Combining art and coaching on fostering positive mindset change, McMaster's Museum of Art workshop offers a unique perspective on future-focused thinking
On Jan. 23, 2025 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the McMaster Museum of Art hosted Reimagining Mindsets for the Future, an interactive workshop designed to help participants explore new ways of thinking and approaching challenges. By blending visual arts, group coaching and education, the event aimed to inspire personal growth and equip attendees with tools and strategies to stay positive and navigate uncertainty in today’s world.
Co-created by executive, leadership and team coach, Amanda Calzolaio, alongside Nicole Knibb, a senior educator at the McMaster Museum of Art, the workshop took place in the museum’s gallery space. Attendees were invited to engage with art, participate in discussions and reflect on how mindset shifts could shape their perspectives on the future.
Calzolaio and Knibb, drawing on their experience in coaching and arts education, designed the workshop to integrate three core elements: visual arts, group coaching and education. According to Calzolaio, this blend creates a “dynamic interplay” that deepens awareness and fosters connection.
“Art allows for expression of values, perspectives and identity. Education invites new knowledge. And coaching deepens the awareness of self, others and the world. So, collectively, these components shift mindsets and inform how we see ourselves and the world,” explained Calzolaio.
Art played a significant role in fostering self-awareness and connection during the workshop, with the museum environment enhancing the experience.
“Being in the gallery, surrounded by artwork, creates a unique space for reflection and connection. It’s a really great way to get to know yourself, your place in the world and be with other people in the same space,” said Knibb.
The workshop also placed a strong focus on the concept of futures thinking, a creative and analytical approach to envisioning what the future could look like and how to shape it positively.
“Artists are really good at seeing things others might not. They spot signals that help us think about what might happen and how to prepare for it,” said Knibb. “Futures work offers hope and optimism and encourages us to imagine better possibilities rather than focus on dystopias."
Artists are really good at seeing things others might not. They spot signals that help us think about what might happen and how to prepare for it.
Nicole Knibb, Senior Educator: Academic & Professional Engagement
McMaster Museum of Art
The workshop also emphasized the importance of building momentum as part of future thinking, a concept central to the coaching process.
“In coaching, our goal is to move from the present into the future. Future thinking is about creating forward-facing momentum that’s relevant to each participant, helping them build a vision of what’s possible,” said Calzolaio.
For many participants, the workshop offered a chance to engage with new perspectives and rediscover creativity. “We want participants to leave with a sense of curiosity and connectedness—with themselves, others and the world. It’s about tapping into something they didn’t know was possible or maybe forgot about,” Calzolaio said.
We want participants to leave with a sense of curiosity and connectedness—with themselves, others, and the world.
Amanda Calzolaio, Leadership and Team Coach
Knibb added that the museum's central location on campus makes it an ideal setting for such an event. “It’s accessible for students and others and it’s a great way for young people to spark creativity, imagination and optimism about the future,” she said.
As the second workshop in what the McMaster Museum of Art hopes will become an ongoing series, Calzolaio noted, “This is just the beginning. We hope to continue this work and bring it to even more people in the future." Reimagining Mindsets for the Future reflects the museum's commitment to blending arts-based education and group coaching to foster growth and collaboration.
Details about upcoming workshops and events can be found on the McMaster Museum of Art's social media and website.
In his campaign for MSU president, Olami Olalere aims to introduce an MSUTV, create a back-to-school event day and promote housing accessibility
Olami Olalere is a third-year Honours Life Sciences, and one of three students running for the McMaster Students Union 2025 presidential election. The three main pillars of his platform emphasize improving student life, fostering student engagement and promoting student expression.
Olalere refers to these pillars as the "iSee" framework. His campaign slogan is "this is on me, all for you!"
Student Life
The first pillar of Olalere's campaign focuses on improving student life. Olalere highlights four key areas of action under student life: bettering engagement with and access to MSU services by improving advertising, addressing housing accessibility, advocating for better transit and events designed for enrichment and fun.
Olalere proposes increasing access to MSU services through enhancing advertising. Olalere plans to raise awareness of the services and resources the MSU offers, ensuring that students are better informed. To achieve this, in his campaign platform he proposes "partnering more" with MSU affiliated centres, such as the Women and Gender Equity Network, the Pride Community Centre and the Student Health Education Centre, to drive more traffic towards MSU services.
