Artist Spotlight: Nora Kelly

Nora Kelly Band press photo via Nora Kelly

If anything, Nora Kelly is multi-faceted. She's done everything from painting murals in Mexico City to creating editorial work for the NY Times, not to mention playing rock shows in Montreal as Nora Kelly Band and Dish Pit.

We spoke to Nora about her creative practice, advice for other artists, and more.

via Nora Kelly

Malaika Astorga for Also Cool: How did you first get into visual arts? 

Nora Kelly: I was a reclusive teenager, and drawing was something I had control over, could pick up and put down whenever I wanted. I think my continued dedication to art is for similar reasons. I need a lot of alone time, and paintings and drawing are great ways to spend one's time.

Also Cool: Have you always practiced with the same mediums, or has that changed over the years?

Nora: First, I was into drawing. I didn't start painting until I was in university. I was probably the worst painter in my class when I started at Concordia. Now I can't get enough of it. 

via Nora Kelly

AC: When did you first start doing murals? What was your experience with the creative scene in Mexico City?

NK: I had always dreamed of being a muralist, but it's kind of a catch-22 getting your foot in the door. No one wants you to paint their wall if you have never done it before, but without any murals to show on your resume, you aren't going to get that first wall. 

When I moved to Mexico City in 2017 and a mural company called Street Art Chilango hired me, I was so excited. At first, I was handing spray paint cans to more experienced artists, but eventually, they gave me my first wall. They are a very prestigious company, working with clients like Vans and Ray-Ban, but after 6 months, I quit because I had always been into the democratic quality of street art. I like that it's accessible to anyone walking by, and I didn't want to be involved in painting glorified ads for large corporations. I went door to door, asking smaller businesses in Mexico City if they wanted a mural and have gotten all my work that way since, even in Canada. 

AC: Do you have any advice for anyone looking to do more professional / commissioned work as a visual artist but doesn't know where to start?

NK: I'm kind of type-A, but my advice would be to get into spreadsheets. Email 20 people or businesses a day and keep a log of who you're spamming. Eventually, you'll get a hit, I guarantee, and it then it only gets easier from there.  

via Nora Kelly

AC: Do you find there's a difference between your commissioned work and the work you make purely for yourself? How do you balance the two?

NK: Definitely. My commissioned work is usually based on pictures and comes out more realistic. When I'm doing something for myself, I tend to work from my imagination and take risks, which keeps the whole process exciting. 

AC: What's your creative process like? 

NK: I like to walk my dog and come up with ideas. Usually, I paint at night because I stay up late, and it gives me something to do while my roommates are asleep. 

via Nora Kelly

AC: Who are some other creatives who inspire you?

NK: The most inspirational people are usually the people closest to me. I have a kind of friendly competition with myself, and seeing the people around me giving it their all makes me want to work harder. In terms of favourite acclaimed painters, I've always been fond of Rousseau, Peter Doig, Hilma af Klint and, of course, Francis Bacon. 

Watch Nora Kelly Band's latest music video for their song "Hymn for Agnostics" below.

Nora Kelly

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Malaika Astorga is the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.

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Em&May: Montreal's Women-Run, Sustainable Brand Making a Difference with Inclusive Fashion

Em & May Into Orbit collection

It's rare these days to see a brand say that they're sustainable and size-inclusive actually mean it. Em&May is a small but mighty women-run brand based out of the Mile End in Montreal that focuses on swimwear, lounge, lingerie, and more.  

It's easy to assume that a brand is a massive production because they have a curated Instagram and a sleek website. In reality, Em&May is a small team of young women figuring it out as they go along, taking on every aspect of the business. They do everything themselves, from creating their garments to customer service and even arguing with Canada Post over the phone to keep shipping prices low.

I wanted to showcase the immense amount of hard work that goes into this project and spotlight the women behind it all. Em&May operates on a made-to-order business model. That allows them to produce the least amount of waste possible while also providing a huge sizing range where you can input your measurements to ensure that your clothes fit you perfectly. They're working hard to make their creative dreams come to life while staying true to their values.

I first found the brand a year and a half ago on Instagram and have been following them ever since. It feels good to know the money I spent at Em&May goes right back into sustaining the lives of a group of creative women instead of a huge faceless corporation. 

I've gotten to know Emilie and her amazing team of girls over the last few months and wanted to share a sneak peek of what it's like behind the scenes, so we sat down for an interview. 

Em & May swim

Malaika Astorga for Also Cool: When did creativity enter your life? Did it start with fashion, or did you have other hobbies?

Emilie for Em&May: I used to draw a lot when I was younger. I would come home from school and draw in my notebook, which is where I first became interested in art and creativity. Fashion was something that I always really enjoyed.

My grandma used to take me shopping when I was a kid. She would give me some money to run around the mall to buy whatever I wanted. It was the first time I got to pick things out for myself, and when I started to figure out how I wanted to express myself by developing my sense of style. 

Despite being interested in fashion at a young age, I never really knew I would study design. When I had just graduated high school in Newfoundland, I went to a school called Textiles, Crafts Apparel and Design, which gave me my first experience with sewing. I was so excited to stay late at school to sew my projects. 

