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indie artist in residence

Louis Rastelli

Louis Rastelli has been involved in writing and publishing since forever. In 1996, he began his own zine, Fish Piss. In 1998, he co-founded Archive Montreal with fellow publishers, a non-profit organization with the mandate of preserving and promoting local independent culture. In 2001 they launched Distroboto, a network of former cigarette vending machines converted to sell art, music, films and zines. In 2002, they founded Montreal's Expozine small press, comic and zine fair. Rastelli continues to write freelance for many different publications and also self-published numerous miniature books of fiction and historical essays. His recently published the novel A Fine Ending. He is also an avid record collector, DJ and musician and would love to find the time to become an amateur filmmaker.

featured story

Autobiographic

In Julie Doucet’s visual-journal graphic novel, 365 Days, it’s easy to question why the author records every item of minutiae. At first blush, this Montreal artist’s diary of everyday routine can seem tedious, self-absorbed, overwhelming. There’s no day (or meal) that goes unnoticed. But halfway th...

also in this issue

Skim is In: Mariko Tamaki bares all in her graphic novel

Autobio Graphic Novels

Burlesque Pirate Poetry

Indie Writers Deathmatch Winners

featured excerpt

Scientific Facts: By Virtue of Being Very True

Scientific Fact #3: Your Dad Is A Perv

I don't want to come over anymore.

Your house is ok. I mean it doesn't smell weird or anything and you've got digital cable but your dad is a huge perv.

He left MSN on in his office one time when I had to check my email. Username? Naughtystud33...

featured zine review

Some Poems by People I Like

Alland has collected works by Chrystos, Naila Keleta Mae, Jorge Lara Rivera, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna Samarasinha and Andra Simons in this anthology. These are solid poems that hit you hard with their unabashed anger and joy. It’s especially a treat to s...

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announcement

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Six-month, unpaid editorial internships available. Smart and indie-minded upstarts needed for: content scouting, writing for pencil sharpener section, copy editing, correspondence, and general office duties. Send CV and writing sample to intern@brokenpencil.com. For more information, check our internship page.

latest additions

Film Series at The Power Plant

The Power Plant gallery is in the midst of a three part artists' film series, Am I Repeating Yourself, with part two showing on July 9. The films are linked with The Plant's latest exhibition, "Affectionate Homages and Hostile Takeovers," and aim to explore the remaking of the artistic, social and political past. It's $4 for gallery members and $6 for non-members, and starts at 7pm. Watch out for part three of the series coming on August 13.

 

Learn to Silkscreen at Popfuel, Toronto

Popfuel, a Toronto membership-supported studio, is holding two all-day screenprinting workshops on July 12 and 13. Even if you don't have the smallest scrap of screenprinting know-how, the workshop covers the entire process and you can emerge ready to create at the end of the day. The course is $150, starting at 10 am until 4 pm on both days. You can also become a studio member afterward with a year's access to the facilities for an additional $195. Each workshop can hold only five participants. Click the link below...quickly!

 

Joyland- Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Vancouver

Joyland.ca is a new website dedicated to livening up the short fiction scene. A marriage of traditional publishing and the principles of social networking, Joyland has four editors set up in four major cities. Each editor selects and posts stories from writers in their locale. New stories are up every few weeks, so don't be a stranger!

 

Boston Zine Fair 2008

The annual Boston Zine Fair (formerly known as Beantown Zinetown) is bringing together zinesters, artists and small-presses from September 20th to 21st at the Art Institute of Boston. There's going to be free workshops, tons of zine tabling, bands and potluck meals, all organised by The Papercut Zine Library and Black Ocean Press. If you're interested in registering for a table or setting up a workshop, email thebostonzinefair@yahoo.com. Tables range from $5 for a single day half table to $17 dollars for a weekend-long full table. The registration deadline is September 1st, so get your registrating hats on!

