Art Pays Me

Aux Tale Gravy Music Group is a Toronto-based record label, dedicated to developing richness, shifting the culture and changing the status quo in world music. From their cookhouse to the world, Aux Tale Gravy's dynamic team shares a signature ‘one pot' recipe of simmering spices, serving a variety of cultural music dishes that ‘feed the people', everywhere. Aux Tale Gravy is passionate about working with an authentic roster of artists, creating lasting ‘legacy work' preserving unique sounds in an international commercial music landscape. Our conversation revolves around the formation and vision of Aux Tale Gravy their roots in Nova Scotia. The label, founded by Reid, NIV, and Kayla, aims to support artists from diverse backgrounds, particularly those from Black and Brown communities. They emphasize a strategic approach to marketing, focusing on authenticity and cultural heritage. The label's name, Aux Tale, symbolizes elevating artists from humble beginnings to prominence. They are currently in a niche selection process for new artists, prioritizing those who align with their vision. The discussion also touches on the importance of ethical practices, teamwork, maintaining authenticity and their artist Siddartha.

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2024 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. Presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, these awards celebrate artistic excellence across Mi'kma'ki. This would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. On this episode I spoke with Emerging Artist Award recipient, Susanne Chui.  A central figure in Halifax's contemporary dance community, Susanne became Co-Artistic Director of Mocean Dance in 2012. With Mocean, Susanne has developed roles in works by Heidi Strauss, Serge Bennathan, Tedd Robinson, Lesandra Dodson and Claire French, and co-created Burnwater: Alchemy with Erin Donovan (Hear Here Productions). Susanne trained professionally at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre and was based in Toronto from 1999-2007. During that time she danced for many independent choreographers and extensively with Yvonne Ng, with whom she toured to Singapore in 2005. She was a founding member of TILT: sound + motion dance company, where she had the pleasure of performing works by some of Canada's finest choreographers including, Robert Abubo, Marie-Julie Asselin, Bill Coleman, Lesandra Dodson, Deborah Dunn, Sasha Ivanochko, Sharon Moore, and Heidi Strauss. Since returning to Halifax, Susanne has become immersed in the dance community collaborating with dance artists Jacinte Armstrong, Lesandra Dodson, Veronique MacKenzie, Gwen Noah Dance, Phin Performing Arts, as well as with SiNS, a collective she co-founded in 2005 with Jacinte Armstrong and Sara Coffin. Susanne collaborates across disciplines, working regularly with master musician Jerry Granelli and teaching at Creative Music Workshop, an annual improvisation-based summer program. As a choreographer she has received funding from Canada Council for the Arts and Arts Nova Scotia and her works have been presented in Moncton, Toronto and in Halifax by Kinetic Studio and the TD Halifax Jazz Festival. She was the first recipient of Kinetic Studio's Explorations Choreographic Scholarship and was the 2012 recipient of the Diane Moore Creation Scholarship. In 2016 she received the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia's Masterworks Award, for her role as a dancer in Mocean's Canvas 5 x 5, choreographed by Tedd Robinson. An active arts manager, Susanne has worked in various roles in the arts community. She has served on the boards of Live Art Dance Productions, Kinetic Studio and the Legacy Centre for the Performing Arts, and participated on various committees and juries including Arts Nova Scotia, City of Halifax, Nova Scotia Talent Trust and the Canadian Dance Assembly. She is a member of Dancer Transition Resource Centre, Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists and Canadian Dance Assembly.