Whenever my teachers would give us something to do, I would do three or four. We had the opportunity to have a fashion show and then sell the pieces afterwards, and everyone made maybe five or six garments, and I must've made 30 or 40 pieces. I had an entire collection and extras on top of that. After the show, people could come and shop the pieces, and it was crazy to see people from my high school take an interest in my work.

I had started a Facebook page in school that I would post on all the time, which is how I got my name out there. People began to become a little more aware of what I was doing, which carried over to Em&May, which started when I was in school in Montreal.

I used that Facebook page as the base of the business because I had already accumulated a bit of a following. 

Em & May swim

Also Cool: What's the creative scene like in NL? What was your experience like there creatively?

Em: My school was in downtown Newfoundland, but downtown is not like downtown here. It's not super commercial, it's more where artsy people hang out, and there's a lot of cafes, galleries, and local businesses. There's a creative community down there; it's just less fashion and more painting, pottery, etc. but not necessarily clothing. 

AC: Why did you decide to move to Montreal? What was your first impression of the city?

Em: The main reason was that my mom is from Montreal, and I always loved her side of the family. We would visit once or twice a year, and I really wanted to know them better, so I started looking into the different schools here.

In terms of first impressions, I came to Montreal when I was a kid or with my friends for concerts or shopping. But when you live in Montreal versus when you come to visit, it is completely different. When you visit, you're mostly downtown on St. Catherine, going to all the big box stores, and everything else is just entirely off your radar. 

When I moved here, I started school right away, which was a big adjustment. I got my first job walking down St. Catherine and applied to all those box stores. I got a job at American Apparel, which was my foot in the door to the whole life I've created now. I was only there for a month, and then I got a call for a job from Urban Outfitters, which was my first choice, so I switched over to there. I'm really glad I made that call because that's where I met all my friends, who are even now still a part of the same scene, and two months later, American Apparel shut down.

Em & May sweat set

AC: How did you first get involved with the fashion scene in Montreal?

Em: I met a lot of people through school, and I honestly just said yes to every opportunity given to me. I also engaged with a lot of people and brands that I liked online as well.

When I was in school, the scene was comparable to now. Now it's just so different, especially the side of fashion that I'm a part of now (handmade, sustainable fashion). These are things that I've always been passionate about, but I couldn't have imagined myself going into.

These days people are way more conscious about their money and think a lot about where and who they're buying from. I think the pandemic brought a lot of that into focus. 

Em & May sweat set

AC: What was your collab like with Citizen Vintage? What was a valuable lesson you learned from them?

Em: I love them. A girl I went to school with had a studio assistant position that I took over. I would do adjustments for their vintage clothing, cropping and hemming things. I would repair broken things, help out with the tote bags and other things. 

They were also so good to me when I started Em&May and gave me 24-hour access to their studio to work. School closed at 11, and if I still had projects to do, I would go to their studio and work there instead. They were so helpful and so supportive.

I was still working for them when I did my first-ever collaboration with them. They wanted to make some swim, and I offered to take over that for them. My brand continued to evolve and grow, turning into a bigger collaboration. They've also purchased wholesale from me before, and we did a bunch of different collections together.

They taught me a lot about planning collections, sizing breakdowns, wholesale and consignment. They guided me through that process, so I had a better idea of what was expected when I got deals with other stores and companies. 

Em & May Into Orbit collection

AC: How do you incorporate sustainability into your practice?

Em: When people ask about sustainability, they usually ask about fabric, sourcing, and fibre content, which we pay a lot of attention to. Most of our fabrics are made from either deadstock or natural organic fibres. Our swim is made from Econyl, which is made from ocean waste and plastic bottles. We had also made an activewear collection made of plastic bottles last year. We're always trying to find different OEKO-TEX certified innovation fabrics.

In terms of packaging and shipping, all our materials, paper, boxes, water-activated tapes, etc., are made from 100% recycled paper. We function on a made-to-order business model, which means that we only make what has been ordered to have the least amount of waste possible. 

Also, I can pay my employees more than a living wage. There's not a huge amount of production in Montreal anymore, and not many people who graduate end up working as a seamstress. So what's fun about Em&May is that we're able to build off each other and sustain each other's lives because of our business. Our process is also super collaborative, and everyone has creative freedom.

AC: What are some of your favourite spots in Montreal? Any favourite memories to share?

Em: I am a coffee addict, so I love Olimpico and Gamba. I also really enjoy martinis, especially after a long week, so I go to Henrietta, Majestique, and other cute, low-key places.

Em & May Into Orbit collection

AC: What's been the most rewarding thing about running Em&May? How do you feel like you've grown as a person & artist because of the brand?

Em: I think it's awesome that we can be such a small team and are constantly creating pieces that we want to do without a timeline, but also that we're creating pieces with such a huge size range. We have no restrictions for sizing at all so that anyone can buy from us. 

It's rewarding to have an idea, I tell the girls, and then we sit down and talk about it – and two days later, it's done and on the website. We don't have to wait six months to a year for these ideas to come to life. 

AC: Do you have any small businesses / other artists you'd like to shout out?

Em: Definitely @va1sseau and @rachelsudbury! 