 

Poor Pilgrim Island Show

Poor Pilgrim - an experimental music night in Toronto - has an amazing day planned on the Toronto Islands on July 13 with plenty of local bands, performers and installations. Two sound installations from NAISA (New Adventures in Sound Art) will be on display too, one of which features a Sonic Boardwalk that "generates a microsound landscape activated by the kinetic imprint of passing visitors" on the Ward's Island boardwalk. The show lasts from mid-afternoon until late evening. Event is weather dependent. Check the link below for more info.

 

Anchor Archive's 24-Hour Zine Challenge and Anniversary

The Halifax-based Anchor Archive Zine Library (recently renamed the Anchor Social Centre) is holding its annual 24-hour zine challenge/anniversary celebration. This year it's the big number three for Anchor! The challenge goes down Saturday July 19 til Sunday July 20. Visitors can stop by Sunday afternoon to view the completed zines and have some cake. If you'd like to participant, contact the Anchor Social Centre at the link below.

 

stef lenk's new graphic novella - TeaTime

Toronto artist, illustrator and BP designer, stef lenk, is launching the first part of her graphic novella TeaTime on Monday, June 30 at 8 pm. lenk's work has been published in the Kiss Machine books, NOW, Geist, Eye Weekly and others. The send-off for her new title is free and takes place at The Embassy in Kensington Market. Click the link below for more of her work!

 

Creativity 350 - Craft Contest

Recent reports say that we need to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million or we'll cause irreversible damage to the earth. To spread the word about the importance of the number 350, five craft-oriented magazines and blogs (Craftster, Etsy, Craft, BurdaStyle and ThriftyFun) created Creativity 350. The contest invites people to craft a project that stresses the importance of the number. You can use your DIY skills to help stop global warming! Upload pictures of your submission at the link below any time between July 15 and August 15. The winner will be announced September 25 and there's plenty of DIY prizes to win!

 

One Inch Punch!!!

Les Robots, a Toronto art collective, is holding a button contest. Let me explain: you submit an original design for a one-inch button and, if accepted, your button will appear in the Les Robots' button gallery show on Friday, August 8, at Lennox Contemporary Gallery, Toronto. Submissions are all electronic so anyone can apply, provided you make the deadline of July 21. Check out the link below for more submission info and for handy button formatting software.

 

THE THROWDOWN IN O-TOWN!!!

The Throw-Down in O-Town: The Puritan Issue 5 and 6 Double Launch Party Come hear readings from your favourite Puritan contributors including Matthew Firth, Amanda Earl, Steve Zytveld, Darryl Berger, Christina Decarie, Jeffrey Ross,rob mclennan, Nathaniel G. Moore, and Kate Heartfield. Prepare yourself to witness the ultimate grudge match, as two literary juggernauts, Moore and mclennan, square off in a no-holds-barred, poetry-career-ending death match debate! Where: The Babylon 317 Bank St. Ottawa When: Friday June 27th, 7 PM - 10:30 PM. Thirsty? Fully licensed event. 19+ Cost: This is a fundraising event. A small donation at the door would be greatly appreciated. Babylon Nightclub, 317 Bank Street, Ottawa www.youtube.com/bowlbrawl

 

[MONTREAL] Lickety Split launches issue #6, seeks volunteers

Local indie smut staple Lickety Split will be launching their sixth issue--The Risk Issue--on Friday, July 4 at Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent). Starting at 9 p.m., $10 will get you a copy of the latest issue along with entry to the event. Bands scheduled to perform include The Hot Springs, Hollerado and On Bodies, and burlesque dancing by the Dead Doll Dancers will help put you in the mood. Like games? Who doesn't! The Risk Issue launch party will also feature smutty games like Twister, Seven Minutes in Heaven, Risk and more. And don't forget to take advantage of the Dirty Photo Booth, whose contents may appear online at www.licketysplitzine.com or in the next issue of the zine! In the words of the event organizers: "Lickety Split #6: The R I S K issue includes tons of daring new work exploring the chance-y, dark and playful with photos of sex in public and needle play, an essay on being queer in prison, profiles on Lamda Instanbul and Sharing Is Sexy, 'Dangerous Ladies' pulp fic...