Elise Campbell is a multimedia artist based in Stillwater Lake, Nova Scotia. Working primarily with wool, silk, and other natural fibres, she creates sculptural pieces that push traditional craft boundaries and the limits of wool as a medium by exploring human-nature relationships through textural forms, histories, and surface design. Utilising both contemporary techniques such as needle felting and nuno felting alongside the traditional craft of wet felting, she creates work that reflects narratives of ecological movement, weaving in themes of environmental stewardship. Inspired by both found specimens and botanical watercolour illustrations, Elise's body of work is growing from fungi and algae/kelp to include historical and currently relevant ecology specimens. Elise's dedication to elevating wool fibre to fine craft is evident in her commitment to innovation and collaboration. Her work has garnered recognition and support from prestigious institutions such as the Canada Council for the Arts, The Robert Pope Foundation, and the Denis Diderot Grant, and has been showcased in galleries across Nova Scotia, British Columbia, and Ontario. Through her creative endeavours, residencies, and an international felting study, Elise strives to both inspire and embrace innovation and collaboration, fostering a collective responsibility to protect and cherish our natural home, Earth. We talked about our first time meeting through an art jury, her love of felting and why she only recently started identifying as an artist. We also talk about a very raw and beautiful documentary that she starred in called Hold Fast | A Tattoo That Fits and Flows. In this award winning short film by tattoo artist, Chad Harrington Elise generously shares the journey to getting her first tattoo.

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2024 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. Presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, these awards celebrate artistic excellence across Mi'kma'ki. This would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. On this episode I spoke with Emerging Artist Award recipient, Kaashif Ghanie.  Kaashif Ghanie [he/him] is a mixed first generation Guyanese Canadian Muslim Ceramic and Visual Artist working in Kjipuktuk/Halifax in the Wonderneath Art Society KG Ceramics Studio with his partner, Kate Grey. Ghanie's art practice merges historical Islamic vessel shapes and motifs from his family members prayer rugs into a contemporary visual language. He graduated NSCAD University in fall 2015 with a bachelors degree in ceramics and a minor in art history.

Kordeena Clayton is the owner of She Nubian Liberation Art & Apparel, founder of Takin' BLK Business Initiative Co-operative, co-founder of the Takin' BLK Gottingen and Markets. A 7th generation descendant of the first African migrants to ever accompany Nova Scotia, a proud African Nova Scotian Queer Visual artist who focuses on the importance of representation of Black and Brown people; Inclusivity and self-embracement. Known for Unapologetically Black and Unapologetically Queer Apparel, photography, graphic and clothing design, film making and painting. Clayton states “Exploring the photograph archives at the Black Loyalist Centre during my art residency May 2022, I was very intrigued by the collection and the style of photography amongst the old photos. I came to the centre with an open mind towards creation and with very few ideas. The twelve portraits displayed in this piece were of the many that spoke and/or stood out to me each day I canvased the albums. Curious about their stories that I may not ever know, their presence and existence should not be forgotten and this is a way to keep them in memoriam.”

Camille Georgeson-Usher, PhD, is a Coast Salish / Sahtu Dene / Scottish writer, artist, and scholar from Galiano Island, British Columbia, unceded territories of the Penelakut and Lamalcha First Nations, as well as other Hul'qumi'num speaking peoples and is the ceded traditional territories of Tsawwassen First Nation. She is Assistant Professor, Modern and Contemporary Indigenous Art at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC in the department of Art History, Visual Art, and Theory. Usher completed her MA in Art History at Concordia University. Her thesis, “more than just flesh: the arts as resistance and sexual empowerment,” focused on how the arts may be used as a tool to engage Indigenous youth in discussions of health and sexuality. In addition to her academic work, she serves on several boards, currently she is: Co-Chair of the Toronto Biennial of Art; a Board Member of the Inspirit Foundation; and Secretary and Board Member of the Canadian Art Foundation. Cover photo credit Donna Usher

In this throwback to my chats with the participants in our 2023 collaborative exhibition with Haliente – Arte & Movement, I spoke with artist, Beverly McKay.

In this throwback to my chats with the participants in our 2023 collaborative exhibition with Haliente – Arte & Movement, I spoke with artist Mike Kasongo.

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2024 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. Presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, these awards celebrate artistic excellence across Mi'kma'ki. This would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. On this episode I spoke with Emerging Artist Award recipient, Jack Wong. We talk about Jack's process for producing children's books as an author and an illustrator, the meditative benefit of shooting the same basketball shot over and over and how the lessons learned from that repetition inform his art practice. We also talk about why having a certain amount of conflict with creative collaborators can actually be a good thing.  

