An event everyone is welcome at – RMG Fridays: Pride

Recently, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery made the decision to step away from Pride Durham in organizing RMG Fridays: Pride.

The RMG is committed to building and maintaining safe and accessible space so that the arts can be shared and enjoyed with the entire community. We also works closely with members of our communities, representative organizations, and groups when developing programming and exhibitions to ensure we are meeting the needs of our community.

At a recent meeting held by Pride Durham, members of our queer and racialized communities came forward to express their concerns and explain their requirements for safe space, including their stance on uniformed police walking in the parade. Pride Durham made a decision to move forward with plans that oppose those needs. Doing so holds the potential to compromise safe space and excludes those voices from the upcoming celebration. This does not align with the RMG’s values.

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery believes Pride is a celebration of resistance and resilience, differences and the vibrancy that come with being queer. Though intimately linked at times, Pride is about finding yourself not your profession. We invite the entire community to come together, whether in celebration or support, as the people they were born as.

We also understand that the uniform may be viewed as a symbol of years of oppression and the enforcement of laws that oppress many queer and racialized peoples. While the police are invited to participate in plain clothes, the presence of uniforms may be a barrier to access for many.

We hope to work with Pride Durham in the future, in ways that are safe, respectful, and healing for the community.

To learn more about the upcoming RMG Fridays: Pride event click here.

RMG Fridays: Speak Your truth

By Stephanie Pollard

“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way, and
not starting.” – The Buddha

February’s RMG Fridays touted #BlackExcellence as artists shared their perspectives on what it
means to belong.

Partnering with the Durham Black Educators Network (DBEN), the gallery became a capsule of
memories that showed how families came from various islands in the Caribbean to Oshawa,
and how their experiences have a solid place in Durham Region.

“It’s really about intercultural dialogue. We want people who don’t typically have exposure to
have an awareness of the value that Black culture brings to the community, so that everybody
can understand and be a part of celebrating (this) history”, explained DBEN Chair Eleanor
McIntosh.

According to the Library and Archives of the Government of Canada website, Black people have
been in Canada from as early as 1608, but the Immigration Act (1910 – 1967) prevented
persons deemed ‘undesirable’ from immigrating to the country, leaving a drop in migrants from
parts of Africa or the Caribbean until 1955, when the West Indian Domestic Scheme allowed
single women living in the Caribbean to work in Canada as domestic help for one year in order
to achieve immigrant status. While there is no information about the first Black families who
arrived in Oshawa, there was plenty of opportunity to get into a bit of personal history.

The Gallery A housed momentos that ranged from placemats to wood sculptures, lace
handkerchiefs, and a wedding dress – complete with a veil and gloves – that all told stories of
those who sought better living for their families, and the cultures they brought with them.

Meanwhile, upstairs guests sat down to enjoy the company of Michael St. George and Friends
ensemble, where music and dub poetry explored speaking one’s truth.

“It’s wonderful to be here…I feel like a complete circle,” Michael said as he led right into various
songs, poems and rhythms, with everyone in (timid) participation. The Durham School of Ballet
and Contemporary Dance (DSBCD) also featured performances that showcased pride in Black
culture with a duet to Solange’s Don’t Touch My Hair , and a solo piece called Bloodline .

Embracing diversity means opening our arms to a past that doesn’t let us get away with an easy
narrative, nor does it allow us to live in shame. If we can speak our truths, and acknowledge the
truths of others, we inch ourselves closer to equality.

Join us for another RMG Fridays on March 2, Sugar Moon, at 7 p.m.!

National Philanthropy Day: AWCCU Financial

Philanthropy is you and me, doing what we can, where we are and with what we have. National Philanthropy Day® celebrates the charitable work that EVERYONE does to make a difference in their communities —what you do from the heart makes a difference!

National Philanthropy Day is recognized on Nov. 15, but we celebrate what you do throughout the year. You make a difference every day!

Meg Cox from AWCCU chats with the crowd about the imprtance of community building events.

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery is a place where emerging talents explore and develop their skills, where children build confidence, explore their imagination and where families can create together. We’re able to do this better than ever before with the support of AWCCU Financial.

AWCCU Financial generously provides funding for RMG Fridays. Enjoyed by over 3,100 people last year, their support has had immeasurable impact not only to those members who have been given the opportunity to share, explore and engage in the arts, but also to the local businesses and organizations who display their purpose.

