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."