LINDA DUVALL Visual and Media Artist

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5 Days 6 songs UMBRA Songwriting Project

 

 

The UMBRA project 5 Days! 6 Songs! began as a response to the project Where were the Mothers? This work was presented at the Dunlop Art Gallery, opening in the spring of 2010. Where Were the Mothers? was a multimedia exhibit that explored the uneasy fluidity of truth, and revealed the contradictions in trying to assert a singular or absolute narrative.The exhibit presented the complicated narratives of people who have had run-ins with the law, lived or worked on the street, dealt with addictions or participated in illegal street gangs. Each of these participants collaborated with a professional musician to produce an original song about their mother.

As a starting point to the 5 Days! 6 Songs! project, selected students from Arcola Community School and Sheldon-Williams Secondary School were asked to interview someone in their community. Teachers Lana Lafontaine and Naomi Collier provided questions for the students to ask their interviewees. These included thoughts about per- sonal successes, regrets, people who were important to them, and memorable parts of their lives. Using these interviews as starting points, the students were divided into small groups and paired with one of the participating professional musicians: Ramses Calderon, Annette Campagne, Devon Floyd.and david sereda. Together each small group of students and musician wrote one song. In 5 Days! 6 Songs! as in the Where were the Mothers? project, I was awed and moved by the ability of the students and the musicians to create together, in a short time, totally memorable songs.
– Linda Duvall, artist

UMBRA is the shadow that covers the earth or moon when an eclipse happens, and is also the darkest part of the shadow. Our UMBRA– Artist in Residency project (which means unique moving beautiful residencies of art) is a Regina Public School Board initiative. Our shadow is a warm interior blanket that comes into a school and hovers for a period of time and then leaves with an imprint of light, inspiration, discovery, and renewed energy for a multidisciplinary contemporary art practice and at the same time unearths a cultural map of the student. Process-oriented and multi-layered, UMBRA involves students, curators, teachers, mentors, community school coordinators, and leading edge art organizations who program high level world class artists. We share, exchange, and create, introducing youth and young adults to the shakers and makers of the art world.

This partnership with Linda Duvall, The Dunlop Art Gallery, Arcola Community School and Sheldon-Williams Collegiate is the sixth residency focusing on music, storytelling, creation, and performance.
– Michele Sereda, UMBRA artistic director and Artist in Residence, Regina Public School Board

Conceived by Michele Sereda, UMBRA artistic director with artist Linda Duvall, Catherine Livingstone, Curator of Education and Community Outreach, Dunlop Art Gallery and Heather Mazurak, Curriculum Consultant, Regina Public Schools
Coordinated by Michele Sereda with the assistance of david sereda Design by Linda Duvall & david sereda,
images © 2010 by Linda Duvall
Recorded by Steve Hasiak, Rob Bryanton, Jeff Hamon and mixed by Steve Hasiuk at Talking Dog Studios, Regina

Thanks to Naomi Collier, Pat Gwilliam, Lori Daelick, Denise Leslie, Char Ross and Renee Montague at Arcola Community School, and to Lana Lafontaine at Sheldon-Williams Collegiate for your enthusiasm and support to Rob, Jeff, Brenda Wallis and Steve at Talking Dog Studios for your commitment, kindness and generosity!

This project was made possible with the support of the Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina Public Library, Regina Public Schools, Talking Dog Studios, Saskatchewan Arts Board, Sask Culture and the Canada Council for the Ar

 

The songwriters -

from Arcola Community School
This is our Life - Tia Akepew, Chelsea Almojuela, Zach Altose, Jake Johns, Tyler McArthur, Telanne Petroski, Miesha Thomson-Jack, Angelika Wagner and guest artist david sereda

Nothing is Easy - Jaihra Collado, Brooke Devins, Tiarra Eason, Tyler Elve, Chenoa Haywahe, Colton Jones, Jasmin Machiskinic, Alexis Sigda and guest artist Ramses Calderon



from Sheldon-Williams Collegiate
Life in a Tornado - Amaulla Alariaq, Julie Crossman, Rachael Grant, Jayda Morin, Elias Powell, Darion Trotman and guest artist Devon Floyd

I Have No Regrets - Deklin Borger, Jayde Drews, Jessica Knaus, Kasiani Parisone, Ali Wilkie and guest artist david sereda

Don’t Let Nobody - Stefan Anderson, Zoe Hanson, Sean Morrison, Alyssa Put, Emma Tallman and guest artist Ramses Calderon

Be Yourself - Emily Brown, Lauren Fuller, Alexis Marcynuk, Desiree Perras, Branden Rebrinsky and guest artist Annette Campagne