In early 2021, The Works was tasked with adapting our volunteer art interpretation training program TART to a remote context. With fewer volunteer opportunities this year, the program was expanded from its traditional scope of volunteer training to a program for those interested in art interpretation, or early in their careers in fields requiring art interpretation and writing. 

An online program seemed a given, but the question of platform and format were top of mind. This was when we came upon Twine: a platform for writing and coding interactive, text-based games. The prospect of an asynchronous, interactive game to deliver art interpretation education was appealing—in the throes of Zoom fatigue, we longed to interact with art interpretation remotely in a way that was low pressure yet still engaging. 

We set to work adapting the program to Twine, and in early June launched Creative Outlet: Why is Writing About Art So Hard? Participants can choose their own paths through the text-based program, which alternates between critical exploration of the world of art writing, opportunities for writing practice and reading other participants’ responses, and more traditional role-playing game elements (drawing parallels between outlet malls and art institutions). The program also features video contributions by artists and writers Sanaa Humayun and Preston Pavlis reading selections from their writing and sharing advice. Play Part 1 of Creative Outlet here. 

As Creative Outlet was developed, another mainstay of The Works’ programming required a remote-work facelift: the Works to Work Summer Internship Group Art Project. As part of the internship, which offers students and emerging arts professionals mentorship and practical work experience, the Group Art Project implores interns to collaboratively produce an artwork in a limited time frame. The Works to Work Summer Internship began remotely, and the assignment needed adaptation so interns could collaborate online to create their artworks. Twine once again proved a promising platform, where interns could be challenged to learn the program and combine artistic forces over only six hours. 

In small groups, interns produced four excellent, unique and thoroughly entertaining Twine artworks. Explore these works below. 

Desert Island Escape

Sean Herbert, Anica Neiman, and Paige Cooper

In this game you are faced with a series of choices to escape a desert island. On your journey will you encounter pirates, talking animals, or the witch named Greselda?

PLAY

Fortune of Fate

Ariadne Belle, Michael Conforti, and Terri Le Gear

You can’t run away from fate. A mysterious fortune awaits.

PLAY

Nomad's guide to the inner world

Caitlin Davis, Manpreet Singh, and Mika Haykowsky

This personality quiz will take you on a journey inward - toward the deeper meanings behind your behaviors and choices. Examine yourself and determine what your inner landscape looks like. Artwork created by Mika Haykowsky using photographs and drawing by all 3 contributors.

PLAY

the bridge

kev Liang and liisa otchie

You are on a long, straight, iron bridge, floating above a brown coloured river stream. At one end, you see tall skyscraping monuments towering over you. At the other end, you see clusters of greenery leading to the river. Where will your first adventure take you?

PLAY

Sade Medos (@depechesade) and Tasana Clarke (@exstepmom) are arts facilitators with Pepper’d (@pepperd.co), a collective that celebrates and makes space for Black artists and stories in Edmonton. From October through December, Sade and Tasana continued the curatorial initiative that Tasana piloted in the summer: recruiting artists, crafting a structure and schedule for Instagram takeovers, and providing @theworksfest as an open platform for creatives to share their thoughts and practices. On December 11, The Works’ Curatorial Coordinator Brittany Gergel sat down with Sade and Tasana to talk about their special creative relationship, how the takeovers have evolved, and a new project that Pepper’d has in the works.

Brittany Gergel: How do you know this round of artists? 

Sade Medos: I know all of them from different means. Some of them I went to school with; some of them are just friends of mine. Some of them are artists that I don't know personally, but have just been admiring their work for a while. Some I only know from Instagram and I just follow them. Some of them I grew up with—some are our close friends! Yeah, just a bunch of different ways. 

Tasana Clarke: This is literally just what exists within a stone’s throw in Edmonton. That's not in a way where I don’t have gratitude for the artists who are here, but it’s like, Edmonton is full of Black artists. I think I could speak for Sade as well when I say that we know most of them through one to two degrees of separation. 

BG: In addition to you two being very connected with these artists, are they connected with each other? 

SM: For some of them, definitely. 

TC: Yeah, absolutely. I think if you were to ask the other artists if they know each other, there would be a lot of overlap. Not everybody knows everybody, per say, but we’ve seen each other around or see each other’s work. 

BG: I’m sure the social media aspect probably contributes to that a lot as well? 

TC: Oh absolutely, for sure. And then Braxton [Garneau] is an old friend of yours, right Sade? 

SM: Yeah. 

TC: And Alfred [@ayfreydo] is part of I’ll Call You Tomorrow [@illcallyoutomorrow]. We know them personally. 

BG: How did you, Sade and Tasana, meet? 

TC: I don’t even know Sade yet [laughs]. I usually answer this question: Sade and I ran in the same circles for a long time and we met through our mutual best friend—not met, but we went to Mexico together last year, on my birthday, which is like, very Sag[ittarius]-y of us, to go away and become friends. That’s also where I asked Sade if she wanted to do work with Pepper’d. I’ve known Sade for a long time. One time when I was out was out late and—  

SM: That’s not true! We’ve only known each other for like a year and a half. 

TC: What? 

SM: We haven’t known each other that long. 

TC: I’ve known of you for three years. 

SM: I feel like I’ve known you forever, but I’ve only known you in any meaningful way for a year and a half. Like, I think the first time I’d ever even seen you was maybe two years ago. And I remember being like, “how have I not met this person before? We run in such similar circles; how is this the first time we’re actually meeting?” 

TC: It’s only been a year and a half, but I will say one of most meaningful interactions with you prior to Mexico was when we were at The Sewing Machine Factory and I had to work in the morning, and I was like, “should I stay out? Should I go to where everyone’s going after this?” It was like twelve o’clock, and I wasn’t really having that much fun. [Sade’s] like “no, go home and go to bed,” and it hit—it felt like such a nice thing. And I was like, “wow, Sade is amazing” [laughs]. So sensible! 

BG: Do you feel like that dynamic—or any other specific relationship dynamic of yours—helps both your friendship and your collaborative process? 

SM: Our friendship benefits our professional partnership and our creative partnership. I think it’s partially just the trust being there, and having each other's best interests in mind and really caring for each other. It’s obviously a corny example, but you [Tasana] talk about the story of the party all the time, and I like to hear it. It was one of those things where it’s like “yeah, I know what’s best for you,” and I want to advise you accordingly. I think that our personal relationship makes it easier to collaborate together. 

TC: Obviously, we have to be more intentional about our relationship, too. But I think Sade truly balances me out more than anybody I’ve worked with. I haven’t been doing this work collaboratively longer than like three or four years, but I’m so grateful for how we balance each other out. I feel so seen by Sade—even in all of my chaos, she sees my grounded sense and tells me to stop, and I tell her “come on, let’s go!” I fear a day where we can’t work together as closely as we do. This union is a gift. 

BG: Your collaboration as facilitators with Pepper’d has lead to further collaborations with artists, including Sounding: the collaborative interpretation of the poetry of Dwennimmen, which we saw during Biboye Onanuga’s takeover. What makes for an effective collaboration with multiple artists? 

SM: Having defined roles going into a project, and then allowing the space to learn from each other and share with each other. One of the things with Pepper’d that is our main intention at the forefront of everything is collective leadership and not having the hierarchy that everyone’s used to—sharing in a collaborative and meaningful way, instead of, like, Tasana being the big boss. 

TC: Yeah, and I think that’s why I wanted you to take the lead on this question, even though you didn’t work on Sounding. Sade is constantly reminding me of the fact that we are focused on collective leadership and collaboration. I obviously stand behind this ideal and I really do believe in collective leadership and the power of collaboration, especially when resources are low in a pandemic or working in a marginalized community, but often my own ego gets in the way. I am a human being, and I feel like we’re very used to hierarchy, and the things we have exemplified for us in terms of leadership are not those of collective leadership. I often find myself falling into a very classic leadership role where I’m doing work or not telling people I need help, or even just being precious about different things when we work on a project. I’m like “yeah, yeah, yeah, let’s collaborate!” And then I’m like “um, no; that actually hurt my feelings!” It’s easier said than done and I’m grateful for the moments that I am reminded of that. 

Biboye Onanuga (@biboye.onanuga), October 21: “Sounding is a revisitation of Dwennimmen’s least performed work with visual interpretations of the meaning and affect of the poems. "Sister Sorrow" is the third of three poems in Sounding. I was the last piece of the puzzle for this collaboration between black arts facilitators, @pepperd.co, and @dwennimmen. I was presented the artwork when both the textual and visual elements were already completed and tasked to bring the aural component the film. This was my first foray into soundtracking! With limited time, I decided to make use of my primary instrument, the drums, for all sounds with the primary aim of aurally representing the meaning and affect of the poems, but secondarily further bridging the visual media and Shima’s words. This decision was also inspired by the soundtrack for Birdman, and Jamire Willaims’ ( @winsworth ) album, “///// Effectual”. The composition was performed by myself in 1-take, and recorded by Connell Stinnissen.”

BG: The work of Pepper’d engages multiple mediums. How prominent are the divisions between artistic mediums when you’re tackling a project? 

TC: If we are building a project, whether it be Sounding or OUTSET, we do have a division of medium in mind when we are bringing in contract work or building a picture. With Sounding, for example, Shima [Dwennimmen] came to us with this project, and we knew that we wanted to also have scoring, so we reached out to Biboye. Once we had an idea of what Shima’s vision was, and we were able to bring our own ideas into that, that’s what allowed for us to create the project.

SM: I think it just ends up happening that the different mediums lend themselves to contributing to our end vision. There’s the example of Sounding, but even with producing the [upcoming Pepper’d] calendar, we set out with photography, and then T’s doing design work and we talked about adding poetry and visual art as well. I think there’s obviously distinct divisions between mediums, but—I don’t know if it’s just as general, indiscriminate art lovers—we always think how we can make something more of an experience. We always look for other stuff. 

TC: That’s so true; that is a really hot take. Like Dolly Parton says, “more is more.” There are times where you could have a little bit of scope creep, but I do also think that having multiple disciplines while staying within the scope of a project can be really beneficial. And I like the idea of having diversity in all aspects of the project so that there’s something for everybody. 

SM: A lot of the artists we work with are multidisciplinary artists, so it could even happen that the artist that we’re working with inspires us to have a new idea because we’re working with someone who’s a producer but then is also an illustrator. So, “why not lend all of my talents for this project,” you know? 

TC: Absolutely. I think a lot of the artists that we work with, including ourselves on the side—the things we’re known for, like Biboye being a drummer for Good Information, and Alfred drawing and djing, these are the things that those artists have put the most time into, possibly. But there’s other disciplines that artists are doing just to flex that creative muscle and build up that creative intelligence. I see less division in artistic practices in that personal sense. 

