religious, they were really progressive. We celebrated the bigger holidays but mostly for the sake of seeing our family. When my grandfather was alive he would come every Friday for dinner and he would say the Sabbath prayer, but that was just a pretext to see our grandfather every week. It’s not like my parents made us observe the Sabbath.

Although I did have two bar mitzvahs. That’s pretty Jewish!

Andrew: I know that you took your bar mitzvah money and bought turntables, which kind of worked out for you. But some Jewish kids get six-figure trust funds. Looking back on it, do you feel like you got… uh… jewed?

A-Trak: In North America a lot of kids get a car, or they get $20 000, or something crazy like that. That’s not my family at all! I didn’t get a ton of money for my bar mitzvah and I didn’t have Ja Rule performing there either. It wasn’t some outlandish bar mitzvah that kids have at the country club in the Hamptons. But I was 13 and had never worked a job — I had my bar mitzvah and suddenly there was some money in my bank account, so I got a second-hand turntable for like $400 bucks.

Andrew: That was a pretty solid investment, in retrospect. Now you do mixtapes for Nike and live in New York City, the most Jewish place in the world outside of Israel.

A-Trak: I think it’s even more Jewish than Israel. But it’s more about Jewish culture than Jewish religion, like it was at home in Montreal but on a way bigger scale. For one of my bar mitzvahs we took a trip to Israel to visit family that I’ve never met, and I read Hebrew in front of the Wailing Wall and became a man — that’s Jewish religion.

But New York Jews are a different breed. They’re the kind who sometimes eat gefilte fish that their grandma makes, the kind who watch Curb Your Enthusiasm because Larry David reminds them of their dad. The city is full of those Woody Allen sort of Jews, the hilarious underdog that you’ve got to root for. New York Jews are really the epitome of what we grow up associating with being Jewish.