Ashleigh Green graduated with a BFA in Visual Arts. She was drawn to UBCO’s FCCS due to the encouragement of one of her high school teachers in Kelowna. Her experience on the Kelowna campus was both creatively diverse and productive within the local community:

explorations in scale, pen drawing in handmade book

“In the final year of my undergrad I was very fortunate to work as a visual artist/research assistant for Nancy Holmes’ Dig Your Neighbourhood Rutland community project . I got to collaborate with a class of writers to create and publish a range of printed books and other creative materials. It was unlike any visual arts course offered in the Fine Arts department; it provided such an insight into the publishing world, and had this wonderful collaboration between different types of creative work. I also worked on campus for Aboriginal Programs & Services, creating a variety of promotional materials for the Aboriginal centre, in media ranging from print to video. These two positions enriched my education with professional skills I would not have learned from only taking classes.”

Ashleigh was also a participant in UBC Okanagan’s Go Global program, which enables students to study abroad. “I took advantage of UBC’s Go Global program to study Illustration at the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland. I fondly reflect on my time there as the most memorable, influential, and formative year of my degree. Being exposed to new outlooks on art, different approaches to creative work, and an entirely new environment changed the way I viewed my own work and challenged me to find my voice. I highly encourage everyone to make the most of their degree by spending a year (or at least a semester or summer) abroad. It’s a wonderfully unique opportunity to travel and obtain a broader education while paying the same UBC tuition.”

Ashleigh synthesized these various experiences and applied them to work after she graduated, taking part in residencies

a shift in perspective ii, pen drawing + digital photo collage

around the world. “After a presentation Professor Renay Egami gave one morning, I knew that taking part in residencies would be the best way to continue making art after university, to meet other artists, work in engaging environments, and travel – all at the same time. Equipped with the knowledge of various types of residencies and how to apply for them from Renay’s talk, I have since been accepted to and attended residencies at SVA in NYC and HEIMA in Iceland.”

In closing, Ashleigh added: “I would highlight the small studio and classroom sizes as a great way to engage with professors and to get to know the majority of your classmates in a personal way. I would recommend any prospective BFA students at UBCO to take advantage of the 24/7 access to facilities to experiment, explore personal projects, and collaborate with whomever is willing. There is so much available to you here.”

This story was written by Brandon Taylor, English major in FCCS. Brandon is a Research Assistant in FCCS, contacting alumni to find out about their experiences here at UBCO.

4th year BFA grad student Melissa Demale finishing up paintings for the show

Shelf Life: UBC Okanagan’s 2015 BFA graduation exhibition

Who: UBCO’s bachelor of fine arts students majoring in visual arts.
What: Shelf Life – BFA class of 2015’s graduation exhibition and reception.
When: Reception takes place on Saturday, April 25th from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Exhibition will be open to the public from Tuesday, April 21st, to Sunday, April 26th between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. with extended hours till 8 p.m. on Thursday April 23rd, and Friday April 24th.
Where: UBCO’s Creative & Critical Studies Building, 1148 Research Road, Kelowna, BC.
Note: Pay parking available on campus. Admission is free with artwork and catalogues available for purchase.

UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies is excited to present Shelf Life, an exhibition of Bachelor of Fine Arts graduates majoring in visual arts. The exhibition showcases the work of 28 fourth year students whose art practices are greatly diverse ranging from 2D to 3D, digital to handmade, and abstract to representational.

The first and second floors of the Creative and Critical Studies building will be transformed into exhibition space with the show open to the public from Tuesday, April 21st to Sunday, April 26th between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. with hours extended till 8 p.m. on Thursday April 23rd, and Friday April 24th. Gallery attendants will be in foyer to provide visitors with information regarding artwork and catalogue sales.

The exhibition gala/reception will take place on Saturday, April 25th from 7 to 9:30 p.m. It is an opportunity to enjoy an exciting evening of art, live entertainment, refreshments, appetizers, and awards. Food will be provided by CrAzian Food Truck, refreshments from The Vibrant Vine Winery and Big Surf Brewery, and entertainment from ▲lpha M▲le.

“Over the course of my four years here I’ve always come to the graduating exhibition reception. It is always exciting to see the work of the graduates and how diverse each year is” says fourth-year student Connor Charlesworth. “The show really is the culmination of four years of hard work and so it’s a major milestone for us students in terms of professionalism. It’s always nice to see the community come out and look at what we have been up to and see the talent that UBCO produces. I always have a great time and am sure this year will be no exception!”

Martina Wilkison in her classroom at OKM

Martina Wilkison graduated with a B.A. in French and English. In an interview, she mentioned that she was initially drawn to UBCO’s FCCS because “I grew up in the Okanagan and have always loved living here, so UBCO was a natural choice. UBCO offered great French and English courses and the study areas that I wished to pursue.”

