Our interview with new media installation artist: Rich Gilbank.

Courtesy of Rich Gilbank

What you’re looking at in the above photo isn’t a collection of Klu Klux Klan hats. Instead, they are Anthros: stationary tentacles that gravitate towards any person standing nearby. The artist behind this installation, Rich Gilbank, has incorporated technology (using human-centric applications) in order to create interactive artwork. The Cowgirls were totally blown away – seeing as they barely know how to turn on their laptop – so they decided to chat up this astute artist firsthand.

Pony: What inspired you to start combining technology with art?

Rich: Well, it definitely wasn’t intentional at first. They began as two mutually exclusive interests that slowly began coming together. The way I saw it, there was a time when technology was developed purely for the sake of developing technology, in the hopes that it might come to serve a useful purpose. Now, that time is coming and we’re beginning to find ways to use technology to supplement human experience. Once we’ve begun to do that though, how different is it really from art? Besides, one of the most highly regarded artists of all time (Da Vinci) was also one of the most talented inventors. I don’t think he particularly cared where the lines were drawn between the two, so why should we?

Pony: Your Anthros new media project received a lot of attention in the press recently. Can you explain how you came up with the idea?

Rich: The idea behind Anthros emerged from that same idea of technology augmenting experience. We’ve learned to adapt to technology, because technology itself wasn’t quite mature enough until recently to do the same. Is an 84-key keyboard and 2 or 3 button mouse really the best way for us ten-fingered, speaking, and gesture-based creatures to communicate? Anthros was an attempt to make an environment conform to people, rather than forcing the opposite.

Pony: What has Ryerson’s New Media program taught you? Seeing as you’ve been working with technology from a young age.

Rich: The thing I’ve appreciated most is the people. I think the instructors and students you get the opportunity to meet and collaborate with are the most significant reason for programs like this to exist. With the rate things change these days, it’s not possible to teach everything people need to know. Wikipedia can do that. But the connections you build and conversations you have can’t be beat.

Courtesy of Rich Gilbank

Pony: What was the first thing you ever made? Ever?

Rich: Ahh, nostalgia. I think the thing that brings back the most memories for me was giving my clock radio “surround sound”. My dad and I, late one night, decided to add another speaker to my radio so I could lay in bed and have music coming from both sides. We cut the radio open, added an extra piece of wire in, and ran it along the wall to the other side of the bed where we attached it to a little radio shack speaker. It actually sounded pretty good!

Pony: Your Tempaural music blocks combine childhood building blocks with musical sounds. What made you explore this installation?

Courtesy of Rich Gilbank

Courtesy of Rich Gilbank

Rich: Tempaural was a project which allowed people to create their own music, using nothing but natural gestures. Large, tangible Lego-style bricks could be stacked on top of each other to control the music they were making.  This was one of my explorations into tangible media, because I think that’s where we’re headed – the ability to control large, complex systems by doing things we’ve learned to do through evolution, like moving things with our arms.

Pony: What’s been your biggest challenge to date?

Rich: Probably finding time. There’s so much to do but so little of it. Between working on my new media projects, running Groundhog Media (my web development company), and getting a healthy dose of traveling, I don’t have much free time. Fortunately though, I’ve just finished my last year at Ryerson, so hopefully I can begin to find some free time to just invent.

Pony: Are there other installation artists that you look up to?

Rich: I think my biggest inspiration recently has been the artistic developments of a German manufacturing company called Festo. Projects like their AirPenguin are elegantly constructed, both aesthetically and technically. It’s good to see large companies like this spending money on experiments and other projects that may not necessarily yield a direct return on investment.

Pony: It takes a lot of passion to do that. So why are you all considered nerds?

Rich: Because people don’t know any better! That, and our extensive knowledge of the flux capacitor.

Courtesy of Rich Gilbank

– Emma Farquharson.

Our interview with Cherisse Thurab – stilt dancer and teacher.

Courtesy of Cherisse Thurab

Cherisse and Cheronne Thurab are typical sisters. They do their makeup together, pick out pants together – the only difference is that their makeup is fluorescent, and their pants are nine feet long. Why? Because these sisters are stilt dancers. The Cowgirls sat down with Cherisse to ask how she got into this wild form of contemporary dance, if it hurts when she falls, and what the weather’s really like up there.

Pony: So why stilting? Of all the sports?

Cherisse: I’ve been dancing since I was about four when my mum put me in ballet class. I eventually rebelled and tried out contemporary dance instead. This was all in Trinidad. When we moved to Toronto (at age 13), I started dancing at Ballet Creole with my sister Cheronne, and from there we got involved with various workshops and different artists around town. After a few classes, the Swizzle Stick Theatre approached us and offered to teach us stilting! We said yes, learned quickly how to walk, and then started incorporating our contemporary moves on them. Anything you can do on the ground you can do on stilts.

Pony: Uh huh. Including the moon walk?

Cherisse: Well, you can’t really slide haha, but you can imitate the moonwalk, sure!

Courtesy of Cherisse Thurab

Pony: Where do you get the costumes?

Cherisse: They’re made for us by Christopher Pinheiro who’s the artistic director at Swizzle Sticks. But ya, we had our first stilting show at only 13 years old (Cheronne was 10) and we played the part of corn in a theatrical show called Harvest.

Pony: Does Swizzle Sticks book you for all your events? Parades, shows, weddings, etc.?