SM: I think that’s what’s been cool about the [Fall Takeover Series]. Like, Biboye is mostly known as a drummer. One of the reasons why I was so excited to have him do that takeover was because I follow his personal Instagram and he always posts these really thoughtful, curated stories, just with some of his photography and writing. Him being this really talented musician, but then also having beautiful photography to share and being such a good writer, he was able to share all of that with The Works’ audience as well. I think it’s nice that everyone can see the full scope of Biboye and his talents. 

Ugh, the video he shared on The Works’ [Instagram] of his mom talking about his being an artist—I cry thinking about it. 

TC: So good! I will never get over people bringing their moms onto their projects to talk about them.

BG: How have the takeovers as a project changed for you over the summer and fall? 

SM: I wasn’t doing the takeovers in the summer, but T had a more structured outline. Essentially, it’s just been broadened and is way more open—the artists have more freedom to share what they want, which leads to different forms of expression. 

TC: Having prompts [for the artists in the Summer Takeover Series] was meant to make less work or less to think about, but with artists seeing what each other was doing and there being a comparative standard set.... This is just letting artists share exactly what they want. Some artists do Live, some artists share videos of their mom [laughs]. Being able to see what each artist shares and how they share it is really sick. I love to see it. 

I want to refrain from only mentioning artists whom I know personally, but one of my favourite things in the lens of having a more open concept is Alfred’s takeover. He was on Live drawing this gorgeous picture on Procreate, and he had music playing in the background, and it would sometimes swear, and he’d point it out, every time it swore [laughs]. I like when the realness of a situation, or the realness of a collaboration between Pepper’d and The Works shakes up the boat in that way, and I think having the takeovers be done in this format allows for this kind of thing. And that’s freedom, baby! 

@ayefreydo, October 17: “Giveon - Take Time
Thank you to everyone who stopped by the live! Usually portraits like these come with a remix I make of the artist’s song and together, it’s a fun way for me to practice everything I enjoy doing all at once. My style comes from when I used to draw on Onenote in between classes”

SM: I really loved all of the takeovers. Alfred’s stands out to me because [our friend] sent a picture of [her son] drawing along with him on the Live, and that was really special to me. 

TC: In the time of COVID, it feels like we’re actually in your house, in moments like that. A lot of followers of The Works, I imagine, haven’t seen these artists before or interacted with takeovers in this sense, and it’s cool to shake it up. 

BG: Another specific thing about takeovers and doing anything on social media is the interaction you mentioned. In the world of Instagram data, we get a very specific idea of how people are interacting with these posts and this content, and the metrics have been fantastic. From that standpoint, audiences have been super receptive. 

TC: It’s unsurprising, but I think about what I know about The Works’ audience—I have the obvious fears of clashing. I think about the Works to Work Gala and a lot of the donors, and the subject position of the people who keep these non-profits and arts foundations going, and what that looks like in relation to young, Black, working artists and students. I am unsurprised that Black artists are turning it out and people are loving it; we’ve been doing it since the dawn of time. But it’s still affirming and exciting to hear that people are liking it even though it’s divesting from what I normally see from The Works. 

BG: As facilitators working intimately with artists, how do you gauge the needs of an arts community? Additionally, what do you think those needs are right now? 

SM: Because we’re working intimately and closely with them, we’re in a position where we can just have them identify their needs to us. One of our intentions for this past spring was to do an in-depth needs assessment, which was going to be aided by The Works, and Amber [Rooke, Executive Artistic Director for The Works] was working with us to do that, but then COVID happened and delayed it. But the Takeover Series has been exciting for us because of the opportunities it gives us to interact with a ton of artists. We’re planning to do a needs assessment with the current artists and rethink how to approach the needs that they identify themselves, instead of just trying to assume. 

TC: When we thought about a needs assessment back in the spring, we wanted to have everybody in a room having conversations, roundtable, icebreakers, kind of like a workshop-style needs assessment. We’re still processing what a future needs assessment would look like, but one thing we processed with Amber was having conversational, interview needs assessments. It allows for the exchanges and processing that would happen in a workshop, but gives artists the space to process what they specifically need without having groupthink happen or more introverted artists not being sure what to say. 

I guess the answer to that question is just give [artists] the opportunity to say what their needs are. If we’ve learned anything this year, it’s curiosity and patience are so foundational to allyship. In order to work with any group of marginalized artists, or any artist, it’s important to ask because we can make assumptions, especially being artists ourselves. 

BG: Do you have a sense of what those artist needs may be? 

TC: We can hypothesize, for sure—then we can know whether we were correct or not. 

I think if we can speak to our needs and what allows us to create: it’s having the time and the resources and the security to sink into process and not necessarily have a perceived “what” we’re going to do and sell that “what” to a funding body. Like, being able to have the space to just really sink into the “how,” and do that outside of the walls of a university arts program. It’s hard to find the resources and the funding and the security to do that. I feel like you often have to prove that this artistic or creative endeavor is going to be fruitful and feed a lot of people and serve the community and serve initiatives and be anti-racist and be all these things. And I think that is a huge barrier.  

SM: [This question] is making me think about all the times we’ve have these conversations—like, we talked about that with Open Inbox with I’ll Call You Tomorrow. That was one of the main things we talked about: that we need to be given opportunities to learn and practice and try and fail. 

TC: I went to school for arts and cultural management for two years, and [Sade] got a degree in sociology, and we had to work and pay our bills—with the support of some student loans, of course, but we had to keep a roof over our heads while also being school. It’s a barrier for us to get more education because we had to run ourselves off of our feet to be in school, and we have a bunch of student loans.  

I think that speaks to artistic process, too. I feel like my creativity was stifled in school because I had multiple deadlines that I was working on. I didn’t just have a festival project I had to do—I also had to keep the lights on. I imagine that a lot of artists would agree. 

BG: So space, time and material means to support creativity. 

TC: Yeah. We applied for Confluence fellowship [with Catalyst Theatre] because we have a lot of ideas bouncing around, both within Pepper’d and also wanting to create content ourselves. [Fellowships] like that are really cool because it was two thousand dollars a month for ten months. Even between the two of us having that kind of security, that’s a thousand dollars of time or the month that we can just sink into something. And the application process was amazing—you could send voice recordings. It was the most accessible application I’ve seen for something of that size before. I wanted to bring that up because it’s a good example that exists here in Edmonton. 

BG: There’s a whole other conversation there as well about university and how creativity exists or doesn’t exist under those constrains, financial or otherwise. 

TC: Yeah, and faculty that exists in a lot of arts programs. I know that MacEwan is kind of like—through the grapevine, past students are [calling for accountability from] a lot of the faculty there. I have plans to do the same. There was not a lot of anti-racist, anti-oppressive support and faculty in an arts and cultural management program. There’s a lot that needs to happen. 

BG: What’s exciting you lately? 

SM: [Tasana and I] talked about this before and I said that nothing excites me, which is stupid and not true [laughs]. I have a couple of things that are exciting me currently. I guess personally, my birthday’s in nine days, so I’m excited about that. 

I’m excited about [Pepper’d’s] calendar that we worked really hard on. More generally, I’m really excited about all of the Black tattoo artists that have been practicing their work in Edmonton recently. I’m excited for that uprising. I think that there’s a lot of talent and I think that it’s just going to continue to inspire more and more black artists. 

BG: Tasana mentioned Black tattoo artists in our last interview. Could you name a couple? 

SM: Yeah. [Tasana’s] gotten work done by two of them now, but Sebastian [@subdidink], Shaihiem [@g5ink], and Alfred—he didn’t talk about tattooing when he did the takeover, but he’s been practicing as well. They’re all excelling incredibly and I’m so impressed and excited; they’re so talented.  

@subdidi, November 9: “Let’s talk about my tattoo journey!
Currently been going at it for a little over 3 months and so far I’ve learned a stupendous amount on how the skin operates, how needles work, the consistency of ink and more.
It all kinda started with an old coworker at my old job sold me his tattoo kit that came with not only needles and a machine but some fake skin and ink as well so I practiced on that and fruit for awhile before i ended up tattooing myself. My girlfriend was also a huge help with my endeavour as she opened herself to me practicing on her.
I didn’t think I’d wanna start tattooing till I did more research on the demographic of black tattoo artists in Alberta just to find out there was maybe 6 that I could find who were Black. There may be more but I’ve yet to discover them. When I learnt of the small numbers I said it’s only right to get better at this craft and make sure that me as a Black person that’ll I’ll know how to not only work with whiter skin tones but also darker skin tones as well.
These are just some of my favourites I’ve done and the last slide being a hannya I did on myself.
If you’re interested at all in getting some ink in the Edmonton area feel free to dm @subdidink!”

TC: I feel like it is also something that was incubated during COVID. Sebastian was about to go to Toronto with his partner. I can’t speak to Shaihiem’s plans or Alfred’s, but I’ve said it multiple times on almost every grant application I’ve made for Pepper’d or myself: Black artists feel like their success is tied to somewhere else, or we have one foot out the door with Edmonton. And when there was no choice but to stay, I feel like it created this incubation of artists.  

It’s amazing because tattooing is so spiritual. Obviously, someone can tattoo just themselves, but its such a spiritually intimate thing to get a tattoo from somebody because it’s such a specific sensation. Like, they’re a practitioner and an artist and they’re putting this ink into your skin forever, right now. For myself, I always remember the day and where I was at when I got a tattoo. In speaking to how tattooing specifically informs the Black artist movement in Edmonton, I think that all of the disciplines are equally important and fruitful. But, in terms of tattoo artists, you have people sitting together for an hour and a half shooting the shit, talking about their life, their mom, their dad, their everything. And that little kiki is some of the soft labour that creates stronger communities, and I think that tattooing is a great space for that. 

I’m obviously excited about tattooing, but I am excited about a lot of things. I’m excited about the calendar. I am a puppy dog—I am excited about the idea of getting on top of a roof at any given point. Like, everything excites me. Working on the calendar was one of the first big projects [Sade and I] did together. 

THE CALENDAR

TC: We decided to make a calendar. After my birthday, I was like “I want to make an astrology cowboy calendar,” and Sade was like “you’re a Black artist; we can make this a Pepper’d thing, because it is so informed by Edmonton.” The astrological new year starts March 20th—if I'm wrong, don’t tell the other astrologers, please.  