 

10 LESSONS LEARNED IN 10 YEARS OF PUBLISHING ZINES

NOTE: Because it does not seem possible to have line or paragraph breaks on this website, I’ve separated each paragraph here with a bunch of underlines (____). Sorry if it looks confusing… 10 LESSONS LEARNED IN 10 YEARS OF PUBLISHING ZINES by Louis Rastelli Although it’s currently on hiatus, I published Fish Piss Magazine between 1996-2006 (see www.fishpiss.com for more info), and thought that this would be a great place to share some of the lessons I learned from the experience. ______ 1. The issue is never finished. At some point you just have to print it and put it out. ______ 2. If you’re starting a varied zine that is open to submissions, then what you decide to put in the first issue greatly affects what you receive as submissions the next time—i.e., put in lots of poetry, you get lots of poetry. Put in a really gross cartoon, you get even more disgusting cartoons. This leads to another lesson: ______ 3. Putting in really good interviews or well-researched article...

 

Sweet Candy Distro

Possibly the cutest and pinkest distro around, Sweet Candy has been in operation since 2004. It has a massive collection of zines, many of which share stories of love, heartbreak and memories. There are also informative zines about body issues, parenting, cooking etc. There are great write-ups for each zine and tons of other accessories to browse through: beads, fabric, papers, one-inch buttons, bath products and menstrual pads.

 

Emily Schultz Poetry and Werner Herzog's Stroszek

Poet Emily Schultz will be reading from her Trillium Award-nominated book Songs for the Dancing Chicken and screening Werner Herzog's Stroszek. Schultz's work is heavily influenced by Herzog's, which she uses as "linguistic launchpads" for her poetry. Herzog fans will probably recognise lines from his famous films and details from the director's life intertwined throughout Schultz's work. The reading/screening will take place June 26 at 7:30 pm at the Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Ave., Toronto. Admission is free!

 

10th Annual Parkdale Film and Video Showcase

reHAB, the 10th Annual Parkdale Film and Video Showcase is up and running again! The eclectic showcase of new and vintage films put on by the Parkdale Beauty Pageant Society is opening on June 27th at the Revue Cinema, featuring the work of artists like Lori Chodos and Michael Toke. Other events range from outdoor screenings of Alison Latchana's Home Movies to weekend-long projection installations in Fuller Avenue homes. All events are pay what you can.

 

A Workshop in DIY Journalism

Geist Magazine and Simon Fraser University are hosting a one-day workshop on DIY journalism. The sessions aim to untangle the mysteries of blogs, podcasts and YouTube, while teaching some basics of journalism and introducing established DIY reporters and groups. The workshop takes place on July 12 in Vancouver. Check out costs, workshop information and speakers at the link below

 

Cafe Royal Distro and Underground Press

Named after a dashing looking pub in Edinburgh where the owner (almost) proposed to his wife, Cafe Royal sports a large collection of zines. The distro and zine press primarily sells illustrated zines as opposed to the written word. But the artwork is amazing, and you can flip through their products online. Check it out!

 

Don't Touch Me Launch Party

Don't Touch Me Independent Comics is launching its 18th issue this Tuesday, June 24, at the Cameron House in Toronto from 7 to 9 pm. This anthology features some of the best alternative artists in Toronto and from farther abroad. Comic artists are invited to submit their work to Don't Touch Me at the popular Toronto Comic Jam, which conveniently will take place after the book is launched on Tuesday.

 

Coilhouse

Coilhouse is a blog and print magazine that claims to be a "love letter to alternative culture, written in an era when alternative culture no longer exists." Because they believe that our society's understanding of underground culture is merely a commodity that we unwittingly buy, sell, and consume, they strive to create their own version of alternative culture. In doing so, they pull from the past and the present, the "underground" and the mainstream. Click on the link to check it out.

