did you know?

The Tourist just went to the MoMA. I've been a few times for meetings and quickly ran up and down the escalators,  trying to find Van Gogh's Starry Night, but I never found it. Turns out, maybe it was too small for me to see! 

I had no idea....

Today's facebook status: I'm a raging homo

I haven't had much to say.
mostly because I haven't really come up for air in a while.
not that I'm complaining.
I am definitely not complaining.
In fact I'm probably glowing.

but today Noreen Fagan of Capital X-tra interviewed me for the Pride guide. As part of it I had to answer a few written questions.
I thought I would share:

NF: "Did your art influence your coming out or did your coming out influence your art?"

MC: "I came out to myself, during a trip to New York city. I was picked up by a very beautiful and very young women at the Cubby Hole in the west village. We stayed in touch and I went back to see her a few weeks later. I cried the whole 8 hour bus ride home - not about her per se, just kind of processing everything. I wasn't sad - I was very happy to be gay - I was crying more about acknowledging that it took me so long to listen to my heart. I made some work reflecting that return trip, the young women and a Julie Doiron song about a bus leaving and not coming back."

This bus

Mixed media, graphite on frosted mylar

23-24 December 2006, Ottawa Ont. 22" x 36"

NF: "Through your art, do you feel part of a larger queer community?"

MC: "From a historical perspective - yes. Florance Wyle and Francis Loring for example - Women artists in Canadian history. I certainly feel like I am following in their tradition. Their work had nothing to do with being queer, but their life certainly did - they dressed in men's clothes, they lived in a converted church, they had chickens named after the members of the Group of Seven. Their home on Glenrose ave in Toronto was a meeting place for the community. Hearing those stories makes me feel a part of that community - a part of that queer history. "

"Francis was also nicknamed "Queenie", and in her honour, I've tried to take on the nick name. (Well... I also like the reference to "queening" and the Banksy Queen Victoria graphic.... ) "

NF: "How does being queer influence your art?"

MC: "I don't think it does - is that naive? I was making art before I identified as queer, and I don't really feel like my work has anything to do with specific queer issues. I guess I don't make art celebrating a-typical heteronormative status symbols like weddings, making babies and buying homes in Barhaven - But then again that probably wouldn't make for good art would it? well maybe the making babies part - depends how graphic you got."

rest easy

I'm happy tonight to be curled up in my warm pj's and headed for an early bed. I don't have much to say, other then life is good and the weather couldn't be better. The rainmaker is able to negotiate pockets of sunshine for windows of hammocking, just by asking nicely. 

And all this rain....

it makes for such wonderful sleeping.