Monday 30 April 2012

16-years later picture from Nevis dive trip finally processed

 Found Art. Old film creates artistic view of Nevis' past

16- years later I finally got around to developing three rolls of film that had been kicking around in my dive bag and later a drawer in my desk.
Film shop didn't charge me because of the double exposures and colour bleaching caused by age.
Picture appears to be three photos in total, and they were taken, as I recollect early in the 90s at the town pier in Nevis. I had just gotten off a dive boat (not shown) and took a picture of a sail powered freighter that work the region in the later part of the 20th century. Back then the dock was the busiest place in town, hence the images of all the people milling around.

Sunday 29 April 2012

Media Only: Lynne Cohen. Design Exchange. Wednesday. Meet the photographer, tour the exhibition & preview her new book


SPA2012_Logo.jpg

 Media Preview/Lynne Cohen: Nothing is Hidden
Wednesday, May 2
11 - noon
Design Exchange, Toronto
 
New CONTACT exhibition features images by 2011 Scotiabank Photography Award Winner
Meet the photographer, tour the exhibition & preview her new book
Lynn Cohen: Nothing is Hidden. Book Cover
 
 
Toronto (04/27/2012)  - Scotiabank Photography Award (SPA) co-founders, Ed Burtynsky and Jane Nokes invite media to join them at a sneak peek of Lynne Cohen: Nothing is Hidden,  a primary exhibition in the CONTACT Photography Festival.

The SPA sponsored exhibition features images by Montreal photographic artist Lynne Cohen, the first ever SPA winner.  The Media Preview takes place on Wednesday, May 2nd  from 11:00 a.m. to noon at the Design Exchange, 234 Bay St., Toronto.
 
What: 
Lynne Cohen: Nothing is Hidden, is a specially curated SPA sponsored exhibition
featuring 31 photographs representing a cross-section of the photographer's work.
Images focus on contemporary public spaces, and include rare and early black and white photographs, as well those of vivid colour, angular contrast and often wry imagery.
Attending media will be also be the first to view Ms. Cohen's new SPA sponsored book.
Where:
Design Exchange
234 Bay Street, Toronto
When:
Wednesday, May 2
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
 
Who:
Lynne Cohen, photographic artist, first winner of SPA. Ms. Cohen is Bilingual
Ed Burtynsky Chair, SPA and one of Canada's most respected photographers
 Jane Nokes, Exec. Director, SPA;  Director Fine Art Collection and Corp. Archives,  Scotiabank
 
WHY:                                     
The opening of the Lynne Cohen exhibition and launch of her book are the final two layers of the three tiered Scotiabank Photography Award, the largest photographic arts award in Canada.  Tour the exhibition prior to public opening, meet this important photographic artist, and preview her new book. Ms. Cohen's work has been featured in countless solo and group exhibitions around the world, and is represented in over 50 public collections, including the National Gallery of Canada and Metropolitan Museum of Art. 
                                                 
Lynne Cohen: Nothing is Hidden opens to the public May 3rd through June 30th at the Design Exchange, 234 Bay St. Toronto.  
Mon - Fri 10:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.  Sat/Sun 12:00p.m. - 5:00p.m  Free admission courtesy Scotiabank 

About SPA
Established in 2011, the Scotiabank Photography Award was conceived and developed by Ed Burtynsky and Jane Nokes, to raise the international profile of Canada's leading photographic artists.  SPA is the largest annual peer reviewed celebration of excellence in Canadian contemporary photography. The winner is awarded a $50,000 cash prize, as well as this solo exhibition and a professionally produced monograph (to be released  after May 9th).  Including the cash prize, exhibition and book, SPA provides more than $100,000 in cash and marketing support to each year's winner.  The SPA 2012 is sponsored by Canadian Art Magazine,  The Globe and Mail and CTV.
About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad, through our global philanthropic program, Scotiabank Bright Future.  Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, Scotiabank has provided on average approximately $45 million annually to community causes around the world over each of the last five years. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com
 
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Media planning to attend this special preview or requiring further information are requested to contact:
 
Stephen Weir & Associates:
Stephen Weir    416-489-5868     mobile: 416-801-3101   stephen@stephenweir.com
Linda Crane        905-257-6033     mobile: 416-727-0112   cranepr@cogeco.ca
 

Friday 27 April 2012

Shawn Gore Brings The Grey Cup Home (but not for the Argos)

Almost the truth ....