AC: What's next for Em&May?

Em: This year I want to be more creative in a way that goes outside of traditional fashion. A lot is coming that's not necessarily ready-to-wear and is more like wearable art. We're going to be incorporating more statement pieces, avant-garde, wearable art with non-traditional elements.

You can meet Emilie and the Em&May team this weekend at our Holiday Pop Up this Saturday, December 11th, from 12-6. See our Instagram post for details. 

Em & May Valley bralette

Em&May

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Malaika Astorga is the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.

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Chimbites x Plastique Famille Present Almas, an Immersive Experience for Ancestral Healing (Balistikal, Cité-des-Hospitalières)

As the world slowly opens up, we begin to celebrate and heal with each other. At a time when collective healing is needed more than ever, the Chimbites and Plastique Famille are hosting Almas from November 10-15 at Chapelle de la Cité-des-Hospitalieres, raising money for Balistikal's Anti-Clinica.

Almas (Souls) is a week-long exhibit centred around the re-interpretation of spirituality through a queer, anti-colonial lens and the deconstruction of ancestral trauma linked to religion. Tickets available HERE

By RICO SERNA via Chimbites

CHIMBITES is an international artistic network born in Tiohtià:ke / Montreal and Colombia in 2020, when Rico Serna and Julicore began working together to curate, develop and produce fundraising events. Their work is rooted in intersectionality and mutual aid, focusing on raising awareness and redistributing opportunities and resources, aiming for global equity.

With members in Bogota, Barcelona and Montreal, their goal is to organize exhibitions and events to showcase, empower and connect LGBTQIA+, BIPOC artists, while fundraising for their communities. By booking artists from near and far, they seek to provide a common international platform that provides equal compensation for their work.

PLASTIQUE FAMILLE is an artistic entity born in Mexico in 2016 founded by Diego Israel and Monica Olvera, operating as a platform to create, develop and launch ideas. Their work orbits around new technologies, decolonial practices, critical thinking, and social relationships in arts & culture. PF has been based in Toronto since 2017, with different members worldwide. They have grown into an established newcomer organization by creating and engaging with different communities, developing artistic management, which centres a human approach in our interactions with the artists and their work. They seek to understand needs more holistically, engaging with artists on many aspects of their process, co-creating pathways that suit their needs in terms of mental health, ability and financial capacity.

Chimbites and Plastique Famillie aim to (re)appropriate the colonized segregation space, "the church," by showcasing artists from various backgrounds to create a sacred space for our community to express their artistic views on spirituality, mental health, and healing. A "ceremony" will take place on Saturday, featuring performers and musicians, aiming to raise funds for a mental and spiritual health fund for Balistikal, an LGBTIA2S +, Afro-descendant, indigenous and migrant community in Latin America.

Cité-des-Hospitalières via Chimbites

Balistikal is a community organization whose mission is to heal, transform and cultivate the Afro and Indigenous LGBTIQ+ community. Their Anti-clinic offers healing services such as Tarot, Oracle, Astral chart, sexology, dream interpretation, Reiki, meditation, and more. Their next event will take place on November 18, and they need our support to raise funds to offer 80 free spots for Trans and Black individuals in need of healing services.

By NEAGONORREA, LAKRAS, OTRUS EXTRAVIADUS via Chimbites

The Cité-des-Hospitalières is a former convent based in Tiohtiá:ke, also known as Montreal, the unceded traditional territory of the Kanien'kehá:ka Nation. It constitutes a unique spiritual and sensory space, protected from the turbulence of the city by the wall of the formerly cloistered complex. The Cité has been open as a transitory space in recent months, inviting innovative projects that re-imagine inclusive and transformative uses of this exceptional heritage site.

Featured artists: PABLO BARESCH (Video Performance), DIANE GARCIA RAMOS (Sculpture), EDSON NIEBLA ROGIL (Short Film), NEUS LAKRAVIADUS (Short Film & Photographs), SANTIAGO MENDEZ & GABRIEL PITO (Photograph), JOSÉ L. MENÉDEZ (Painting), RICO SERNA (Photography), PRINCESS PRADA, PASTIZAL ZAMUDIO (Performance), JULICORE & SANTIAGO HURTADO (Short Film)

With performances by Kokettte, Araya Guanipa, and Zi1oj and musical performances by Chivengi, Deidre Opal, Syana Barbara

Sensorial Environment by Diane García Ramos, Earth Note Scents/Daniela Madrid, Corium, and onyyysumo

Emotional support on-site in collaboration with AGIR Montréal Thursday 11 & Friday 12

Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th, 15:00-18:00 - On November 10, 11, 12 and 15, free admission, donations will be accepted at the door.

The venue is wheelchair accessible. COVID-19 Protocols will be followed.

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Malaika Astorga is the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.

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Montreal Designer Kate Turner Talks Launching a Brand, Montreal's Fashion Scene & Sustainability

Kate Turner modelled by Emily Lê, photographed by Bea Scharf-Pierzchala

When I moved to Montreal, one of the first things I noticed was how uniquely well-dressed everyone is, nonchalantly making the city their runway. It seemed like no one cared to judge each other too harshly for wearing something other than big box stores and name brands, with many people wearing their friend's clothing lines or merch. 

