|
|
Leather Pass Chronicles News Views and little known truths from the Canadian Rockies... |
|
|
E-NEWS NOW ONLINE
If you go into the woods today...
SEPTEMBER 2007 Artists On Rails I am Albertan Tuktu Prayers Vampires in the Basement Brian Patsy and Moses A spontaneous Artwalk Artists in the Pines 2008
It's a Francophone July
Canada Day - with an accent!
Jasper is a Creative 'City'
The Centennial approaches!
~a look back at Jasper's Centennial Year~
21 Caribou
Living on Sunshine Video
Family Day, CN and Marshmallows CN
Jasper Community Mission Impossible
Jasper in January The Year in Review, in advance!
Victorias Secret, Caribou and Indian Giving
Ah, November - its all about the weather
Community museums are key to culture
The Who, Trailer Park Boys and Mel Hurtig Tom Thomson and the Pine Beetle
Is that a Mexican Flag on the Banff Springs?
Green Party on the right track
Neufeld Watchel and Watchel
UNESCO's Indigenous Peoples Day
Heritage Day
From Fiddler on the Roof to Fiddler on the Rails Traditions made new again, First Nations art Bikeology and Caribou MAY 2006
On MountainTop Rock
 COMING SOON Foothills Mens Chorus Artists on Rails
Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Other VideoLogs by DTMI
Webcasts will be available on line for about a year. They will be archived and available upon request after that.
|
SEPTEMBER 2007 Authors, Filmmakers and Vampires Updated September 15, 2007
Jasper's Yellowhead Museum was the place to be this month. Besides their regular programming they hosted a Centennial exhibition and Centennial weekend events, Artists on Rails, Tuktu Prayers, and Vampires in the Basement.
September 13th VIA Rail welcomed Edmonton filmmaker Geo Takach to town on the Artists on Rails program. Geo is collecting information as he travels the country on what we envision Alberta to be. Rednecks? Oilmen? Arts patrons? Apparently we are a dichotomy...we are known as rednecks, a lot of Canadians think we are all wealthy labourers that eat a lot of beef and ride horses in an oil fueled economy, yet we have the Cultural Capital of Canada for 2007 - Edmonton and our schools and festivals are envied by many.
Albertans once again have defied the unflattering stereotype of uncultured rednecks. Stats Canada tells us that this province is the leader in Canada for spending on cultural pursuits. Albertans spend 75 per cent more on live performing arts than they do on live sports events. There is an estimated $12 return on every $1 spent by government organizations like the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. We can also boast of having one of the best art colleges in the country, the Alberta College of Art and Design. Then why is it that the graduates of this college almost always leave the province to find opportunities elsewhere? Why don’t the governments of Alberta, both the provincial and the municipalities, recognize these economic and social impacts the arts and cultural industries have on communities? The province has dropped their support of the arts by more than 27 percent during the ‘90s putting Alberta’s per-capita funding lower than the poorest of provinces including Newfoundland and PEI. Interesting questions, many opinions...Geo's documentary will explain all... Watch this site for broadcast news of Geo's film spring 2008!!
Geo's lively presentation was coordinated with the amazing large format photography of Kristen Wagner. Kristen and Tim Van Horn created a 'Modern Day Photographic Essay of the Albertan People'. A beautiful coffee table book of the faces and places that make Alberta what it is.
September 14th saw the Centennial weekend explode! When was the last time you saw a lineup to get into the Museum?
Tuktu Prayers was there. ____________________________________________________
The Jasper Environmental Association got into the month of celebrations with an evening called 'Vampires in the Basement'! A unique situation that ecosystems display when the natural balance has been disturbed.
The letter below evolved - some interesting food for thought. Vampires
in the Basement I
just came home from an enlightening disheartening presentation.
The talk expanded upon the relationships between changing
ecosystems and human interaction. Thought
provoking theories about how human interference has historically
affected the ecology of an area and then contemplating questions and
scenarios about how to reverse those ecological shifts…lots of big
words and charts to confirm what we are all seeing. I
walked away with the image in my mind of the ecosystem he explained
where a species appears that wouldn’t normally be there.
This species is indicative of an imbalance in the system.
To return the balance would mean damage to the species that has
appeared and any of the other animals, flora and fauna that have grown
dependent on that species being there. As
I moved through Jaspers streets on my way home I was reminded of the
wonderful wild National Park that I am allowed to reside in.
Tonight I walked past heavy construction equipment and large
trucks. ‘Species’ that
wouldn’t normally be here. But because of human interference they are.
What kind of imbalance can we expect to see from this new shift?
What symbiotic relationships will arise around this situation? While the lesson I believe I was being told tonight was to accept change…ecosystems have become out of balance and to get the balance back would require damage to the new system and its inhabitants…and do we ‘as humans’ have the right to inflict / reverse what we see as undesirable because we cant accept change? I
can’t help thinking that the real lesson is closer to ‘look at what
happens when people interfere with the natural environment’.
This is a National Park – a place set aside for wilderness to
be preserved. If we cannot
co-exist in this wild place without ‘shifting’ the ecology we are
failing as custodians. And
the uprooted trees I walked by tonight, and the huge trucks with ATV’s
are further proof of a change in the original thinking of what a
wilderness reserve is. Can
we accept the new system that will evolve from the changes Jasper is
going through today? Because,
I believe I was questioned tonight about the ethical and moral right to
remove / reverse the side effects of what these demolished trees and
negative impact vehicles will leave behind as the Jasper of tomorrow. Or
perhaps the real lesson here is - If I have no moral or ethical right to
question the existence of things that evolve from changes that are
created when humans interfere with a natural system, I suggest we avoid
any interference with natural systems and intercept any unforeseen
future imbalances! In this 100th year it is evident, by this research, we have altered the natural state of Jasper National Park. It is not the Park of 1907. What are we creating for the inhabitants of 2107? Quite the dilemma we are leaving for our children.
Winding up the season - Artists on Rails bring Breezy Brian, Patsy Amico and Moses Gregg to the Whistle Stop and more...
Check out their website to see where they are now.
September 29th, a Spontaneous Artwalk!
In keeping with the spirit of the season...Artwalks and Studio Tours are popping up all over the country! Check out the Muse Cruise site for more information. What better way to spend a Saturday that trekking around town looking at what the local artists offer...and that's just what we did.
From merchants offering works to restaurants and cafes decorated with artwork - to local studios opening their doors...
To make sure your studio or venue is on the next ARTWALK contact us. admin at artothe dot com
AND EFFORTS HAVE BEGUN ON ARTISTS IN THE PINES 2008 Check out the 2006 calendar (just to see what you missed!) and get ready to be entertained, educated and pampered - in the PINES next autumn.
NEW to Artists in the Pines - for 2008, the art of Japanese drumming on the shores of the Athabasca River.
May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 Sept 2006 Oct 2006 Nov 2006 Dec 2006 Jan2007 Feb2007 March2007 April2007 June 2007 July 2007
What is the Leather
Pass? Check out our
|
