Just as pretty on the inside and with double the content, our newest issue of Sad Mag features interviews with Michael de Courcy, Debora Cohen, Mode Moderne, Humans, City of Glass, among many others. Features on “The Red Light Legacy” of Vancouver’s oldest profession and Vancouver’s historical real estate market (it’s always been this bad, you guys), as well as “Gay Incantations,” “Advice from the Young at Heart” and the “Rise and Fall of Vancouver Cinema Houses.” This amazing issue is in stores now and, if you’re extra awesome (and a subscriber) in your mailbox soon!
Aspiring designer and fashion fanatic Beau Muncer is finding a way to do what he loves in “No Fun City,” Vancouver. Born in Winnipeg and raised on the Sunshine Coast, Beau moved to Vancouver in his early twenties and soon discovered his passion for personal style. Having studied Fashion Merchandising at Blanche MacDonald with a focus on design awareness, Beau is revealing his craft with the launch of his first collection, “Beau” by Reggie Terrence.
SAD MAG: Who are you?
BEAU MUNCER: My name is Beau. I’m 27 years old and I’m now an aspiring fashion designer. I moved to Vancouver in my early twenties and thought I wanted to be a motorcycle mechanic. I was apprenticing under an expert, who’d been a mechanic for 25 years, but who hated motorcycles and wanted nothing to do with them. I didn’t want to feel that way, so his experience changed my plans. I was working in bars and one night a co-worker commented on my style and suggested I check out Blanche MacDonald. A week later I did and signed up to study fashion merchandising. I learned about the process of design, from conception to production, did really well and enjoyed it a lot. I realized I was a lot more creative than I gave myself credit for.
SM: After you finished at Blanche MacDonald, what did you do?
BM: Well, school isn’t cheap and neither is Vancouver, that’s for sure. But since school, I’ve always had a vision; I knew what I wanted to do. It was just a matter of getting things together in order to do what I wanted. I struggled a little bit, trying to start a business and launch my collection. It wasn’t working so I went up North for one year to work at the West Coast Fishing Club in Haida Gwaii and save some money. Now I’m back and I’m starting my dream of building the Reggie Terrence Empire.
WORKING ON THE COLLECTION “BEAU” BY REGGIE TERRENCE
SM: Tell me more about Reggie Terrence. Who is he and what is this all about?
BM: Yeah, so Reggie Terrence is my fashion label. “Beau” is (obviously) my name and the title for one of my collections. Reggie was my grandfather and Terrence is my father. The logo is a moustache because they both had moustaches. I even got a moustache tattoo because I couldn’t grow facial hair. I was inspired to take the best of each generation, to include the lessons we learn from the people that pass them down to us and build something with that. “Beau” by Reggie Terrence is kind of like the wild child who learns the lessons, goes through the “process of life” to get to “the dream” whereas Reggie Terrence is the dream, it’s the successor, the place or person we reach when we have found our way. So basically, this is the idea or inspiration behind the Reggie Terrence label and the collection of “Beau”.
“I realized I was a lot more creative than I gave myself credit for.”
WILD CHILD COLLECTION, “BEAU” BY REGGIE TERRENCE
SM: Now that you’re in the stages of launching your label, do you think “No Fun City Vancouver” interferes or enhances that process for you?
BM: I think the biggest challenge for artists in Vancouver is money and resources. I don’t think artists decide that they’re going to become a painter or a sculptor or musician because of the money (laughs). You have to love your craft and figure out any possible way to make money at it. The good thing about Vancouver is that it’s a big little city: it seems that there’s always some sort of connection to someone. You know, someone has a brother or you dated someone’s ex or someone knows someone that is working on a music video that needs styling. It’s a benefit in Vancouver that being in a smaller city you can actually expose yourself because of the network we have here.
SM: How did you get involved with Sad Mag?
BM: (Laughs) Through knowing you (laughs)! See? You always know someone who’s doing something in this city!