“It’s about bringing people together and making things happen in Oshawa, Durham. It just gets bigger from there”. Meghyn Cox, AWCCU Financial

We are proud to say we are a partner with AWCCU Financial.

Finding Hygge in Community

By Stephanie Pollard

November’s First Fridays at RMG was a night of Hygge (HUE-gah), where artists and art lovers spent the evening celebrating good wine, good music and good company surrounded by (flameless) candles, blankets, and rock lamps.

Treasured in Danish culture, Hygge describes taking time to enjoy life’s simple pleasures like contentment and spending time with loved ones. In RMG’s case hygge was sitting in companionable silence cuddling partners, parents or children (once they sat still), and listening to two people and a guitar sing about what makes them feel love and contentment.

Musicians Brooklyn Doran and Rory Taillon stopped by the gallery as part of their Canada-wide tours, playing singles off their albums (Paper Wings and Only Whispers respectively), and taking turns to sing duets for individual performances. Brooklyn let the audience know how much the atmosphere meant to her, compared to what she expects when playing a concert.

“It’s really nice to play somewhere that I can wear comfy sweaters and talk about how I came to write the songs I’m performing for you guys- usually when I’m playing concerts in bars I have to scream for anyone to hear me,” she quipped.

Meanwhile, things were a bit louder downstairs.

Occuply Oshawa was organized chaos as the series showcased art and community activism through stickers. Also known as slap tagging, sticker bombing, or sticker slapping, guests opened themselves to a barrage of colour, drawn-over political portraits, comic bubbles and cuss-word laden opinions. Like the space it was curated in, Occuply Oshawa looks at the democratic powers of urban art, and how it’s used to force difficult conversations among readers.

Another conversation guests could have was with RMG’s current artist in residence, visual artist Carolyn Code. Originally from Peterborough, the jewelry maker turned sculptor applied to the gallery’s program to explore the process of creating sculptures with paper.

“It’s always something I wanted to try, so when I started my residency I brought different types of paper and objects and just started playing around with them,” she explained. So far, her favourite piece is a delicate structure of paper bowls strung together and placed according to size on the wall.

“I’m not sure if I want to add to add more pieces, but I’m glad that opportunities like this (the residency) exist in Oshawa where I can spend time with the process and still be close to home,” Code said.

Join us on Friday, December 1 for our next First Fridays at RMG Heavy Hitters at 7 p.m.

Music, Culture, Love – Fiuran

By Stephanie Pollard

Fiuran, a Canadian Celtic band that performs songs in Scottish Gaelic blended with contemporary instruments and sounds, know their music probably won’t make the Billboard Top 100.

They don’t care.

Musicians and Scottish culture lovers Randy Waugh, Stephen Dick, Dave Mandel, Krista Grant and Zachary Stuckey came together as Fiuran (sapling), and debuted their first album Faodail (lucky find) to submit to the Junos in Spring 2016. Waugh created the band to re-connect with fellow musicians, and showcase Scottish culture by sharing old songs in new ways.

“I teach Scottish Gaelic – language and culture at the University of Ottawa (and)… I had this idea of putting together a band that fused Scottish instruments (bag pipes, Irish whistles), singing in Scottish Gaelic and (I) wanted to get re-involved with some of the folks I toured with in the 70s and 80s,” he said.

While bands singing exclusively in languages other than English hasn’t prevented international stardom, singing in Scottish Gaelic gives audiences a unique experience.

“The response we usually get is ‘we don’t know what’s going on, but it’s cool!’,” Waugh said. Some listeners get taken back to a place once forgotten, yet filled with love.

“…There might be something familiar for someone in the crowd (and they) say ‘oh my grandma used to sing that song when I was little,’ and it’s really exciting for those members of the audience because it’s a new spin on (these songs),” lead vocalist and musician Grant explained.

However, every blend doesn’t go down smoothly with everyone.

“The hardcore traditionalists don’t really like what we do because ‘we’re changing tradition,’ but we believe that no language or culture is static…we love the culture- we honour it, but we’re not stuck in the way things were done in the past,” Waugh said.

Despite some resistance, Fiuran does right by the culture they represent by putting their whole selves into the music.