(best of Facebook - most popular Stephen Weir posting of the week)

I helped the New Dawn Moravian Church earlier this week with a fun event here in Toronto. The church, located in the Vaughan Rd / Oakwood neighbourhood, has a very famous person it its congregation. Shawn Gore attended Sunday School in the church when he was very young. He is now a Canadian Football League star with the Vancouver Lions, and although he is out of province much of the year, he still consider the New Dawn home.
He brought the Grey Cup to the Church on Tuesday to show the young kids in the neighbourhood. CP-24 decided to go live from the Grey Cup party being held in the church basement.
Shawn invited the kids to look at the cup but asked them not to touch it. When the CP24 cameraman asked me to move the cup a bit (because all the silver was reflecting the camera spot light), the kids gasped that I would disobey their hero Shawn.
George Lagogianes interviews Shawn Gore with the Grey Cup
 One youngster tried to tackle me. I sidestepped him. Another tried to clothesline me (I ducked). A third tried a hip block -- too slow.
Anyway, the TV crew got their shots. The interviews were great and the kids enjoyed themselves.
When it was all over a man in the auidence praised me for my moves avoiding the tackles. Gave me a contract to join the Argos! After I signed he asked my age. 

 "Just turned 60". 
He looked at me in disgust and ripped up the contract and stomped out of the church.
Too bad. I had held the Big Trophy while under contract. That is the closest the Argos are going to get to the Grey Cup as long as Gore continues to play for the Lions.


 

Monday 23 April 2012

SHAWN GORE BRINGING THE GREY CUP TO THE NEW DAWN MORAVIAN CHURCH

       

PHOTO OP / MEDIA ALERT  May 24th 4pm
SHAWN GORE BRINGING THE GREY CUP TO THE NEW DAWN MORAVIAN CHURCH

What:            BC Lion Shawn Gore is bringing the Grey Cup to the New Dawn Moravian Church ( 7 Glenora Ave). Members of the  Church, local students and sports fans will be coming to see  the famed cup.
When:           April 24th 4-6 pm
Where:         7 Glenora Avenue ( southeast of  The Vaughan Rd /  Oakwood Intersection) Toronto.
Why:             Experience History with the winning BC Lion’s player. Shawn is a member of the Moravian Church                       
                        The Moravian Church is one of the spiritual mainstays of  the Caribbean   Canadian community
Who:              Shawn Gore. Members of the Church. School children (some have permission to be photographed and interviewed).
How:             All media invited to cover. Call if possible.   416-656-0473

For further information, please contact  Margo Harris 416-656-0473.
Issued by Stephen Weir & Associates. 416-489-5868 stephen@stephenweir.com.

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Seven poets on the world's richest poetry prizes' shortlist

Called to the bar! Scott Griffin at Le Select Bistro in Toronto


 And the nominees are ...

Shortlist for Canada's largest poetry prize announced today

For many published poets the size of the Griffin Poetry Prize is much larger than the income they will ever make from selling their books.  It is therefore no wonder that the literary world takes notice when Scott and Krystyne Griffin announce the nominees for their $200,000 annual poetry prize.
The backroom of Toronto's Le Select Bistro was packed this morning with journalists, publishers and poets as Scott Griffin read out the shortlist for this year's prize.  Seven poets (4 international and 3 Canadians) are in the running for two poetry awards of $65,000 each. 
The winners of the prize will be announced June 7th in Toronto.  As well each of the seven will also each be awarded $10,000 for their participation in an evening of poetry at Toronto's Royal Conservatory (the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning) on Wednesday, June 6th.  
Although Griffin made his fortune producing electronic products for the armed forces of the Free World and for the transportation trade, he and his wife Krystyne Griffin have a passion for  supporting the arts. They have self-funded the world's largest poetry prize since 2000. As well Scott Griffin is chairman, director and majority shareholder since 2002 of publisher House of Anansi Press/Groundwood Books.

The Shortlist poets are:

INTERNATIONAL

Night - David Harsent ( Britian )
Scott Griffin announces the nominees
The Chameleon Couch - Yusef Komunyakaa ( United States )
November - Sean O'Brien ( Britian )
Sobbing Superpower: Selected Poems of Tadeusz Rózewicz - Tadeusz Rózewicz ( Poland )

CANADIAN

Methodist Hatchet  - Ken Babstock
Killdeer - Phil Hall
Forge - Jan Zwicky