SM: I guess you’re right! So what’s next for Reggie Terrence? What’s inspiring you and where do you see yourself or your product in the next few years?
BM: Well, the next little while I’ll be doing what I like to call the “Hifiger Hussle”. Tommy Hilfiger started off by selling jeans out of the trunk of his car so, you know, you’ve got to start somewhere. The pieces for the “Beau” by Reggie Terrence collection are fun and have just the right amount of edge for a young, relaxed crowd. I think the pieces could easily be found in stores like El Kartel but my long term goal is to have my own store front one day. I’d like the store to be in Kits so we’ll see.
HILFIGER HUSSLIN’
SM: Where can we find Reggie Terrence’s collections now?
BM: I’ve got a promo videoand the website is just about to be launched. There will be an online affiliation with shopify.com which will allow people to order the “Beau” product line online. Check out Reggie Terrence!
SM: Any words to the readers out there?
BM: Yeah, um, thanks so much for all of the support, especially my family, friends and everyone that’s made things possible for me so far. Working hard pays off but it’s everyone who helps that makes it all come together. Thank you!
North Vancouver born, Alannah Lee Clamp holds a BFA in Photography from Emily Carr University. Her comics ‘New Ways to Fail’ are a fairly new undertaking and so far have been exhibited in a few shows out East. Currently, Alannah is shuffling between Toronto and and Vancouver, but she likes it here. For reals.
Bam! What do you get when you mix a fashion show, live music, and a bow tie tying contest? BAM: an Alopecia Awareness event happening at Ginger62 this evening, Wednesday June 19th. Partnering with Suki’s Hair Salon and Knot Theory, Erin Leach and Tanya Huang are fundraising for the non-profit organization BAM (Bold Alopecia Movement), by mixing sugar, spice and everything nice in order to create a fun and memorable event that is close to their hearts. Two of Erin’s favorite bands, Their There and Dogwood & Dalia, will entertain, and Tanya’s tie tying contest—as well as a fashion show featuring hairstyling’s by Suki’s hair salon—means the night is sure to be a hit.
Being a lover of dance parties, hair, bow ties, fashion and great music, I jumped at the opportunity to support BAM. Not only is BAM increasing awareness about the autoimmune condition Alopecia Areta, it’s actually one that will get you involved! BAM’s Alopecia Awareness Event is not your typical fundraising dinner or auction: this dance party will keep you on the edge of your seat. Fortunately for me, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the ambitious and always smiling Tanya Huang. As the founder of Knot Theory and one of the organizers of BAM, Tanya found the time (somehow!) to chat with me on a hot sunny day about her business, BAM, and of course, about Tanya’s experiences living with Alopecia Areta.
FT: When did you find out you had Alopecia Areta?
TH: I was in Taiwan [when] my hair fell out completely. They didn’t tell me what it was. They just said, have a baby and it’ll be okay…. I was 10 years old. The last time I had my hair [was at] age 16 when I went on this diet. I was about 90 lbs. I ruined my health [because] I thought if my health were down, my hair would grow back. [However] six months later, I lost my hair again! So three years ago, the same time I started Knot Theory, I started a support group. [Right now] we have 45 members in BC and we meet every month in person. Not everyone is brave enough to come to a meet up; it takes time. Because of this group, it helped me become more open about [Alopecia]. No one knew I had Alopecia. I thought I was confident [but] there was still something I was not okay with for my whole life. There are some people in the group that totally impress me. This girl, who’s had it for two years. She lives in a suburban area, she came downtown one time, and thought ‘hey, I don’t know anyone here. I’m going to Starbucks without my wig on!’ She did that for the first time and said it felt great. I thought, wow, I couldn’t do that! I think that listening to stories like that [really] helps. I started going to hot yoga without my wig. It was really good, because everyone was still blow-drying his or her hair and I was done!