“My upbringing wasn’t in the Scottish culture or even in Gaelic culture, but it’s super-duper intriguing- just learning the history, the beauty of the melodies, how passionate the songs are, it’s hard not to get hooked on it once you actually get into it…I feel very lucky that Randy invited me to be part of this project because it’s important for my spirit,” Grant said.

Fiuran plans to keep showing their love for Scottish culture by performing at First Fridays @ RMG -LEGACIES on October 6.

Women in Art and Community

Women in Art and Community

There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.
-Michelle Obama

Alexandra Luke would be proud. While we can only speculate on how she saw the future of a small building on Simcoe Street that housed works by the Painters’ 11 and other Canadian artists, fifty years later the Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) has since been known as the space where art, thought, and community thrive.

March’s theme for RMG’s First Fridays paid special attention to the women who have, and still put their energies into pieces that inspire discussion and -hopefully, progress.

The night began with a combined piece by the women’s choir and senior dance ensemble from O’Neill Collegiate and Vocational Institute (OCVI). Choreographer Jenni MacNeil explained how the students working together symbolized their hope for rising above hatred.

“When many different art forms can come together under a common theme, that in and of itself is a beautiful model of diversity and tolerance, and how we see ourselves reflected in each other,” she said.
Later in the evening guests were invited to tour the gallery with in-house expert Steven Bland, and saw how some women in art celebrated womanhood in themselves, or ones they admired.

Of course the discussion landed on Beyoncé. Specifically a metal work of Beyoncé’s silhouette fused to an energy source.

“(The artist’s) inspiration for this (piece) comes from hydro towers…her theme is to put power and the feminine together to show the power of women, she’s not making a joke of calling this (piece) ‘Beyoncé,’ because she is one of the most powerful women in the entertainment community… So really, it’s honouring Beyoncé,” Bland explained to admirers.

However, not far from the power piece, was another metal work of a woman’s body, as a bench.
Perspective, of sorts.

Meanwhile, musicians Trish Robb, entertainment specialist DJ Lynz kept guests in an upbeat and mellow vibe, while Caitlin and Cassidy McAuliffe, also known as the Woodland Sisters (@woodland.sisters), led an environment-conscientious workshop for more hands-on guests in the upper and lower levels respectively.

For more art and perspective, or a great night out that celebrates local creativity, head to the next First Fridays at RMG on April 7, at 7:00 p.m.

RMG Fridays: Origins

By: Stephanie Pollard

RMG Fridays: Origins reminded Oshawa and Durham Region that we live-recognize, learn from, and honour- culture.

As the first event to officially begin the Robert McLaughlin Gallery’s (RMG) 50th anniversary celebrations, Origins felt more like an opening night than get-together. A nervous excitement buzzing around the main floor had managers, media, artists, and volunteers hustling to settle last minute details, and get ready for a night that would not only pay homage to the gallery’s beginnings (the building sits on recognized Mississauga territory, a branch of the Anishinaabeg Nation), but could signal a change in how Oshawa interacts with its identity .

CEO of the Robert McLaughlin Gallery Donna Raetsen-Kemp, hopes people begin to see the gallery as a resource they can actively claim.
“This is about connecting people (with) art and each other, (and) the gallery being (a) vehicle (for this event) is just a really beautiful example of when that happens, because this is their place, we’re here for the complete community,” she said.

The night began with a special opening ceremony by cultural consultant Kim Wheatley, who is also an Anishinaabe (Ojibway) band member of the Shawanaga First Nation. Wheatley, with two of her three daughters performed a unity song with hand-drumming, the fancy shawl dance, and facilitated a dream catcher workshop respectively. Wheatley thanked RMG for involving Durham Region’s First Nations community in planning Origins.

RMGFridays_Jan2017_PhotosColinBurwell (29)

Image: Colin Burwell, the RMG Media Team

“I’m really proud of the gallery for acknowledging its Indigenous beginnings,” Wheatley said.

Volunteer and community manager Carla Sinclair was also happy with how Origins was supported from beginning to end.

“I’m not part of that (the Indigenous) community, so when I went to plan this event I reached out to lots of different organizations…and it was amazing how many people stepped up to the plate and were so happy to contribute (and) give advice,” she said. Following the opening ceremony, guests enjoyed performances by Cale Crowe and Elsa Jayne, a Pow Wow presentation, and film ‘Indigenous Arts Protocols’ by The Ontario Arts Council.