Before Jason Kenney tried to kill us, we had contracted a bunch of artists—some of whom you may have seen in the takeover. It was very exciting. Then, two days before shooting started, we were very concerned about [COVID] surge rates. And I was like, “maybe you guys don’t have to shoot, I’ll get in there with full PPE like we have a 23-19; I’m on it.” And they looked at me and said “Tasana... we think you should shoot the whole calendar, every single month.” I need it to be known because I think the way that I am perceived is as a bit of an egomaniac. I need you know that this idea never crossed my mind—I never was going to have my Oprah Winfrey moment, where I modeled every month—and they forced me to do it [laughs]. But I did gladly oblige.  

I am really excited to do an astrology calendar in future years with multiple artists. However, being non-binary and transmasc and getting to model the months and go from being hyper-femme to masculine was very healing for myself, seeing that I don’t have to be masculine or androgynous in order to be visibly non-binary. It was affirming for me to express the entire gender spectrum, but I hope other people see it as a love letter to them and their gender expression, whether they identify as non-binary or not. We can all get freaky with gender, and its probably one of the more liberating things you can do! 

Through working on the calendar and working on a long-term project with Sade—it speaks to the strength of our collaborative relationship, because I feel I have a different understanding of myself as an artist and as an administrator through a lot of ego work. I’m excited to play to our strengths more, and a lot of that was uncovered with the calendar. We’re fortunate to have mediation and counselling, so the calendar is a very thorough learning experience. 

BG: Is there anything else either of you want to cite as exciting? 

TC: I’m excited about the vaccine, but I’m also terrified for the world to open back up. Like, I’m excited for a COVID-free event, but I’m terrified at the pressure of having those options open back up again. That’s not excitement—that's a vulnerability. 

BG: It can be both! Exciting things can be terrifying. 

TC: Yeah, I’m excited and terrified for the new world to open up! It definitely has an effect on the arts because of the amount of change and transformation and incubation that everyone has gone through in this time. 

SM: I try not to get too excited about the ‘free world’ preemptively because here we are, going back into strict lockdown, but whenever, if ever it happens, I’m very excited for live music again. It’s something I’ve been missing quite a bit. Even just fantasizing about the next time was euphoric. 

BG: Were you thinking specifically about attending a show or putting on a show? 

SM: I guess both—I was speaking about being at a show, and just how exciting it’s going to be, being at our first, real live show post-pandemic, and how it will be such a surreal experience because the energy will just be so different, everyone being so excited to be there. Also, I was further fantasizing about it being the musicians’ first live show post pandemic, and how that will bring such a special energy as well. The idea is what’s getting me through this. 

TC: I don’t really support Ariana Grande, but my partner listens to her live album, and listening to little, high-pitched voices screaming along to their favourite song—it’s so exciting to imagine what a first concert will be like, because that sounds like the first concert anyone’s ever been to. 

BG: Is there anything coming up that you’d like to share, Pepper’d-related or otherwise? 

TC: I’m excited how we’re going to grow as facilitators and artists, both collaboratively and independent of each other. I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face: the union I have with Sade and what it brings to Pepper’d, my creative career and hopefully her creative career—it's unfounded. I don’t know what awaits us outside of the possibility of the needs assessment and finishing this calendar, but I am so excited. 

SM: I started this [interview] saying that nothing excites me, but realistically everything excites me. I just don’t express it in the same way as Tasana. 

TC: [Laughs] One of the best things about getting to know Sade in depth is understanding that there is just a pinball machine under that calm exterior. She has a gorgeous, level voice—you should do bedtime meditation, Sade. You don’t catch that there’s a whole hive of bees in there. 

SM: It went from being a pinball machine to a hive of bees and I don’t know how I feel about that. 

TC: Obviously there’s [Sade’s] Capricorn Mercury and the Virgo Mars that ground everything, but there is a chaotic good beneath this very calming, grounding exterior, and that is the duality that I wish everybody had an intimate understanding of. 

SM: I’m glad I at least have people fooled for a while! 

The Pepper’d calendar is available for presale February 14, with physical copies at local retailers on March 1. Follow @pepperd.co for more details, and stay tuned to @theworksfest for future takeovers curated by Sade and Tasana.

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Sade Medos (she/they) hails from Edmonton's Upper Northside (xoxo). Sade was introduced to the Pepper'd crew last February and has been a grounding visionary force in the collective ever since. Previous to joining Pepper’d, Sade completed a degree in Sociology at the University of Alberta, and worked creatively with local artist collective ICYT (I’ll Call You Tomorrow). Sade has a knack for mastery because of her innate ability to weave love into everything she does, whether it's writing, illustration, or facilitation, Sade makes it look easy. Sade has loved and been loved by Edmonton her whole life and remains a grounding force in Edmonton's artistic community by showing up consistently and finding a way to lead and assist in pulling off countless projects.

Tasana Clarke (they/them) is an Edmonton based prairie boy, storytelling wisecracker and co-founder of Pepper’d, a Black arts facilitation organization. Born and barely raised in small-town Alberta, Edmonton has been loudly declared their latest muse. Tasana’s vision of establishing Edmonton as a hub for creation and community for Black creatives is multi-faceted and ever-evolving. Dedicated to nurturing the Black arts community, their practice as an artist is fueled by astrology, Afrofuturism, and Emergent Strategy practices.

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Fall Artist Takeover Archive

October 7: Tygean Mungongo (@_tygz)

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October 10: Macha Abdallah (@art.by.macha)

Hello! My name is Macha Abdallah. @art.by.macha. I will be taking over the page for the day!
I am an Edmonton based, Canadian born, contemporary artist of Rwandan descent. I am mostly self taught with a little help from my wonderful community of artists in Rwanda. I paint using acrylics on canvas. I mostly do commission work. I especially enjoy painting portraits of real or imagined people.
I look forward to spending the day with you all!

“Majesty”, 2020, acrylic on canvas, 24x24
One of my favourite pieces I’ve done is of the Rwandan princess Emma Bakayishonga. Another black and white portrait I was able to bring to life with this contemporary take, using rich colours that convey her effortless regal elegance. Emma Bakayishonga is an icon who represents a standard of Rwandan beauty and femininity.

What I’m currently working on.
Super excited about this commissioned portrait of Kimberlé Crenshaw. She developed the theory of intersectionality. This has helped to enable black and other marginalized voices to be heard in conversations of feminism. I’m excited to see how this one will turn out!

Some of my more abstract work
“Drift” 2018 acrylic on canvas
“Anassa” 2019 acrylic on canvas

I started painting about 4 years ago during a year long trip to Rwanda. I met a community of contemporary artists who were willing to share their space with me and allowed me to paint any time. I owe my journey as a painter to them and hope to be able to share my gift with other aspiring artists in return.
This was my first attempt at a portrait, which helped me to find my style. I used bright colours, referencing the dark vs light shading of a black and white portrait of Lauryn Hill. I still incorporate this use of colours in my portraits today.

“Yemaya”, 2020, acrylic on canvas, 36x24
My most recent portrait. I make it a point portray black women as peaceful, serene, elegant, luxurious, and feminine. Black women are often portrayed negatively in media. I love being able to show the more gentle side of the black woman. Let’s work together and change the narrative!

“Lexington”, 2020, acrylic on canvas
Trusting the process:
It’s easy to get impatient to get to the end of the painting. I used to spend hours in frustration wishing I could just get a piece done. This year I learned to appreciate the process. I am finally able to take a step back and admire an unfinished piece in all its imperfection. I put the paint brush down and carry on another day. Once the painting is complete it is all the more satisfying. ✨

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October 17: @ayefreydo

Hello 🙏🏾 my name is Alfred ( @ayefreydo ) and I’ll be taking over The Works Instagram page for the day and share a bit of what I do (📸 @thrvht )
Some might know me for different things, DJing, beats, maybe my lil pictures or “face notes”, but I’d boil most of my artwork down down to production and illustration.
A bit about me. I moved to Canada from Nigeria at 4 years old. I always stayed busy growing up and became obsessed with drawing actually way before I picked up music (thank you to my parents for all those sketchbooks). Along the way I had one teacher who was honestly my biggest supporter for both my art and my awful beats. On top of always giving me new tools and resources to get better at what I did, he made sure that I always fed my curiosity. If not for him, I don’t know if I would have stuck with it. I made a lot of bad art and beats to get to this point so big up Mr. Parry

Future Creatives x Hope and Optimism
These are two graphics I co-design with my good friend @raelandmendoza
Over the past year I’ve become more comfortable with illustrating and put that to use this year. I really love the straight forward feel a bold, simple illustration has so I tend to lean that way. Starting with a complicated idea and stripping it down to very essential parts

Early this year I had a chance to really jump out of my comfort zone with music. From January to May, I produced one song a month. I collaborated with artists in and out of the city as a way to showcase the talent I’ve met over the years, and test my ability to be an all around producer. For every song, I made the beat, mixed, mastered, and did the cover art. Every track was dedicated to the artist it featured (s/o @ninefivedasauto @uyemiii @kashmoneykream @crestwoodman ), and each release almost felt like a journal entry. Through that experience, I learned what it felt like to properly plan out a project, but I also learned what true burnout is. There are more in the vault, they just won’t be coming out every month - @ayefreydo

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October 21: Biboye Onanuga (@biboye.onanuga)

Hey! I’m Biboye [pronounced “bee-boy-yay!”]. I’ll be the human behind this Instagram page for the day. I have lots more to share, so I’ll keep this introduction brief. I’m a British-born, Nigerian-Canadian drummer, composer, educator, photographer, thinker, and closet wordsmith.
My parents aren’t particularly musical, but my mum loves to sing and my dad has had a guitar for as long as I can remember (but I’ve never seen him play). When I was 5, I told my mum I wanted to be an artist, but I spent my teen years very disconnected from those early goals, with my eyes set on becoming a teacher. Now I’m somewhere in between :)
Both Being and Becoming.
[ 📷 @kobexamoh ]

@good.information.music is my main musical project. @andre.affleck and I started the band at the end of our first year at MacEwan with no objective or goal, we just really liked playing with each other. Over the past few years, a supportive community has formed around us that is as diverse as the musical traditions our sound pulls from. It’s an unconventional marriage between jazz, hip-hop, post-rock, ambient, and much more, we call it “Jazz with a beat-aesthetic”.
Aside from working on our own original music, we have a project called REJAZZ, where we perform popular hip-hop music arranged for our quartet setting. So far we’ve played Kendrick Lamar, Tyler the Creator and A Tribe Called Quest. At the beginning 2020, we had 2 residencies set up at the common: A “jazz” residency featuring other young groups in Edmonton called Common Thread, and another for REJAZZ. This was inspired by a global community of musicians pushing jazz forward though community. ( @unit31_official in the UK and as @alex_dmusic is doing in Helsinki)
These are some short videos, unreleased clips, demos, and recordings from rehearsals to give you an idea of what we do. We’re releasing music soon (finally), so you can follow us to stay in the loop about when that happens. In fact, Tomorrow we’re making our next show announcement!
Both Jazz and Hip hop

My introduction(s) to the arts community in Edmonton came through a few different paths. In high-school, somewhat out-of-the-blue, I started taking photographs and posting one everyday on instagram. Through early participation in @urbanyeg and other insta-meets, I met Edmonton’s community of photographers and continue to stay connected through involvement with @stratusjournal .
Between skateboarding, graffiti writing (don’t tell my parents), and those pictures, I met Wes ( @wesleywashere // @nowherefaststudio ). He supported my photography and showed me the beauty in working towards your goals. Wes was, and continues to be a member of the community in Edmonton that I, and many other young people look up to as he supports our creativity in various forms.
I also played the drums in church and school from grades 7 onward. I had two really great teachers (Mrs. Tarapacki and Mr. Dubyk) and In high-school I played in the musicals with a bunch of musicians who were students MacEwan music program at the time. That opened my eyes to a world opportunity with music. I don’t think I can credit one single thing for leading me to music school, but I’m certain I wouldn’t be here without that opportunity.

