Garden 10 – Transcendent

Hollis Nelson (BFA Emily Carr University) is a queer interdisciplinary artist living and working in the DTES of Vancouver who is best known for her hand painted wearable leather art pieces. Home-schooled in east Vancouver her upbringing involved visiting the local forests, swimming, practicing taekwondo, playing violin and making art. Hollis helped found Sunrise Studios (1115 Hastings) in January of 2015. Hollis is a painter as well as a community engaged artist. Hollis is the face of Sunrise Studios and she uses her studio space for a variety of activities; hosting up-cycling workshops, offering neighbourhood art drop-ins, showing other artists work, mentoring young artists, feeding the community, organizing clothing drives and hosting a community garden in the backyard which she tends to with other community members. Besides her community practice Hollis is a painter whose practice is recycle based wearable art. Her work responds directly to our modern world, a world prioritizing speed and convenience. Growing up a millennial Hollis grew up with the rise of fast fashion. Her painting practice is a contradiction to fast fashion, slowing down her garments and asking her viewers to re-consider what is trash. Hollis redesigns garments that are ripped, worn or damaged, turning them into one-of-a-kind art spectacles. Her pieces are bold and bright, gender and size inclusive, and reflect her love of colour and pattern. Her painting practice is her personal healing journey and her finished garments are artifacts of her time and devotion to be worn out in the streets spreading joy, love and inspiration.

Nick is a non-binary multidisciplinary artist and craftsperson, living and working in so-called “North Vancouver”. They work in a wide variety of mediums, with their current practice revolving around tattooing, illustration, zine-making, painting, experimental textile dyeing, knitting and crochet. Nick is inspired by queerness, playfulness, absurd typography, psychedelia, light falling over warehouse ceilings, and all things distorted, spiky or cute. Their work often features messages of queer joy, playful text, checkers, smiley faces, and explores the intersection between soft and tough. When not sleeping or cooking, Nick can almost always be found with pen, brush, needle or crochet hook in hand. They’ve said since a young age that as long as they can create, they’ll live a good life; so far, so good.

Hollis Nelson (BFA Emily Carr University) is a queer interdisciplinary artist living and working in the DTES of Vancouver who is best known for her hand painted wearable leather art pieces. Home-schooled in east Vancouver her upbringing involved visiting the local forests, swimming, practicing taekwondo, playing violin and making art. Hollis helped found Sunrise Studios (1115 Hastings) in January of 2015. Hollis is a painter as well as a community engaged artist. Hollis is the face of Sunrise Studios and she uses her studio space for a variety of activities; hosting up-cycling workshops, offering neighbourhood art drop-ins, showing other artists work, mentoring young artists, feeding the community, organizing clothing drives and hosting a community garden in the backyard which she tends to with other community members. Besides her community practice Hollis is a painter whose practice is recycle based wearable art. Her work responds directly to our modern world, a world prioritizing speed and convenience. Growing up a millennial Hollis grew up with the rise of fast fashion. Her painting practice is a contradiction to fast fashion, slowing down her garments and asking her viewers to re-consider what is trash. Hollis redesigns garments that are ripped, worn or damaged, turning them into one-of-a-kind art spectacles. Her pieces are bold and bright, gender and size inclusive, and reflect her love of colour and pattern. Her painting practice is her personal healing journey and her finished garments are artifacts of her time and devotion to be worn out in the streets spreading joy, love and inspiration.

Nick is a non-binary multidisciplinary artist and craftsperson, living and working in so-called “North Vancouver”. They work in a wide variety of mediums, with their current practice revolving around tattooing, illustration, zine-making, painting, experimental textile dyeing, knitting and crochet. Nick is inspired by queerness, playfulness, absurd typography, psychedelia, light falling over warehouse ceilings, and all things distorted, spiky or cute. Their work often features messages of queer joy, playful text, checkers, smiley faces, and explores the intersection between soft and tough. When not sleeping or cooking, Nick can almost always be found with pen, brush, needle or crochet hook in hand. They’ve said since a young age that as long as they can create, they’ll live a good life; so far, so good.

Classically trained on piano since age 4, Vancouver-born Jason Qiu began composing his own songs as a teenager. After a choir director told him during an audition that he couldn’t hear his voice, Qiu began a personal journey as a solo artist to rediscover his confidence as a singer-songwriter. Performing in both Chinese and English, Qiu’s songs are introspective musings on impactful life experiences.

GOLDbard’s music is a veritable potpourri of influences from jazz to folk. If James Taylor had a baby with Annie Lennox and Etta James, GOLDbard would be that baby.

Glow Motive is so-called Vancouver’s favourite new brown queer pop duo, born via email collaboration during the early pandemic. Having now played many of the city’s best-loved queer events, they are ready to give their audience some tunes to play on repeat! Glow Motive is a collaboration between prolific poet/songwriter/musician/loop pedalist Anjalica Solomon and seasoned musician/producer Oceaan Pendharkar. Following the isolation of the early pandemic, after collaborating via email, they felt so aligned that they decided to create Glow Motive. Creating together has made them grow not only as artists, but has also deepened the relationships they have with their brown, queer, gender non-conforming communities. They want other people like them to have the opportunity to see themselves and their experiences in art.

Glow Motive’s heart-warming pop sound is characterized by their luscious vocal layers and emotive lyrics. In their live show, their infectious melodies are known to bring together a diverse crowd and make everyone feel their feelings.

They are very excited to release their debut single and music video “Show Me You’re Here” in February 2023. Watch their instagram for updates on where they’re playing and what they’re up to!

Classically trained on piano since age 4, Vancouver-born Jason Qiu began composing his own songs as a teenager. After a choir director told him during an audition that he couldn’t hear his voice, Qiu began a personal journey as a solo artist to rediscover his confidence as a singer-songwriter. Performing in both Chinese and English, Qiu’s songs are introspective musings on impactful life experiences.

GOLDbard’s music is a veritable potpourri of influences from jazz to folk. If James Taylor had a baby with Annie Lennox and Etta James, GOLDbard would be that baby.

Glow Motive is so-called Vancouver’s favourite new brown queer pop duo, born via email collaboration during the early pandemic. Having now played many of the city’s best-loved queer events, they are ready to give their audience some tunes to play on repeat! Glow Motive is a collaboration between prolific poet/songwriter/musician/loop pedalist Anjalica Solomon and seasoned musician/producer Oceaan Pendharkar. Following the isolation of the early pandemic, after collaborating via email, they felt so aligned that they decided to create Glow Motive. Creating together has made them grow not only as artists, but has also deepened the relationships they have with their brown, queer, gender non-conforming communities. They want other people like them to have the opportunity to see themselves and their experiences in art.

Glow Motive’s heart-warming pop sound is characterized by their luscious vocal layers and emotive lyrics. In their live show, their infectious melodies are known to bring together a diverse crowd and make everyone feel their feelings.

They are very excited to release their debut single and music video “Show Me You’re Here” in February 2023. Watch their instagram for updates on where they’re playing and what they’re up to!

Her Tribal Roots is a collective of emotive and compassionate interdisciplinary artists.

At its ‘root’ or foundation, the collective creates from an inquisitive place: “How can empathy and emotional awareness of ourselves and others inform our artistry?” “How can we make our artistic practice and production more accessible and inclusive?” “How can we better nourish our fellow artists, audiences, and the land on which we reside?” “How can we be mindful and respectful in how we include both the cultures and people from which we draw inspiration?” Together, they have created a harmonious balance of practice and shared vision. Their creativity breathes in the contribution of vocal arrangements; the offering of Afro-Latin and Dancehall fusion movement; the soulful intertwining of Afro-contemporary, street dance, and poetry; the playful addition of clowning; the deep love for the rhythms, movements, and expression rooted in the history of the African Diaspora; and the ability to effortlessly facilitate and play with many types of intermodal connection.

Some of their credits include dancing, choreographing, and creative directing for performances curated for Children’s Fest, Vines Festival, Nelson Mural Festival, Shooting Gallery Series, the Surrey Art Gallery, and Museum of Anthropology; for Vancouver’s underground cypher staple: “Stew Jams”; for the summer AfroMad Festival; for international Afrobeats artist, Nanya; opening for world-famous AfroB and BurnaBoy; sitting on panels for the Reach Gallery and the City of Vancouver, and continually cultivating community through free workshops and free weekly interdisciplinary art sessions at the Dusty Flowerpot. Through dance, expression, and radical kindness, Her Tribal Roots strives to pay homage to the cultures and people who have influenced their artistic journeys and to foster connection between communities and with the natural world.

Alex Masse, AKA Fairything, is a writer and musician from what is colonially known as Surrey, BC. They’ve had work featured in Autostraddle, The Lyre, WMN Zine, and more, and have performed spoken word poetry at Vancouver Pride, Vancouver Fringe Festival, and others. For Alex, writing is a means of connection and expression, within themself and with others, and a major source of joy and medicine. They’re also one of the co-creators of We Were Here, We Were Queer, a literary arts zine highlighting queer SFU and FIC students, and a member of the Flaming Balloon Collective, a local youth poetry group that’s collaborated with IGNITE! Youth Festival, The Roundhouse, and more.
The subject matter of Alex’s poetry varies, but common themes include queerness, neurodivergence, nature, and recovery from trauma. It’s also not uncommon to see their musical talent enter the fray, fusing words with soundscapes and compositions–and live, it’s rare to see Alex perform without the accompaniment of their trusty Suzuki QChord.

Queer Based Media is providing a euphoric capsule centred in antique and ornate furnishings. Placed meticulously in the garden, a trans and non binary take on classic portraiture, often dominated by cis het white viewpoints. Audience will be able to place themselves in a bubble of sweet surroundings where time can shift to our control. QBM will be providing video documentation and light amplification through gold reflection.

Her Tribal Roots is a collective of emotive and compassionate interdisciplinary artists.

At its ‘root’ or foundation, the collective creates from an inquisitive place: “How can empathy and emotional awareness of ourselves and others inform our artistry?” “How can we make our artistic practice and production more accessible and inclusive?” “How can we better nourish our fellow artists, audiences, and the land on which we reside?” “How can we be mindful and respectful in how we include both the cultures and people from which we draw inspiration?” Together, they have created a harmonious balance of practice and shared vision. Their creativity breathes in the contribution of vocal arrangements; the offering of Afro-Latin and Dancehall fusion movement; the soulful intertwining of Afro-contemporary, street dance, and poetry; the playful addition of clowning; the deep love for the rhythms, movements, and expression rooted in the history of the African Diaspora; and the ability to effortlessly facilitate and play with many types of intermodal connection.

Some of their credits include dancing, choreographing, and creative directing for performances curated for Children’s Fest, Vines Festival, Nelson Mural Festival, Shooting Gallery Series, the Surrey Art Gallery, and Museum of Anthropology; for Vancouver’s underground cypher staple: “Stew Jams”; for the summer AfroMad Festival; for international Afrobeats artist, Nanya; opening for world-famous AfroB and BurnaBoy; sitting on panels for the Reach Gallery and the City of Vancouver, and continually cultivating community through free workshops and free weekly interdisciplinary art sessions at the Dusty Flowerpot. Through dance, expression, and radical kindness, Her Tribal Roots strives to pay homage to the cultures and people who have influenced their artistic journeys and to foster connection between communities and with the natural world.

Alex Masse, AKA Fairything, is a writer and musician from what is colonially known as Surrey, BC. They’ve had work featured in Autostraddle, The Lyre, WMN Zine, and more, and have performed spoken word poetry at Vancouver Pride, Vancouver Fringe Festival, and others. For Alex, writing is a means of connection and expression, within themself and with others, and a major source of joy and medicine. They’re also one of the co-creators of We Were Here, We Were Queer, a literary arts zine highlighting queer SFU and FIC students, and a member of the Flaming Balloon Collective, a local youth poetry group that’s collaborated with IGNITE! Youth Festival, The Roundhouse, and more.
The subject matter of Alex’s poetry varies, but common themes include queerness, neurodivergence, nature, and recovery from trauma. It’s also not uncommon to see their musical talent enter the fray, fusing words with soundscapes and compositions–and live, it’s rare to see Alex perform without the accompaniment of their trusty Suzuki QChord.

Queer Based Media is providing a euphoric capsule centred in antique and ornate furnishings. Placed meticulously in the garden, a trans and non binary take on classic portraiture, often dominated by cis het white viewpoints. Audience will be able to place themselves in a bubble of sweet surroundings where time can shift to our control. QBM will be providing video documentation and light amplification through gold reflection.