TH: [It] was overwhelming! I didn’t expect so many people to reply and post something nice. I didn’t expect my friends to react badly of course. [However,] I was worried about the people who would find me attractive. The sex appeal! I’ve always thought this doesn’t look good; guys would see no sex appeal since hair is so strongly associated with beauty and femininity. It took me a long time to [think] I could rock this. This one guy I was seeing at the time, I told him about it [before the video], but I didn’t show him. After a couple of months, he asked me to see it. He was so turned on. This was one of the hottest guys I’ve ever been with!
FT: How was your experience on Dragon’s Den? Did it teach you anything?
TH: It was a lot of fun [leading] up to going into the den. […] It was kind of nerve-wracking preparing for it, but once I was there, I was so excited! I wasn’t nervous at all. The dragons were nice. I got all five of them to say yes to me; I thought I was getting airtime for sure! I [honestly] cared about two things: the image of Knot Theory was good, and that I get aired in front of 3 million viewers. I know a lot of people thought we got funded, but almost no one I know [that goes on the show] gets funded […] I learned what I already knew going in… it’s show business. It’s not really a show, about business, it’s [just] reality TV. My plan was if I got an offer, I’d say yes. If they were mean to me, I would make a scene, scream and cry. Maybe get a reality show offer! It was a good experience…the process of being in the studio was fun.
FT: How did you come up with the concept of re-inventing ties and why hasn’t anyone ever thought about changing it up before?
TH: I studied computer science [in University] even though I’ve always loved both art and science. I always wanted to do fashion. I kept saying, I’ll do it I’ll do it! It got to me one day [that] I was all talk! I quit my job after six years. [That same] month, I was looking at my old sketchbooks and came across these ties that didn’t look like ties. I actually hated ties! This is something I admit to more now. Before I wouldn’t want to say that because a lot of my fans like ties. I developed an appreciation for ties. They [actually] haven’t changed in centuries; they went through a lot of forms in the last few hundred years. Everything else [in fashion] has changed but ties are just ties. [One night] I was watching Battlestar Galactica and came up with twenty designs. I made a prototype; [this was] the first time I put on a tie. I thought that it looked good on a girl too. I could pull this off based on something artistic that you could wear. Ties don’t have to be functional. [For example,] pants have to be comfy, but ties are just ties. You get to have a lot of freedom with it. When I started it, I wasn’t thinking functional. I designed something very architectural. Then I thought people would like it if I changed the colours. Some people like the knots, some like the art of it. The first design took 11 months; it took a year to start the company. That’s why no ones done it, because its too hard!
FT: How did you get involved with BAM?
TH: I was talking to Ken Takagi [the president of] Suki’s last year, and it got me thinking, we have a pink bowtie that’s the same colour as their brand; maybe we can collaborate! In March, I decided to do the video [about having Alopecia on YouTube]; it got a lot of response. So [this year] I talked to Ken, and I said ‘hey, how do you feel about a hair salon donating to people without hair?’ He said ‘Okay love it! Let’s do it!’ At the same time, Erin Leach from my support group wanted to do a fundraiser to celebrate alopecia. So I thought ‘Let’s all combine!’ So its Erin, Tanya, Knot Theory, and Suki’s! We wanted to do something that’s actually fun; we have a fashion show, a bowtie tying contest, and a light-hearted alopecia Q&A. The idea of BAM is to get people more exposure. [When you] give more exposure to the public about alopecia, it becomes more sexy.
If you want to support the cause, hit up BAM’s Indiegogo page to either contribute to the fund, or buy tickets to the event happening June 19th at 7pm. Tickets are $10 dollars to get into Ginger62, PLUS you get a free drink when you enter. 100% of the proceeds go to charity. Such a steal of a deal!
North Vancouver born, Alannah Lee Clamp holds a BFA in Photography from Emily Carr University. Her comics ‘New Ways to Fail’ are a fairly new undertaking and so far have been exhibited in a few shows out East. Currently, Alannah is shuffling between Toronto and and Vancouver, but she likes it here. For reals.
chromeras: one of the final projects out of VFS's GD28s
Every two months a new group of students emerges from the bowels of Vancouver Film School’sVideo Game Design Program. They are battered and weary but, as their final effort, must pitch and play their treasured final projects for an audience comprised of industry employees. This night can make or break it for young designers in the early phases of their careers. It’s about getting yourself noticed: making your mark before the next graduating class—only two months behind you—is also on the market. It’s tough, but for some VFS graduates, myself included, a successful “Pitch and Play” night can mean being picked up by a company immediately and bypassing the job hunt completely.