With the goal of improving helping students find housing, Olalere proposes holding a housing fair where landlords would showcase their properties. He also plans to collaborate with the municipal government to uphold student tenant protections and establish a route of direct communication between students and the municipal government. He has indicated an intention to introduce a housing budget to fund these initiatives.
Olalere's next priority is improving transportation on and around campus. He plans to engage with Metrolinx to increase the frequency of GO busses during rush hours. He also wishes to arrange monthly buses for students to attend away Marauder sports games to foster school spirit.
Lastly, Olalere wants to introduce new events that enrich the student experience by planning additional events for homecoming, including a halftime show at the football game and to build on the night concert by including a fair featuring local vendors.
He also proposes a smaller "Back-to-School Day" event on campus, offering entertainment and activities to celebrate the return to campus at the start of the academic year.
Student Engagement
The second pillar of Olalere's campaign focuses on engaging students with campus events that promote inclusivity, empower student voices and encourage civic participation.
Olalere proposes introducing a culture festival or month featuring various cultural events, performances and exhibitions to address what he perceives as a lack of events that represent the diverse student body.
Olalere also proposes creating a "Maroon Wall," a place for students to express themselves and engage with peers. He intends to collaborate with McMaster Athletics to create a McMaster student-only stand for home games.
With the goal of showcasing student creativity, he proposes hosting a gallery and art exhibition where students can display their work, participate in a bidding process and win prizes.
With the goal of fostering engagement with MSU politics, Olalere proposes student town hall meetings in the McMaster University Student Centre atrium to discuss key issues with the MSU. He also proposes collecting the opinions of students through surveys, suggestion boxes and monthly MSU outreach booths in MUSC.
Additionally, Olalere wants to encourage civic participation by educating students on the importance of voting and providing peer support resources to address what he refers to as "election anxiety."
Student Expression
The third pillar of Olalere's campaign focuses on student expression.
In his platform, Olalere proposes hosting a Halloween festival. The festival would feature events for both on and off-campus students, including a haunted house in the Hub.
If elected, he claims he would create "MSUTV", a student-run media outlet dedicated to showcasing the vibrant life of campus. The platform would live-stream sporting events, student governance coverage and highlights of campus events, allowing McMaster students to see their stories come to life.
More information on Olami's campaign can be found via Instagram.
By blending creativity with representation, Maccess proves that art can inspire action for disability awareness
During the week of Nov. 18 to 22, 2024, Maccess, a volunteer-run peer support and advocacy centre of the McMaster Students Union, hosted DisVisibility Week, a series of art-focused events designed to foster disability awareness.
The events aimed to celebrate the creativity that is essential in navigating a world not built with accessibility in mind. This year’s theme, “Cripped Creativity,” was at the heart of the week’s programming, offering participants a chance to engage with art as a tool for expression, community-building, and justice.
The term “Cripped Creativity,” as explained by Honey Starr, assistant director of Maccess, builds on the idea of “cripping,” a concept from their social work class that reclaims the term “crip” as a form of empowerment.
“Cripping creativity is about making creativity accessible," shared Starr, emphasizing that artistic expression doesn’t need to adhere to fixed structures or rules. Instead, this week was about honouring the diverse ways people create—on their own timelines and with tools that work for them.
Cripping creativity is about making creativity accessible.
Honey Starr, Assistant Director
Maccess
The art-based events during DisVisibility Week encouraged participants to engage with creativity in ways intended to feel authentic and liberating. The activities offered judgment-free spaces for exploration and self-expression.
Each day of the week-long initiative featured an event designed to showcase different artistic mediums. Monday’s Disability Doodlefest invited participants to doodle freely and share their creations. On Tuesday Maccess held a movie night showcasing peace love (unicorns) & communism, a film by McMaster alumni that critiques campus advocacy systems and recognizes Maccess itself.
Throughout the week, the Bits & Buttons event focused on creating custom buttons, allowing participants to design pins that expressed personal or political statements. A game of Jeopardy also provided a lighthearted trivia experience.