Origins also hosted special community supporters like the Durham Region Metis Council, the Bawaajigewin Aboriginal Community Circle, the Aboriginal Student Centre of Durham College, and the Oshawa Community Museum. Aboriginal Student Advisor for Durham College Peggy Forbes, hopes that this specific RMG Fridays leads to representation that recognizes Canada’s multi-faceted history.

RMGFridays_Jan2017_PhotosColinBurwell (108)

Image: Colin Burwell, the RMG Media Team

“Most people don’t know about the true history of Canada-our shared history; it’s not ‘mine’ against ‘yours,’ it’s a shared history…so it’s really important that people push for more solid curriculum that includes Indigenous studies,” she said.
Fortunately, the gallery plans to host future events that will showcase the many cultures that call Oshawa home.

“We’re all part of this community, and unless you see yourself celebrated in them, you’re not going to necessarily feel a part of it. I absolutely think that as an art gallery, (which is) supposed to be a leader in forward thinking…in pushing the boundaries a little bit and (seeing) how the community evolves, I think it’s important to celebrate all cultures that exist in our community,” Carla said.

For updates on upcoming RMG Fridays visit www.rmg.on.ca, or their Facebook (@TheRMG), and Twitter (@theRMG) pages.

How Do People Find Them?: Stephanie Pollard on the Value of RMG Fridays

They’re artists in Oshawa…as in ‘GM town’ Oshawa?
But they’re based in Toronto right?
No?!
So where do they get support for their work?
How do people find them?
(Do they even have an Instagram account?)
Who comes out to see their work, do they know where to find them?

RMG Fridays is where artists and art lovers get together to experience and share the local creativity buzzing at home.
On the first Friday of each month at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) in Oshawa, a quiet 72 Queen St. comes to life by welcoming a stream of admirers that moves easily to and from the displays of local artists and businesses.

“We’re showing visitors what Oshawa has to offer, in Oshawa,” said RMG’s volunteer manager Carla Sinclair. “People can ask the artists questions, talk to business owners, and get a great night out with family and friends-minus the expensive drinks and parking.”

Jay Dart was October’s First Friday artist with his ongoing creation of the land Yawnder, a place where inspiration lives and takes shape.
“Yawnder is my mental landscape. When people are going into that creative space, they go somewhere-their ideas come from the back of their mind that they can’t quite describe. It’s a little abstract and for me, that is Yawnder,” he said. The exhibit gives visitors a chance to take a walk in Dart’s Yawnder through the story’s main character Jiggs, as well as discover their own Yawnders by creating idea geists and including them in the exhibit.

Not far from Yawnder in the gallery’s lower level, local filmmakers showcase their work as part of RMG Fridays’ Friday Film Feature. Councilwoman-turned community activist Amy McQuaid-England took viewers to the South Patch community garden, one of the too-few practical steps taken to address the lack of access to fresh, locally grown food for residents living in Oshawa’s high needs areas. The decision to switch from politics to filmmaking seems to align with McQuaid-England’s focus on bringing sustainable and lasting change to her community, as the short film became the bronze winner at the 2016 International Film Awards.
Business-wise, Isabella’s Chocolate Cafe and the Auto Workers Community Credit Union (AWCCU) had displays where audiences could make their financial goals known, or sample an array of Yawnder themed baked treats respectively.

Creative manager of the AWCCU Meghyn Cox emphasized that each time local supporters – whether in the arts or otherwise-get together, the larger community reaches new levels.

“It’s about bringing people together and making things happen in Oshawa, Durham-it just gets bigger from there. The more we’re involved with community, everything gets better,” she said.

Be sure to check out the next RMG Friday on December 2, from 7-10 p.m.

Interview with Art Lab Artist in Residence, Karolina Baker

You can see Karolina Baker in the Art Lab September 21, 2016 – October 30, 2016.

Reception: RMG Fridays, October 7, 7-10pm
Artist Talk: October 16, 1-3pm

Capturing Whitby sound, Tuesday 2pm.