In this throwback to my chats with the participants in our 2023 collaborative exhibition with Haliente – Arte & Movement, I spoke with artist Colin Cook.

In this throwback to my chats with the participants in our 2023 collaborative exhibition with Haliente – Arte & Movement, I spoke with artist and educator Kim Cain about the importance of movement in her creative practice and what concepts she feels kids need earlier and more frequent exposure to in the classroom. Hot yoga sequence: standing to down dog   Hot yoga sequence: supine to bridge

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2024 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. Presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, these awards celebrate artistic excellence across Mi'kma'ki. This would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. On this episode I spoke with playwright, multimedia artist and creative entrepreneur, Tara Taylor – recipient of the 2024 Black Artist Recognition Award.  

Multidisciplinary artist Ibe Ananaba describes getting early inspiration from his older brother, exploring different mediums and why his approach to painting is similar to carving. He also takes us on a deep dive into the thinking behind one of his paintings and a lesson he helped me learn from my first experience as a curator.

In this throwback to my chats with the participants in our 2023 collaborative exhibition with Haliente – Arte & Movement, I spoke with Gloire (John) Aelfaz about his multi-disciplinary practice. Despite being relatively new to the Halifax art scene at the time, Gloire managed to find diverse ways to get his work seen while also exploring multiple mediums of expression. I also reveal the start of a new era for Art Pays Me.

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2024 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. Presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, these awards celebrate artistic excellence across Mi'kma'ki.  In this episode I interviewed Oriana Duinker, Executive Director of the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia about the amazing ways that they support Nova Scotia's writing community. We also talked about the significance of winning the Creative Community Impact Award and I came away from the chat feeling inspired to write the book I've had in my head for a few years! This special edition series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. artpaysme.com

Jennifer O'Connell is a multidisciplinary artist based in New York City. We talk about Jennifer's approach to making art, why it brings meaning to her life and how an unexpected Instagram co-sign from art critic, Jerry Saltz impacted her art practice. Jennifer also talks about fear and the double standards applied to women in the art world.

Marissa Sean Cruz is a digital multimedia and video performance artist from Kjipuktuk (so-called Halifax). Cruz's topics of interest are related to labour, power and surveillance as seen through digital platforms and pop culture. Their experimental videos comprise found footage, 3D modelling, sound design and costumed performances to look at value systems with critical sensibility. These satirical works aim to capture a fast-paced contemporary present and envision possible, liberatory futures.  Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.  Award categories are as follows:  Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré  Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist  Indigenous Artist  And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia's creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000! Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. artpaysme.com

Lydia Zimmer, a graduate of The Boston Conservatory (BFA '11), is a dancer and choreographer in Halifax, NS. Lydia has created several works supported by Canada Council for the Arts and Arts Nova Scotia. These include 'Bonne Nuit,' Live Art Dance (2016); 'Embankment,' Votive Dance (2017, 2021); 'Sonderlings,' Nostos Collectives (2018), 'Sonderling,' Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal (2019) & 'Extremophile,' FODAR (2021). Recent creations include 'Mercurials' commissioned by Mocean Dance (2022), a work for The Boston Conservatory's First-year students (2023), and 'Xenofauna', which was created for Atlantic Ballet Theatre's ImpactFest 2023 during a residency with the company. In the summer of 2023 Lydia launched ZIMMERDANS at Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal where an excerpt of The Devil's Intervals was performed, a full-length work that premiered through Live Art Dance in December 2023. Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.  Award categories are as follows:  Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré  Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist  Indigenous Artist  And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia's creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000! Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. artpaysme.com