The Zine Fiends event on Nov. 22, in collaboration with the Women and Gender Equity Network, capped off the week with a hands-on zine-making workshop that proved especially popular.
“It’s so easy to create a zine with just a single sheet of paper,” Starr explained. Participants were encouraged to let their imaginations roam, piecing together collages, poetry, or artwork in a communal space. The event’s success highlighted the power of accessible art forms to bring people together and spark conversations.
The choice to focus DisVisibility Week around artistic activities was intentional. “Creativity is already such a central part of the disabled experience,” noted Starr. “People with disabilities are constantly coming up with creative solutions to navigate inaccessible spaces.” By channeling this resourcefulness into art, Maccess aimed to create opportunities for participants to share their stories, experiences and ideas in powerful and tangible ways.
People with disabilities are constantly coming up with creative solutions to navigate inaccessible spaces.
Honey Starr, Assistant Director of Maccess
Nat Sim, director of MACCESS, added that art can also challenge stereotypes and shift narratives.
“Disability is often talked about in ways that aren’t authentic or critical," shared Sim. She explained that through art, individuals are able to tell their stories on their own terms. Events like these are not just about fostering creativity but also about building a deeper understanding of the experiences of folks with disabilities and advocating for justice.
Starr reflected on the week’s impact on those who attended. “We had students come in and say, "I didn’t even know Maccess existed until now,"” shared Starr. By raising awareness about their space and mission, DisVisibility Week succeeded in spotlighting advocacy about the experiences of individuals with disabilities.
Inclusion and accessibility were central to the planning of the week’s events. Maccess took care to ensure activities were physically accessible and adaptable to different needs. “We wanted to make sure that our events reflected the values we stand for,” Sim emphasized.
As Maccess looks to the future, its leaders hope to continue expanding their reach and creating spaces where disabled students feel seen, supported and celebrated. “We’re an open space and we accept everybody, no matter what stage you are in your diagnosis or journey with disability,” said Sim.
Students interested in supporting Maccess can follow them on social media, participate in upcoming events, or stop by their renovated space on campus. The Maccess centre is located in MUSC B111 and is open from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. With initiatives like DisVisibility Week, Maccess is not only advocating for a more inclusive campus but also reminding everyone of the power of art and community.
This not-for-profit organization is creating an accessible platform that celebrates local talent and reinvents fashion culture in the city
By: Zoha Alvi, Arts and Culture Contributor
Hamilton may be known for its industrial history but it’s quickly becoming a cultural destination—and fashion is at the forefront of this transformation. Hamilton Fashion Week and its events, such as the Runway Project, are providing a platform for local designers and redefining what it means to be an emerging fashion hotspot.
Krystal and Ken Biehler founded Hamilton Fashion Week in 2014 to celebrate and elevate local talent. “We’ve seen a big resurgence in the art and music crowd, but there was nothing for the fashion community. We realized there were very few platforms in Canada, let alone Hamilton,” said Ken.
The Biehlers aim to foster a sense of community that sets Hamilton’s fashion scene apart—a place where creatives can learn and grow together. “In Toronto, the vibe can feel competitive and unprofessional in a lot of ways. We want to create a positive, uplifting sort of environment for everyone to succeed,” Ken suggested. Krystal noted that the local fashion community has developed its own identity rooted in collaboration and creativity rather than rivalry.
We want to create a positive, uplifting sort of environment for everyone to succeed.
Ken Biehler, co-founder
Hamilton Fashion Week
One example of Hamilton Fashion Week’s impact is the Hamilton Runway Project, an intimate event designed to make fashion accessible for emerging designers and encourage young talent. The “Falling for Fashion” themed event took place on Oct. 17, 2024, inviting designers to showcase autumn-inspired outfits that highlighted their connection to the craft. Participants presented a single themed look instead of a traditional collection, minimizing the cost and time commitment required.
Audience members were able to engage with designers and vote for their favourite designs, while a panel of industry experts selected two winners: Bobby Raffin and Michelle Brisson.
According to Krystal, one of the main goals for Hamilton Fashion Week is to set new standards creating a reliable, professional and skill-building space for models, photographers and makeup artists. “If people aren’t getting paid, it’s kind of like putting on an art project. But in order to advance things, there needs to be that professional sort of platform to be able to grow,” added Ken.