Cherisse: Yes, the bigger events like Caribana, Pride, Harbourfront and our workshops there where we teach kids and adults how to stilt. Check out Art Starts for some more information on that, it’s a great activity to learn!

Pony: Does it hurt if you fall down? It must.

Courtesy of Cherisse Thurab

Cherisse: You learn to fall safely. I’ve never hurt myself falling on stilts, just falling on my own two legs. Your knees are padded so you try to land on them and cover your face with your hands. It’s getting up that’s the hard part! You need a lot of upper body strength to prop yourself up against something and climb back up again. But if there’s nothing around to do that with then you need to call for help haha.

Pony: How does the style of dance change for each event?

Cherisse: Every event requires a different character and that character will move differently. Like Afrofest for example, we had a very rhythmic African style of dancing. But for something like Caribana, it’s more structured. We wear wings and move faster – Cheronne and I work a lot together, challenging each other constantly and improving our skills.

Pony: Do you guys ever get into fights while stilting? I can’t imagine taking a kick from one of those things.

Courtesy of Cherisse Thurab

Cherisse: That wouldn’t be pleasant haha. We get into arguments on the way to gigs mostly, but we always shake it off and work together in the end. It works well, we practically share a brain.

Pony: Finally, have you ever cruised away from the event and gone to like, a McDonalds while on stilts?

Cherisse: You can’t get very far without someone stopping you! But one time, I did go to the washroom with my stilts on and I could see over the stalls.

Pony: Thank god I wasn’t in one of those stalls!

Cherisse: This one lady popped out and actually wanted a photo with me. But I was like “I need to pee lady!” So I aimed down and landed more or less on the seat. At the end of the day it’s all in good fun, and I’m lucky to be able to share that with my best friend.

Courtesy of Cherisse Thurab

– Emma Farquharson

Our interview with Rachel Serruya: photographer, rocker, and showstopper.

Courtesy of Rachel Serruya

She’s barely been on the scene a few months, and her work has already managed to circulate some of the most prestigious photography blogs in Canada. Rachel Serruya of Baneful and Beautiful has tapped into her own style so quickly and effortlessly that it’s no wonder why she’s doing so well. The Cowgirls sat down with this radiant rocker to learn more about her photography, and how she’s captured such raw and intimate footage of Toronto’s hottest up-and-comers.

Pony: How did you get into photography and starting-up Baneful and Beautiful?

Rachel: Actually, I got my camera as a birthday gift two years ago (a DSLR Sony) and just started snapping up shots – a lot of scenic stuff. After I got the hang of it, I took some courses at a studio on King West and went from there starting up the blog.

Courtesy of Rachel Serruya

Pony: Now you’re doing more people shots, how did you transition into that?

Rachel: I get inspiration from a lot of photographers out there, and my work has always been quite raw and sexy. I’ve always loved sticking to black and white for instance, but I keep forcing myself to try colour at least once a week. You need to constantly experiment and play around.

Pony: To get that sexy look, does it take a lot of directing on your part?

Rachel: No, no. I like to put on some music and have fun. Keep them moving freely at their own pace. I just have fun with it! If they want to smoke a cigarette, then they smoke a cigarette.

Pony: Your style is so distinct. How do you create that faded vintage effect that we see on your photos?

Rachel: I take my photos into Photoshop a lot. Everything I shoot is always in colour but I render it into black and white later on. But that being said, I don’t do any airbrushing or anything – I like my photos to be as real and raw as possible.

Courtesy of Rachel Serruya

Courtesy of Rachel Serruya

Pony: Is there anyone you’re just dying to shoot?

Rachel: Nobody famous. I’m more intrigued by the people I see on the street. I’d love to get a shot of a nice, old wrinkly person for instance and hone in on their various imperfections. But I’ll be traveling a lot this summer so I’m sure I’ll get some interesting shots then.

Pony: Any challenges that you’ve faced so far? In regards to photo-shoots?

Rachel: Honestly, no. You need to have fun with what you do and I’m enjoying myself far too much! Maybe that’s because I’m still so new, and my shoots tend to be with my friends (as opposed to commissioned work) so we all just have a blast together and wind up with these beautiful photos.

Courtesy of Rachel Serruya

Courtesy of Rachel Serruya

Courtesy of Rachel Serruya

To check out more of Rachel’s work, head over to Baneful and Beautiful where she updates her brilliant photography on a daily basis.

–Emma Farquharson.

Our trip to Buzzy B’s Stamp & Scrap shop for some stamp stampeding.

Courtesy of Mushy Pony.com

This sunny Saturday inspired the Cowgirls to team up with our brilliant artist friend, Danielle Hession, for a crafting class in the Bloor West Village. If you thought scrapbooking was all about glue guns and felt (have no shame because we too were under that impression) then you have much to learn!

After meeting Danielle’s biggest fan, fellow artist Colette Copeland, we sat down for a stamp seminar with additional lessons in distressing paper. Each class at Buzzy B’s focuses on a specific side of arts and craft: beginner scrapbooking, interactive cards, pearls, layouts, quilting, alcoholic inks, and card making (see their full schedule here). But if you’d like to experiment on your own, it’s worth a visit to their store simply for their wide-ranging collection of stamps, stencils, papers, etc. for all of your crafting needs. Check out the photos below of our visit, or learn more on their website here.

Courtesy of Mushy Pony.com

Courtesy of Mushy Pony.com

Courtesy of Mushy Pony.com

Courtesy of Mushy Pony.com

Courtesy of Mushy Pony.com

XoXo
–The Cowgirls.