Nancy E. Oakley is a Mi'kmaq/Wampanoag artist who was raised in Mashpee, Massachuttes but now lives and works on the Eskasoni First Nation Reserve in NS She is a graduate of the Institute of American Indian arts in Santa Fe, NM and studied for a year at NSCAD, taking courses in Photography, ceramics, weaving and jewellery making. Through softly curved pottery forms created by hand or by the wheel. Nancy creates culturally significant pieces that imbue her spiritual and traditional knowledge and honor her role as a mother. Her process is a collaboration with the land. Clay harvested from mother earth and shaped by hand Pieces are stone polished and smoke fired outdoors with fir tips, seaweed and sawdust imprinting beautiful smokey finishes. Her pots are adorned with traditional Mi'kmaq embellishments such as black ash, beadwork and/or braided sweetgrass. Nancy is a mother of 6 and grandmother of 5. Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.  Award categories are as follows:  Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré  Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist  Indigenous Artist  And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia's creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000!  Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. artpaysme.com

Juanita Peters is known by many people, as many things. She is an actor, journalist, news anchor and playwright, film and theatre director. As a writer and director some of her films include: I Made a Vow Hannah's Story Africville Can't stop Now 8:37 Rebirth…which has picked up multiple awards in Canada, New York, London and Paris. Juanita Peters directed two seasons of the Film Nova Scotia Award winning dramatic series “Studio Black” and the multiaward-winning television series DIGGSTOWN. As a playwright she has given us: The San Family The Mother Club I M Possible The Green Book Founding member of Women In Film and Television Atlantic and Found-ing member of Atlantic Canada's newest multicultural festival Nova Mul-tiFest. Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.  Award categories are as follows:  Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré  Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist  Indigenous Artist  And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia's creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000!  Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. artpaysme.com

Jah'Mila is a reggae singer from Kingston, Jamaica, now based in Atlantic Canada. With a deep-rooted love for traditional roots reggae, her music blends the vibrant spirit of Jamaican roots music with elements of jazz and modern soul. She has been blessed to share stages with renowned acts like The Wailers, Black Uhuru, and Groundation, which has enriched her journey as a reggae artist and cultural ambassador. Jah'Mila is passionate about social justice and uses her music as a platform for both a form of entertainment and activism, advocating for community, inclusion, and support for the arts. Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.  Award categories are as follows:  Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré  Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist  Indigenous Artist  And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia's creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000!  Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. artpaysme.com

Garry Williams is an actor, director, singer, writer, musical director, and composer-lyricist. He received a Merritt Award for his performance as Polonius/Gravedigger in Hamlet, and for his original score for KAMP. Previous nominations include Gloucester in King Lear, Ambrose in The Miracle Man, and Isaac in A Tournament of Lies. His Merritt-nominated scores include Pinocchio, as well as Crypthand, Twelfth Night, Peter Pan and Eduard II/The Jew of Malta. He has written over a dozen additional scores, scripts, and appeared in countless productions in Nova Scotia, and across Canada. He has co-created experimental works including Café DaPoPo and DaPoPo's The Drinking Game as DaPoPo Theatre's Artistic Director, and curated the Live-In Festival for ten years. Most recently, he wrote music & lyrics for Rain on the Parade, musically directed the River Clyde Pageant: A Windfall in the Hollow, and directed A Beginner's Guide to the Night Sky. Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.  Award categories are as follows:  Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré  Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist  Indigenous Artist  And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia's creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000! Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beats. artpaysme.com

Arte & Movement is a series featuring artists who exhibited work during the Halifax Salsa & Bachata Festival. Dedicated to the crafts-womanship of monster making, Elanor's practice focuses on creating other worldly creature masks and coordinated prosthetics aiming to animate the uncanny in the film industry.  

Moses Diallo is the director and owner of Haliente Creative Studio, an organization in founded in 2017 to increase the awareness of Afro-Latin dance in Nova Scotia, especially in the City of Halifax.  He started the Halifax Salsa & Bachata Festival (formerly “Salsa on Argyle”) to encourage community engagement through the medium of dance. Moses believes this event proves that the language of dance is universal.