The Biehlers explained how this mindset has led to Hamilton-based talent standing out, to the point where Hamilton locals are now known for their skills across Ontario and beyond.
For the Biehlers, Hamilton Fashion Week is about more than just putting on a show—it’s about creating a space where community meets creativity. “When we started, if you asked a group of people if they’d ever been to a fashion show, the answer was almost always no. But now I feel like we’ve made fashion part of the local culture and we hope to grow that,” said Ken.
They emphasized the importance of taking initiative, particularly for young, aspiring designers without access to big-city resources. “Every young person should have an opportunity to carry on in any career that they want, with successes and resources available to them within their grasp. Just do it, you never know what’s going to take off," said Ken.
Every young person should have an opportunity to carry on in any career that they want, with successes and resources available to them within their grasp.
Ken Biehler, co-founder
Hamilton Fashion week
Krystal also encouraged young designers to get connected and showcase their work on social media, saying, “You can get started with literally nothing. Don’t be afraid, just do it and have fun with it!” Beyond creativity, Ken highlighted the importance of a business mindset, urging designers to also consider marketability and target audiences.
As Hamilton Fashion Week continues to grow, so does the city’s fashion community, gaining momentum as a creative capital with each new event. Looking ahead, their 11th annual gala show is set for Feb. 15, 2025. For Krystal and Ken, this journey is just beginning, as they are focused on expanding Hamilton Fashion Week and supporting the next generation of creatives who will define Hamilton’s unique creative future in fashion.
Salma Hindy likes to think that she was at her peak creativity and performance level while making her childhood friends laugh. Lunch times at the Islamic elementary and secondary schools she attended turned into a comedy sketch hour filled with extravagant storytelling and ridiculous imitations of her teachers and friends.
The up-and-coming comedian recently returned from the 12 city Super Muslim Comedy Tour in the United Kingdom, and finished in second place in the Toronto Comedy Brawl competition against over 400 comedians. Hindy also spent her autumn performing at comedy festivals in Boston, Dallas, Chicago and New York.
As Hindy prepares to open for American comedian and actor Ken Jeong on Jan. 11 for the Life After Mac performance on campus, it’s fair to say storytelling and making people laugh have followed her into adulthood.
Growing up in a conservative Muslim household meant that her parents have a rigid understanding of what comedy and performance is, which made it difficult for them to understand what their daughter wanted to pursue.
While their ideas of comedy were often tainted with negative connotations and misconceptions, Hindy wanted to show her family and Muslim community that clean comedy can be approached in a way that is mindful of the values and boundaries she has set for herself. Her career, identity and spirituality are part of her own personal journey and comedy just so happens to play an important part as well.
Despite her parents’ reluctance to attend her shows, Hindy’s mother found herself attending an event her daughter just so happened to be performing at for International Women’s Day this past March. It may have been seeing her daughter perform stand-up for the first time, the fact that Hindy removed all her parent jokes from her set, or the constant boasting on part of her mother’s friends, but the laughter seemed to ease her concerns.
The comedy industry was in for a shock too. Most audiences aren’t used to seeing a visibly Muslim woman take center stage at a comedy bar. Hindy will skip out on free drink tickets and get ecstatic at the availability of halal food at her events, but the industry is ready to embrace her and the diversity she brings.
“I fit in pretty well as someone who doesn't fit in, if that makes any sense. They want to see people with different identities… different stories and different perspectives. Somebody who can teach them something that they didn't know before while obviously still being entertaining and funny,” explained Hindy.
While Hindy’s faith and stereotypes around her identity do seep into her act, she isn’t explicitly written for a Muslim audience. Her witty remarks and hilarious stories about her life, which are all based on true events, humanize her as a Muslim Canadian; an identity that is often informed by the media rather than real life interactions.
Comedy became a breakthrough for fostering understanding. From jokes about struggling to have a crush reciprocate feelings to witnessing anti-Muslim protestors outside of a mosque and thinking ‘wow, these people go to the mosque more than me, like damn I wish I had your consistency’, Hindy utilizes storytelling to reach out to her audience and build a relationship.