Music is my primary artistic medium, and instrumental music specifically. I’m usually behind the drums, which means I can communicate artistically while keeping my mouth closed as tightly as you can see in this picture (which I often do). The past year has had me thinking a lot about how I, as an artist can respond to the our current cultural moment (read climate change, poverty and homelessness). This medium seems especially capable of making allowance for art to bee divorced from the world and its hardships if motives aren’t somehow made explicit. And while that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I know that I want to make things that don’t just serve as a beautiful escape from the world. And if that is the way some people experience my work, I hope at the very least they’re send back with a new zeal for their passions.
The most significant works of art I have experience always seem to be incredibly beautiful but also incredibly purposeful and thought provoking. Coltrane’s A Love Supreme comes to mind first and film’s like Paul Schrader’s First Reformed follow. [ 📷 @jordhon ]
Both Beauty and Brilliance.

I’ve been working in either community or education services since I was 15 years old (bar my short stint at my favourite place to eat @farrowsandwiches). Brushing shoulders with social workers and other community organizers for the past 7 years have stoked up a passion for supporting marginalized communities. At times, this has made being an artist hard. I don’t always know how to marry the two. Nor do I have to but, where I’m at now, I’m certain I can have both in my future In some way, shape or form.
Both Giving and Receiving

Thanks for joining me today! I’m leaving you with an unfinished work-in-progress. With what must have been the most isolating summer ever, I found myself making friends with basketball players all around the city from 6-feet apart. Eventually I decided to start documenting and interviewing the many players and communities coming together around the sport.
It’s been lovely to share and talk with so many of you
-B

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October 24: Braxton Garneau (@braxton.studio)

Hello everyone! I’m Braxton Garneau @braxton.studio and I will be taking over the works account today.
I am an emerging artist based in Amiskwaciwâskahikan -Edmonton. I have recently graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Fine Art in Art and Design.
I often to use the figure to explore ideas around identity, intimacy, culture, and viewership. I primarily use painting, printmaking, and installation to share my ideas with others.
Very excited to share some of my work with you all! 🙏🏾

1) “Maia” 2020, oil on canvas
2) “Crown” 2017, watercolour on paper
3)”Ancestry” 2018, woodblock print on paper.
4) “Untitled” 2019, oil on canvas
5) “Brother” 2018, oil on canvas

1) “ÀTerre” 2020, oil on canvas
2) “Blanco” 2018, etching on paper
3) “Fragment ” 2019, lithograph on paper

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October 28: Karen Rundofa (@thetariagenda)

Hello, my is Karen Rundofa. I will be taking over this account today. I have called Edmonton home for 12 icy years. Before that I lived in Zimbabwe. I will be sharing some moments I have had during quarantine. I decided to learn film photography in early 2020 when it became clear we would all be home for a while. I chose a hobby that allows me to make mistakes and totally immerse myself in the process. It allows me to be mindful and understand that things do not have to be perfect the first time. Thank you to The Works Festival for this lovely opportunity. You can find me @thetariagenda

Wind on the Roof, 2020
Down Low, 2020
Windz, 2020
In the Garage, 2020
Changes, 2020

Black Lives Matter Edmonton march, 2020.
#blm

We See Each Other, 2020
Dreamy Dreams, 2020
UGH, 2020
The Climb No Miley, 2020

Thank you for spending the day with me. I hope you enjoyed. Thank you to The Works Festival for this opportunity. You can find me at @thetariagenda

Black Lives Matter Edmonton march, 2020.
We walked through the city and watched people tape us and take photos of us from their patios, from their brunch spots and from their balconies. But none joined.

Bridging the Difference collection, 2020.

Some shots from some quarantine walks!
Big Blue, 2020
Big Mack Truck, 2020
Scona, 2020
Whose House? 2020
Streetz, 2020

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November 7: @subdidi

For my First post covering TheWorks Instagram page I wanted to begin with a Pop-up Projection that occurred in June 19, also known as Juneteenth, of 2020.
This was named “Let’s Talk About It” as the base of the pop-up itself circulated over the fact that minimal conversation is taken place when it comes to important topics such as:
-Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
- White supremacy in Canada
- Black and Indigenous institutional discrimination
- The many lives lost from Police brutality and other unjust situations caused by Law enforcement and the judicial system
For 20 minutes at 11:11pm on June 19th I projected content matter that covered some of the topics I stated above on a random building wall in downtown Edmonton. I planned everything about 5 days before and knew that these were conversations I needed to have with myself primarily so regardless of the show out I just knew that the 12 minutes it took me to set up and the 20 minutes of live projecting that I actively controlled was a 1v1 conversation with myself. Although folks were there and it was made public with a poster, I really wanted to push the narratives of having uncomfortable conversations with current and past issues folks who do and don’t identify as BIPOC need to have. After the projection I left the area with a heavy heart in hopes that folks would take the opportunity to have these tough conversations and try to think of better ways to eleviate the resentment we may all hold from the guilt of not talking about these issues.
Photo Creds goes to some people who so happen take out their phones and send me the pictures and footage they received.

So for my second post I wanted to share a piano I was commissioned to do for a very good restaurant close to downtown Edmonton. The owner asked me to do whatever I wanted but to stick along the themes of esoteric aesthetic (which I’ve never dabbled in ever) so I knew it was going to be a challenge.
Over the course of a month and half I began to strip the piano of its original coat down to its bare layers to have a smooth surface in order for me to paint it cream pearl. Honestly the most physically tedious part of this whole project was sanding with a machine running at 6500rpm for hours on end till not only my hands but my entire arms were numb.
After doing research and digging into more of the aesthetic I decided to go along this route which what the final product is today. I had a tremendous amount of fun working on this project and it took me way longer than I expected but it really was a challenge much needed in my life.
No name for this piece and all photo creds goes to my iPhone haha. Project was from May 25th - July17th of 2020

Next Up, Budking Art exhibition in collaboration with a close friend @kammadethis
In February of 2020 Kam and I decided to take on an idea we had for awhile and that was to be able to display different mediums in a space while simultaneously making it a part of the environment rather than just art on a wall. So we paired up with a dispensary at the time before they opened to give us access to utilizing the space before it was turned into a full fledged store.
The event was divided into many different parts all kind of running at the same time. The mural you see painted was by myself which took a little over 2 weeks as I was also working a full time job and trying to afford the paint. The 3 wall Projection room was a major highlight as if took days for not only for Kam and I to install but to prep the content I’d be projecting and manipulating the entire time from 7pm-3am. In another room we had a very close friend of mine @mikylie_ who is also a multidisciplinary artist display her installation of her nude collection with over 80+ photos to argue the stigma of the Femme body and it’s representation in the arts community. Along side all these different rooms we had a few different musical artist perform which really glued the over all experience together.
This was me 3rd attempt at curating an art show and it turned out well and was again a challenge that was much needed in my life at the time because now I know what to look for and what not to look for in terms of composition of where everyone and everything is placed.

If you’re unsure what AMV’s stand for it’s Anime Music videos which is essentially matching what’s happening in on screen with audio.
When I immigrated to Canada in the early 2000’s my exposure to television was initially anime and cartoons and the what had me fully immersed were the characters anime had to offer; their clothes and personality, weapons, powers, and so on. The first few shows that I can remember which caught me immersed were
- Inyuasha
- Naruto
- Justice league
There’s a large community of Black folk that have really cherished anime and viewed it as their escape. Black folk make it up the 3rd largest demographic to watch and read anime which insane. Why is it that Black folk are so intrigued by anime, a staple of not only Japanese culture but all over Asia as well? I don’t have an answer to that but what I do have an answer to is that the rhythm Black folk carry shines really strong when AMV’s are put together. The hardcore fighting scenes with some hip/hop in the background for some odd reason go really well together. My first exposure to an AMV was Naruto vs Sasuke with Linkin Park’s ‘In the End’ playing. Not exactly rap but it held similar tempo and rhythm hip/hop also holds.
The videos above are AMV’s I created almost 2 years ago before my journey into projection work and they’re named after the time I completed them. The music accompanying the visuals are sounds that kept me up all night on repeat thus is why a lot of the videos were completed in the middle of the night.
5:37AM
4:04AM
3:25AM
1:00AM
To watch them in completion check them out on my main page @subdidi !