RMG: Please tell us a little about yourself

Karolina: I was born and raised in Ottawa and moved to Toronto in the late 90s. I made my way to Whitby because my husband had a job at the Oshawa airport and I’ve been here since. I’ve always had an artistic current running through my life. I studied acting in Toronto for ten years while freelancing in the film production world. I’ve always maintained that accidentally walking into the 2001 Biennale in Venice, Italy was a true aha moment for me. I was there for a wedding and we had a few days to discover the islands. Unbeknown to me, a whole section of the city was mapped out into these massive art installations. To see art on such a large scale was mind blowing and extremely exciting because it felt like I found my kind. I know that sounds funny, but I really felt like I found a group of people, despite my lack of Italian, who spoke my language and understood the ideas in my head. Since then I knew I had to create my ideas. Now add in four kids and it is a bit more difficult to tap into my creative current! Right now my time is primarily taken up by my kids, but when inspiration and time collide, I am thrilled to make my ideas come to life.

RMG: Why did you apply to the Art Lab artist in residence program?

Karolina: My studio space is in my house and where ever I can make my ideas happen. The Art Lab residence program is a gem of an opportunity for me to approach it like a job, leave my house everyday and go to “work”. I’m a stay-at-home mom, so there are always things to do around here and I seldom allow myself to work on my art projects.

Screen capture of book trailer video shot for author Nerys Parry’s Man and Other Natural Disasters. Published by Enfield & Wizenty.

RMG: What will you be creating during your residency? What can visitors expect to find in the Art Lab?

Karolina: I want to record sound and manipulate it. I’ve done audio for short videos I’ve shot, but I haven’t worked in sound alone. I’d like to record sounds, manipulate them, loop them and amplify them. What sounds will people stay and listen to? I’ll have my laptop, speakers, a recorder and microphone. My initial proposal was to record my daily surroundings, but I would also like to record voices and items in the lab. Having said all that, it is a lab so maybe I will have to let go of my ideas and go down the rabbit hole. I will plug in my speaker into the common room across from the Art Lab and play my experiments. I will write my daily thoughts on the wall so people can follow my journey. I understand it will be hard for people to look in the window to “see” what I am doing, so I welcome any visitors into the lab, to listen and have a chat. We can always learn from each other and that is exactly what I want to do with the art lab; discover a new way to communicate my ideas.

RMG: What inspires you? Is there a particular artist’s work that has inspired your practice?

Karolina: I don’t text or use my cell phone (my husband would add here that it is because I usually don’t know where it is). I do not like anything to take me away from observing. I am a fierce observer of life around me: patterns, old things, kindness, quietness, order, underdogs, movement and colours.

Artist Janet Cardiff absolutely inspires me. I discovered her in 2001 and she has resonated with me since. I walked through one of her sound installations at the Power Plant in Toronto and visitors were sitting listening to her piece, crying, drawing, dancing, meditating. It was remarkable to see how moved people could be by someone’s idea. Douglas Coupland is another Canadian artist I love to follow. I love his artistic diversity. He writes, makes films, visual art, public art and observations. He uses anything he can to convey his idea and he’s an observer.

Meet Carla Sinclair, our Manager of Volunteer and Community Development

Today we sat down with Carla Sinclair, the RMG’s Manager of Volunteer and Community Development to find out more about her role and what she gets up to each day. You probably recognize Carla as your host of RMG Fridays – say hello next time you see her in the RMG Shop.

The RMG: What’s a typical day like for you?

Carla Sinclair: My day looks very different day to day depending on which part of my role I am working on. I manage our volunteer program, plan RMG Fridays, the gallery’s monthly community event as well as manage our gallery shop.

Between internal staff meetings, volunteer interviews, community engagement, consignment artist acquisitions and a number of cultural advisory committees/professional development associations, meetings can often fill up many of my days. Some days are quieter allowing me to spend hours on my computer sending emails, doing research, paperwork, and planning. If I am hosting an RMG Fridays or representing the RMG at a cultural event, I get to be social and interact with the community. The flexibility of my job caters to my multi-faceted personality. I love the diversity in my role!

The volunteer umbrella involves responding to volunteer requests, booking interviews, meeting with and assessing which department best suits new recruits, managing and posting new volunteer opportunities and keeping track of hours worked. As a member of multiple volunteer associations, I attend monthly meetings that provide professional development opportunities in the industry of volunteer administration. Thinking of new ways to incorporate the many skills that walk through the doors here at the RMG is always a priority.