“[I]t doesn't even necessarily have to be specifically or explicitly about Muslim issues or Muslim struggles, obviously those are really enlightening and they're great informational pieces for the audience, but even just you ranting about the same thing that somebody else would rant about which is just very mundane, just shows how relatable you are and how much of a connection that we all have,” explained Hindy.
Hindy completed her bachelor of engineering at McMaster and a masters in clinical engineering at the University of Toronto. She recently started her first full time job as a biomedical research engineer at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health so it’s only a matter of time before this milestone in her life inspires the newest additions to her comedy set.
In conversation, Hindy can’t help crack a joke or two — or every five minutes— often followed by a ‘you know what I’m saying?’ and her contagious laughter. Comedy is her superpower, she uses it to spread awareness, break down stereotypes and share herself unapologetically with the world.
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By: Kian Yousefi Kousha
As one word finds itself next to another, the ideas in our mind begin to fill pages. These words have the ability to further our imagination and change our lives. Whether conveyed through the dystopian world created by George Orwell or the sentimental spirits of L. M. Montgomery’s characters, words are powerful and writing freely is an indispensable tool.
The concept of free writing has found its way to McMaster University through a new mandatory writing course; Voice and Vision: Words to Change the World, or Humanities 1VV3. The course is offered in the fall and taught by professor Jeffery Donaldson.
The main purpose of the course is to refine students’ thinking, problem-solving skills and most importantly, improve their writing by providing students with writing opportunities they may not have had before.
While the course addresses the expectations for writing in the faculty of humanities and prepares first year students for their undergraduate education, Donaldson hopes that the course will also address the misgivings students’ may have about their own writing.
“One of my main focuses in the course was to find a way of helping students not to think of writing as an onerous activity that they don’t enjoy [or a] writing style that is not natural to them ... I wanted to find a way of organizing a course that would actually be a celebration of the creative energy that is a part of every student’s identity. At that age, they are full of ideas and verbal energy,” explained Donaldson.
The course is taking another approach to writing at the university level by simultaneously celebrating students’ own creativity and preparing them for formal writing in the humanities program. In fact, the core of the course is a free writing assignment where students are asked to write 30 pages of prose on their own topic of choice, without any specifications.
“Our expectation is that [writing 30 pages] is more writing than any of them has ever done. They are getting used to generating prose without any sense that they have to write in any particular way and our goal was to show them that the more writing you do, the more natural your writing becomes,” explained Donaldson.
Throughout the semester, Donaldson saw improvements in the students’ writing. The final 10 pages of the free writing assignment was a major indication of students’ overall growth over time. Donaldson also approached the course by representing writing as a thinking tool for students.
Nader Nagy, one of the students who was enrolled in Humanities 1VV3 this past fall semester, witnessed improvements in his writing. This improvement was attributed to Donaldson’s teaching and approach towards writing through the course’s exercises.
“I want [students] to think of writing as something that is always going on in your mind and you release that and then gradually, as you learn to work with your writing, you adapt it to these [formal writing] constraints,” said Donaldson.
For example, students are encouraged to use first person pronouns as they make their own arguments, which is an opportunity that is considered counterintuitive for formal writing in other courses.
John Stultz believes that the mandatory course taught him and other students how to properly convey themselves by focusing first on learning how to organize and communicate ideas coherently.
Sarah Woodburn considers her experience with the course as a method to ease the path of first year students into essay writing, without enduring the pressure of formal writing.
“It is definitely a new way and a fresh way of looking at English as well as essay writing in a different light that allows students a little more freedom in terms of their writing,” said Woodburn.
Donaldson is looking forward to tracking students’ progress in their four years of undergraduate studies in humanities. He hopes to observe changes in their quality of writing as an aftereffect of taking Humanities 1VV3.
While it will be interesting to observe the long term effects on students’ writing, for now the accounts of individuals involved in the course speak to its unique position within the faculty of humanities. The course focuses on reinventing students’ experiences with writing and giving power back to the students’ voices and visions through words.
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Hamilton singer-songwriter Shanika Maria knows how to make a presence. In a t-shirt from Hamilton-based brand Girls with Guns and shoes that she bought ten years ago and thought she outgrew she describes herself as all over the place but it’s these items, memories and influences that she funnels gracefully into her music.