Martina’s academic pursuits as an undergraduate focused on literary works from a variety of time periods in both French and English. During this time, she was also given the opportunity to apply the knowledge she gained from her studies while overseas: “I was fortunate to go on an exchange to Lausanne, Switzerland. It was a great opportunity to deepen my understanding of the French language and of French cultures.” Back on campus, “I also had the opportunity to work at the Academic Resource Centre (now known as The Writing & Research Centre as a writing tutor. I enjoyed working on campus because I was able to use the skills I had developed to help other students from various academic disciplines.”

Martina’s wide range of experience, coupled with her degree, has enabled her to become a French and English teacher at Okanagan Mission Secondary while she completes her Masters in Education. “I already knew that I wanted to become a teacher when I began my BA at UBCO. It provided me with the tools that I needed to get accepted into the secondary teacher education program at UBCO. I’m thankful for the writing and reading skills that I developed during my undergrad. They have made my transition to graduate studies much smoother.”

Martina Wilkison

UBCO’s French program offers a sophisticated and multifaceted set of courses that add value to any prospective student’s applicable skills. For Martina, “my studies in French and English gave me a solid background in the subjects that I currently teach. The course options that were available in the French program gave me a wide breadth of experience, in literature studies, grammar, spoken French, and film studies. Having a degree in French has been an asset in both in my career and in my personal life (travelling, cultural experiences).”

In closing, Martina explained: “I appreciated the smaller class sizes that UBCO has in comparison to larger universities. I enjoyed getting to know my professors, an experience that I would not have had in a larger university. UBCO’s FCCS ultimately offers a quality learning environment and experience in beautiful surroundings.”

This story was written by Brandon Taylor, English major in FCCS. Brandon is a Research Assistant in FCCS, contacting alumni to find out about their experiences here at UBCO.

Joe Dermo graduated with a BA in Creative Writing. He was drawn to UBCO because he was in search of an inclusive and respectful creative community where he could nurture his writing abilities. In an interview, he said: “I had lived my entire life in Alberta, and much of the work I did would be considered blue-collar. For someone with an interest in writing, I had very little contact with actual writers–theirs was a world that seemed entirely foreign. To embrace the arts and pursue a degree in Creative Writing would be a sizable shift from the lifestyle I was familiar with.”

When Joe arrived in Kelowna and began studying at UBCO, he found that “the writers in the Okanagan tend to stick together. The experienced writers, especially the professors at the UBCO, are extremely approachable, and aspiring writers should have no problems with feeling welcome.” Joe mentioned that he found his creative stride in his third year of studies, where he won top prize for the 15th Annual Okanagan Short Story Contest. “I gave my first public reading on the night of the award, and the next day I’d been covered in various Okanagan publications. The following week, I was invited onto CBC Radio where I would give my first interview as a writer.”

Man on a Post story

Joe credits the FCCS’s collaborative atmosphere with helping him further develop his writing capabilities: “In the winter of 2013 I received an acceptance letter from The Sheepshead Review for my short story “Man on a Post.” This wasn’t just a reflection on the ability of my own writing, but also on the ability of students and professors in the program to effectively critique and edit a piece. Without the feedback I’d received, it would have been a completely different story that I’d submitted, and in all honesty, one that wasn’t as engaging.”

All of these diverse skills and experiences helped prepare Joe for his current position at Disney Interactive. “The ability to critically assess a situation and think outside-of-the-box is going to be valued in nearly any business. At Disney Interactive we’re faced with new situations each day. Of course, the ability to write well and have some creative flair plays a part in your responses as well. There’s a certain magic in Disney products, and you want to ensure that your voice can convey that. No canned messages here – be yourself, be excited about Disney Interactive’s video games, and let your writing abilities carry that in your voice.”  About both Kelowna and UBCO, Joe added that “the close-knit writing community and small class sizes are a great reason for applying to the Faculty of Creative & Critical Studies. It’s a very accommodating environment and an ambitious student should have no problem making connections.”

This story was written by Brandon Taylor, English major in FCCS. Brandon is a Research Assistant in FCCS, contacting alumni to find out about their experiences here at UBCO.

The Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies welcomes Visiting Scholars, Richard Kerridge and Roy Miki. Each Visiting Scholar will spend one week on campus working with students and faculty, and community members. Kerridge and Miki will join together for a public reading to share their recent work on Thursday, March 19th.

• What: Public Reading with Richard Kerridge and Roy Miki
• When: Thursday, March 19, 7pm
• Where: Kelowna Art Gallery, 1315 Water Street
• Admission: Free and open to the public

Richard Kerridge

Richard Kerridge is a nature writer and ecocritic. Cold Blood: Adventures with Reptiles and Amphibians, published by Chatto & Windus in 2014, is a mixture of memoir and nature writing. It was adapted for BBC national radio and broadcast as a Radio 4 Book of the Week in July 2014. Other nature writing by Richard has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and published in BBC Wildlife, Poetry Review and Granta. He was awarded the 2012 Roger Deakin Prize by the Society of Authors, and has twice received the BBC Wildlife Award for Nature Writing.

