Call for Expressions of Interest – ASTeRIX Director/Co-Directors 

ASTeRIX invites expressions of interest for a three-year appointment beginning July 1, 2022 as the Director or Co-Directors of ASTeRIX, a Faculty of Fine Arts Research Centre. ASTeRIX supports the research and creation of objects, narratives, and experiences that investigate intersections in the arts. Through transdisciplinary conversations and collaborations, we aim to generate dialogues around pressing concerns of our time and rethink what is possible.

Responsibilities of the Director/Co-Directors include the day-to-day management and operations of the research centre, coordinating the ASTeRIX Steering Committee and Graduate Assistants, and liaising with the ASTeRIX Membership. The Director(s) may also represent the centre at national and international events (conferences, exhibitions, workshops, performances, maker conventions). A formal report on centre activities and development is provided by the Director/Co-Directors to the ASTeRIX Steering Committee, the Dean of Fine Arts, the Vice-President Research, and to the four departmental Chairs of the Faculty of Fine Arts annually. Duties in the areas of Research and Administrative Leadership are described briefly as follows:

1)  Contributing to ASTeRIX’s performance as a vibrant  hub of exploration, including spearheading and supporting programming initiatives, managing centre assets, identifying the potential for infrastructure growth;

2)  Supporting and advising ASTeRIX Membership;

3)  Building ASTeRIX’s reputation as a significant contributor to the academic and artistic landscapes through collaborations with both university partners and external communities, industries, and organisations; and

4)  Pursuing funding sources in support of ASTeRIX’s activities in accordance with the University of Lethbridge Centres and Institutes Policy.


The following qualities are required. Prior experience with the ASTeRIX Steering Committee is considered an asset.

●  Exhibiting a history of, or demonstrable interest in, expanding artistic practices in the Fine Arts through the lens of transdisciplinary research-creation

●  Holding a tenured, tenure-track, or Instructor III position in the Faculty of Fine Arts

●  Demonstrating an ability to articulate the centre’s on-going research-creation directions, objectives, and outcomes for the duration of the appointment

Interested individuals should submit a CV and a one-page expression of interest that addresses a vision for both the development of ASTeRIX and a plan for Research or Administrative Leadership (see Centres and Institutes Policy, Appendix C).[1] For individuals considering co-directorship, submit an expression of interest independently or conjointly. Expressions submitted conjointly should come from two individuals who intend to work together as co-directors.

Submit to the ASTeRIX Steering Committee at Asterix2423@uleth.onmicrosoft.com


[1] Reviewing the University of Lethbridge Centres and Institutes Policy regarding the role and responsibilities of the Director position is recommended, including specific expectations for Research and Administrative Leadership as described in Appendix C.

ASTeRIX Presents: Behind the Art with Jackson 2bears

Do you love art? Are you curious what happens behind the scenes in an artist’s studio?!

Jackson 2bears, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Arts and research and Associate Professor in Arts Studio, will take you Behind the Art to reveal his multifaceted creative practice. Discover how Jackson explores the aesthetics of contemporary Indigenous identity and in what ways his work considers his own identity through an engaging conversation with our host.

Jackson has exhibited his work across Canada in public galleries, museums, and artist-run centres, as well as internationally in festivals and group exhibitions. He has much to share with you, so please join us and our host, Dr. Arlan Schultz, composer, professor, and ASTeRIX steering committee member, for this online event through Zoom on Thursday, February 3 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Event link: https://uleth.zoom.us/j/91838741017

RECAP // Intersections: What in the World is Research-Creation?

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Intersections series event: What in the World is Research-Creation?

We conversed with our guests about their interpretations and reflections about research-creation, learning about their creative processes and projects along the way. The panel discussed different topics including how they approach and think about research and creation in their work, use of technology, listening in to our bodies and out towards our surroundings, the importance of art in our lives, and reflections on society.