As the world opens up again and I've started going out more, I can't help but feel the same way I did all those years ago: Totally enamoured with the creativity I see in the way people dress. The combination of having so much time to ourselves, without having to dress for others, and now the celebratory ability to go out again has made for an explosion of personal expression and unique style. 

What's even better is seeing friends' brands or creative projects being worn out in the world. It feels special to bond with a stranger because you're both wearing a garment that your friend made or to recognize the coolest pants you've ever seen on Instagram worn by someone casually doing groceries.

Kate Turner is one of those brands that makes you stop and say, "Wait, I think I've seen those before!" I've been a long-time admirer of her designs, and it's been exciting to see the brand grow and collaborate with mutual friends, fostering the fashion scene in Montreal. Her iconic green and black checkered pieces have been worn by the likes of Lil Miquela and just about every cool Montrealer out there.

I caught up with Kate over email about her latest collection, how she got started, sustainability, and a lot more.

Kate Turner modelled by Emily Lê, photographed by Bea Scharf-Pierzchala

Malaika Astorga for Also Cool Mag: Let's start with a bit about who you are and what you do.

Kate Turner: I'm Kate - I make clothes under the name Kate Turner.

Also Cool: How did you first get into fashion? Has this creative practice always been in your life, or is it something that came later?

KT: I liked to sew in high school, and I thought I was a cool dresser back then. My family is full of creative people, specifically my mom and aunts; they heavily influence me. 

After high school, I pursued other things but came back to sewing in my mid 20's. I started making really basic baggy dresses, and shirts and people loved them. Then a store sent me a message saying they would like to sell my clothes and I was so excited I didn't sleep. I was up all night thinking about how it was even possible to make clothes for a living. I wanted to study some more before starting my own brand, so I did a textile design studio program in a mountain town in BC. I consider myself self-taught as far as fashion design with a background in textile art. 

Kate Turner modelled by Emily Lê, photographed by Bea Scharf-Pierzchala

Also Cool: How has your brand evolved over time, and what have you learned about yourself and your creative practice in the process?

KT: My brand evolves with my personal growth, the skills I learn and the connections I make. It is all on display. 

I had a studio in Chabanel for a year and made a lot of connections with small factories there. I found somewhere that makes ribbons out of whatever fabric you choose, so everything I made (like the Maya suits) had ribbons all over them. I am now into elastic shirring and making everything stretchy and texturized. I bought a specialized twelve-needle machine that took me more than a month to get working, so expect a lot more shirred items in the future! 

My creative process is all about making samples. That can be the scariest and hardest part, but it's really great to get ideas out of your head and see them in the physical world. 

AC: How do you incorporate sustainable practices into your brand? 

KT: That's a tricky question; I'm very wary of greenwashing and using "eco-friendly" as a way to sell clothes. I think the only way to be truly sustainable is to not make any new clothes at all. I think brands are misguided by marketing their things as such. 

All that being said, the things I do as a small brand are source secondhand first, deadstock next and high-end virgin fabrics like silk and linen. I save all of my scraps and either reuse them or give them away to hobby sewers. I've recently introduced hemp into my studio this year; it takes the least amount of water to grow each fibre and lasts for hundreds of years. 

Kate Turner modelled by Emily Lê, photographed by Bea Scharf-Pierzchala

AC: It seems like often people don't understand the amount of time, energy, and resources it takes to run a small brand. Could you break down this process for us and explain a bit about what goes on behind the scenes?

KT: I think a lot of people don't realize that behind the scenes, there are so many samples made before a garment is released. Even if it is a simple piece, there are usually a few prototypes/samples made and tested. And then you have to make one of each size and get those fitted. I always make my first prototypes out of secondhand bedsheets and then go from there. I make everything myself along with one seamstress, but I do get things like buttonholes, grommets, trims and spaghetti straps made in Chabanel. 

Kate Turner modelled by Emily Lê, photographed by Bea Scharf-Pierzchala

AC: What has your experience with Montreal's fashion scene/community been like?

KT:  I love making clothes in Montreal. I'm like a sponge; I get so inspired by what my friends and people on the street are wearing. It's quite impressive how creative people are at dressing in this city. It feels like you can wear the wildest outfits, and no one will even notice, which is not the case for most of Canada. It's a beautiful thing to witness Montrealers showing up and accepting expressions of our true selves through fashion, art and music.

AC: Last but not least, how can we best support you and your brand?

KT: The best way to support my brand is to show up to events that I have and engage in any way you can. You don't have to buy anything, but just showing up to support goes a long way. I'm grateful for the support I receive from my community.

Kate Turner modelled by Emily Lê, photographed by Bea Scharf-Pierzchala

Kate Turner

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Malaika Astorga is the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.

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Artist Spotlight: Camila Gaza Manly / @lysvonasta

Camila Gaza Manly. Photo courtesy of Kitty Evans, styling by Céline Blais.

Looking for an extra touch of magic to brighten up your home – literally? Montreal-based lighting designer Camila Gaza Manly has made it her mission to blend artistry with functionality through her lighting collection known as Lys von Asta. Her craftsmanship maintains a strong sense of curiosity, producing ethereal light sculptures that truly shine.