The end of May saw the 28th round of students from the Game Design Campus finish their games and ready their teams to present. At VFS, we call them the GD28s—I was a GD27—so you get the picture. I feel close to these teams; they’re living through a life-changing experience that changed my life 180 degrees. & just a couple of months ago, in fact. So I was curious about them, and decided to tag along to the GD28’s Pitch and Play in order to see what a difference two months makes.
During the Video Game Design program, students pursue a couple of different “streams,” which can include level design, programming, art and narrative/writing. Most students try and combine their streams according to what they want eventually to do: someone who wants to build environments would get the most use out of level design and art. The GD28s split themselves between the streams evenly, which gave the class as a whole a balanced talent set. So, when it came to splitting into teams for their final projects, the teams themselves were also balanced. This is important: imagine if you had to create a game with three artists and no programmer. It would be very difficult, but not impossible. At VFS all student teams are recommended to be between three and five members, most teams try and make themselves at least four members strong to try and give themselves as much digital muscle power as possible.
As industry night began, the audience filtered inside, greeting old acquaintances along the way and finding their seats. Sean Smiley, the announcer and “Presentation Skills” teacher at VFS, took the stage and introduced the GD28s and their first team, the students behind Demonella. It was time to see what each team had been laboring over these last months and to celebrate the challenges they’d overcome—and Demonella’s team had certainly faced a unique problem: they were the only team in the class with only three people.
Even so, Demonella’s talented trifecta rendered a fourth person unnecessary: their gamehas such unique style of art and such an interesting set of enemies (in the form of exploding teddy bears that chase the player about the stage after coming out of a “Build-a-Bear” machine) that nothing felt lacking in execution or design.
The second game, Big Jet, was one of the great unknowns for me. During my time in production, they sat all the way across the production floor from me, and this was the first time I’d ever had a really good look at their game. In Big Jet the player is a robot who creates tornados to hurl objects from the environment around him at incoming enemies. Big Jet brings with it a unique soundtrack, recorded by the team themselves, along with collaborators from the other campuses.
The best part about being indie is that you get to do whatever you want and no one can tell you otherwise. In the world of games for every game that gets completed there are a hundred that get left on the cutting room floor or that get canceled partway through production. The third game presented, Bullet Rideris one of those games where the concept is probably too absurd to have ever gotten a green light by the likes of EA, but in traditional indie spirit Bulletrider’s team didn’t let it stop them: in a world where the inside of every gun is an office building, bullets are ridden and guided to their targets by morbidly obese middle aged men with mad log rolling skills. Bulletrider, is reminiscent of retro arcade games and the recent fad of run-forevers on mobile devices.
Coming into the home stretch was the second five-person team, presenting their technically impressive game, Chromeras. For any lover of Mario Kart’s “battle mode” this is a game for you. Chromeras is a four-player game that allows players to compete with their friends in four different game modes. As with Bullet Rider being indie is all about doing things that other people haven’t: Chromeras took a big gamble by trying to be the first networked multiplayer game to come out of VFS. Senior technical instructor and self-proclaimed supreme overlord Peter Walsh had this to say among other things, “A great night with some really impressive games—including our first fully networked game with Chromeras—this is definitely the team to watch in future. Also incredibly impressive was The Horroring.”
The Horroring: a unique game with excellent execution (get it?)
