A LOCAL CREATIVE COLLABORATION a.k.a Eddy's birthday party ϟ The White Room [Gallery]

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March 18th was a special day. It was the one-year anniversary of the death of a beloved member of the community whose life was celebrated by those close to him, and it was also the birthday of a guy named Eddy. I’d never met Eddy, nor was I invited to his party, but I went anyway as a patron of the Nanaimo underground arts scene, according to the sign on the door. So who is Eddy, and is this his birthday party masquerading as an art show or the other way around? He is described to me as an up-and-coming artist who likes to collaborate with other artists, and today he turns 22. The only way I learn it's his birthday is through the touching toasts his friends make at various points in the evening. Credit to Eddy for not using the show to promote his own brand, but rather to showcase the art of his peers. That’s nice. It seems Eddy has really accomplished a lot so far, most evidently the adulation of his friends and the pride of his parents. While others were presenting their art and showering praise, Eddy was busy appreciating and graciously accepting, as well as making sure everyone’s butts had a cushion. Eddy: Cult leader? Descendant of Christ? All-around great guy?

My judgement of a show like this depends on the quality of the art; otherwise just another authoritarian circlejerk where no one feels free to express how bad it is, and I’m really sensitive to that kind of stuff. Not here, I am happy to report. The show (and audience) was a delightful and diverse mishmash of talent: rap, spoken word, acoustic guitar performances, along with paintings on the wall (and a live one) an art-for-sale booth, and some very well-done by-donation henna (Thanks Ava!), The Hub City Cinema Society was even there to show their proudest short films (but due to some scheduling indifference not all made it). The atmosphere was as supportive and welcoming as could be.

I found each of the performances were captivating in their own way (there was even a beautiful homage to Anton by Kesu), but the standout of the night for me were the untitled and rather mysterious twins, who sang and played in such sweet and simple harmony as to silence the crowd despite them not making any real contact with us. Even their mistakes were charming. They definitely have the IT thing, whatever it is. After the show, I approached them for some more intel, but realized at the end that I had fudged the recording, so I gave them the old five W’s template and asked them to fill it out:

Who? Jana and Kiks Crook What? Fraternal siblings

Where [did you come from, situationally]? Edmonton.

When? Jana: I moved to Nanaimo about two years ago. Kiks: I moved here May last year.

Why? Jana: I’d always known that Edmonton wasn’t the place for me. It is way too crowded with people, and not enough greenery. I had visited Nanaimo to see my girlfriend while I was still living in Edmonton, and the moment I stepped off the ferry, I was absolutely blown away with the natural beauty. And I pretty much didn’t leave since then! I’ve never felt so accepted and welcome, which I think is one of the biggest reasons I stayed as well. It was definitely a huge change from Edmonton. My sole reason for moving here was to discover new parts of me, and to grow more independent, which allowed me time to focus on me and what I wanted. I had lost touch with music in Edmonton when I lived there, but when I moved here and had all this time for myself, I began to play more and more often.

Kiks: It was a decision I made because I wasn't happy in Edmonton. I need nature, I feel that's where I get the most inspiration. Also I'm an islander, I need the ocean nearby! But above all I needed change. So Jana suggested I come here because this would be the place for me to discover myself.

Where [did you come from, musically]? Music has been a passion of ours since we first taught ourselves guitar when we were 15. From there we joined band when we started high school. We learned the French horn and then when we hit 11th grade we joined jazz band as well and learned the trumpet. But even before that we always were curious about instruments, and we have been singing since we were very young. We would sing with our siblings, listen to music with our family on the daily. Our mum would always say she couldn’t live without music, and we completely agree with her on that.

Why? It’s solely for our enjoyment and for others to enjoy as well. At least that’s what we hope for. Also to create songs or sounds that people can relate to. Performing gives us the most beautiful euphoric feeling, a feeling we can’t get enough of.

How[‘s it goin’]?

Jana: I believe being here has made me more creative in that aspect. I have gained a lot more confidence in my ability to play and sing because of how much positive feedback Kiks and I receive, also the feedback from other local artists here in Nanaimo, they are a huge influence on us.

Kiks: Being here has given me courage and inspiration to express myself through music. Something Edmonton never did for me honestly. The culture here is completely different to Edmonton. It's so hustle and bustle there, whereas here it's relaxed, close knit, feels like more of a community. Especially the community in downtown Nanaimo. So many amazing creative artists that push me to achieve what I want to achieve, be it big or small. Check out their newly-made Facebook page here