ARTS EAST

Danny Bilsborough, NSCC alumna and owner of Danny B Studios, has spent most of her days consulting various clients on software options for their new business endeavours.  Although she’s been involved with assessing some really exciting projects, nothing makes her happier than grabbing her brush and splashing colour on a canvas. That’s why she’s decided to take the plunge into becoming a full-time artist. “I was always so scared to try using colour, but when my daughter was born and the opportunity came to incorporate these new palettes into her life, they quickly found their way into mine,” she says. Colour brings light to many things and gives people a sense of enjoyment. Markus Maier explained in his academic journal titled Color Psychology that colour carries great meaning and can have an important impact on people's affect, cognition and behaviour. Bilsborough’s favourite pieces to create are those of nature and animals – a quick look at her online Etsy pag...

Grandpa Pike’s Outhouse Reader   is not about outhouses; it’s about history, rural living, family, religion, places that are gone, ordinary people who have done extraordinary things. Recently we spoke with Grandpa Pike himself about the book. What inspired you to become a writer? I believe that it all starts with reading. My father had a huge library--I didn't read much of that because it was mostly religion-based. He was a Minister. (Got enough of that trying to get through all the 'begats' in the Old Testament.) Then I discovered the school library - most of my time in grade school and high school I borrowed and read a book a day. I still love to read. If one appreciates good writing it is a short step then to start writing. Are they the same reasons you do it today? Yes. The desire to have a 'voice'. The love of storytelling. What are the challenges of the profession? Finding a publisher or market for your words. Being 'timely'--wri...