Roy Miki

Accomplished poet/artist Roy Miki is a Professor Emeritus in the English Department at Simon Fraser University, and has published widely on contemporary Canadian literature and on Japanese Canadian concerns. Miki is the author of several books, his third book of poems, Surrender (Mercury Press 2001), received the Governor General’s Award for Poetry. Miki received the Order of Canada in 2006 and the Order of British Columbia in 2009.

In addition to this public reading, Richard Kerridge will also offer a lecture on March 18th at 2:00 on campus in CS 227 as part of the FCCS Eco Cultures Research Series. Roy Miki will offer a public talk on March 23rd at 12:30 on campus in ART 112.

For more information, visit fccs.ok.ubc.ca/news-events/speakers-guests/visitingscholars.html 

The Eco Cultures Research Series focusses on the complex intersection of culture, imagination, and ecological issues.  This series connects UBC Okanagan researchers with colleagues and students engaged in diverse explorations of  today’s most timely forms of artistic and critical innovation.

This fall we had two excellent presentations from Norah Bowman,  Chair of Interdisciplinary Studies at Okanagan College, and Vin Nardizzi, Associate Professor in English at UBC’s Vancouver campus.  Their talks were inspiring and relevant to a number of faculty member’s work in FCCS.

The series continues this month:

Wednesday, March 18
Richard Kerridge, Cold Blood
2-3:30pm, CCS 227 (UBC Okanagan Campus)

Renowned writer Richard Kerridge is one of the most distinguished ecocritics in Europe today, and a highly accomplished nature writer. He has published numerous critical essays; and he is a frequent invited speaker at international conferences. In May of this year, he published Cold Blood (Chatto and Windus), a nature writing memoir about reptiles and amphibians that was serialized on BBC Radio 4.

Wednesday, March 25
Jodey Castricano, Behind the Walls: Bioengineering, Animal Advocacy and the Ethics of Control
3:30 -5:00 pm, CS 227 (UBC Okanagan Campus)

Jodey Castricano is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, teaching in the English and Cultural Studies programs. Her primary area of expertise and ethical concern is in posthumanist philosophy and critical animal studies with extended work in ecocriticsm, ecofeminism and ecotheory.

Mina Rajabi Paak graduated with an MA in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies  at UBC Okanagan. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology at an international institution, but in her third and fourth years she was drawn to electives such as Cultural Studies, Media Studies, Critical Urban Studies, and Anthropology. “Thus my honors thesis,” she said in an interview, “ended up being an interdisciplinary project.” UBCO’s interdisciplinary graduate program offers students a unique opportunity to explore various disciplines as part of their research. In Mina’s case, her focus on Sociology eventually combined with an interest in other topics. Mina mentioned that UBC’s FCCS “was from the very start one of my top choices.Also, I was in touch with Dr. George Grinnell, who later on became my master’s supervisor, before I applied to the school and we discussed my project and found a good balance between our interests. So wanting to work with him was also an important factor in my choice.”

Once Mina arrived in Kelowna, she got comfortable with the campus and the city, in general, pretty quickly.

Mina Rajabi Paak

“I found a community of friends very soon, which helped a lot with my coping process. I got used to things a lot easier and a lot faster than I had expected.” Another unique aspect of UBCO’s FCCS is that the academic support for students is incredibly robust, particularly in regards to the size of the campus: “I had a great supervisor and a small team of brilliant scholars who helped me throughout my project. So although the department and the number of faculty members were fairly small, I received a great deal of support.”

FCCS’s scholarly support led to Mina’s academic work being developed and disseminated. In Kelowna, this included participating with her supervisor in an Alterknowledge presentation hosted by the Alternator Gallery. Additionally, “I was lucky enough to get a sizable travel grant from FCCS to go to CUNY’s international conference in New York in 2014 and present a part of my thesis project to a diverse audience. The feedback that I received at the conference influenced my final project to a great extent.” Finally, Mina also participated in and won one of the two FCCS spots for the 3 Minute Thesis Competition and noted, “I recommend taking part in it to everyone!” Mina has since continued on with her academic career, currently working on a PhD in Humanities at York University. She represents one of many success stories for students of UBC Okanagan’s FCCS.

In conclusion, Mina notes: “I would encourage people to become FCCS students if they have projects or interests in mind that they can’t quite figure out or fit into any field or if they are interested in a number of areas and feel like they can’t choose to pursue only one. The space and freedom of the IGS program gives them the opportunity to define things on their own terms and create a collage of their interests without having to worry about disciplinary limits.”

This story was written by Brandon Taylor, English major in FCCS. Brandon is a Research Assistant in FCCS, contacting alumni to find out about their experiences here at UBCO.