African Nova Scotian Music Association (ANSMA) are recipients of the 2023 Creative Nova Scotia award's Community Impact Award. On this episode, I chat with Julien Matwawana, their first Executive Director about who they are and their impact on Nova Scotia's music industry. This series of Creative NS award winner interviews would not be possible without the support of Arts Nova Scotia, The Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, Heist and Keke Beatz. Visit artsns.ca to nominate a Nova Scotia based artist or apply for awards and grants for yourself.

Meet Amanda Spriggs a Halifax/Dartmouth based comedian. Amanda and I have been pocket pals as she puts it for a long time and it was nice to get to know more about her views on life, the Halifax comedy scene and relationships. 

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2023 Creative Nova Scotia Awards.  Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.   Award categories are as follows: Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist Indigenous Artist And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia's creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, these awards are worth $75,000! Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotia based artist or be a boss and nominate yourself! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. On this episode I got to chat with Emerging Artist Award winner, Koumbie (she/they) and special guest Eleanor (she/her). Koumbie talks about how their interest in dance and performance arts led to script writing, filmmaking and becoming one of the first on-set intimacy coordinators in Nova Scotia.

On this episode, I chat with a chef for the first time on the podcast! Michelin-trained Gabrielle LeGuerrier, Head Chef of GourmetGab Events and Pertu gives some insight into the private dining events that she hosts with her husband, European Sommelier, Gabor Bodo.

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. The awards are presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council. The goal is to celebrate excellence in artistic achievement – notably, the Portia White Prize. Winners of the Prix Grand Pré, the Established Artist, Emerging Artist, Indigenous Artist Recognition and Black Artist Recognition awards as well as the Creative Community Impact Award are also honoured. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000. Visit artsns.ca to nominate a Nova Scotia based artist or apply for awards and grants for yourself. On this episode I chat with 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Emerging Artist Recognition Award recipient, I'thandi Munro. I'thandi is a multi-disciplinary artist whose love of movement travels through all of her art from metalsmithing to dance. We talk about the value of sticking with the first idea you feel strongly about in the creative process, being inspired by your children and the freedom that mastering your craft through repetition offers artists.

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. The awards are presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council. The goal is to celebrate excellence in artistic achievement – notably, the Portia White Prize. Winners of the Prix Grand Pré, the Established Artist, Emerging Artist, Indigenous Artist Recognition and Black Artist Recognition awards as well as the Creative Community Impact Award are also honoured. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000. Visit artsns.ca to nominate a Nova Scotia based artist or apply for awards and grants for yourself. On this episode I chat with Prix Grand Pré Award winner, Clara Dugas about being a professional storyteller. Clara tells us how she realized that her very personal stories were impactful when they helped her connect with students in her previous career as a teacher and how the passion blossomed from there.

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. The awards are presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council. The goal is to celebrate excellence in artistic achievement – notably, the Portia White Prize. Winners of the Prix Grand Pré, the Established Artist, Emerging Artist, Indigenous Artist Recognition and Black Artist Recognition awards as well as the Creative Community Impact Award are also honoured. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000. Visit artsns.ca to nominate a Nova Scotia based artist or apply for awards and grants for yourself. On this episode I chat with 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Emerging Artist Recognition Award recipient, Tyshan Wright. We talk about Tyson's creative process and how Jamaica and Nova Scotia's intertwined histories influence his work. Art Pays Me is sponsored and produced by Glitterati Communications.

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. The awards are presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council. The goal is to celebrate excellence in artistic achievement – notably, the Portia White Prize. Winners of the Prix Grand Pré, the Established Artist, Emerging Artist, Indigenous Artist Recognition and Black Artist Recognition awards as well as the Creative Community Impact Award are also honoured. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000. Visit artsns.ca to nominate a Nova Scotia based artist or apply for awards and grants for yourself. On this episode I chat with Dancer, Sarah Prosper about receiving the Indigenous Artist Recognition Award, and how she's living a life of dance.