Indeed. The last game of the night was certainly not a borroring, a snorroring or The Horror Ring (thanks EGM), but The Horroring: a unique concept with an excellent execution. My first thought upon seeing The Horroring’s large and well-populated world unfold was “I can’t believe one artist did all of this.” This game brought together seamless design and a charming world with just the right amount of musical ambiance to truly captivate the audience. The artist in question, Alejandro Borjas, says he was relieved at the end of the night that everyone’s presentation went off without a hitch, not all of the graduating classes can make this claim.
After the presentation, assorted industry employees, many of whom are alumni, wandered upstairs for a chance to meet students and have a few drinks. Usually, at the end of the night the head of the VFS Game Design Campus, Dave Warfield, kicks everyone out and sends them to a pub, but not this time! Several industry veterans were having such a good time playing Chromeras that poor Dave was shouted down as he tried to empty the development floor of people. According to Harry Scott, the level designer from Chromeras, “Alcohol and multiplayer games don’t always mix.”
I’ve got to say that the most impressive part of the whole night was certainly the art. In every class there are one or two games that shine visually and occasionally one where the team clearly lacked a strong artistic lead or direction. But for the GD28s, all five games were nothing short of gorgeous. One industry veteran, who shall remain nameless, but who has been around since VFS Game Design’s inception, said that he thought this was the strongest class he had ever seen.
Sad Mag loves Vancouver photographer Angela Fama and The Acorn Restaurant–we featured them both in our Vanimaux issue–so we were thrilled to discover that artist and eatery are teaming up to help celebrate Main Street’s Car Free Day, this Sunday, June 16th from noon to 7pm.
Fama will park herself and her mobile studio at the Acorn’s storefront, where she will be capturing portraits of willing participants. Select photographs from the day’s session will be included in an exhibition at the Museum of Vancouver as part of the Capture Photography Festival throughout October.
Fama was chosen, along with three other local photographers (Lincoln Clarkes, John Goldsmith and Brian Howell), to present work in conversation with legendary Vancouver post-war street photographer, Foncie Pulice, who is the subject of a full-scale exhibition on view at MOV from June 6 – January 5, 2014.
As part of The Acorn’s ongoing commitment to supporting art and artists in Vancouver, the collaboration with Angela Fama will extend to The Acorn Artist Series, where upon the restaurant will print 1000 complimentary postcard prints for customers during the month of October in conjunction with the Capture Photography Festival.
The Acorn will be open from 12pm onward for Car-Free Day, offering light snacks and refreshments.
Angela Fama is a Vancouver-based photographer who has exhibited at the National Gallery in Ottawa and the Elliot Louis Gallery in Vancouver. Her work delves into the recesses of the forgotten or ignored, often revealing unique perspectives on history through it’s temporal placement in the present day.
Directed by bassist/synth-wizard Charley Wu, “Glory” captures a casual disregard for blazing forest fires in British Columbia’s interior through projected and resampled archival footage. Working with a dream team of Vancouver’s young talent in film, the video was shot at Malcolm Levy’s (New Forms Festival, Hybridity Music) Open Studios.
On June 22nd, the brand-new Poor Planning EP will be released on cassette in a limited run through a collaboration between LGWR (Toronto) and Skylantern (Vancouver). The release show will be held at the Skylantern Studio (4359 Main St., Vancouver) and will feature an interactive live projector-looping exhibit, expanding on the effects used in the “Glory” video.
Free download of "Glory" by Square Sun
SQUARE SUN (formerly Gunshot Wounds) was formed in a garret on Vancouver’s Main St. between two empty storefronts. Their “fuck it” brand of weird folk/soft punk has drawn comparisons to Bonnie Prince Billy for the song writing, Destroyer for the bass lines, and Tokyo Police Club for no real reason. Featuring two members of Vancouver mainstay The Ruffled Feathers, but playing different instruments, Square Sun will deliver within a 20 mile radius (for orders over $20).
North Vancouver born, Alannah Lee Clamp holds a BFA in Photography from Emily Carr University. Her comics ‘New Ways to Fail’ are a fairly new undertaking and so far have been exhibited in a few shows out East. Currently, Alannah is shuffling between Toronto and and Vancouver, but she likes it here. For reals.
