Meet Miss Clementine Mai, aka MariePier St-George who is an up and coming textile artist who graduated for the University of Ottawa in 2009. Wanting to perfect her practice, she is hoping to study fiber arts at la Maison des métiers d’art in Québec. Currently, one can view her solo exhibition at le Troquet in Hull for the month of May. 

Our April pin up girl is Mae Dubonnet aka Melannie Eldridge! Here she is inspired by the iconic Bettie Page. 

Our March pinup girl is Miss Ruby Nocturne!

A strict disciplinarian by day, this saucy librarian is anything but mild-mannered. When Miss Ruby lets her hair down, you can find her co-organizing Umi Café’s monthly women’s spoken word showcase, Voices of Venus, modeling for local photographers, supporting Ottawa’s burgeoning burlesque scene, and reading her poetry around town.

Wednesday, 08 April 2009
By Saumya Ramakrishnan

Gilda Furgiuele, a photographer from Ottawa, has been working along with her colleague Sean Rioux to create an umbrella organization for artists in Ottawa.

“Ottawa is full of creativity and artists. But we don’t have financers who are willing to give the city an exposure in the market,” says Furgiuele.

They launched Ottawa Indie Co-op at a meet and greet event held at the Arts Court on Daly Avenue on March 25.

Furgiuele, the director of this co-op, calls it a “big hub for the arts,” which aims to bring the Ottawa arts and culture scene together.

Ottawa Indie Co-op is not the first initiative of its kind in the city.

Ottawa is home to other co-ops, including Independent filmmakers co-op of Ottawa, which provides low cost equipments and grants to independent filmmakers and Enriched Bread Artists, which works towards the development of visual arts by offering affordable studio space to artists.

For the past few months I've been privy to short days, lots of sleep, and the hibernation rut I like to blame on everything else but myself. But these days I'm noticing I'm awake later, feeling more productive, and all around excited - but I'll try and stay away from the recap of the boring details of my sleep cycle. With all this great energy and positive attitudes around I for sure thought I am in my A Game. But a telephone call last night at midnight gave me a cold slap in the face that made me think I need to up the ante. After a long day of photographing, being around 2 of my favorite little people (kids, not the vertically challenged kind) and being interviewed for an article about the indie co-op I ended my evening with a nice date with my couch even though I had the energy to dance until my knees gave in. When I conceded to watching the only television indulgence I have I got a call that filled me with excitement and then immediately after made me into the little green jealous lady. Apparently, Mercury lounge was the best place to be on a Tuesday night - that's right and I missed it. Tuesday's party included a few performers - 1 from Montreal and the other from Ottawa, pH - all presented by Boyscout Killers who I am now dying to find out more about. Word on the street is that the dance floor was bumping and there was a quality crowd out, not to mention fantastic music. The kicker is that the gentleman who recapped his great evening filled with random encounters, intellectual conversations, and sweat stains from dancing too much also told me that none of what happened would've been the same or quite as spectacular had he invited a partner in crime. This is the part that made me utterly jealous.

The afternoon has just begun and I can hear birds chirping outside - I forgot about that wonderful sound. Its been along winter and it seems that we are finally on the way out of it. The sunshine woke me up on the first day (in what feels like forever) since I had a chance to sleep in. Still kind of hazy from a whirlwind couple of weeks of work I drink some mango juice (but pretend it is coffee), and set out to take in as much time on the internet browsing blogs, e-mags, facebook, and every other creative Ottawa news that I’ve fallen behind on in the last few weeks. My Saturday morning routine of having an endless cup of joe with the arts and fashion sections of the newspaper I stole from my father have now been replaced with mango juice and the internet – my endless source of arts, culture and fashion section. Its been a rewarding morning of Dharma Arts, Canteen, The Ottawa Arts Newsletter, and Ottawa Street Style. This has only been the beginning – the more I click away the more I become aware of new and interesting things, arts, music, venues and events happening more and more frequently as the weather keeps getting better. But as it draws me in that thought of coffee keeps distracting me and with that the percolator draws e away. Mmmmmmmm…