Missed or want to review some of this intriguing conversation and exploration about research-creation in the arts? View a full recording of the event on our YouTube channel:

We look forward to seeing you next time!

Next event: Gathering+

Join us on January 21 and 22 for our next event, an interdisciplinary workshop bringing curious minds from across the fine arts together! Check our website soon regarding how to register for this exciting Gathering+.

Happy research and creation, 

What in the World is Research-Creation?!

December 2, 2021 – 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. on Zoom 

It's research!
It's creation!
No, it's research-creation!
Wait, what's that?

Join host and Asterix Graduate Assistant Jaime Johnson with Master of Fine Arts students Jaimee Jarvee, Christina Milinusic, and Carla Simon as they explore research and creation in the arts through the lens of their own work and processes.

The term and methodology of research-creation recently gained significant recognition and popularity; however, its meaning varies even to many people who use it to describe their own work. This informal discussion visits the many paths and terms surrounding this topic including practice-based research, research-based practice, and more.

They will also consider and discuss how student artists define their work, communicate their practices, and present their research and creation to those inside and outside the arts. 

Register here for this free event: 
https://uleth.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAkdemhrDIiGNXjaOIs5vJ0OOvvO3jAZkc2


Carla Simon    

Carla was born and raised in Arco Idaho. Graduated with a bachelors in Costume Design with minors in Theatre and Art, from Brigham Young University Idaho in 2004. Married Peter Simon in 2005 and moved to Canada. She volunteered at the community theatres in all the towns she has lived, and she loves creating Halloween costumes for her four children.  She moved to Magrath in 2018 finally close to a the University of Lethbridge. With her kids all in school she decided to return to school for her Masters in Fine Arts, emphasis in Costume design for Drama. 

Christina Milinusic 

Christina Milinusic is an audio professional who has provided live sound reinforcement since founding her company Unity Sound in 2005. She is the current chapter head for SoundGirls Alberta and has experience working as an electronics technician, technical director, and recordist. Christina is currently a IMMA Masters student at the University of Lethbridge.

Jaime Johnson  

Jaime has called Lethbridge home for many years and enjoys being involved in the community’s theatre scene. She designs costumes for many of the local community and professional theatre companies. She is currently pursuing her Master of Fine Arts degree, focussing on costume design. Her interest in the macabre has played a role in the direction her research is going and she looks forward to her thesis show next spring!  

Jaimee Jarvie

Jaimee Jarvie graduated from the University of Lethbridge in 2013 with a BMus in vocal performance. She has taught private voice lessons for twelve years and is currently a sessional instructor at the university teaching the University of Lethbridge Singers. In the summer of 2019, after a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, Jarvie decided to return to the University to pursue a MMus and is currently creating a thesis project entitled Responding to MS Through – A Research-Creation Project. This project is a combination of live music, and recorded interviews, and focuses on singers within the MS community. Interviews will focus on topics such as: diagnosis, disease modifying therapy, defining disability, and singing through disease, to name a few.   

Behind the Art: Dr. Monique Giroux

Enjoy music? Appreciate art?
Dying to know what happens behind the scenes?!

Featured artist Dr. Monique Giroux is ready to share it all!

Listen and converse with Dr. Giroux, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Music, Culture, and Politics and Assistant Professor in the Music Department at the University of Lethbridge, about how she got into the field of indigenous music research, addressing Métis cultural revival and resurgence, and working with archives and community. Throughout a lively discussion with our host, see images and hear recordings as Dr. Giroux shares with us the path that led to and background of her work, critically exploring how music is used to negotiate relationships between Indigenous nations and settler populations.

Please join us and our host, Arlan Schultz, artist, professor, and ASTeRIX steering committee member, for this online event through Zoom on:
Tuesday, November 23 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 

Click here to register for the event

ASTeRIX and Casa present: ART/WORK: Introduction to Casa

Thursday, May 6  7:00 p.m. on Zoom

Need studio space and equipment in order to make amazing art? Look no further than the downtown facilities at Casa, Lethbridge’s community art centre. Learn about available resources including spaces and equipment for pottery, printmaking, photography, live entertainment, and more as well as about the exhibition program in the Gallery at Casa.

