Living Artfully

The extreme west coast is often characterized as the most "out there" edge of Canada and has become known internationally for artists residing in the region and giving it their own particular flavor. Living Artfully: Reflections from the Far West Coastoffers unique perspectives and insights to the interrelationship of creativity and geography through intimate portrayals about the lives of artists. Writers, painters, carvers, and performers reflect on the private spaces of the arts-inner worlds and natural environments-and the public spaces for exhibiting, performing and sharing. Artists delve into their life journeys, the struggles and challenges as well as the joys and rewards of pursuing expression out here. Forty-two emerging and established artists have contributed to this collection, including award-winning First Nations playwright and poet Janet Rogers; painter, writer, and arts advocate Robert Amos; internationally noted artists Avis Rasmussen and Mark Hobson; renowned author Susan Musgrave; award-winning film maker Velcrow Ripper; and from the academy, dancer and educator Celeste Snowber, professor emeritus Bill Zuk and many more voices that shape what it means to live artfully on the far west coast.

A long time resident of Canada's far west coast, Anita Sinner divides her time between Sooke and Montreal, where she is an Assistant Professor of Art Education at Concordia University. Her research interests include community art education, arts methods, relational aesthetics, life and light writing and digital media. As an artist, researcher and teacher, she brings interdisciplinary perspectives to social and cultural issues in education. Christine Lowther is co-editor and co-author of Writing the West Coast: In Love with Place (Ronsdale Press) with Anita. Chris is also the author of Half-Blood Poems: Inspired by the Stories of JK Rowling (Zossima Press), My Nature (Leaf Press), and New Power (Broken Jaw Press). Her work has appeared in anthologies and periodicals including subTerrain, Other Voices, The New Quarterly, The Fiddlehead, Poetry is Dead, Walk Myself Home, Wild Moments: Adventures with Animals of the North and on Poetry in Transit.