Working title for Sir Charles GD Roberts book is THE HUMAN ANIMALS

so on location working away on the ROBERTS project which intends to become a documentary and a book - the book which is comprised of selections from his 'animal stories' with illustrations by HELENE LACELLE is well on the way and soon to be published - ROBERTS is known now only as 'the father of CDN poetry' but also the author who created the 'animal story' where the animals have human-like characteristics - they think, feel and act often like we do... they are not dumb creatures or at least no dumber than we are.. He was born in Douglas, NB and raised in Westcock, NB where his father was rector of St Mary's church located in the heart of the famous Tantramar Marsh. It's from his early days living in and around this marsh that Roberts picked up his love and understanding of nature.

Sandy Hill's ONE&ONLY Craft Fair - 2013

Not only are we 'bookmakers' but for the past seven years, my partner Peter Evanchuck and I have been hosting/producing a very popular craft show in Sandy Hill, called the ONE & ONLY. Peter prepares a FREE ALL-DAY Buffet for 1000 people while I do the rest. So on Nov.17,  with the support of ACTION SANDY HILL and lots of volunteers from ASH, the show was once more a huge success. (For one thing, a lot of Ottawa U students got to fill their tummies )!!!

Check out our ONE&ONLY blog and see what you missed ! And don't forget to click on the 2013 PHOTO tab!

Sir Charles GD Roberts - The Early Years - Sackville, New Brunswick

For writer Peter Evanchuck, next stop on his search of Sir Charles GD Roberts is Westcock, NB. where he spent the first 12 years of his life. St Anne's Anglican Church, the oldest Anglican Church in Canada built in 1817, where Charles' father was rector. Peter in the Tantramar Marshes in Sackville, New Brunswick.

 TANTRAMAR is from the french TINTAMARRE which means ( to the uniligual like me ) - which means 'racket' - the noise of the birds that used to settle here on their way south back then thousands ... grass to the front of me, grass to the back of me  to the right of me grass to the left of me but i strode on and on and got wet feet ... very marshy martha ...

ROBERT's spent his formative years here gathering animals stories, feeling the poetic textures/spirit of the marshlands and woods ... very unique place - his father an Anglican Pastor home schooled Roberts in Greek, Latin, math, sciences and literature - voracious reader Robert's was .... his father's basic phiiosophy was 'figure it out for urself' which GD did ... Not only THE FATHER OF CDN POETRY but also THE CREATOR OF THE ANIMAL STORY.  HIS FIRST BOOK sold overe 80,000 copies !!

In search of Sir Charles GD Roberts - The Father of Canadian Poetry - Douglas, New Bruswick

FilmMaker/Writer Peter Evanchuck on location in Douglas, New Brunswick researching the birthplace of Canadian poet Sir Charles GD Roberts.

FilmMaker PETER EVANCHUCK and homeless poet ROBERT THOMAS PAYNE go to TIFF - TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

ROB  showed up at CMPA (Canadian Media Production Association) AWARDS gave him T shirts, postcards, posters and 30 books to promote the docs and for him to sell and make moola... he was drunk saddened by LARROW's death but all cleaned up and looking great .. we downed a few free beers  ... ahhhh me dear movie buddies

Augustus Larrow, Graffiti Alley, Toronto 2012

the POETRY of PAYNE - Documentary Trailer

THE POETRY OF PAYNE - movie poster -

In making docs, I do not believe in wandering into a scene/story/subject without having gone through it myself for a reasonably long period of time; otherwise, one can be fooled into making something 'not real'. An example of that is my recent project, now 'in the can' called THE POETRY OF PAYNE which traces the life of Robert Payne over a period of a couple of winters. I've known ROB for over a decade and have had a long term friendship with him. He's been an actor in my previous fiction films as well as in my theatre pieces. In other words, I've known him through thick and thin, ups and downs so he can't pretend some things that he's not - for all of us who really have experienced our subject, the truth is not only 'out there' but 'in there' i.e. in the doc.