I’m intentionally posting this at 11:11pm Simply because that’s how it all began with visuals. The only source of light being the projector.
For my last contribution to TheWorksfest account I’ll be displaying my visuals/projection journey. I’ve always had this thought that attention span is slowly being reduced due to the amount of information one is receiving on a daily basis. Pros and Cons of course but my take on working with visuals through projections weren’t at first for the aesthetic but rather a test for myself to see if I could pick out every glitch, recolour, change of opacity, speed, layering , that I might’ve unintentionally done.
Working with the program that allows me to create these live visuals gave me full freedom to play with what I wanted to play with, visually, whenever I wanted in real time. I wanted to achieve playing drums with visuals essentially. Once I figured out how mapping things to your keyboard and MIDI controller worked I thought to hopefully project Infront of local talent in hopes that I could time everything they did on beat or cue.
At first it was me finding different videos and clips, edits , cuts, gift and pictures which I tried to mash them up to oblivion to not be a repost. Once I new how to work with said content matter I wanted to turn these made things into rediscovered ways of creating visuals. Like stacking certain clips of purely 90’s hiphop cyphers/freestyles and turning them into this completely different render as if you couldn’t tell what the route is.
Doing visuals even got me the chance to do work with the one and only GZA from wutang clan. A moment forever cherished.
I’ve had a phenomenal time being apart of @theworksfest and seeing what they’re doing to showcase BIPOC artists and not. It’s healthy and encouraging to see folks of your same kin do what the stereotype suggests they don’t. If you have anyyyy questions on my behalf and any of the work I’ve showcased please reach out! ✊🏾

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November 11: Elisa Umuhoza (@amuzebymuhoza)

Hey guys! My name is Elisa and I’m honoured to takeover @theworksfest page!
I am a Rwanda-Canadian visual artist based in Edmonton.
My art page and website is @amuzebymuhoza and that is where I showcase my art, stories behind the pieces, poetry and merch!
I have been painting for about 6 years now, but became consistent for the past year and a half after committing 2020 to building my artistic gifts🎨
My current collection embodies the beauty of Black faces and the cross sections between our identity and the hope found in Christ.
My faith is the core of my identity and the inspiration for my artistic endeavours. I use my art as an exploratory tool to further understand and portray the love and beauty found in God’s word and creations.
//Feel free to check out my page and website to learn more about my pieces and story🙌🏾

•ART-repreneurship•
When I decided to prioritize my art I gave myself a couple of goals to work towards.
•The 1st goal was to try to create a piece every month of 2020. I knew it might not pan out because I had never painted back-to-back on a schedule, and there was a chance I wouldn’t find consistent inspiration. My belief was that if I shot for the stars, worst that could happen is that I’d land in the sky✨
With the paintings done, I could accomplish the ultimate goal of a GALLERY SHOWCASE! 🎨
So far I’ve averaged a painting every other month, and by allowing my inspiration to remain organic, I’ve created a collection I’m extremely proud of!
•The 2nd goal was MERCH! 👕
I am very attached to my paintings and the closest I’ve come to letting them go is working on making prints 😅
The one thing I’ve always obsessed over is the idea of WEARING MY ART and designing clothing.
I couldn’t wait for my art to be part of someone else’s existence and story. To be felt and have to chance to see the world (yes, I know they’re inanimate objects😂)
|THE PROCESS|
Using @Squarespace, I created a website and incorporated the e-Commerce feature once I decided to create a merch line. I spend $40/month on my website and use @canadian_custom_apparel to design and print my paintings on clothing.
I currently use their platform because it’s the most user-friendly interface I’ve come across (that’s also based in Canada). Working with them has been a breeze, and with the state of things they have been the single reason I could launch merch during the pandemic (I am not sponsored by them 🙋🏾‍♀️😂).
💥To thank you all for engaging with my story and art, I am dropping an exclusive new piece and giving you all a 15% DISCOUNT for my FlowerChild Crewneck🙌🏾🎊
Code: FLOWERCHILD15

The Story Behind||Heaven Holds No Fury
TAKEOVER: @amuzebymuhoza
This is the story behind one of my favourite pieces entitled “Heaven Holds No Fury”.
You can also catch the accompanying poem on my website😊

Last but not least, I present to you all my latest piece entitled REST.
Thank you for partaking in my journey✨
1/9
//
As Black people, we are tired. As humans, we are tired.
We Must Rest.
John 16:33✨
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
~In the face of isolation and loneliness, there is a loving father whose embrace surpasses the warmth of the sun’s rays.
Philippians 4:6-7✨
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
~In the face of emotional and physical fatigue, there is a higher strength we can lean on.
Isaiah 14:3-4✨
On the day the LORD gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!
~In the face of deep rooted injustice and persecution, there is a higher judge we can count on for eternal justice.
Brother, Sister…Jesus sees you, knows you, and loves you.
Rest in Him.

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November 14: Aliya Logun (@aliyaphotography)

Hey everyone! Aliya here and I will be taking over The Works page for the entire day.
My name is Aliya Logun. I am a black female photographer located in Edmonton, AB. You can see a few more of my work on my photography page: @aliyalophotography
Most of the work you’ll see on my page is portraiture, along side with different projects and editorials.
I started experimenting with photography last year just for the fun of it but now it has become a part of my life.
Today I will be showing you a little behind the scenes on my shoot today and be sharing the story behind one of my favourite projects!

“Embracing Sisterhood” (2020)
- One of the very first projects I accomplished that showcased my creativity and helped me improve as an artist.
Embracing Sisterhood is a concept about love, unity, the black community and black femmes as a whole. It emphasizes that love isn’t something that’s between a man and woman, more so how connected we are as individuals and most importantly, black women.
Quick reference: I really wanted to captivate this emotion through the models and by doing so, I chose two people that were pretty much considered as “sisters”, because as much as I wanted to pair up two random individuals to do this project it wouldn’t be the same. So thank you @t3nnyola and @fa1th_a , as well as @yegthecomeup

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November 18: Sare (@stemchamp780)

Hello! 💐 I’m Sare and I will be taking over this Instagram page today! 😊✨🎸
Lemme introduce myself real quick - I write music as Stem Champ (@stemchamp780 ) and a lot of my songs are about learning to be ok with your past self and growing into the person that you are. I am endlessly curious about the stories and experiences that shape our youth and how they grow with us as we move through life. I mostly play guitar, but recently through a twist of antique mall fate I’ve found myself with a banjo and a bass guitar in my home and I’ve been exploring making music through these instruments as well!
Keep an eye out on this page today to hear a song I’ve been working on, learn about how I got started making music, and see some of my other creative projects!
I hope you’re cozy,
Sare ✨

Earthworm - a song by Stem Champ
It’s so darn cold out these days, but I’m so excited to share a bundle of songs that warm up my heart just as much as the summer sun! 🌞
Fruit Flies is a 3 song EP that will be available on stemchamp.bandcamp.com this friday! ...but until then here’s a little sneak peak of the first song on Fruit Flies! 🦅
It’s called Earthworm and it’s a song about friendship, the magic of summer, startling skunks, and treasuring those few precious evenings where you simply never need to put on a sweater because it is just *that* warm outside! I hope you like it. 🐛😊🐛

Thank you, farewell, and a note about the future from Stem Champ
A video where I tell you that if you EVER have wanted to learn a musical instrument you sure as heck should, share some thoughts on what I wanna see in Edmonton’s music community, and say some thank yous. 💖
Again thanks for having me, this has been a treat.
I hope you’re cozy,
Sare ✨
@stemchamp780

⚡️ My Beginnings ⚡️
Since I first heard the first chord of Simple Plan’s Shut Up! in a third grade art class I fell in love with pop punk and found myself absolutely obsessed with guitar-driven rock and pop tunes.
Pop punk was my first musical love, but throughout high school I found myself endlessly scrolling through the black hole of tumblr.com where I discovered a love of indie rock, midwest emo, and punk rock.
I really learned how to play guitar by learning how to play my favourite songs and then used the chord shapes I learned to write songs of my own. I would never say making music is *easy* (as with anything it’s something that requires effort and dedication) but there truly is a beautiful simplicity in a lot of music.
There are truly few things more exciting to me than leaving a show and looking up how to play the songs that appeared so big and so powerful and learning that it’s really just a collage of little simple, learnable components.
A combination of falling in love with live music and desire to be that person on the stage really inspired me to start writing songs and exploring making music. 🎸⚡️❤️

💐 Where To Find Me 💐
Over the past few years I’ve recorded a series of demo EPs that are available to listen and download at ✨ stemchamp.bandcamp.com ✨
I’ve very much of the mentality of making what you can with the resources available to you. At the time I had an phone and an acoustic guitar and so I recorded everything using my phone. While it isn’t technically “perfect” by any means those collections of songs are very much a snapshot of who I was at the time and what I was capable of making then. 📸🎸📸
Lately I’ve been slowly learning how to record and produce music and I’m working on creating something a little more put together. I really want to add in new elements like banjo and bass and maybe a little bit of synth and like I really don’t know what I’m doing (yet), but I’m slowly learning bit by bit (one online recording tutorial at a time) and I hope maybe in a year or two down the road I’ll have something a little more concrete and finished! 🎧😊🎧
To me writing songs - in the sense of figuring out melodies and lyrics is the easy part, but as soon as it comes to using technology to capture what I’m creating - I find it to be quite challenging! But nonetheless I’m VERY excited to continuing learning throughout the process! 💥🗡💥
📸: @mylittledelilah

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November 21: Oseremen Irete (@osrm3n)

Hello, my name is Oseremen and I'm a photographer, journalist, and storyteller. I'm excited to share some of what I do for the next day or two.
I live on Blackfoot land in Treaty 7 territory (what is currently known as Lethbridge).
My work is pretty interest based so it can be all over the place. I write and create audio content but IG is mostly a visual platform so I'll focus on that more.
I'll go post by post through some of my favorite projects. Some of which you can see in this post from my Zine which I shot entirely on my phone, Sixty - an audio + photo project I created as part of @sortofnigerian for 60 years of Nigerian independence, to Cannabis photography, sports photography and my more personal film stuff.

I Shot This On An Android is a zine I made this year.
I've always wanted to put together a cohesive body of work and I had tens of thousands of photographs I'd taken in my phone.
Often a phone is more natural than a camera. I find the removal of all the knobs, and buttons, and decisions makes me focus on one thing only. Taking a beautiful photo.
These pictures present themselves to me. A sliver of light here, a building, a chair, a window. It's a treasure hunt of sorts trying to find the extraordinary within the ordinary.

Sixty is an audio and photo documentary project I worked on for @sortofnigerian to commemorate 60 years of Nigerian independence day. I interviewed Nigerians accross the province and asked about their connections to and hopes for Nigeria. The interviews were compiled into a larger podcast as well as individual interviews for each person.
This project is very important to me and it was surreal when just a week or so after independence day Nigerians took to the streets to fight for the future many of us had yearned for.
There is hope and pain and joy and a bewildering confidence even in the face of the worst of circumstances. I love my people.

Documenting black youth culture in Lethbridge.
When I took these I was just happy to get paid to take photos for the first time and get in an event I was already going to for free.
Now they feel like something someones kids will stumble on in amusement 30 years from now.
"Y'all used to get down like that? In Lethbridge?"
We didn't like the music at the club so we spun our own. Being able to Shoki, azonto, and grind our way through the night without eyes on us. Getting a little piece of home one whine at a time.

Two Years In An Elevator is a series of photos I shot on my phone in the elevator of an apartment building I lived in. I'd try to grab a picture anytime we were going up and down of whoever or whatever was with me.
These photos represent a time of my life right before the end of university when everyone began to form their own paths. I wrote a piece about it, here are some excerpts:
"Looking back at these photos a part of me was sad for all the things that have ended, the friends I only get to see every few months, the ones a ten-minute drive away that I don’t see at all. I’ve gained a little perspective however, by thinking about the elevator itself and what it represents.
The elevator is a liminal space, betwixt and between origin and destination. You are neither here nor there, you just kind of are. These pictures represent me appreciating the journey, instead of focusing on the uncertainty of it all, focusing on enjoying the moments as they come; Because those weird, awkward, strange times in your life often lead to the best memories and friendships."

Sports Photography is something I've sadly not gotten to do a lot of this year because COVID.
Last year I covered basketball (and a sprinkle of soccer and hockey) as a writer and photographer for a student publication and really enjoyed the experience.
I try to create images that play with composition and have just a little bit of create a weird stillness within all that motion.

For my last post I'll be sharing "Wanna Get High" an ongoing series on cannabis that started as a class assignment.
I've been really intrigued by cannabis culture since I was a 13 year old in the Netherlands biking past coffee shops slower to read the menu. Since Canadian legalization it seems like everybody's smoking (or vaping, or eating). Everyone has their preferred method they swear by. Each is as personal as a thumbprint. Chocolates, spliffs, blunts, pipes. The possibilities are endless

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December 2: Brnesh Berhe (@brneshberhe)

Hi 👋🏾 My name’s Brnesh (@brneshberhe) and I’ll be taking over The Works Instagram page for the day. I’m a graphic designer, illustrator and [sometimes] writer from Edmonton, and most recently took on a side role as Art Director for @theyardsyeg. Even though I hate talking about myself (aw hey anxiety!), I’ll be taking you through some of my work over the last few years and share a bit of my perspective along the way.
#yeg #yegart #yegdesign #illustration #graphicdesign #artdirection #blackdesigners

ICONOGRAPHY: Piggy-backing off my previous post, I love taking two ideas and combining them to create a simple icon for either a logo or illustration. Honestly I didn’t realize how often I did that in my work until I was preparing for this takeover (ha!), but challenging myself to express an idea in the simplest way is a consistent challenge for me as a designer.
Slide 2: A logo for the podcast, Appointed, hosted by @kimpateonthehill and @reakash
Slide 3: An illustration for a Halloween themed bowling event for @sa_macewan (my day job)
Slide 4: A simple illustration about local policing and calls to defund it for @theyardsyeg
Slide 5: A logo for Edmonton-based photographer and videographer @vsmphoto
#yeg #yegart #yegdesign #illustration #graphicdesign #artdirection #blackdesigners

LEVITY: Anyone who really knows me knows that I have a stupid sense of humour and I’ve been trying to show it more in my work where I can. As much as I want Black designers and illustrators to be afforded [paid] opportunities to create work that reflects all the dimensions of our Blackness, it’s just as important for us to be afforded [paid] opportunities to create work that has nothing to do with that; to make things that are ridiculous or simply makes us laugh. And there will no doubt be moments where we see all of it overlap. Those opportunities should also not *have* to be prompted by February being around the corner.
Part of getting to a place of genuine equity in this industry will be getting to a point where we see this balance.
(I just wanna make dumb shit sometimes, ya know?)
All slides are personal drawings from my Instagram except for slide 3 which was done for @samacewan's annual Fall Fest party.
#yeg #yegart #yegdesign #illustration #graphicdesign #artdirection #blackdesigners

When I graduated from design school ELEVEN YEARS AGO (🤢) I remember thinking that I needed to "brand myself" with a pseudonym - a "company name", basically - because my name was so difficult for people to say and spell; I mean, Google is constantly looking at my name like “Did you mean?” And I’m like “Yes, I do mean!!” I was so worried that my name would hold me back from getting work. Honestly, it’s still something I worry about and I have no doubt in my mind it absolutely has in some cases.
A few years after graduating and a few revelations later, I decided that I wanted to use my real name, especially after I started to pursue freelance writing. Weirdly enough, I don’t remember exactly when I made this mark, but I remember wanting something that simplistically represented who I was. I picked an afro, and as an Eritrean, also picked a piece of traditional Eritrean/Ethiopian jewelry given to me by someone very dear to me (and similar to the one in slide two) and ended up making an icon that I've happily used for many years now. I've written about the complicated relationship I've had with my name growing up, but I'm so happy to be at a place in my life where I choose to fully embrace it despite the biases ignorant people may have towards it. That's what I see when I look at my little "logo".
#yeg #yegart #yegdesign #illustration #graphicdesign #artdirection #blackdesigners

REPRESENTATION: My first full-time design job out of school was working as an in-house graphic designer for a chain of salons and spas. It was also a place that overall - like many white-owned salons - didn’t know a thing about Black hair. So, as the person responsible for creating all the imagery for the company, which often meant looking through stock photo websites for the "perfect" model, I never felt like I could put Black women in any of the ads since it felt like false advertising. Before I go off on a whole tangent, it was the first time that I realized that no one who held that position before me probably even had that thought cross their minds. That because of my Blackness and unique experiences with my hair, it also influenced how I did my job.
There are moments where the idea of diversity is something I rarely think about with my work; as a Black woman in a predominantly white industry, the idea of depicting people that look like me sometimes feels like a default setting. But there are also moments where I’m hyper aware of it and think very critically of every detail of what I’m making. There's always room to do better and I hope to continue to do that, but I also hope this current trend of diversity in advertising and design is anything but a trend, not only in what’s getting produced but who gets to produce it.
Slide 2: An illustration for The Little Black Book put out by @yegthecomeup
Slide 3: A poster for an event on political engagement for @sa_macewan
Slide 4: The cover of the last issue of my old magazine that I ran from 2012-2015. Cover photo by Sean Stromsoe.
Slide 5: One of three Black History Month posters I did for @themetrocinema
#yeg #yegart #yegdesign #illustration #graphicdesign #artdirection #blackdesigners

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December 16: Etebom Ekuere (@etebomekuere)

Hey guys my name is Etebom Ekuere also known as RAI. I'll be taking over the page today. Welcome to my life.
I'm about to turn 21 on Dec 28th. I’m in my 2nd year university for business at the UofA. I've been living in Edmonton my whole life. If you've seen me at any of the creative events in the city you probably wonder what I do. Either running around with a camera, performing, or selling clothes at a booth I'm wondering what to call it myself. Designer @kasclothingco, model, photographer @raiseyecandy, and musician but I just use the term artist. The next few posts will basically be about my journey from where I started and to what I'm doing today.
In the last picture, I hope you can see the hourglass tatted on my right wrist (shout-out @krissaveli). Symbolic of the way I live my life I got it tattooed when I was 18 to remind me of how short time is. We're only given one life so make sure you take advantage of it. With this mentality, I've always been focused on growing and learning. I believe anyone can do what they put their mind to and as a testament to that I'll be showing you what things looked like when I started and how they've grown to be what they are today.
- @etebomekuere

1-2 - "Kas shoots" (March 2019 - Sep 2019)
As I mentioned in the previous post, I started photography as a means to become more efficient with Kasclothing. My beginning shoots were primarily all streetwear and always feature a piece from Kasclothing.
3 - "Demi-gods" (Feb 2020)
Because I'd bring my camera with me everywhere I'd go I soon ended up taking concert photos of the other artists at the events I was performing at. During this time I began experimenting with photoshop and creating cover art as well as trying to focus on portraying the feeling of being at these shows.
4 - "Black Lives Matter YEG" (June 5, 2020)
This was taken during the BLM protests going on in YEG. I tried to use this medium to really capture the passion of the moment. Like the previous set of photos, my aim was to capture the surreal moment of 15,000 people joined together in protest.
5 - "snow white" (June 26, 2020)
6 - "lemonade" (Sep 20, 2020)
7 - "cough syrup" (Nov 2, 2020)
Now I feel like my style and the way I view photography has grown quite a bit and I'm leaning towards more creative and themed shoots. The last three slides are some unreleased photos that I've shot in the past few months. I'm still learning and I hope to get better with every shoot but expect some really spicy photos coming really soon 🤞🏾
If you want to shoot with me or follow my photography page find my photos 👉🏾 @raiseyecandy

Starting in 2017 I used to freestyle for my friend @gav1ndyer whenever we hung out. The same year I met @jacksonnschulz who introduced me to recording/mixing. Since then the rest is history.
1. Shows
Most of the shows I've been apart of to date. My first solo set I ever did (March 8, 2019) I lost my voice in my first song and forgot the lyrics to the other two. My last performance (July 12, 2020) I performed with a live band and its one of my favorite sets to date.

2. "Melodic" - (July 5, 2018) My first song. I like to make a visualizer to go with all my tracks. Here's my progression in both audio and visual mediums. 3. "Care" (Nov 28, 2018) / "Wishing" (Feb 17, 2019) 4. "Badly feat. @the.ntwali " (June 7, 2019) Meeting Ntwali at the lrt station was a life changing moment. Through him I was introduced to the YEGhiphop scene, opened for RZA, went on tour, etc. After my first show I was terrified of performing again but after this night I found my confidence again (top pic). This is the first music video I've been a part of. Filmed and edited by the talented @drewsiko. Check them out they're amazing � 5. "Too Fast" prod. @fitzgervld (July 6, 2019) 6. "Evil" (Sep 27, 2019) The 2nd music video I've done and one of my favorite songs. I was a huge fan of @cordelljohma and never thought we'd ever work together. When he approached me to do this project my inner fanboi was screaming. Full video is on my youtube channel (RAI - Evil music video). Cordell or "Yeg's Tarantino" has evolved so much since then so make you check out his work! 7. "Friends" (Dec 5, 2019) 8. "Cold Coffee" (July 17, 2020) 9. "A4" (?) This what I'm working on next. A lil snippet of an unrealesed project I've got coming out in 2021. Shot and edited by yours truly. Lemme know what you think

@kasclothingco
This is where everything started. In gr 12 (2017) I wanted to wear "cool" clothes but could never afford them (before I knew about thrifting). Eventually, I came up with the idea to start my own clothing brand.
Through meetups, shoots, pop-ups, and shows, I've met so many amazingly talented people that have inspired me to continue progressing and without them, I probably would have quit a long time ago. It's amazing and inspiring to see where all these people are now and how much they've grown and honed their crafts.
What the Q represents is an escape from the regular routine of life to pursue one's passion. The largest portion of the Q is an "O" which represents the rat race, people living life for the sake of others. The dash that creates the Q represents the break from the mold in pursuit of one's passions. Life is short, you might as well live it in a way that fulfills you.
Influenced by anime and minimalistic design, I created this brand and it's followed me ever since. During this time is when I started modeling (for kas), making music, and soon after I purchased my own camera and began shooting the photos myself. As I was invited to perform at events I would bring my brand with me and sell clothes from a popup stand when I wasn't performing.
Over the 3ish short years, we've been featured as a sponsor for the 2018 @missasiapagaent show (July 28, 2018) and appeared at many local runway shows including Black Arts Matters (Feb 17, 2019), Zenith (July 6, 2019), Flood the City (Aug 11, 2019), and many more.
As to where Kasclothing is going now, currently, the IG page is under renovation but the website is still up if you're interested in supporting local and copping some merch! The 2nd last slide has a few of the many items/ colors we've got on the site!
peep
kasclothing.com

1
Top left photos are me in gr9. The terrible haircut at the bottom and the ratchet looking guy at his gr 12 grad are also me (shoutout to @ronanvanrooij for saving this pic). I wanna start this set with these photos to show I'm not the same guy I was in jr high/highschool. Self-confidence has been something that I've grown into in the past two years. Even with the following photos there were many times I felt I was still my younger self. Change is something you have to actively pursue and the best change starts with oneself. I hope this can help or inspire anyone who has ever felt the same way I have.
2 - 2017
This was the leap outside of my comfort zone. I had my first headshots done with @thecrystaltsang (shes amazing). As you can see I tried to sneak in some @kasclothingco whenever I could ;).
3 - 2018
This year things started to pickup. I was shooting more for @kasclothingco as well as for local photographers. I began to meet a ton of talented people and through these connections opportunities followed.
4 - 2019
Almost 2 years ago now but it feels like a decade. This year I pushed hard to get out of my comfort zone and even shot some of my own headshots (top left). Modeling for @blackartsmatteryeg as well as @auntymaksarchive and @andyowenonenas are definitely moments I learned a lot about what I was capable of.
5 - 6: some accomplishments
My proudest achievement of 2019 is when @tygz invited me to do a lookbook shoot for @fooshyeg.
Here a few pics from 2017 - 2019 from @ctribe and @cwfashionweek
7 - 2020
In terms of getting out of your comfort zone I don't think I had one this year. To sum up my journey so far.
I really think anyone can model. I'd recommend starting with your friends and hitting up local photographers before you decide to spend money on signing with an agency (I've found most of my shoots have come from connections). Most up and coming photographers are more than happy to have a model to shoot. Like anything it takes practice but believe me it's more than worthwhile.
The biggest takeaway from my modeling journey is definitely the amazing people you meet a long the way. I couldn't tag everyone :(

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December 19: Matt (@keep_making)

Hello hello!
My name is Matt, and I make things.
I’m a musician, miniature painter, prop replicator, terrain builder, 3D printer, and avid TTRPG fan.
Today I’ll be sharing with you a bunch of my creations, through photos and videos I’ve made about the process. The videos will also include some instrumentals I’ve made over the years.
My hope is that I might introduce some of you to new mediums and techniques, and remind you it’s okay to be a little, or very, nerdy about the things that bring you joy.
If want to hear more of my music or see more of my projects, and get more in depth videos, be sure to follow my music page @Mayerscarter and my making page @keep_making respectively.
Thanks!

Okay!
So first up I’d like to share my most recent project. This Nefertiti flower pot bust is a Christmas gift for my sister and their wife, Merry Christmas Reigh & Katie!
I 3D printed this piece and then primed and painted it with model acrylics.
If your curious how it all came together stay tuned for the video!

3D printed Nefertiti flower pot bust

Here’s how I painted and finished the Nefertiti bust. Music also by yours truly �

Before and after of Rey’s lightsaber from Starwars.
Some people collect stamps, souvenirs, postcards, you name it, I collect, and recreate, movie props.
Think of it like postcards from places you couldn’t really ever go. Adam savage calls then “micro joys” and I’ve always loved that explanation. I walk past all these props I’ve collected and they remind me of the characters and stories I love so much. It’s Like micro-dosing escapism.
...And I definitely absolutely positively do not pick up these lightsabers and swing them around making “vwuuushh” noises pretending I’m a Jedi more than once a week when no one is around... that would be totally embarrassing...👀
Stay tuned for the video on how I got from before to after.

I’d like to introduce you to this character I created and played as in a game called MASKS.
It’s a TTRPG where you play as a teenage superhero.
Dominic Freechild AKA Spectre is one of said super powered teenagers. However his powers are slowly pulling him into the afterlife. Part of the game mechanic associated with this “doomed” character class is that every time you use an ability you mark a tally and when you reach a certain number your character has to face their doom.
I wanted to make a very visual representation of what that countdown would feel like to this character, while also giving it that comic book cover feel.
I used a combination of 3D printed parts, as well as some discount Halloween decorations, and some old childhood play sets.
I started playing this game with a group of people I mostly had never met before and it ended up being one of the most memorable gaming experiences, and definitely one of the things I looked forward to the most during this pandemic.
The game ended beautifully, in no small part to the expert game mastering by @hey_its_mal

Rey’s lightsaber

Here’s how I painted Rey’s lightsaber. With some more of my own instrumentals ��

This is my latest dice tray.
Before I tell you anything about it I must say this piece was only possible because of the great @bchee who designed the sigil.
In the second slide you’ll see the very crude “drawing” I sent Brian and in the third slide you’ll see how absolutely brilliant he is.
I took his design and turned it into a 3D printable file, so that I could use it as a stencil.
Swipe to see the process!
I’m about to begin running a new D&D campaign for some friends online, and I really wanted it to feel like we were playing out the events of an epic fantasy novel. so I wanted to make a dice tray that felt like every time we played I would be opening up to the next chapter in our story. And it also has that old spell tome from a fantasy movie feel.
This will also serve as my now weekly Brian appreciation post. Love ya dude!

In a weird meta way, the final project I’ll be sharing is actually my intro/Logo you’ve seen in my previous posts.
Hang on guys, this is about to get super nerdy.
This sword is called The Seed of reckoning, and in an effort to avoid going into a full novel about its origin, I’ll just say it’s a magical green fluorite sword, that has a lot of cool Druidic powers that come with it.
The sword belongs to one of my first D&D characters, Solana. The first character I really got to fully flesh out and play as. And as you can see in the next couple slides I’m definitely not obsessed with her at all.
Playing D&D and other TTRPGs has been a really incredible experience for me over the last couple of years. I’ve seen friends who usually struggle with social encounters play as the most charismatic bards. I’ve seen some of the most outgoing charismatic people I know play reserved and withdrawn characters. I’ve seen women play as men and non binary characters. I’ve seen men play as women and non binary characters. I’ve seen my Non-binary friends finally get to play as a character who identified the same way they do, and not be bound to the gender binary that is the norm in most RPGs. I’ve seen my non-racialized friends be put into situations where their characters experience racism
I’ve seen friends explore their sexuality, gender identity, and ideologies, and I’ve never played a game that allows for me Howe types of things before.
The gaming community can often be exclusive and creating diversity within it is certainly an uphill battle, but I really encourage anyone who might be interested to give it a shot.
It has been an eye opening experience and has absolutely become a muse for me.
Stay tuned for the video on how I put this piece together.
Quick shoutout to @yourfavoritedustin & @lukadob for creating this character with me.

Sharon Rose Kootenay, Jason Symington, and Brittany Cherweniuk, the artists and curator behind "Transformation: Promise and Wisdom" and "Wildflowers: Metis Women of Fort Edmonton, 1785-1910" discuss process, collaboration, and reconciliation.

Introduced by Susan Winters, Curatorial Supervisor at The Works Art & Design Festival.

The Works Giant Gateway and Wildflowers are supported by: EPCOR Heart & Soul Fund, Edmonton Heritage Council, Edmonton Arts Council, City of Edmonton, Downtown Business Association of Edmonton, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and the Government of Canada.

Find out more about these exhibits at theworks.ab.ca/transformation.

Monique Martin’s expansive public art exhibit Context is Everything closes on November 10. Since October 1, paper dandelions and their images set root in familiar spaces in Downtown Edmonton, bringing with them light, colour and a message of hope. Monique Martin’s print series Critical Pieces will remain on display in the Alley of Light Art Boxes into the new year. 

In preparing this exhibit, we reflected on the rich symbolism of the dandelion. Dandelions are complex symbols for growth and resilience. They are non-native to these territories and non-invasive; supposedly noxious, yet edible and medicinal. Context is Everything cultivates the categorical and symbolic ambivalence between wildflowers and weeds, while honouring the complex materiality of a plant with stories and propagations of its own. When context is everything, what can the dandelion mean to you? 

Keep the dandelion in mind this winter with these readings on dandelions, Invasive Species and Growing in Harsh Ground:

Nicholas Reo, “'Every plant and animal is useful to us': Indigenous professor re-thinking how we deal with invasive species,” interview by Rosanna Deerchild, Unreserved, CBC Radio, April 20, 2018. https://bit.ly/3kSFfE8. 

Caitlin Berrigan, “Life Cycle of a Common Weed,” 2012, in The Multispecies Salon, ed. Eben Kirksey (Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2014), 154-180. https://www.multispecies-salon.org/berrigan/

Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing, “Blasted Landscapes (and the Gentle Arts of Mushroom Picking),” in The Multispecies Salon, ed. Eben Kirksey (Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2014), 87-109. https://www.multispecies-salon.org/tsing/

Nicholas Reo, Kyle Whyte, Darren Ranco, Jodi Brandt, Emily Blackmer, and Braden Elliott, “Invasive Species, Indigenous Stewards, and Vulnerability Discourse,” American Indian Quarterly 41, no. 3 (2017), 201–23. doi:10.5250/amerindiquar.41.3.0201. https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.dartmouth.edu/dist/9/52/files/2012/10/Reo_etal_AIQ_invasive_species_2017.pdf

Tasana Clarke (@exstepmom) is an arts facilitator and the co-founder of Pepper’d (@pepperd.co), a collective that celebrates and makes space for Black artists and stories in Edmonton. This past July through September, Tasana took on the challenge of curating a series of artist takeovers on The Works Instagram. The curatorial aspect of this project included recruiting artists, crafting a structure and schedule for the takeovers, and working closely with the artists to select and prepare content and writing. This initiative was an experiment for The Works, which Tasana bravely and deftly piloted, bringing new innovations to the traditional artist takeover format. On October 2, The Works’ Curatorial Coordinator Brittany Gergel had the opportunity to talk with Tasana about their experience curating The Works’ Summer Artist Takeover Series, the role of art in Black futures, and the Yee-Haw Agenda.  

The Fall Artist Takeover Series, curated by Tasana Clarke and Sade Medos (@depechesade), has kicked off this week. Watch for new artist takeover content on Wednesdays and and Saturdays, and follow @theworksfest on Instagram.

Photo by Delainey Neddow

The Works: Your curated artists are significantly multidisciplinary, including Shaihiem Small, who is an illustrator and writer, and Merlin Uwalaka, who is a fashion designer with a background in environmental economics. How did you choose the artists you worked with? 

Tasana Clarke: I have been working in this community for about a year and a half and existing in it for about two years, and this is just the Black excellence that exists in Edmonton. I'm really lucky to say that I didn't have to look very far. Merlin was one of the first artists I worked with for one of [Pepper’d’s] first events—they were the space curator at OUTSET. And Shaihiem—I actually went to school with Shaihiem and have gotten a couple of tattoos from him. I met a couple of the artists through Sade as well, who is my partner at Pepper’d. But for the most part, these are just people that are doing the work here in Edmonton. 

W: Posts by the artists you curated reference and reflect on the themes of muses, community, collections, aversion, revolution and adaptation. How did these thematic through-lines develop? 

TC: I wanted to give a little bit of structure, or some continuity between the first four takeovers just to experiment with it. And I also thought by giving a starting point, it would give artists less to think about. I do think in the long run it gave them more to think about, but the themes themselves have kind of just been on my mind, flowing through me and the work that I do with Pepper’d and artists. Especially collections and community—I am constantly thinking about how we’re going into something that is bigger than us, and the revolution calls for us to come together, not go apart. We do not need individualism at this time. Yeah, they just felt like words that were flowing through me and my creative self, and I wanted to see how people responded to it. 

W: Very cool; so these were themes that you were thinking about, and you presented them to the artists for them to work with and respond to? 

TC: Yes, yeah. 

W: And you say it ended up being a lot of work. 

TC: It ended up being more to think about than I thought. But it was like definitely worthwhile work. It was really a gift to be able to see responses and see what artists brought together, and the amount of writing that came out of it was amazing as well. 

W: Yeah, absolutely. I was going to say that as a viewer, it was very cool to have that very explicit continuity between all of the different artists. 

TC: Yeah. 

W: You mentioned that presenting these themes to your artists produced a lot of writing. What significance does text have to your curation, and what role does text play for you on a visual platform like Instagram? 

TC: Text was an option that I gave when I was giving the prompt. Like, most of the work that you would do for the takeover has already been done, and you can share what exists in your current portfolio that relates to these prompts, and I was surprised by the amount of writing that we got. When I offered it, a lot of people were really interested in the writing. And I think the thing about writing, especially with Black voices and presenting to predominantly non-Black audiences—it doesn’t leave anything up to interpretation. It’s very clear, and those messages in and of themselves are art. And having them be written so recently with everything that’s going on, I think that having it in a short form, visual, accessible context is very important.  

I also think that everybody should write, and everybody should share their writing, whether they call themselves a writer or not. And the same with any discipline or form of self-expression; I think that those are things that people, artists, should all be doing. So, yeah, the writing, it really surprised me as well, but I’m very happy that it happened. 

W: Yeah, absolutely. I’ve been seeing a lot of discourse about the rise of the Instagram infographic, and how you have this visual platform that people have really started strongly responding to text being used on, like the standard format of having slides of text—which is something that comes up in your takeover. It’s an interesting dynamic and I’ve definitely seen it employed a lot when trying to mobilize people as well. 

TC: Yeah, it’s a lot of what’s on my feed, and I think that I somewhat subconsciously replicated that, but yeah, it’s what I like to see in my feed. 

W: Why do you think you like it so much? What speaks to you about it? 

TC: Well, when I think about the writing that comes up on my feed, I think about writers such as Clementine Morrigan, I think about a lot of astrologers on Instagram—I am a completely uncertified astrologer on the side. I feel like having writing in addition to photos and other visual stimuli—there's something grounding about it. I don’t know. There’s something more honest about having writing on Instagram, cause I know that a lot of people are sometimes aimlessly scrolling, and you’re kind of being inundated with all this stuff. But there is sometimes some stuff that hits. I wanted to be able to have what some of the artist wrote be that for somebody else, you know? We need to be communicating directly or indirectly, especially now.

W: Throughout your takeover, art is used as a medium to interrogate systems of oppression, as seen in Anna Boateng’s essays on misogynoir and transmisogynoir. Art is also deployed as the message of just futures itself, as seen in Ochi Oloo’s citation of Malcolm X: “[a] race of people is like an individual man; until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself.” What role do you think art should play in these futures? 

TC: I really have to think about the question. I think that art is constantly a reflection and usually a very progressive reflection. I feel like most movements—like, revolutionary movements—have a very prominent art component. And art is what creates resilience and keeps us alive. Like, we sang our way here. I feel like in terms of just futures for artists with the pandemic and COVID, I think rest and a stronger spiritual practice, whatever that may be, is something I’m hearing a lot of artists talking about. And letting go of the idea of being lazy, especially because that is constantly put onto Black people as a stereotype. But actually sinking into that rest, knowing that it’s important and there’s not necessarily something that you can figure out, because as an artist, you are a spiritual conduit. It’ll come to you. 

I think as we step into these more just futures, there is a need for stronger representation, and not representation that is dictated by the white gaze or the white dollar, but stories that center joy in Black resilience. I feel as though art should reflect that, because that representation is so important and representation can also help you imagine something. I look to Afrofuturism often and I think that a lot of what is before us was imagined, so you can imagine a brighter future for ourselves for sure. Those are principles quoted from Adrienne Maree Brown; those aren’t really my words. 

The future I imagine is art being the platform for that imagination and propelling us forward, and creating representation that actually is a reflection. And there’s such a void of Black Canadian narratives being told. There’s so much room for the nuances of Blackness that deserve to be told.

W: In addition to sharing cross-disciplinary art and writing, your curatorial takeover has a designed and cohesive visual presence. What was your process behind the takeover’s visual cohesiveness? 

TC: I just offered it if [the artists] wanted it, if they wanted that support. I was very upfront about it and I was very happy to do it because I feel so lucky to be doing this work. I don’t know how I define myself; I guess I’m an arts administrator and worker. I really have a hard time finding a title—I guess a facilitator. That’s what I’ve been using. But my own artistic practice is more so a decompressive thing. It’s not really something that I am turning a profit on yet or making it creative. But my career is the facilitation of putting on Black artists. I feel so lucky to be working with any of the artists I worked with. Like, I don’t feel necessarily a possessive ownership, but the success of any of these artists that I work with or will work with brings me so much joy. I think having the visual element was to bring it all together. I want to give them the support where they need it to, I don’t know, turn it out. I want to give them the best space to do the best things.

W: Were you designing elements of it then?

TC: Yeah, for like the text and that kind of thing. Merlin, for example, did basically everything, except for the initial artist bio video that I shared. But yeah, for the other artists for the texts and putting things together, I assembled some things just so it was cohesive. 

W: I think it’s very effective and it looks really good also. Very dynamic as well, in terms of subtle nuance between all of the artists where you can see that overarching design element, but then where other people are doing their own thing. 

TC: Yeah, I don’t know how much credit I can necessarily take for that. Every artist put a lot of work into each takeover by simply sharing with an audience, and I think it’s something I’ve taken for granted with artists; like, it’s very vulnerable to share that kind of work, and they all brought something completely different to the table. But then it was cohesive because we brought it together that way. 

I’m experimenting with a different format for this upcoming [takeover] because it’s kind of going to be in constant evolution. I look forward to seeing how it evolves over time. I get very in my head about it sometimes, but it’s also just an Instagram takeover, but Instagram’s an amazing platform! I think we often spend a lot of time on it, so it’s vilified, but I don’t think that can reduce the reach that it has and the medium for connection that it’s created in this time. I’m really excited to see how it evolves and changes with the times as well. 

W: I think it has such a hold on how we consume information in both leisurely aspects, but then also in more vital, politically motivated aspects. It’s a significant format with which to be sharing art. 

TC: Yeah, and I think that a lot’s going to come out of the pandemic as well in terms of accessibility. I feel like people are getting more websites developed and there’s less happening on Zoom and more happening on other platforms.  And I imagine there’s a lot of software development and tech happening. I look forward to seeing what the next months and years bring in terms of artistic space and changing how we experience art, whether it be visual art, writing, performance. I can’t wait. 

W: This leads quite organically into the next question: what, artistically, has been exciting you lately? 

TC: Oh, I really like this question, by the way. I would say most consistently—always—and lately as in the last year and a half, is the Yee-Haw Agenda. It means a lot to me. The Yee-Haw Agenda centers Black artists and voices in country music. I’m a ‘Berta Boy, and I feel like the Yee-Haw Agenda speaks to the Black Prairie narrative because Alberta is very cowboy, and there’s this idea that there’s no black people here—but we’re here. The Yee-Haw Agenda spreads far and wide; it doesn’t just center the States. The Yee-Haw Agenda has been a big thing for me for the year and a half, two years that it’s has its little moment. 

What else? The apocalypse—the apocalypse is really inspiring me artistically, I’ll say it. I feel like there’s obviously a lot of really exhausting, hard things about it. And I think to be reaping benefits from the pandemic is also a class privilege thing, absolutely. But with the old world falling and having to create anew, that’s a tall order. It’s terrifying but it’s also inspiring, I think. 

W: Do you have anything coming up that you’d like to share?  

TC: I feel like this plays back to what I am excited about artistically, but I guess I would like to share that there are a lot of up-and-coming Black tattoo artists in Edmonton, and if you are somebody who wants to get tattooed, Black tattoo artists are probably some of the best tattoo artists that you’ll work with. There is a very promising movement of Black tattoo artists here in the city!  

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Tasana Clarke (they/them) is an Edmonton based prairie boy, storytelling wisecracker and co-founder of Pepper’d, a Black arts facilitation organization. Born and barely raised in small-town Alberta, Edmonton has been loudly declared their latest muse.  

Tasana’s vision of establishing Edmonton as a hub for creation and community for Black creatives is multi-faceted and ever-evolving. Dedicated to nurturing the Black arts community, their practice as an artist is fueled by astrology, Afrofuturism, and Emergent Strategy practices. 

Summer Artist Takeover Archive

Merlin Uwalaka, July 2020

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Shahiem Small, August 2020

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Ochi Oloo, August 2020

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Anna Boateng, September 2020

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Raneece Buddan, September 2020