Through comforting clouds of meringue and cheeky expressions of novelty, Camila’s work proves that it is possible to add whimsy to everyday needs and spaces. In exploring her work, I realize the deep symbolism of lamps in the home. Our spaces can be a reflection of ourselves, offering representations of our tastes and values. While lighting may be broadly used to reveal other decor, lamps themselves can – and should – be works of art.

Scroll on to read my delightful conversation with Camila, peppered with creative influences and reflections on her artistic growth. Take a look around your space, and imagine what more it could be.

The lamps of Lys von Asta. Photo courtesy of Kitty Evans.

Rebecca L. Judd for Also Cool: Hi there Camila, thank you for taking the time to speak with me! I’m so curious about you and your art, and I know our readers are too.

To get started, I would love to know more about your creative background. How did you first emerge as an artist, and as a lighting designer more specifically?

Camila Gaza Manly: I would say both go back pretty far in my life. I grew up on Vancouver Island in BC, so I had a very rural upbringing – surrounded by nature, going to the ocean and camping…  I also went to Waldorf school, which was a big early influence on my development artistically. So when it comes to my artistic style and early background, [those things] are a strong foundation that I still draw from a lot now. 

Both sides of my family are very artistic – my mom’s side is German, and she’s an artist. Both her parents were artists. My whole family [were] painters and sculptors, it’s probably in my blood or something (laughs). My dad's side is half Danish with lots of wood workers, and he's a musician. [His family] had farms and were always working with their hands and being artistic.

I came up with the name for my project during lockdown when I was thinking about my family a lot. ‘Lys’ is the general word for ‘light’ in Danish. It can also be used to mean ‘lamp’ and ‘candle’. ‘von’ means ‘from’ in German, and is part of my mother’s maiden name that I didn’t receive. And ‘Asta’ was my great grandmother's name on my Danish side. I never met her, but have always felt very connected to her. We share petite stature and certain characteristics. She raised twelve children on a farm and lived until the age of 96. She has always been a great source of strength for me. ‘Light from Asta’ is where my heritage and aspirations meet.

When it comes to [transitioning into] lamps, that also started around the same time [in life]. At Waldorf school, my teacher really didn’t like the overhead fluorescent lighting in our classroom. She would turn them off and bring in her own lamps – I think we had about 12 different lamps in the classroom instead of the overhead lighting. I got used to that softer light work environment – I think it might make a lot of people feel less motivated, but I work well in comforting lighting. [Our class] would also do lantern walks, which were outside in the autumn, and we would make our own lanterns. That would be my earliest lamp-making experience. 

I was also lucky enough to work on large-scale lantern festivals with my mom's sister, which is something she did regularly during her illustrious career. My favourite [festival] was the Dark Sky Festival in Jasper. It was an astronomy-based festival, as [Jasper] does not have a lot of light pollution. They had Chris Hadfield talk, and kids could come and see the night sky from cool places. We did a nature walk and we had giant mushroom lamps and little dioramas with space scene backgrounds. It was so magical to create that little walk through the forest.

Also Cool: That's such a tender memory to hold close. [Lamp making] becomes a testament to your growth as a person. It [must be] a really nice constant to have in your life. 

Camila Gaza Manly: I think that’s a good way to put it! It has felt a lot like a constant. My family always had nice lamps, my school always had nice lamps, [and then] transitioning to high school and university was quite different – partly just because of the lighting. 

AC: Right, there are so many reasons why you’d want to create art that’s not only beautiful to look at, but very livable. 
What does it mean to you to produce art through this specific medium? Why does lamp artistry feel like the right outlet for you?

CGM: It kind of feels like it’s my own canvas. I’ve always painted and drawn and worked in wood and sculpted a little bit, but creating something that’s more of a functional sculpture… somehow, it feels more true to who I am. If I just have a canvas or a piece of paper… it’s two-dimensional. I would say the three-dimensional aspect is very big for me right now. 

I finished my degree last year, during the pandemic, in linguistics and philosophy. So [another] part of it too is just that I have been burnt out since finishing school, [but] returning to earlier influences and inspirations has been really inspiring. [These influences] keep feeding off of each other – when I was doing my [100 Days of Creative Prototyping] project, I had all these ideas to begin with, but the more that I would do them, the more they would come, tenfold, all the time. I think it was that daily practice, where even when I didn’t want to do it, I forced myself to do it.

AC: You briefly mentioned your background in linguistics and philosophy. To be in the arts community and not enter it by way of [formal university] training … I’m curious to know how you think that affects or enhances your art.

CGM: On the business side, it gives me a strong foundation to organize things. I was really involved in the linguistics community, so I got a lot of experience managing and organizing events. 

I feel really happy that I did the degree I did, even though right now I’m pursuing something totally different. Before I studied linguistics, I was studying French – just to live in [Montreal] – and that’s how I found out about the linguistics program. [Even] before that, my plan was to go to school and study industrial design, because I wanted to make lamps.

But had I done that, I wouldn’t be making the lamps I’m making now. I'm sure I would be making cool stuff, but I feel glad that it happened the way it did – now I'm making things that are completely out of my own head and sometimes they're pretty funky and weird.

I’ve had friends who’ve gone to art school and sometimes I was envious of the ability to just go to a studio and take that time off of thinking and writing papers. I wanted to take some elective classes but it’s hard to do that. But seeing my friends go through formal art training, I feel like it’s really limiting in a lot of ways. You learn a lot, but I think some people lose their personal creative [touch]. 

AC: You need to think about it, too, through a lens of “transferable skills” and thinking about what it is you bring to the table. It's intimidating to consider the inaccessibility of certain resources, by virtue of not studying [your craft]. But it's also really exciting to think about “okay, how can I turn it around?”

CGM: I think it also created a necessity for me to return to making things with my hands. I love academics, but I’ve always needed that balance. It’s so refreshing to engross myself in a project where I don’t need to go “X, Y, Z…”

The lamps of Lys von Asta. Photo courtesy of Kitty Evans, styling by Céline Blais.

AC: Looking at lamp artistry as its own specific field within fine arts and design, what does the arts community for this kind of creativity look like, and how have you participated or interacted with it?

CGM: [I interact] definitely through inspiration and influences… like Isamu Noguchi, who made the Akari light sculptures in the same timeline as mid-century modern furniture. He modernized a traditional approach – he [used] a lot of traditional Japanese craftsmanship to make them. I think I love [his designs] because they are such a beautiful mix between the old and the new. I am attracted to where those [styles] meet – there’s a lot of lighting nowadays that is very cold and corporate-feeling, so I have a desire to see more soft and organic lighting on the market.

Besides Noguchi, I am also inspired by Danish mid-century style... Mads Caprani and Le Klint. There’s a traditional blend of a wood frame within a pleated paper lampshade. Those are also influences.

When I first started making [my lamps] during my project, I kept feeling like I needed to search out other small lighting companies. It is great to connect with them – I have found some cool accounts on Instagram and Pinterest or different places on the Internet. But I think it’s also just been refreshing to connect with artists from all different disciplines who are taking their craftsmanship and putting a personal twist on it. It feels really welcoming to connect with people like that, even if we are not making the same thing.

AC: That’s awesome – and going back to what we were talking about with versatility, it’s this thought of “perhaps I specialize in this one thing, but that doesn't mean I can't connect with other fields and other ways of doing and thinking”. It’s also good to get in touch with nostalgia and connect with fundamental creators.

CGM: I think, because I'm making the prototypes completely by hand, I feel more inspired by other people who are also making everything by hand… whereas a lot of lighting nowadays is industrial and mass-produced, and I feel that there are some pretty cool designs, but there’s something lost between creating a prototype and getting a factory to make it.

AC: Are there any creative influences that you have held close over time?

CGM: Yes! There’s a hat designer based in Berlin – Maryam Keyhani. Her Instagram, her whole website and business just looks like a dream.  I feel like there’s this connection between hats and lamps – there’s a similarity in shape and form. I love seeing how [Keyhani] creates, it’s so influenced by play and experimentation and feels very free.

I am also inspired by architects and sculptors from the mid-century era, like Charles and Ray Eames. I actually made a little model of the [Eames house] during my project and put a light inside. And [Alexander] Calder – I made quite a few lamps that were inspired by his mobile sculptures, where there’s wire connectors and parts that hang and turn.

With [the artist] Yayoi Kusama and her polka dots, I love the idea of getting wrapped up in something you love and it consumes your life in a good way. Lastly, there’s Masha Reva who lives in Ukraine – she does these cool sculptures made out of vegetables, and does large-scale drawings and paintings as well. With artists like that, working in several different mediums, I’m always really inspired.

Camila Gaza Manly surrounded by Lys von Asta lamps. Photo courtesy of Kitty Evans, styling by Céline Blais.

AC: Congratulations on completing your 100 Days of Creative Prototyping project! It seems like the process was rather fruitful for you, and there were so many goodies to come out of it (I’m partial to the open-faced lamp with the pearl, so divine.) Could you elaborate on your intentions for this project, and how it served your creative growth to finish it?

CGM: The intentions of this project were to create a practice for what I wanted to commit to. At the beginning, it literally was practice – I was practicing folding, putting different shapes together and working with different kinds of papers and materials. 

In early January, I was just making paper lampshades because I wanted to start learning how to make them. Then I heard about the 100 Day Project as a thing that anyone can do, at any time. I think [the challenge] was more popular in the winter, we were still in the middle of lockdown and curfew in Montreal. When I heard about the 100 Day Project, I was also terrified, because most people do a little drawing or a little dance, and I'm going to make a hundred lamps (laughs).

I was partially inspired to do something so ambitious by this ceramic artist in the States, Lolly Lolly Ceramics. She previously did this project and had 100 black mugs with a different kind of handle on each one. That had me thinking what a challenge it would be, but also how creative it forces you to be. 