Meet Casa staff and Uleth fine arts graduates Angeline Simon and Katie Bruce, who will showcase these professional facilities to help you transition to working in the community as a practicing artist utilizing these incredible spaces and resources. Co-hosted by ASTeRIX graduate assistant Tyler Stewart, this free casual event focuses on making community connections and fostering relationships in the arts.

Register today! http://bit.ly/IntroCasa


About ASTeRIX
 

Interested in critically and creatively exploring the ramifications of emergent technologies through a transdisciplinary research-creation lens, ASTeRIX supports the research and creation of objects, narratives, and experiences which investigate the intersections of art, sound, and technologies. As a research-creation centre, ASTeRIX brings together educators, researchers, students, artists, and the community at large to work across disciplines fostering training/mentorship and collaborative research opportunities.

About Casa 

Located in downtown Lethbridge, Casa, a unique arts centre, supports experimentation, incubation, learning, and growing. Built to serve a multi-generational community with varying art skill sets and interests in all disciplines of the arts, Casa sets a new standard for interdisciplinary arts centres.

Working Hard or Hardly Working? How to Start and Sustain a Career in the Arts

Event Recording and Social Media Contact Links

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our second Intersections series event of the term, Working Hard or Hardly Working? How to Start and Sustain a Career in the Arts.  

We conversed with our panel of amazing professional artists as they reviewed and reflected on the winding paths that led them to their current positions and discussed how to best navigate the endless possibilities of attaining a successful career in the arts. Topics included how to gain essential skills in our art practices when working in positions outside our chosen field, when to say “yes” and, more importantly, when to say “no,” the necessity of building strong relationships, benefits of collaboration within and without your field, and more! 

Missed or want to review some of these valuable topics?
View a full recording of the event here:  

https://uleth.zoom.us/recording/detail?meeting_id=B1YZhN2vQaanetnzqULLPQ%3D%3D 

Want to know more about the panelists current work? Read on! 

Jesse Northey, Artist Manager 
victorypool.ca  
@victorypoolmusic 

Christopher Schultz, Marketing Director, Triglass Productions
topherschultz.com 
triglassproductions.com 
@Topher.exe 

Geneviève Paré, Associate Director of the Canadian Wilderness Artist Residency 
http://canadianwildernessresidency.ca/  

Kasia Sosnowski, AAC Works Manager, Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge
kasiasosnowski.com 
@bad.bucket  

We look forward to seeing you next time! 

Working hard or hardly working? How to Start and Sustain a Career in the Arts

Tuesday, March 16 – 7:00pm via Zoom

Registration Link:
https://uleth.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJErceiupj8oHNNiKbAOztXjM93pSJcHW_CT

“How do I start a career in the arts, and how do I sustain it?” These often-asked questions by many Fine Arts students have no simple answer. For many students, the goal of pursuing a Fine Arts degree is to “become an artist,” however, simply being an artist does not come with a paycheque. 

Becoming an artist often involves a trade-off between dedicating time and energy to sustaining your artistic practice and working a “day job” in order to pay the bills. Whether new media, drama, music, or visual arts, some clear employment paths in the arts exist, such as graphic designer, actor, singer, or painter, as well as many less obvious including lighting technician, properties master, luthier, and preparator. 

Featuring former BFA students explaining their own “long and winding road” working in the arts, this Intersections event examines the importance, value, and methods of pursuing “day jobs” directly relevant to your artistic practice.   Attendees of this panel-style discussion will hear about some atypical job opportunities in the arts and discuss how, why, and where the panelists found these jobs including both good and bad experiences. 

