Shauna Oddleifson, BFA

(She, Her, Hers)

Communications and Marketing Strategist

Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
Office: CCS 177
Phone: 250.807.9864
Email: shauna.oddleifson@ubc.ca


Responsibilities

Faculty research promotion
Development of promotional material for recruitment purposes
Writing content for faculty, student and alumni profiles
Undergraduate and Graduate program promotion
Student Recruitment, graduate and undergraduate
Alumni Relations
Support for events in FCCS departments (promotions, logistics, planning)
Faculty wide event planning
FCCS websites updates and content creation
Social media content management

 

Jan 27 Alterknowledge slide

Okanagan Relations: Culture, Heritage and the Relationship Between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Peoples

What: Alternowledge discussion series – Panel Discussion
When: Wednesday 27 January at 7:00pm
Where: Laurel Packinghouse, 1304 Ellis Street, Kelowna
Cost: Free

Join us for a lively panel discussion about the role of historians and heritage museums in representing the Okanagan’s colonial history and the relation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

This event is the first of two major public events this term as part of UBC Centennial “celebrations” organized by the AlterKnowledge project.

In its recommendations for reconciling relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report identifies the need for education to “remedy the gaps in historical knowledge that perpetuate ignorance and racism.” This includes the role of “dialogue forums and public history institutions such as museums and archives” to build understanding and forge new relationships.

Panelists:

Jordan Coble, Sncəwips Heritage Museum
Roxanne Lindley, cultural ambassador for Syilx (Okanagan) knowledge
Culyer Page and Amanda Snyder, Kelowna Museums
Sharron J. Simpson, author of The Kelowna Story

The AlterKnowledge Discussion Series is organized by FCCS faculty members, Allison Hargreaves and David Jefferess.

Information about future discussions can be found on our web page, www.ubc.ca/okanagan/fccs/news-events/ongoing/alterknowledge.html

Wanda Nanibush slide

Cipes talk slide

What: Beecology: Organic / Biodynamic Food Gardens for People and Pollinators
When: Thursday, January 21, 7 – 8:30 PM
Where: Downtown Kelowna Branch, Okanagan Regional Library, 1380 Ellis Street
Cost: Free admission, registration encouraged

On Thursday, January 21, 2016, the Public Art Pollinator Pasture Project and the Okanagan Regional Library will host the third talk of “The Pollinizing Sessions: A Series of Talks and Workshops to Learn About Pollinators in Our Community.” Gabe Cipes of Summerhill Winery will talk about “Beecology: Organic / Biodynamic Food Gardens for People and Pollinators.”

The talk will be held at the downtown Kelowna branch of the Okanagan Regional Library, 1380 Ellis St. Kelowna from 7 pm – 8:30 pm. Admission is free but people are encouraged to pre-register at pollinizingsessions-cipes.eventbrite.ca

Gabe Cipes

Gabe Cipes

Gabe Cipes is a Certified Permaculture designer, Beekeeper, Viticulturist and Biodynamicist at Summerhill Pyramid Winery. He works closely with the Traditional Ecological Knowledge Representatives (TEK) on the Syilx Ethical Agriculture project. He is an International representative for Demeter Canada and sits on Boards of Directors for a number of organizations that include Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia (COABC), Biodynamic Agriculture Society of British Columbia (BDASBC), Demeter Canada, and the Food Policy Council. Summerhill Vineyard is the largest Organic vineyard in Canada and has been certified for over 20 years.

In 2012, Summerhill became one of the first vineyards in Canada to receive its Demeter Biodynamic certification due to the dedication of Gabe Cipes. Through the implementation of alternative pest management together with a balanced ecology, Summerhill Winery is a driving force in the movement towards natural agricultural practices in the Okanagan.

Gabe attending to his bees

Gabe attending to his bees

“We’re looking forward to hearing about Cipes’ hands-on research around how permaculture and biodynamic practices can help support healthy pollinators, both honey bees and native bees,” says organizer UBC Associate Professor Nancy Holmes. “As we learned from our previous talks, agriculture is one of the serious contributors to issues around loss of native bees and other pollinators. We hope to hear about how gardeners and farmers can reverse these trends.”

The Pollinizing Sessions is a partnership with Okanagan Regional Library and UBC Okanagan’s research project, the Public Art Pollinator Pasture. UBC Okanagan and Emily Carr University have teamed up for a three-year partnership project with the City of Kelowna and the City Richmond to create community and public art projects around bees. The Pollinizing Sessions will host a series of eight talks and three workshops in 2016. For a complete list of these sessions visit the Eco Art Incubator blog.

The series is sponsored by the Okanagan Regional Library, The Public Art Pollinator Pasture Project, and Border Free Bees. Find out more information by contacting Nancy Holmes at 250-764-9666.