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. The awards are presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council.  The goal is to celebrate excellence in artistic achievement – notably, the Portia White Prize. Winners of the Prix Grand Pré, the Established Artist, Emerging Artist, Indigenous Artist Recognition and Black Artist Recognition awards as well as the Creative Community Impact Award are also honoured. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000. Visit artsns.ca to nominate a Nova Scotia based artist or apply for awards and grants for yourself. On this episode I chat with Nova Scotian music legend, Cyndi Cain about her music, spirituality and winning the Portia White Prize. We also talked about the meaning behind her brand, ‘We Been Here' and why she's passionate about working with creative youth.

On this episode I chat with Ash Young, the Executive Director of the Inverness County Centre for the Arts. They are the recipient of the Creative Community Impact Award for. Ash gives some insight into the centre's beginnings, their program offerings and why they are important to Inverness County and Beyond. 

We talk about early days as an artist and letting go of fear to make the work we were meant to create. We also talk about the role of spirituality in her music and why I should commit to my goal of one day visiting Africa. In addition to the music, Domanique is truly an enterprising artist with a lot on the go; to start, she has landed major  sync placements with L'Oreal Paris, Unilever Brands (Dove, Vaseline, Shea Moisture) and more, Led a sold-out TEDx Talk with a full performance, Featured at Uganda's Pepsi World AIDS Day for audience of 40,000+, has headlined her own shows and opened for TIFF film premieres to Mr. Vegas, Grammy-Award Winning artists Eddy Kenzo and Wale, to being the featured performer at events including Black Diamond Ball Awards, the United Nations, and more. Domanique produced RBC's The Imagine Summit, supporting artist-entrepreneurs in imagining beyond the limitations of the current global climate, by offering exclusive access to industry leaders, mindfulness training and financial resources. Connect with Domanique: Website | Spotify| Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | YouTube

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. The awards are presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council.  The goal is to celebrate excellence in artistic achievement – notably, the Portia White Prize. Winners of the Prix Grand Pré, the Established Artist, Emerging Artist, Indigenous Artist Recognition and Black Artist Recognition awards as well as the Creative Community Impact Award are also honoured. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000. Visit artsns.ca to nominate a Nova Scotia based artist or apply for awards and grants for yourself. On this episode I chat with 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Emerging Artist Recognition Award recipient, Andre Fenton. Andre talks about his early interest in writing, telling stories and his yearning for characters that reflected his experience and his community. Today he's creating those stories and characters himself. We talk about Andre's creative process and he lets us know what it means to him to be acknowledged for his contributions to the Nova Scotian creative scene.

Martins Madumere is an artist who's difficult to put in a box. His diverse interests and penchant for developing new skills has given him some valuable perspectives on life and creativity. We discussed his 30 minute a day philosophy when it comes to learning and how it's like “putting in reps” as an athlete. We also talk about society wanting us to pick one identity when the reality is that we can be artists and athletes and more. 

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. The awards are presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council.  The goal is to celebrate excellence in artistic achievement – notably, the Portia White Prize. Winners of the Prix Grand Pré, the Established Artist, Emerging Artist, Indigenous Artist Recognition and Black Artist Recognition awards as well as the Creative Community Impact Award are also honoured. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000. Visit artsns.ca to nominate a Nova Scotia based artist or apply for awards and grants for yourself. On this episode I chat with 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Black Artist Recognition Award recipient Tonya "Sam'Gwan" Paris. We talk about the influence of her intersecting identities on her art and how daily life and ancestral experiences add meaning.

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. The awards are presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council.  The goal is to celebrate excellence in artistic achievement – notably, the Portia White Prize. Winners of the Prix Grand Pré, the Established Artist, Emerging Artist, Indigenous Artist Recognition and Black Artist Recognition awards as well as the Creative Community Impact Award are also honoured. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000. Visit artsns.ca to nominate a Nova Scotia based artist or apply for awards and grants for yourself. On this episode, I speak with Creative Nova Scotia Established Artist Recognition Award Winner Frances Dorsey. You might remember Frances from our Craft Pays Me series. Frances is primarily a fibre based artist whose work is very much informed by – and in some instances in collaboration with nature. We discuss how her fascination with plant life both under and above ground impacts her practice and how it feels to be acknowledged for her work.  Art Pays Me is a production of Glitterati Communications. This award series is co-produced by Heist and Keke Beatz Films.