While this panel will not tell you “how to get a job,” we will look at important topics such as: 

  • Complementing your artistic practice with an artistic “day job” 
  • Transferability or “leveraging” artistic skills to other employment sectors 
  • Importance of volunteerism to increase paid opportunities 
  • The role of networking and relationships in getting gigs 
Jesse Northey’s background as a musician and recording engineer led him toward other jobs as his interest in the music industry grew. With past work for Alberta Music, Six Shooter Records, and CKUA, he has since started his own music management company and record label, Victory Pool.

Jesse Northey’s background as a musician and recording engineer led him toward other jobs as his interest in the music industry grew. With past work for Alberta Music, Six Shooter Records, and CKUA, he has since started his own music management company and record label, Victory Pool.  

Geneviève Paré is an award-winning theatre artist, filmmaker, and co-founder of Mudfoot Theatre. She is also a wilderness guide and Associate Director of the Canadian Wilderness Artist Residency. She is drawn to the rustic, the absurd and the abstract, and believes storytelling is multi-dimensional and essential as the construction, renewal, and celebration of collective identity. 

Christopher Schultz is an international award-winning Canadian new media artist that specializes in video production, motion graphics, & digital marketing campaigns, known for his work with professional sports teams in the NFL, NBA, NHL, & MLS. He currently resides in Minneapolis, MN, acting as the Marketing Director for video production agency, Triglass Productions.

Kasia Sosnowski graduated with honors from the University of Lethbridge with a combined BFA in both Art History & Museum Studies, and in Art Studio in 2014. With previous work experience at The Banff Centre and the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, she now works at the Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge as the AAC Works Manager. She recently finished a two-month artist residency at Medalta in the Historic Clay District in Medicine Hat, making work for her show “SNEEK-E-PEEP’N” which just closed in the Project Space at the Esker Foundation in Calgary. Her work has also been shown in Lethbridge, Edmonton, and Auckland, NZ, with other upcoming exhibitions planned for 2021.   

Behind the Art: Sonny Day Rider

Enjoy music? Appreciate art? Dying to know what happens behind the scenes?!

Enjoy music?

Appreciate art?

Dying to know what happens behind the scenes?!

Featured artist, Sonny Day Rider, is ready to share it all! Listen and converse with Sonny, a contemporary indigenous composer and pianist involved in research that integrates his traditional sound world with western art song practices. Explore Sonny’s unique and diverse musical palate utilizing disparate genres of music and sound as he shares and discusses his research and creative activity with us.

Please join us and our host, Arlan Schultz, artist, professor, and ASTeRIX steering committee member, for this online event through Zoom on Tuesday, February 9 at 7:00 p.m.

Register here for the event link:

https://uleth.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUlcuyorDIqEtYzvXbdY6odY_mRKL5v0abS

About ASTeRIX

ASTeRIX (Art, Sound, Technology, Research Intersections) Centre for Research-Creation brings together educators, researchers, students, artists, and the community at large to work across disciplines, fostering training/mentorship and collaborative research opportunities. ASTeRIX is interested in critically and creatively exploring, through a transdisciplinary research-creation lens, the ramifications of emergent technologies.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work Event References

Thank you to all who joined us for ASTeRIX’s first Intersections series event of the term, “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: The Hows and Whys of Artistic Collaboration.”

Presenter info 

Hali Heavy Shield, member of the Blood Tribe of southern Alberta; PhD student in visual art and Blackfoot storytelling

Thea Patterson, choreographer, performer, dramaturge, and researcher
https://theapatterson.wordpress.com/

Migueltzinta Solis, mestizXXX interdisciplinary artist; PhD student in Cultural, Social and Political Thought
https://migueltzinta.com/

Tyler Stewart, curator, writer, and MA candidate in Cultural, Social, and Political Thought
https://teestewww.com/

 
References and reading 

Archibald, Jo-Ann. 2008. Indigenous Storywork: Educating the Heart, Mind, Body, and Spirit. UBC Press. https://www.ubcpress.ca/indigenous-storywork  

Bennett, Jane. Vibrant Matter : a Political Ecology of Things.Durham: Duke University Press, 2010.   

