ARTS EAST

Chatham, New Brunswick-born Raymond Fraser is the author of more than 20 books of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. His literary canon has been recognized through such as honours as   New Brunswick’s Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for High Achievement in English-language Literary Arts   and the Order of New Brunswick. Farley Mowat once described Fraser as “the best literary voice to come belling out of the Maritimes in decades,” and over the years the author has developed a broad and devote readership. In this interview, Fraser talks about his fifth short story collection,   BLISS and other stories   (Broken Jaw Press), released in the fall of 2013. What inspired/motivated you to put this book together? RF: I started working on the collection in 2011 and finished it a year later. Before this I'd spent four years on my novel THE MADNESS OF YOUTH, and was in a mood to do some things I wouldn't be so long getting to the end of. I could finish a story i...

In October, Newfoundland author Linda Abbott released her sophomore effort, The Hull Home Fire (Flanker Press), the gripping account of the deadly 1948 inferno at a private hospital for the aged and infirm in her hometown of St. John’s. Recently AE spoke with her about the book and all things literary. What motivated and/or inspired you to write this book? LA: Newfoundland's history has always fascinated me as it is filled with tragic events that shaped the people. My mother witnessed the fire in 1948 and mentioned it to me. I had never heard of it and neither had anyone else I spoke to. I was quite shocked by this as thirty-four people died in the fire which took place in St. John's where I was born and raised. I felt writing a fictional story around the actual fire would bring to light one of the most devastating fires in the history of the island. Did the work come together quickly or did you really need to work at it? LA: Once I had researched all the fact...

Our next guest writer is author and poet Anna Quon. Now a practicing Baha’i, she describes some of her Faith’s holy days observed this time of year, and how she continues to be “spellbound” by Christmas. Magic, Holy Days Photo by  Creative Badger Studio By Anna Quon As a child growing up in a culturally-casual, agnostic family, I was still caught up in the magic of Christmas. The actual holiday usually deteriorated into a tired, sugar-fueled, stress-encrusted bicker fest and ended with disappointment and headaches, but the period of anticipation, lasting a month or more sparkled and shone. I loved staring into the Christmas tree, where glass balls hung like planets against a galaxy of coloured lights, the evergreen scent to be forever associated in my mind with star fire.  I religiously studied the Sears Christmas Wish Book, and prayed silently to the empty sky for snow. Now that I am in the middle of my life, I thank my parents for their tolerant approach t...

In this next Holiday Perspective guest post , we hear from Halifax-based photographer and visual artist, Eliot Wright . He shares what he misses most from Christmases growing up in Newfoundland. Spruce Tree,  Former Montague Gold Mines Site, NS, 2013 The Family Tree By Eliot Wright Growing up in Newfoundland, I never once bought a Christmas tree. I don’t remember how young I was when I cut my first tree, but I expect I wasn’t much older than four. Who did the cutting—whether it was my father or I—well, it didn’t really matter; it was the hunt and the connection to nature that was most important. I expect it was dad who did the cutting in those early years, and it was I who was left to bushwhack our way through the snowy woods. I revel in the family story of my mother collecting me from my father’s house at age two, only to find me “playing” with an axe in the back yard. Sounds frightening, but I’m sure the reality was much less alarming than the tale. Noneth...

In the first of our Holiday Perspective guest post series, we hear from author and artist, Robin McGrath. Before celebrating Hanukkah this year, she was tasked to explore a Labradorian Christmas tradition. A Writer’s Christmas in Labrador By Robin McGrath Hanukkah came early this year, beginning at sundown on November 27 th .  It’s particularly early in Labrador where the nights are long and the sun sets in the middle of the afternoon. Hanukkah was always a pretty low key event in our house.  We ate latkes—potato pancakes—and the kids played poker and dreidels and other games of chance.  And of course we lit the candles each night and sang the Maoz Tzur. Now, with the kids grown and gone and the grandchildren far away to the south, it’s even lower key.  We still do the candles but the heart-valve clogging latkes are limited to the first night only.  Ours is the only Jewish household for literally hundreds of kilometers. Christmas came e...

We would like to say a special thank you to soprano Nicole Jordan , mixed media artist Tara Arnold , book publishers Flanker Press and the National Film Board for donating holiday gifts to our Arts East ’s writers. Since Arts East is currently volunteer-run, we wanted to find a way to reward the nine writers who this year contributed their time and talent to cover Atlantic Canadian art stories and events. Thanks for recognizing this group of fine contributors with your generosity and artistic/creative presents!  Nicole Jordan is a classical singer born who was born in Trinidad and raised in Halifax. She specializes in chamber music, early music, and art song repertoire. http://www.nicolejordan.info Her Christmas album,   Solstice includes traditional songs spiced up with her rich and soaring voice, lively percussion, and Spanish guitar.  It is available online at iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/solstice/id577668564 and CDs are available at...

Welcome to Arts East’s Holiday Gift Marketplace! Over 25 Atlantic Canadian artists, musicians, authors, craftspeople and organizations have shared their creations for your gift giving desires. They are displayed in random  order to encourage you to check out the diversity of talent.