 

Ottawa Small Press Book Fair

The Ottawa Small Press Book Fair is happening today from noon-5pm in room 203 of the Jack Purcell Community Centre (on Elgin at 320 Jack Purcell Lane). Sorry for the short notice!

 

Pomme-Pomme Craft & Zine Fair in Montreal

On July 12 and 13, the first ever Pomme-Pomme Craft & Zine Fair will take place at La Sala Rossa in Montreal. The fair is organized by Amy Johnson of Atelier Woodenapples and Tom Devlin of Drawn and Quarterly. Their blog, posted below, is announcing daily what interesting people and companies will be showcasing goods at Pomme-Pomme. Lickety Split smut zine will be there along with cool clothing line Supayana from NYC. Time to get excited!

 

Prelude to Electric Eclectics Festival

Mark it in your calendars: Electric Eclectics Sound Art and Media Festival from August 1 to 3. It's like Evolve but for experimental music and art on a Meaford, Ontario, farm. Throughout July, there's plenty of lead-up events and exhibits in and around Meaford. Check out the link below for festival prices, venues and mention of an intriguing installation entitled "Music for Toilets: Sound Installations in the Men's and Women's Toilets of Local Cafes."

 

Tadamon! presents anti-colonial movies under the stars

Tadamon! Montreal is presenting a night of anti-colonial films under the stars on June 29 at 9pm in the lot beside l’Insoumise (2035 St-Laurent, between Ontario and Sherbrooke). But what, you might ask, is a Tadamon!? According to their website, Tadamon! means "Solidarity!" in Arabic, and the group is a Montreal-based collective focused on creating "social and economic justice between Beirut & Montreal." The collective supports the rights of all people living in Lebanon, and seeks to organize the Montreal-based Lebanese populace through education and political action on everything from immigration issues to issues of racism, poverty and labour rights. As such, their leanings are generally anti-capitalist and anti-authoritarian. So, when Quebec City announced its 400th anniversary this year, the group was naturally there to question "400th anniversary of what?" The answer is, in their opinion, "400 years of colonialism and militarism...

 

Tightrope Books Spring Launch

The people at Tightrope Books are launching their spring catalogue on Thursday, July 19th, at the Trane Studio at 964 Bathurst Street (Toronto). They will be celebrating new releases from Dayle Furlong, David Clink, and Ursula Pflug. The launch begins at 7pm and it's free.

 

This Magazine's Great Canadian Literary Hunt

This Magazine is looking for original and unpublished Canadian short fiction and poetry for their annual Great Canadian Literary Hunt. Winners will receive $750 and publication in the periodical. Click on the link for contest details.

 

Guy Maddin's My Winnipeg with Live Narration

On June 19th at 8pm, the Royal Theatre (Toronto) is screening Guy Maddin's My Winnipeg, and he will be there to narrate the film! The performance is part of the Images Festival, and you can find ticket information on their website. I have included the link here.

 

Queer West Fest in Full Swing

Queer West Fest, Toronto's alternative gay festival, launched on June 13 and runs to June 22. There's still some great events to catch! Highlights include the Queer West Film Fest at Good Catch General Store (June 18, 9:30 pm, 1556 Queen St. West) and a discussion hosted by Toronto Wilde Chats Socrates Cafe on the legalities of censoring Canadian artwork at Tinto Coffee House (June 19, 7:30 pm to 9 pm, 89 Roncesvalles). Check out the Gladstone Hotel's webpage (www.gladstonehotel.com) for saucy burlesque, music and dance nights happening this week. Link below to Queer West Fest's page.

 

The Scream is Coming

The Scream Literary Festival, an annual showcase of writers and poets, runs from July 3 to 14 this year. What began as an attempt to hijack the Dream in High Park's stage is now an established and amazing festival in its own right. This year, The Scream tackles the theme of Copyright, Collaboration and Appropriation. A smorgasbord of writers, some new, some established, are performing throughout the week-and-a-half festival. Prices range from free to suggested donations of $7 to $10 or higher, depending on the event. Venues are scattered across the GTA. Check out The Scream's page below for more information.