Another problem when making a doc on a homeless person; how do you find him or her? Well I’ve managed and volunteered in various soup kitchens in Toronto so know the scene and the people in that scene. This enables me to wander through it asking the right questions to find ROB. Each time I travel to Toronto to shoot I have to 'search him out' since he does have regular digs called 'the cocoon' a blued tarped 'home sweet' in an alley south of Queen West but he sleeps/rests at very irregular times so I search him out knowing the places he eats and rests which usually proves fruitful but sometimes it takes a day or so to connect with him.

This type of doc also requires the filmmaker to camp out to do what they now call 'urban camping' so to 'get the shot' one wanders through the night and day searching not only for the subject but also for the shot .... one becomes homeless; albeit for a short period of time a few days or a week rather than the 4 years that ROB"s been on the street.

If you want to get old fast go on the streets one year equals ten... ok I'm off to find ROB; he didn't show up where he said he was going to be....

Peter Evanchuck

Helene Lacelle at CHINATOWN REMIXED 2013

What a perfect day for a street party in Chinatown. Lots of happy people with maps in hand seeking their next stop, a hair salon, a Vietnamese subshop, a restaurant or even a foodmarket, the art was everywhere.
Here are some of the highlights - there is so much more to see - so get on your bike and come on down to Chinatown. Big thank you to Don and his dedicated volunteers! Show runs until June 18!

CHINATOWN REMIXED 2013 VIDEO on Youtube   
CHINATOW REMIXED website

Visitors enjoying Helene's work at Kowloons Market

Helene Lacelle with art at Kowloons Market in Chinatown, Somerset at Arthur.

One-of-a-kind Ottawa arts festival Chinatown Remixed launches its fifth annual outdoor street celebration from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 18.  Taking place along Somerset Street West between Bay and Preston streets, the 2013 festival includes visual and performance art, live music, workshops, and food from local vendors and restaurant owners including Kichesippi Beer Co., ZenKitchen, Kowloon Market, Aline’s Hair Salon, The Daily Grind Café, Raw Sugar Café, and others. The month-long festival runs until June 18, and a special vernissage day after-party will be held at the Shanghai Restaurant from 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on May 18.

Group Show Gallery 101 - cREATE tHIS rEVOLUTION

The Idle No More movement is about Indigenous rights, the immediacy of social media and sharing “a vision of bringing together all people to ensure we create ways of protecting Mother Earth, her lands, waters and people,” (From the INM Web site).
At Gallery 101, we have been greatly inspired and moved by the Idle No More movement. Artist run centres began because artists needed spaces where they could question the status quo artistically, politically, socially, and culturally. 30 years later, we must ask ourselves have we become another in a long line of artistic institutions? How can we become more accessible and vibrant? One answer from Gallery 101 is the “flash mob art show”, Create This Revolution.
Eighteen artists have been selected by our jury panel: Howard Adler; Jaime Koebel, Laura Margita and Heather Wiggs.

artist statement: Helene Lacelle

Since the ban of sale and use of cosmetic pesticides  came into effect in Ottawa in 2009, the number of migratory songbirds returning to the area has gone into sharp incline. 

Adored for their golden color, graceful flight and enchanting song, the Goldfinch has returned to my backyard and in my heart. Right-on Ottawa!

• Howard Adler
• Marc Adornato
• Pansee Atta
• Priti Cox
• Alan Harrington
• Kaylene Kelly
• Helene Lacelle
• Emmanuel Laflamme
• Juliana McDonald
• Rehab Nazzal
• Jacqueline Hoang Nguyen
• Ben Powless
• Mana Rouholamini
• Svetlana Swinimer
• Jeffrey Thomas
• Laura Leah Traverse
• Lori Victor
• Adam Void

Message from PETER EVANCHUCK for MOTION MAGAZINE

Hear film maker and MOTION MAGAZINE editor/publisher Peter Evanchuck talk about his ground breaking 70's film/theater/tv MOTION MAGAZINE.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO