I vote for culture because...

...without it, we're no different than our pet gerbils. The Harper government has been on a bit of a hacking spree as of late, and the arts are feeling the pain. Shout loud, people. This one needs to be heard, and there are lots of ways to raise the volume as we near election day.

• Become a fan of culture
• Learn about the various arts and culture policies
• Find out more about the candidates in your electoral district (Guelph, Toronto, other)
• Let Margaret Atwood tell you why 'to be creative is, in fact Canadian'
• Send an email to the organizers of the National Leaders Debate to ensure arts and culture stays on the agenda
• On October 14th, get off your ass and vote!

Stumble

The wee one is teething, which means he isn't napping, which means I haven't really had any spare time to do silly things like surf the web. I used to spend hours online, hopping from one hyperlink to the next. Occasionally I'd stumble upon something bookmarkworthy like Stories From Space, Orisinal, Retrievr, or Whip Up. Most days I'd find something useless like the Acme Heart Maker but I'd still manage to get some enjoyment out of it. Now I look back at those days and it seems like I was conducting valuable research as a social theorist. I've got no idea what's happening 'out there' anymore. I didn't even know that 'Making Happy' had gone bye-bye. Sigh. Anyways, wee one currently sleeping and I've had the rare opportunity to do some stumbling:

• Andree-Julie Tardif
• Ellul Ceramics
• Jennifer McGregor
• True Up
• Danette Relic
• Write About Here

Studio visit

This morning, the wee one and I took a stroll downtown for his 6 month check up. (Yes, six months already! Hard to believe...I'm due back at my desk in about 181 days. Not that I'm counting or anything) Anyways, after a lovely visit with the doctor and nurses, we popped into the Red Brick Cafe for a nibble (mmm...panini) and then walked over to the Trafalgar Building to chat with Pearl Van Geest. I've been a fan of her canvases for years now, and the other day it occurred to me that I may be able to rent a painting instead of gawking at four bare walls. So she showed me what was available and ta-da! She's going to drop off a painting tomorrow! If any locals are interested, the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre also has an art rental program. Perfect for those of us that are too darn afraid to commit.

Speaking of which...I also ran into Maria Pezzano who was busy working away on a new series. She'll be having a show at the MSAC show this February. Congrats to her!

Now if I could only get my butt in gear and do some painting...