 

Censorship, the Arts and Government Impact

This is short notice, but the Ontario Association of Art Galleries is putting on a panel discussion this afternoon at 3:30pm at the Textile Museum of Canada (Toronto). Panelists Taryn Sirove and Linda Feesey, and moderator Aubrey Reeves will discuss the impact of government legislation on cultural production.

 

Toronto Free Library

If you read the last issue of Broken Pencil, you may remember my short article about the Toronto Free Library. Well, opening night is coming up! Curators Maiko Tanaka and Sarah Todd have amassed a collection of books and have invited different artists to come in and engage with the library as "librarians-in-residence." There will also be a weekly reading series at which people from the community will share their favourite books. The exhibition is opening on June 19th and will run until July 26th at the Toronto Free Gallery (1277 Bloor Street West). The information on the Toronto Free Gallery website is not entirely accurate, so email torontofreelibrary@gmail.com if you need more information.

 

Peter Lynch Film Retrospective

Cinematheque Ontario is holding a retrospective on Toronto filmmaker Peter Lynch entitled "Weird Science: The Idiosyncratic Archaeology of Peter Lynch" from June 20 to June 28. Just in time for this week-long Lynch fest, Trinity Square Video is launching Grizzly Proof, an exhibit devoted to Lynch's cult-classic film Project Grizzly, on June 19 up until July 12. Project Grizzly documents the strange journey of Troy Hurtubise, a man who stumbled across a grizzly bear in the Rockies and felt compelled to build a bear-proof suit. The curators of Grizzly Proof invited artists to explore humanity's desire to control nature, a theme raised by Hurtubise's quest. The prototype of the suit along with clips of the film will also be on display at Trinity Square Video. A link to Cinematheque Ontario is below with ticket prices and more information. Trinity Square Video's website is www.trinitysquarevideo.com.

 

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a collection of works by artists and screen printers Stacey Case, Louise Durand, and Adam Swinbourne. Running until June 22nd at the Keep Six Contemporary gallery (Toronto), the show looks back to a time when rock 'n' roll posters were handmade and screen printed, and explores this reemerging phenomenon. Click on the link for details.

 

Ninjalicious and urban exploration

Sorry about the long wait between blog postings, folks – shortly after finishing taxes and various June 1 grant applications, my main Mac was hit with a spate of bugs and worms and viruses, and it took awhile to clean it all up. (Lesson no. 1: Macs may be far more impervious to viruses and worms than PCs, but that doesn’t mean they’re COMPLETELY impervious!! I suggest anyone with a Mac occasionally running the free ClamXAV program, especially if you work with people who own PCs, because you can easily end up infecting them.) While scouring my various inboxes to ferret out infected emails, I came across one from March 2005 which gave me pause. It was from Ninjalicious (Jeff Chapman), a response to an email I sent him after I heard he was diagnosed with cancer. I was in the midst of dealing with my father’s terminal cancer when I emailed him, and was sad to get this reply from Jeff: “I'm afraid I did pick up a batch of cancer somewhere along the way. I'm in the midst of chemother...

 

The Metaphysical Poll - Sheila Heti's Dream Blog

A few months ago Toronto author Sheila Heti began a blog, The Metaphysical Poll, that posted real dreams about the three front runners in the US presidential primaries: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain. The blog was inspired by Heti's friend, painter Margaux Williamson, who dreamed of shopping for Tupperware with Hillary. Since then the blog has amassed a grand total of 333 dreams, culled from a diverse group of people whose political affiliation, geographical location, age and sex all vary. On June 10 Heti rounded the blog off by posting a 52-page analysis of all the Hilary and Barack dreams by Dr. Robert Van de Castle, a notable dream researcher. A link to The Metaphysical Poll is below.

 

VOCABLE workshop

Ciara Adams and a.rawlings are putting on one of their VOCABLE workshops at the Second City Training Centre (Toronto) on July 6th. The workshop will focus on improvisation, voice and performance, the relationship between sound and text, collaboration, and the role of the body in artistic creation. Pre-registration is necessary, and the cost is $75. Check out the website or email angela@thescream.ca for more information.