I was also able to work on my tendencies towards perfectionism. I always wanted everything to be perfect, and that’s quite hindering when you want to move forward and get new ideas. I thought this project was a good way to move away from that. Every night, whether I loved it or hated it, I forced myself to post it on Instagram – which was really hard because sometimes I wasn’t happy with them. Now, as I’m on the other end of it, and I’m taking all the inspiration from the project, it’s really great to look back [at] that time and remember all the ups and downs experienced, and to have a controlled view of that.  I can pick and choose which parts I want to take and which parts I want to leave behind, because as much as I was prototyping designs, I was also prototyping techniques – and I think that’s the biggest takeaway for me going forward. There are still some designs that I am tweaking to make and sell, and others where I just made them purely for fun and to experiment.

AC: At the end of the day, if you’re completing the assignment then you’re completing the assignment. That exercise in self-accountability must have been so rewarding.

CGM: Yes! The process also made me analyze it in different ways. At one point in the project, I thought “Oh, I should be alternating… so one day, I’ll make a hanging lamp, and one day I’ll make a standing lamp”. But some days I wasn’t inspired to make a hanging lamp, I wanted to do something else. I had to find that balance of what’s actually important here and then move forward with that. 

Camila Gaza Manly surrounded by Lys von Asta lamps. Photo courtesy of Kitty Evans, styling by Céline Blais.

AC: Are there any major lessons that your creative journey has taught you? What do you feel that you have yet to learn?

CGM: Something that I felt I learned through the [100 Days of Creative Prototyping] process was what can be done in a certain amount of time and what can’t. As much as [the project] fed my inspiration and kept me going – the medium I was working in, paper, was really accessible for that process – I was still really curious to add other materials. With the project, I kept feeling the limit of the time constraint and how I couldn’t go further. I want to work with wood eventually, like a wooden base with a paper lampshade. I’m also interested in clay, and ways to make a stronger structure for some of them, especially the standing ones – I didn’t make any floor lamps because of that reason, but I would love to in the future.

There’s also a lesson I’ve learned from the artists in my life. When you think you make a mistake, it's often the best part of what comes out of it, even if it’s really frustrating in the moment. I definitely had a lot of those moments during the project where something went wrong and I was like “This is not what I wanted!”, but at the end of it, it was better than I could have imagined. So I think when you plan something, you can only plan it so far until you actually do it. With the project, what was really cool is I didn’t have time to plan. I didn’t have time to get these perfect images in my head and then try to execute them. I was taking this lesson and putting it into action.

In terms of what I have yet to learn, I definitely want to explore different folding techniques moving forward, because I learned quite a few in the beginning, but I would then keep using the same ones in different ways with patterns or colours or a picture depicted on [the folding]. I want to practice more with creating sculptural shapes. There are a million possibilities. For me, it's partly a challenge because I was never good at math, and there's quite a bit of math involved with the types of folding that I've been doing. It can be quite technical. 

AC: Thank you so much for your time, Camila. What can we expect from you next, and how can we support your work?

CGM: Right now, I’m working on my website. I will be offering an online web shop, and I’m going to have a drop of lamps when I launch. I’m still tweaking some things, but I want to have some made-to-order lamps available as well as [opportunities for] commissions. [Note: Camila’s site is now live - check it out here!]

I also want to have [my lamps] accessible for other opportunities – months ago, I was part of a music video for a local musician. [Félix Dyotte]. I brought my lamps there to be part of the set. It would be great, moving forward, to offer [my lamps] if someone wanted them for wedding photographs or something else. I would love to collaborate with people in the future, because I feel like it’s such a special opportunity to create warm, intimate environments.

[Finally], I will be joining a Chicago-based online platform called Bird & Tale. It's run by husband-and-wife duo Brad Stumpf and Jeffly Gabriela Molina. He is a painter and works at a lighting company, and she is primarily a painter. They feature incredible emerging artists and designers through their online platform and their physical showroom in Chicago. My lamps will be showcased both online and in the showroom. I’m really looking forward to being in such wonderful artistic company!

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Camila Gaza Manly / Lys Von Asta

Instagram | Website

Rebecca L. Judd (she/they) is the features editor of Also Cool Mag. She writes and creates out of a studio apartment in Ottawa, kept company by vivid dreams and a cuddly grey kitty named Dora.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Stop Asking for Permission: An Interview with Multi-Media Artist sunnie

sunnie by Alexis Zygan

Sanaz, also known as sunnie, considers herself a performance artist above all else. We sit on the rooftop of her modern minimalist apartment building. She prefers a more in-depth dwelling, although this is home for now. The sun scorches as we settle into the only semi-shady outdoor seats. sunnie fans me with her portfolio, tucked into a duotang, and casually lights a smoke. I pull out my cell phone, which doubles as a recording device. As I press record on a voice memo, I ask sunnie what inspires her as a handpoke artist working out of  a private studio in Vancouver. 

