Blog Archives

Industribe

9/20/2015

Industribe is a fire and dance collective based out of the Maritimes. As a multi-arts circus performing troupe, we are delighted to shine our brightest light to this festival celebrating art at night! We hope our show provides Afterglow onlookers with a feeling of warmth and of hope- akin to an enveloping sense of comfort while sitting next to a bonfire on a chill, autumn night. With our fiery dance and custom live dj accompaniment, we intend to kindle the flame that fuels our imaginations and, in fact, to spark the creative force that burns inside all of us. We, as a collective, are honoured to take part in drawing together the members of Bridgewater community and those at large, in order to empower the artist side of ourselves. Keeping in mind the ancestral ways in which fire has shaped our livelihoods, we dance in celebration of the beauty and fulfilment that comes with a life led infused with art.

During Afterglow you can find them performing shows every half hour in the North Parkade!

Check out Industribe on Facebook here!
Check out their website here!

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Squashasaurus

9/16/2015

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Afterglow coincides with Squashtastic at Wile's Lake Farm Market. We got involved because we thought this was a wonderful venue to showcase "squash art pieces". In 2014 we participated by creating a 16' dragon. During Afterglow we invited the public to decorate the creature with assorted squash, gourds and pumpkins! It was truly a public art piece. Lots of people - small children, teens and adults enjoyed decorating our critter.

We are happy to be back with another creature - Squashasaurus is ready for decorating. We will be located at the corner of King Street and the Veterans Memorial Bridge. We love being involved as it is an easy way for us to support an interesting community project and cross promote our event. Our staff enjoy brainstorming for inspiration and then building out the idea. Cody Whynot and Sam Richards will be on site to help people with the power tools and decorating. We are looking forward to having a warm fall evening of fun, just like last year!

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spine book poetry

9/12/2015

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Nicole's organizing a book drive for rural communities in Africa, so she's hoping to receive some donated books at the festival. She also find book spine poetry to be a fun, unique way to introduce poetry to people!

She's looking forward to connecting with other artists and learning about different mediums, and seeing the public's contributions and reactions to them.

Nicole Blinn is a grade twelve student at Centre scolaire de la Rive-Sud. Her three biggest passions are combined in this project: poetry, books, and social activism! She hopes to study Development in university; and wants to start both a literacy program and poetry workshops in rural areas.

Afterglow presents the arts in an accessible manner to Bridgewater. Afterglow introduced Nicole to poetry; and she's been hooked ever since. It's a fantastic festival that brings together not only artists, but the community as well.

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have we met before? - Ikebana

9/5/2015

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(a Japanese IKEBANA installation created by Susan Robertson & Miyako Ballesteros)

IKEBANA, the art of Japanese flower arrangement, traces its beginnings to the 6th century in Buddhist flower offerings. Through the centuries, the popularity of the art form spread from priests to the nobility class and finally to the ordinary people. But it was only in the 16th century when the art form was codified and the first formal school of ikebana (the Ikenobo School) came into being. Since then, many more schools of ikebana have sprung up and now there are more than 3000 schools of ikebana, each with their own unique styles, in Japan! Internationally, the more prominent schools are the Ikenobo, Ohara and Sogetsu schools.

One of the most important elements in ikebana is space (called "ma" in Japanese). Not some void to be filled up but rather a limited expanse to be created and preserved. From this perspective, the other elements of ikebana come alive. The three main branches depict heaven, earth and humanity and unite them into a whole, showing lines that flow with momentum and vitality. It is not always about beautiful flowers. The shape of a branch, the purity of water, even the occasional moss or lichen on the plants is all things to be appreciated. Simplicity, asymmetry and subtlety are hallmarks of ikebana. What is not needed is removed. There is no need to fill every inch of available space. Ikebana arrangements are clutter-free. Look for these elements the next time you view an ikebana arrangement.

Why Have You Chosen to Take Part in Afterglow?
SR: I was inspired by two friends who had a collaged postcard collection in last year’s festival. Then what really motivated me was a photo I saw from Afterglow’s first year. It was a picture of a gorgeous gown hanging lit in a storefront window. I thought, “wow”, and then started to imagine an Ikebana arrangement showcased like that.

MB: I want to introduce ikebana, the Japanese art of arranging flowers/plant material. It differs from the typical Western style floral arrangement. In ikebana really anything in nature can be used as material. Even more so than the flowers, it’s the shape or the line of the branches in an arrangement that I really admire.

What Are You Looking Forward to Most For This Years Festival?
SR: This will be my first time to create something for Afterglow and also my first year to attend. I’ve also never worked on a large ikebana arrangement like the one we are creating. Usually it’s a table top display. I can hardly wait to see the final piece sitting in a rather uncharacteristic, yet wonderful space….a men’s clothing store at night. I am looking forward to being a part of and experiencing everything about Afterglow.

MB: I’ve participated in other art festivals in the last few years yet I already feel a difference in working with a smaller rural festival like Afterglow. There’s a close connection to the organizers and I feel like I’m a part of this festival’s community.

How Do You Feel Afterglow Will Impact Bridgewater?
SR: I hope people will see this festival as an opportunity to venture out in the evening and enjoy Bridgewater’s downtown and its riverside loveliness. We may not think of the arts when we think of Bridgewater but perhaps we will. Artistic blood flows all through our community. Afterglow is a good reason to bring people out and our artistic community together to savor this.

MB: Maybe we’ll see some galleries displaying local art in downtown Bridgewater one day.

Susan Robertson. I discovered ikebana many years ago and was awestruck at the first arrangement I ever saw. I spent a few years living in Japan some time after that where my love for this art form grew. Then in 2009 I was lucky to find Miyako not long after she moved to Nova Scotia from Tokyo. I have been studying with her in Halifax ever since. I moved to Lunenburg County 11 years ago for work but I’m now retired. This recent ‘reorientation’ in my life has given me a chance and the time to play with my creativity.

Miyako Ballesteros. I am a teacher of the Sogetsu School of ikebana. I have been practicing since 1996 and currently hold the rank of Second Grade Sanyo. I co-own and teach at the ikebana shop (http://theikebanashop.com/) in Halifax. As the name implies, the shop offers everything ikebana--supplies, lessons and arrangement services. The shop also offers many other things Japanese. It has come to be known as "the Japanese shop" in Halifax!

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Industribe

Squashasaurus

spine book poetry

have we met before? - Ikebana

Afterglow Art Festival

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Industribe

Squashasaurus

spine book poetry

have we met before? - Ikeb﻿ana

Afterglow Art Festival

Archives

Categories

have we met before? - Ikebana