Short story slide

DBN13-EdibleMatrimony-banner

pollinator image slide

UBC Art Project Helps Community Learn about Bumble Bees

On Tuesday, January 12, 2016, the Public Art Pollinator Pasture Project will be hosting the second event of the “The Pollinizing Sessions: A Series of Talks and Workshops to Learn About Pollinators in Our Community.” Dr. Ralph Cartar of the University of Calgary will give a talk called “The Lives of Bumble Bees in the Anthropocene.”

The talk will be held at the downtown Kelowna branch of the Okanagan Regional Library, 1380 Ellis St. Kelowna on January 12th from 7 pm – 8:30 pm. Admission is free but people are encouraged to pre-register at pollinizingsessions-cartar.eventbrite.ca.

RalphCartar_web

Dr. Ralph Cartar

 

Dr. Ralph Cartar has studied the ecology of bumble bees in BC and Alberta for over 30 years, starting with his doctoral research at Simon Fraser University. He and his students at the University of Calgary have investigated the behaviour of bumble bees across a range of natural and human-altered landscapes.

“We’ll learn a great deal about the plight of bumble bees from Dr. Cartar,” says organizer UBC Associate Professor Nancy Holmes. “Pollination helps the well-being all species and ecosystems, but there is a lack of awareness of the importance of bees and other pollinating insects. This is why UBC Okanagan and Emily Carr University have teamed up for a three-year partnership project with the City of Kelowna and the City Richmond to create community and public art projects around these amazing and precious species. The Pollinizing Sessions are our first step to educate ourselves and the community about the issues around the plight of bees.”

 


The Pollinizing Sessions
will host a series of eight talks and three workshops in 2016. They include

  • Gabe Cipes of Summerhill Winery and Bistro talking about Biodynamic food gardens for pollinators (January 21);
  • Dr. Kenna Mackenzie of the Pacific Agri-Research Centre in Summerland on pollinators and farming in the Okanagan (February 18);
  • Brian Campbell of West Coast Seeds on the relationship between bees and plants (February 29);
  • Gwen Steele of the Okanagan Xeriscape Association on creating water-wise pollinator gardens (March 3);
  • Tracey Kim Bonneau (Of the Land Productions) on Traditional Ecological Knowledge and local foods (March 7);
  • Dr. Elizabeth Elle on the conservation of wild bees (April 7);
  • and author Lori Weidenhammer on how art can inspire conservation of bees (May 26).

In addition to the talks, the Public Art Pollinator Pasture will be hosting three hands-on workshops:

  • growing native plants (March 13) ,
  • making bee homes (March 20),
  • and all day workshop with Dr. Elle who will help people become citizen scientists by learning to ID different bee species (April 9).

The series is sponsored by the Okanagan Regional Library, The Public Art Pollinator Pasture Project, and Border Free Bees. Find out more information by contacting Nancy Holmes at 250-764-9666 or through Facebook “Public Art Pollinator Pasture” or through the Eco Art Incubator.

Mentorship_slide

 

Alt_poster_slide_update

“Indian headdresses” and blackface on display at the Alternator

The Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art stirs controversy with their upcoming exhibition, What does it mean to be The Problem, opening at 7pm on Friday January 8th, 2016.

Exhibition: What does it mean to be The Problem?
Opening Reception: Friday, January 8, 7pm
Artists
: Fern Helfand, Tannis Nielsen, and Samuel Roy-Bois
Exhibition dates: 8 January to 18 February, 2016

Copied from her family archive, Fern Helfand, professor of photography in FCCS,  presents a life-sized photograph of a group of children at a costume party taken in 1961. In the picture a young Caucasian boy’s cheeks are streaked with war paint as he proudly dons a feathered Indigenous war bonnet. The little girl’s face is colored black with chocolate Quik powder, and a black-skinned inflatable “Hug-a-Bug” doll dangles from her hand.

This image lies at the axis of the exhibition. Works by 2 other UBCO artists of mixed heritages Tannis Nielsen and Samuel Roy-Bois respond from their own perspectives.

Issues of cultural appropriation, stereotyping, racism and privilege aim to challenge the viewer and to prompt them to think about how they too might be implicated no matter how innocent their actions might be.

The Alternator will host an opening reception for What does it mean to be The Problem on January 8th at 7pm. The catered event is free and open to the public. In addition, there will be an AlterKnowlege public discussion forum on racism and privilege January 15th at 7pm.

The Okanagan arts community is also invited to creatively respond to the exhibition with their own artwork. An exhibition of these submissions will be mounted in the Alternator from February 5th to 20th. More information is available at www.bit.do/helfand.

The Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art is an artist-run centre located in Kelowna at the Rotary Centre for the Arts, 421 Cawston Avenue. The Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art is a registered non-profit charitable organization dedicated to the development of the creative community. Since 1989, the Alternator has shown the work of emerging Canadian artists, focused on innovative and non-traditional mediums engaged in social and cultural issues. alternatorcentre.com

AOTL2015 story_slide

Alterknowledge Nov 20 slide