special thanx to sandra czam stephenson
10:00pm and I’ve got the many photos loaded from last night’s entertaining and uplifting bpNichol Chapbook Awards dans l’Augusta House. Gary Barwin, Andrew Faulkner, Daphne Marlatt, Sandra Ridley, and, I myself, via a book of my excerpted writings made by Sandra Stephenson in Montreal, were the shortlisted candidates for the pleasently niched award. A thorough and multirounded celebration it was. Barwin and Ridley were pronounced co-winners, after well received readings, and after more play and much exchange of splendid modest items many carried on to the Last Temptation, ideal… the old rubric being that the self-styled independent pressers are tempted into the mainstream or at least funded publishings. Not we, this night, rather, the Last Temptation being further open ended celebrating, just about everyone seeming to have won. A celebration of friendship and of familialty in this ultimately fairly rare art form. The photos I include in this glimpse will lean to those more exotic, and involving of the photographed people who avoid the other juggernauts of internet, but will periodically glance on an item like this by and by.
way up front, gary barwin and his son await
gary barwin
andrew faulkner
gary barwin and sandra ridley accepting prize
nicky drumbolis unencumbers at last temp
jw curry in simulflash shot
the last photo taken, karen marshall curry sam journeying away
david fujino speeds up to catch up to them
5 Comments so far
Leave a comment
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <pre> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
Whenever a possible award happens involving the community, the result is most satisfactory whichever way it falls, especially including the celebrations after, which look fully as joyful as if the decision had been otherwise. In all of Barlow stuff is a real feeling of everybody counting, all having a stake in the outcome no matter who. Sometimes that, ‘everybodysense’ streams out of Barlow photos so strongly it seems like a scent, smell being our first primal sense to activate after birth. Just came home from the pool singing Harold Arlen: ‘Life is short, short, brother, (ain’t that the truth) and there is no other, (aint that the truth), if you don’t love livin,’ then you’re slightly uncouth (ain’t that the mellow truth…”) Barlow celebrations are never uncouth at all! Congratuations on your community. Off to work in 15 minutes. Rainclouds gathering, thank heavens, as the vine which fell off the house, fell directly on the hose and it will take a bit to unearth. Renku still in place but it will be easier to stick the bamboo in if the ground is wet. Have 3 yellow tomato plants to stick in this weekend too. John’s & Karen’s renku linger on. Thunderstorms likely. Renku impervious to rain but not vandals. Rose
Comment by Rose DeShaw June 26, 2009 @ 2:20 pmRainclouds gathering, thank heavens, thunderstorms likely. Rose as with everything else you turn it into pure human relation. Always welcome.
Comment by oversion June 27, 2009 @ 3:54 amThere: it is just about complete now, Sunday the 28th
Comment by oversion June 28, 2009 @ 11:36 pmLoving all the departure photos, the bikes, the catchings-up, the cat departing from its watching-spot over the proceedings. Thanks for chronicling these, John, and Rose’s appreciations. I agree. I’ve adopted “familialty” as a comfortable gradation of familiarity. Some day I’ll make a Barlow’s definitive dictionary.
Sandra Stephenson
Comment by czandra July 14, 2009 @ 2:33 pmA gala of happy souls.
Comment by Paris Elizabeth Sea July 15, 2009 @ 1:19 pm