In the summer of 2017, Maria released her debut EP, Childish Games. The five-song record is soft and acoustic, with Maria’s haunting voice singing lyrics that could be interpreted in a million ways. It’s a snapshot of where her abilities and creativity were at the time.
“Mouth Eaters” is the last track off the EP, it started off as a poem and then became part of her debut project. It was reworked and re-released on Sept. 28, 2018. Maria celebrated the release with a performance at the Mule Spinner the following day.
[spacer height="20px"]The reworked track is more upbeat than the original and includes collaborations from several people in Maria’s musical circle. It introduced new instruments and production that lend the familiar lyrics a brand new meaning. Maria has always supported the idea of her art being read in many different ways.
“I don't think it's…fair for me to tell anybody how to interpret what I've created. I feel like once I created it, I put it out there. It's now for the audience to interpret in whatever way they feel fit. I feel that's art in general…We all have our own lives and that's how we're going to come to art,” Maria said.
The single is the first off her upcoming album, Subtle Uncertainties. Like her EP, it is a picture of where she is in her life right now and describes her outlook on life. Currently in her mid-twenties, she is facing a version of adulthood where not everything is figured out.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoMszE1BYBy/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
[spacer height="20px"]Maria isn’t pursuing music full-time and while she is balancing other work and jobs, she believes that where she stands right now is what’s best for her at this time. She is not yet sure if she’d like to do music full-time but that is something she’ll have to navigate when the opportunity arises.
“As I've become older and as I've navigated everything, things are really uncertain, things are really ambiguous. The things I thought I wanted, I don't know if I want them… Life is very uncertain, and everything is uncertain and I don't think that that's a bad thing,” explained Maria.
Maria meets that uncertainty with the support of good people, from her family and friends to her mentor Kojo Easy Damptey and her label Celestial Voodoo. Damptey took her under his wing and helped to bring about the recording and release of her EP. Maria loves that she is part of an artist-run and collaborative label.
[spacer height="20px"]The good people that she has found in the music industry let her know that her contribution has value. Breaking into music, she faced the challenge of having to interact with people who based her worth as a performer on her ability to bring in audiences.
Genuine connections with artists and listeners helped her to overcome doubts that her work lacked value. These connections are also what she loves about performing in Hamilton.
“I have community here and I feel like people are being pretty receptive to what I've been doing so that's always a nice feeling…And I also just really like performing with other people…Live performance really gives an emotional and intimate look into their creativity,” explained Maria.
Maria’s creativity takes multiple forms. She writes fiction and poetry in addition to creating music. In the same vein, she takes inspiration from several forms of art other than music, from film to poetry to books.
She is looking forward to the newness that comes with putting out a fresh batch of music. She’s tried new things on the guitar and is excited about the new sound and vibe on her new album. Her excitement is accompanied by some fear, however, because life after all is uncertain.
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As darkness claims the end of the first Wednesday of the month, Main Street East settles into a quiet rhythm against the background humming of nearby traffic. Red florescent lights spelling out ‘Sous Bas’ invite passersby down a flight of stairs and into the warm atmosphere of the candlelit space known for long nights of dancing.
At the far end of the room DJ Camron rehearses his set. The chanted vocals of Afrobeat mixed with funk and jazz tracks will catalyze carefree dance moves during Afrowave, but tonight’s unofficial audience is rather preoccupied with issues of National Geographic from the early 2000s, scissors and glue sticks.
Magazines and journals from the worlds of fashion, business, travel, lifestyle, art, music and photography are scattered along the bar’s island. A few comics, colouring pages and prints from the past can also be found among the dozens of publications that fill plastic storage bins on the ground.
Whether you came with a plan to spend the night collaging or stumbled in for a drink and decided to stay for the paper-based craft, Sous Bas owner Erika McMeekin and visual artist Stylo Starr have created the perfect environment to cut, paste and chill.
“It’s been a really great experience breaking down the stigma that collage is just a cut and paste kindergarten activity, it’s so much more…the major drive behind it was that we saw that there was a pull towards collage and the appeal was there but the response was always ‘oh I can’t do that, I’m not an artist’,” explained Starr.