 

Help Wanted at Broken Pencil

Broken Pencil is looking for a part-time assistant editor! Work in the heart of glorious Toronto in the palatial Broken Pencil office. Applications are due June 30th. The job ad is in the "announcements" section down the page on the left, but I have also linked to it here.

 

[MONTREAL] Fringe Festival begins

Today marks the opening of the Montreal St-Ambroise Fringe Festival, with the opening party at 6 pm at the outdoor stage at Parc des Amériques (on the corner of St-Laurent and Rachel). The event is free and will feature the musical stylings of Paul Cargnello and The Unsettlers, followed by a parade to the Just for Laughs studio for the Out-Of-Towner Fringe-For-All. The Fringe-For-All presents non-Montrealers the chance to present their Fringe shows in 60 seconds or less and will be hosted by the Thirteenth Hour's Zack Winters and Sweet Sweet Jimmy Priest. In case you have no idea what a Fringe Festival is, the basic idea is that performers of all types--from mimes to comedians to serious actors and more--submit their ideas for performances to a lottery. Those who are picked are allowed to put on their shows. There's no jury, no favoritism and sometimes no talent, but it's a totally democratic approach to performance art. The Fringe is totally unpredictable, and all shows cost $10...

 

Matrix Litpop Awards

Pop Montreal and Matrix Magazine are running a new literary competition this summer. They are looking for new voices in both poetry and prose, and winners will receive round-trip tickets and VIP passes to Pop Montreal, and publication in Matrix with full honorarium. The submission deadline is July 15th. Check out the rules and regulations on the Matrix website.

 

24 Hour Zine Challenge

The 24 Hour Zine Challenge starts July 1st! Zinesters are asked to write a 24 page zine in 24 hours straight. Completed zines will be showcased and writers will receive a cool button. See the website for details.

 

Lit Mag Marathon Weekend

The Council of Literary Magazines and Presses is putting on their annual Lit Mag Marathon Weekend in New York this June. There will be marathon readings at the New York Public Library's periodicals room (5th Ave. at 42nd street) on June 14th from 4-6:30pm, and a lit magazine fair at the Housing Works Used Books Cafe (126 Crosby St.) on June 15th from 12-5pm.

 

An In-Progress Chronology of Edmonton Bands, 1956 to 2008

Edmonton illustrator Raymond Biesinger has combined his love of music, graphic arts, and his hometown into a single item: a 21-foot long and 12” tall chart depiciting 52 years of the Edmonton music scene. For those who live in the Edmonton area you can see it in person tonight at the ARTery (9535 Jasper Ave.). For the rest of us, you can see the chart on Biesinger's website: http://www.fifteen.ca/thechart/ Tonights event will also feature the music of he Trigger Effect, the Mad Cowboys and the Secret Fires as well as visual works by Jason Dublanko, Amelia Schulz McPherson, Christopher Robot, Justin Zawada, and Penny Buckner. $10 at the door.

 

DIY revenge : the anniversary of Killdozer

In honour of the upcoming summer "How-to" issue of Broken Pencil, I think it's fitting to remind everyone of Killdozer, the armoured bulldozer that demolished buildings in Granby, Colorado in 2004. Killdozer was built by Marvin Heemeyer who was disputing with local businesses, and with the city over zoning issues. He felt screwed by many businesses and institutions and blamed them for the failure of his muffler repair shop. So he modified a bulldozer and plowed down 13 buildings, including the Town Hall, a hardware store and the concrete plant that started all his troubles. When he was done he shot himself. He didn't kill anyone, except...

 

Shary Boyle

On June 5th, Shary Boyle will be giving a public lecture and signing her book, _Otherworld Uprising_, at the HR MacMillan Space Centre Lecture Hall in Vancouver. See the Contemporary Art Society of Vancouver website for details.