Jeff Downer is one of Sad Mag’s best-loved photographers; his work was featured in our Transplant Issue no.9 and Downer will be showcasing his work at Gallery 295 from June 7-July 6 2013.
As a part of a curated exhibition featuring five emerging Vancouver photographers, Downer will have his work not only highlighted, but also judged by a panel of judges from The Presentation House Gallery and The Vancouver Art Gallery. Based purely on creative merit, this show features some of Vancouver’s finest.
INDEX is the gallery’s first annual juried exhibition of emerging artists working within the medium of photography and its focus on emerging artists is particularly encouraging for an arts scene that keeps losing momentum in the city. Exploring trends and the nuanced nature of the practice, these artists will be highlighted as some of Vancouver’s most up-and-coming in one of the art scene’s hidden gallery spaces. Head down to Gallery 295 on Main St. on June 7 for the opening reception.
Sad Mag: Who are you?
Jeff Downer: I am an introverted, intuitive, feeling and perceiving being amidst a world of commotion and automation. I may go for long periods without noticing a stain on the carpet, but will carefully and meticulously brush a speck of dust off my project agenda.
I am also a recent photography graduate of an art school.
Buntzen Lake
SM: You’ve gone to school in Canada and the States and have been a part of exhibitions around the world. Where do you consider home?
JD: Home changes depending on where I aim to live.
I once found myself stranded in the Kansas city airport lying under the cool rustling of plastic ferns, listening to the mechanical sounds of the escalator, and thought, in between consciousness as I tried to sleep, I am “home.”
However, home could also be the place that is so familiar to you, that you know who is going to ring up your tall-can at the liquor store, who will pass you on the bike ride home, and that it is obviously a condominium development that is tearing up another interesting block.
This is also the place where your friends know you too well and your own history with the place runs deep.
Vancouver is this place for me.
SM: What inspires your work?
JD: The everyday.
The subject of the Everyday summons notions of normality, daily life and banality in our society as themes to work with. Portraying such themes does not mean creating rather boring or bland art, on the contrary, I believe that such themes can be subversive and thought-provoking when thought of as a direct response to the blandness and homogeneity of our culture, suburban culture in particular.
It is part of a peripheral culture that is not trying to be distinct from others, but is one, that is a product of mainstream influences and daily living.
Orgasm
SM: What is your favourite photograph?
JD: Vancouver photographer, Roy Arden’s “Monster House, Coquitlam BC 1996”, because in one photograph, Arden was able to combine the everyday, the sublime and a modern critique of our culture.
SM: How did you get involved with Sad Mag?
JD: You guys actually found me. I was living in Cambridge and received an email from a friend who got me in touch with Katie Stewart. You were working on an issue called “Transplant,” a concept that I was right in the middle of, so it was perfect.
SM: What makes Vancouver rival it’s “no fun” reputation? JD: The fact that everyone you know is in it together. And because of this, we are able to build a strong music scene, art scene, and circle of interesting individuals that keep things afloat.
SM: Is the Vancouver arts scene as dead as some people describe?
JD: Well, yes and no. If you are not friends with or going to school with any artists that are exhibiting, have a studio space, or a gallery of their own, then it will be harder to break into the “scene.”
Here, there seems to be a resurgence of interest in curating independent or emerging artists lately, which is a step in the right direction. However, because of our current rent prices, it is virtually impossible to run a little independent gallery that isn’t subsidized by the government.
Tree Rest
SM: What’s the best arts venue in Vancouver?
JD: I would have to say the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery out at UBC. Vancouver also is lucky to have a number of artist-run-centers with a lot of interesting and thought-provoking shows.
SM: Where are you as you answer these questions?
JD: I am in my apartment with my cat, drinking iced-coffee, and listening to a number of tapes my friend Amanda let me borrow. Currently Martha and the Muffins “Metro Music” 1979.
SM: What are you most excited about right now?
JD: The end of being a student to give me time to live and be an artist. And where I will go next.