When McMeekin was approached with the idea of hosting the Collage Coven’s Assemblage events at Sous Bas, she thought it was a perfect fit. The nightclub is not only a popular scene for a night out in Hamilton, it’s also deeply intertwined with the community by providing a welcoming space for meetings, R&B and disco pilates sessions and now an art space.
“People like to meet and drink but don’t really do anything… So I want to see what could happen [in spaces]… where you go hangout with your friends but also make something,” said Starr.
“I think that would be really beneficial because you’re being productive in a group and that group think and group creativity is actually really cool, the synergy that’s there is insane.”
Collage makers tap into their creativity in clusters around tables, in booths, on couches and even sitting cross-legged on the floor buried in paper. Some of the attendees at last Wednesday’s event include artists, friends collaging together for the first time and two DeGroote alumni, one of whom flew in from Ireland to celebrate his birthday and ended up catching up with his friend over beers and collages.
“I love being able to provide that space for people where they could just unleash their creativity. It’s a power that not a lot of people realize they have within themselves…when they say things like ‘I’m not creative’ it’s like shoving that down in a box and I’m here to rip that shit open and let them revel in it and see what comes out of it,” explained Starr.
Aside from being a form of creativity and self-expression, collaging is also therapeutic. Attendees can learn more about themselves and feel good through partaking in the activity. Many of Starr’s own pieces were created during emotional moments, helping her sort through her thoughts, like a visual diary.
Anyone can get started with collaging. Start by collecting images that catch your eye in magazines or digital media, rip, cut, clip words, graphics, photographs or even patterns. Starr encourages collecting anything that strikes you and putting it aside for when you desire to make art or try something new.
The Collage Coven’s monthly collage parties take place on the first Wednesday of the month from 7 to 10 pm at Sous Bas. The event is open to all, pay what you can and an abundance of materials are provided.
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Calculus class tends to involve more rational expressions than artistic ones. Then again, once math started involving more letters than numbers, maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised to find myself searching for other ways to pass time in grade 12 calc. Perhaps it was the transcendental caffeination I underwent before the 8:05 class, or the inspiring topography of my teacher’s ancient face, or just the result of boredom and a nice pen, but as we approached the end of limits, I began drawing instead of deriving.
Before I start to sound too artsy, I should admit that I’m not very good. Perhaps that was a good thing – should Mr. C peer over and see that I was obsessively scrawling his ear, rather that some theorem, I doubt he could have determined what it was. Yet that was what made it such a delightful creative exercise, I was expressing for the sake of creation, not consumption.
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Since arriving at Mac, I’ve stopped engaging in these personal acts of creation. Perhaps it just isn’t a priority, or my classes are simply too complex to while time away but I think that rather than have too few creative outlets, I have too many. If I want to write, there are endless places to be published (hello!), if I want to draw, there’s nothing preventing me from picking up a pen and doing it—no prof will halt a lecture to stop me from doodling.
But that’s the issue: there’s no secrecy, no silent thrill of stolen moments, just a pressing self-consciousness. It feels silly to actually set aside time to sit down and draw - it’s too deliberate. Before, I had an excuse to be bad; of course portraits come out wonky when the subject keeps moving; of course sketches won’t be perfect squeezed between equations.
When I gained the freedom to create, I lost the freedom to fail. This seems like an absurd complaint, that it is too easy to do the things I enjoy, but the issue is really that I am too diffident to enjoy the things I do not find easy. Earlier I said I was not an artist because I will not claim this part of myself without a disclaimer; I need to dash everyone’s expectations so that I can create my own. For some reason self-expression can come with a bizarre pretention, as if suddenly everyone will pounce and ask just who you think you are.
Of course, sometimes that self-consciousness disappears. Sometimes it is overcome with confidence, sometimes just giving up. For me, it came with the realization that I was sitting in another calc class at 1:30 p.m. in pyjamas and sandals, bearing witness to a boring proof. I realized that if no one had noticed my mismatched socks and Birkenstocks, then they’d probably ignore a few pen scratches to soothe my itchy fingers. I had the surprisingly glorious revelation that no one cared. I had held the irrational fear that someone walk up, squint at my scribbles, and ask that fearsome question, “Who do you think you are?”, when really, the only person asking was myself.