Singer-songwriter, STORRY talks about the importance of diversifying your skills when you're an independent artist, moving to London to further her music career and how she brings operatic sauce to songs she's featured on.  We also talk about working with UK artist, Stormzy, the release of her deluxe album, CHIII The Come Up and why she brings awareness to sex trafficking in her art.

Welcome to a special series of Art Pays Me interviews with the winners of the 2022 Creative Nova Scotia Awards. The awards are presented annually by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council.  The goal is to celebrate excellence in artistic achievement – notably, the Portia White Prize. Winners of the Prix Grand Pré, the Established Artist, Emerging Artist, Indigenous Artist Recognition and Black Artist Recognition awards as well as the Creative Community Impact Award are also honoured. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000. Visit artsns.ca to nominate a Nova Scotia based artist or apply for awards and grants for yourself. On this episode, I speak with Creative Nova Scotia Emerging Artist Award Winner Séamus Gallagher. We talk about some of the challenges and benefits of living and working as an artist in Nova Scotia, how they manage their multi-disciplinary creative practice and how it feels to be acknowledged for their work.  Art Pays Me is a production of Glitterati Communications. This award series is co-produced by Heist and Keke Beatz Films.

On this episode, I chat with Singer songwriter & Healer, Amai Kuda et Les Bois about their new album, the challenge of following multiple passions and the impact of truly living the message in your art. This podcast is a production of Glitterati Communications.

On this episode, I chat with writer, actor and director Jackie Torrens of Peep Media about how she became a filmmaker. We also discuss her latest documentary film, Bernie Langille Wants To Know What Happened To Bernie Langille. The story follows Bernie, a man on a journey to better understand a tragedy that impacted his family for multiple generations.

On this episode of Art Pays Me, I chatted with singer Nikki Yanofsky about the journey back to her roots in Jazz music. Nikki shares what it was like blowing up at a young age and getting the chance to be mentored and work with legends like Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock. We also talk about Nikki's now project, ‘Nikki by Starlight', why she recorded it on a vintage RCA 77C microphone and what causes God to walk out of the room during the creative process.

On this solo episode I share some exciting news and discuss why our parent company, Glitterati Communications will be more visible going forward.

On this episode I chat with my friend – Architect, Omar Gandhi about how we met, what it's like receiving global accolades for your work and why he values keeping his practice small. We also talk about winning the bid to design large cultural institutions like the new building for the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and why smaller projects like the Blue House are just as, if not more important.   When I first started this podcast, Omar was one of the first people I wanted to speak to. He told me that he was down to do the show but I admit that I was too intimidated to lock him in for an interview. I'm excited to finally have him on! See what Omar's up to on Instagram.

Artist and producer Waants and I talk about his new music and what it means to be in your “flop era”. We also talk about how success as an artist is sometimes less about technical proficiency and more about how well you're able to connect with people.

Singer-songwriter Bruno Capinan hopped on the podcast to talk about their new album Tara Rara and producing art that challenges racial, gender and sexual conventions. 

On this episode I chat with JUNO-nominated artist, hill of iamhill about her creative interests, collaborating with Mike Schlosser, Web3 and her feelings about the relationship between art and technology.

In this episode I chat with singer-songwriter Teagon Johnston – except she/they are so much more than that. Teagan, like many of us is exploring creativity in multiple areas including, modelling, acting and writing. We talked about working in these different spaces, travel, changing their artist name from Little Coyote to her government name and why coyotes continue to be significant to her identity. Your can learn more about Teagan by checking out her website and following her on Instagram.

Artist Miya Bailey breaks down his art origin story, how he pursues his many creative outlets from tattooing to sculpture, and how his latest enterprise Peter Street Station Is helping him fulfill his personal mission of elevating Black artists in Atlanta. We also talked about why women are the shit, how our egos get us in trouble as men and the conflict artists have with capitalism.