Assemblages are ad hoc groupings of diverse elements, of vibrant materials of all sorts. Assemblages are living, throbbing confederations that are able to function despite the persistent presence of energies that confound them from within. They have uneven topographies, because some of the points at which the various affects and bodies cross paths are more heavily tracked than others, and so power is not distributed equally across its surface. Assemblages are not governed by any central head: no one materiality or type of material has sufficient competence to determine consistently the trajectory or impact of the group. The effects generated by an assemblage are, rather, emergent properties, emergent in that their ability to make something happen (a newly inflected materialism, a blackout, a hurricane, a war on terror) is distinct from the sum of the vital force of each materiality considered alone. Each member and proto-member of the assemblage has a certain vital force, but there is also an effectivity proper to the grouping as such: an agency of the assemblage. And precisely because each member-actant maintains an energetic pulse slightly “off ” from that of the assemblage, an assemblage is never a stolid block but an open-ended collective, a “non-totalizable sum.” (24) 

Cole, Arda L., and Knowles, J. Gary. 2007. Handbook of the Arts in Qualitative Research. Sage Publishing. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/handbook-of-the-arts-in-qualitative-research/book226626 

Kieley, Kelli, and Naveau, Natasha. Dec, 9 2020. “What does a meaningful collaboration between settler and Indigenous artists look like?” CBC Arts (online). https://www.cbc.ca/arts/what-does-a-meaningful-collaboration-between-settler-and-indigenous-artists-look-like-1.5833448  

“Through their work, the duo have been learning a great deal from each other and say their collaborations have been successful because they listen, communicate honestly, and face problems with courage.” 

Lacasse, Serge, and Stévance, Sophie. 2013. Research-Creation in Music and the Arts: Towards a Collaborative Interdiscipline. Taylor & Francis Group. 

“Rather than focussing on individuals, we envisage research-creation in music as a collaborative territory. Accordingly, to respect the dual expertise so indispensable to the field, the favoured approach most often involves bringing creators and researchers together within a single project in which they pool their expertise, in the spirit of collaboration (Smith and Dean 2009a). Thus, the approach is not merely focussed on the individual (researcher-creator or creator), but on the combination of the abilities of each participant put to use for the good of the project” (16). 

“… we strongly believe that one of the most promising paths for the future of the approach involves collaboration, so that rather than putting an emphasis on the individual artist, the focus shifts toward the objectives of the project” (136-137). 

“While cooperation designates the mere grouping of individuals aiming at specific results, collaboration corresponds to a dynamic framework of activities within which a small group of individuals interact in the pursuit of a common goal. In this case, they work together in the context of interdependence and the acknowledgement of each other’s expertise…” (138). 

“Thus, cooperation is characterized by informal relations between individuals who generally work independently and whose respective results are later drawn together, often without systematic interaction between them. Conversely, a collaborative research-creation project is a voluntary process in which experts work together dynamically on the grounds of a shared understanding” (138). 

Robinson, Dylan. 2020. Hungry Listening: Resonant Theory for Indigenous Sound Studies. University of Minnesota Press. 

[The book’s final chapter is a transcription of a conversation between author Dylan Robinson, along with scholars Deborah Wong and Ellen Waterman] “How to arrive at a collaboration based on Deep Listening? For sure, it wouldn’t be an artist writing a strategic grant to take advantage of new Canada Council funding for Indigenous arts. I suspect that a truly ethical collaboration would have to start with an invitation from Indigenous artists and not the other way around. … Exactly: it’s all about listening. I don’t yet know how to do it, but I know I aspire to a radical willingness to claim nothing. To claim no knowledge, no authority, and maybe not even request collaboration: I wonder whether elevating collaboration as the ideal terms for encounter isn’t another kind of hunger. Maybe the first step is to sit just outside the door, without any expectation that we might even be invited in” (246).