- - -

After rambling on about how “tattooing is the only thing [she is] good at,” we stop recording, pausing the voice memo. With the permanence of documentation no longer looming over, we talk about her course of life and self-perception. She divulges into how “even in this moment, i respond, am being responded to. i learned it - have a checklist of diverse ways of responding to surroundings. Some of it is how society wants us to respond. [Others are] how we want to respond to things. We are acting.” She assures me that “acting does not mean that it is fake.” sunnie refers to herself with a lowercase i - an indication of her humble nature. 

sunnie by Alexis Zygan

sunnie’s story begins in Montreal: the city Vancouver residents move-to to fill the void. She pursued the Cell and Molecular Biology program at Concordia University. Her parents expected her to become a surgeon and purchase stability in the form of a single-family dwelling in Coquitlam. However, she felt a magnetic pull towards inducing paradigm shifts through the freedom and flexibility of analysis and creativity. “i am still a scientist!” she corrects.

sunnie graduated with a joint major in Art History and Studio Arts. In the same month of she graduated, she unexpectedly lost her studio apartment. After couch-surfing for weeks, a room was offered to her in a time of desperation, to temporarily sublet. This space would end up changing her life forever. “i fell asleep more on the living room couch than my temp bed /on that couch i got my first handpoked tattoo--on that red couch/ i did my first tattoo.” After sneaking a glance at a top-secret sketchbook, her roommate Lawrence identified her artistic potential in insignificant scribbles. While most aspiring tattooists begin by practicing on oranges and potatoes: he believed in her ability to such an extent that he offered his skin as a canvas. Although Lawrence was not the first person to encourage her to tattoo them; he was the first to succeed in convincing sunnie to experiment on human skin.

sunnie by Alexis Zygan

After graduation, sunnie continued to work in Montreal until being dismissed. The unexpected news instigated her to express a declaration of rage by meticulously smearing black-tar charcoal on pearl-grey paper. Stumped on how to pay bills amid unemployment, she put a portfolio together, priced her pieces, and decided to make handpoking her main hustle: “i could not go back to the red couch, i tattoo on a red bed now.” At that time, she had just moved out of her roommate's into a work-live studio. This space served as a liminal zone to strengthen her skills, while preparing for her eventual move to Vancouver. 

As an Iranian immigrant, sunnie grew up isolated from the culture of tattooing. She didn't even know you could make a career in handpoking, and had internalized her parents’ disapproval of tattoos. That being said, the support and love she received from the handpoking community prevented parental perception from sabotaging her practice. sunnie emphasizes, “[these people] embrace, teach, and correct instead of criticizing me. [They] validate me, [and] check up on me. It is honestly other people that keep me going; people believe in me. i am blessed.”

sunnie by Alexis Zygan

sunnie started tattooing with a machine gifted to her by her roommate. However, the machine was too quick; a distraction that prevented her immersion into the present moment. sunnie explains that she simply “softly erases the skin,” to reveal art that has always been hiding underneath the surface through handpoking. Although she had no idea at that time, tattooing would not only give her financial stability, but also end up nudging her to take up other artistic practices, such as painting and poetry. She could easily stay in her room for days, allowing her abstractions to surface. As a tattooer - connecting with people was a necessity because it pushed her beyond her introverted inclinations. sunnie shares: “i connect with people, their secrets and essence — physical and philosophical — ink is accepting of me and others, of our space and taste. Tattooing is perhaps saving me from extreme self-isolation.”

When her time in Montreal adjourned, she moved to Vancouver due to her love for sushi and proximity to family and friends. When she first landed in Vancouver, she lacked the connections and funds to secure a tattoo space. Handpoking had become more than a career at this point; a way to stay sane while settling into a new environment. sunnie is grateful for the trust people had and have in her. Sharing how “[they] started inviting me to their space, for me to tattoo them/ i operated mostly by word of mouth/ same strangers would invite me to social things to talk tattooing/ now i am very shy.” To ensure hygienic protocols, she would thoroughly inspect the cleanliness of the space before beginning the procedure; packing her tattoo equipment into a grey and gold suitcase. She speaks fondly of an experience tattooing a client called Sean, in a van by the Spanish Banks. A year ago, she was invited by Vasia, an established handpoke artist, to join her studio space: an invitation she gracefully accepted. Stepping outside of her observant zone to socialize was worth the stress that came along with the interactions. From time to time, she still tattoos out of her client’s chosen space.

sunnie by Alexis Zygan

sunnie has been tattooing for three years now. Although she found her path in the arts, she considers herself “still doing surgery — although a little less bloody, i still heal — truly i work systematically/ i research — i’m thorough.”  As a tattooer, sunnie approaches every project with pristine precision by first taking time before responding to every email, ensuring the subject aligns with her values and vision. Then, above all, she makes sure she feels intuitive inviting them into the ethereal space they will potentially co-create.

sunnie has learned a lot over the past three years. More than anything that she no longer needs anyone’s permission to pursue her passions - especially not her superiors. She considers her cultural background, “creating dissociation of identity/-- simultaneously cast aside and celebrated.” In the future, she hopes to tattoo more Farsi scripts on people - specifically قر, pronounced ghuur - “when your body subconsciously moves to the music/ we call that ghuuur! it’s  magic!.” sunnie declares, “i am iranian/ i am a woman -my entire existence is political/ my art is an act of resistance towards/within the patriarchal system we live in- everything i do/call it art or not- this interview is an act of resistance -i am claiming my space, physical and philosophical, as an Iranian immigrant - a woman.” 

sunnie

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Alexis Zygan

Instagram I Website