RMG Fridays: Wonder Women

Planning RMG Fridays involves looking at curatorial schedules and building an event around exhibitions set to open or tour each month. I often choose a theme and try to connect all of the activities that are going on during an RMG Fridays: Live music, short films, exhibition tours, studio activity, community partners, food vendors. I love to add cultural elements that engage our audience by bringing in local theatre groups to perform a teaser of their show, a dance company, spoken word poet – just about anything that showcases the incredible local talent we have here in Durham and beyond! Booking musicians is typically the first element, and when possible this happens 4-6 months in advance. Sometimes artists reach out to me, other times I get suggestions from community members. I also try to find talent by attending local music venues, open mics and cultural events.

Short films for our Friday Film Features screening room at RMG Fridays get submitted through our website. These are viewed internally and 1 or 2 films are chosen to screen every 15 minutes throughout the evening. For food vendors, they are local, independent restaurants or caterers who put together a table of delicious eats to sell in the lobby, giving local entrepreneurs a chance to engage with the community and showcase their business. I typically contact them individually but encourage anyone interested to reach out to me as well.

Carla at RMG Exposed 2015

Community partners come from a variety of sources, some send requests, others are contacted based on the mandate of their organization and how it ties in to our event theme. After the details are nailed down, the next task is submitting the information to our Marketing Manager for promotional print materials and booking volunteers to help run all of the components of the evening. We typically have 8-15 volunteers behind the scenes making RMG Fridays happen, in tandem with our incredible audio engineer, DJ Lynz and dedicated RMG staff. When the big day comes, I spend the afternoon and early evening setting up tables, chairs, AV equipment, signage, printing schedules, shopping for supplies, greeting performers and partners. I then hold a meeting with our event volunteers at 6:30pm before doors open. The rest of the night involves hosting the event on stage. I, along with my colleague and co-host welcome guests, introduce the musicians, performers, and partners while sharing all of the awesome things happening in the building that evening!

The gallery shop is another component of my role including retail management, volunteer management (our friendly sales associates are all volunteers!), merchandising and researching consignment artists. Over the past year we’ve shifted the shop vision to include primarily Canadian consignment artists. This means I have to find talented artists whose work suits our local market. Some artists approach me, others I research, or find by planning volunteer outings with shop associates to canvas art shows/studios for promising candidates. Within the shop role is a lot of paperwork; Daily sales sheets, monthly shop deposits, quarterly consignment inventory and payouts as well as general correspondence. I host a monthly shop volunteer meeting to update our associates on new product, hear customer feedback and to build community amongst our volunteers.

RMG Shop Volunteer Trip

RMG: How did you get into this field?

CS: Having worked at the Nelson and District Arts Council, in on-air broadcast radio, teaching film programs and as a partner at Empty Cup Media, I’ve always invested my career in the arts and culture. One of these roles was producing video projects for The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, where I came to know the inspired team of staff that run this incredible space. The sense of community fostered here compelled me to be a voice in Oshawa’s expanding creative culture.

RMG: What skills or training do you need for your job?

It’s such a mixed bag, but I’d say…

Excellent written and communication skills
Creative thinking
Computer proficiency
Eye for merchandising and attention to detail
Organizational skills
Ability to recognize individual talents and abilities
Public speaking
Event management
Ability to teach and explain tasks well
Excellent social skills
Avid interest in being active in the cultural community
Strategic planning

Culture Meet Up

RMG: What’s your favourite part of your job?

CS: RMG Fridays! If you haven’t already been out to this awesome monthly event, I encourage you to come to the next one. Bands, artist talks and local partnerships create an atmosphere unlike any other you will find in Oshawa. I love the crowd it attracts and see it as an accessible, creative hub for entertainment, education and networking.

RMG: What are 5 things you couldn’t live without in your job?

CS: My top 5 are:

Charity Republic – Volunteer database software
Post it notes
Google
Coffee
Amazing Volunteers

RMG Fridays: HipHOpera

RMG: What do you get up to outside of the RMG?

CS: Outside of work at the gallery, I make films with Empty Cup Media. Our team has been working on a web series over the past couple years which means I’m heading to South Africa in October 2016 to film one of the latest episodes! I also spend time with my squishy faced pug Gryffin, have joined an adult ballet class after recently retiring from 5 years of roller derby, and love checking out local live music at Oshawa’s Memorial Park or The Moustache Club.