Katie!
Hey hey!
How are you these days?
I’m doing great! Keeping super busy balancing a couple part-time gigs on top of trying to keep up with my commission schedule. It’s been a very productive summer with lots of change and its fair share of growing pains.
So last time we talked you were heading into your last year of uni. What’s gone on since?
I have since graduated (thank god) and now I’m taking a break from school and getting some more life experience. I moved Toronto and I’ve been working at a restaurant, flower shop, and from home - all to manage those Toronto prices!
Toronto’s a great city, feel like we haven't been in so long. What part of the city do do you live?
I’m living in West Queen West in a tiny apartment with my roommate Zoë. We love it. The area is so creative, casual and fun so we’ve been trying to explore it as much as possible. When we’re couped up in the apartment though, our view from just outside the downtown core of the cityscape is something we love to show off.
What have you been doing for fun?
One of my favourite things about being in Toronto has been the people I’ve been able to meet. We’ve met some really cool girls in the area who have kind of adopted us and have been taking us around the city. I’ve also been able to attend some really sick creative networking events and seen some really beautiful studio spaces that I hope to see more and more of as time goes on. Beyond socializing at night, we cook delicious vegan meals and binge watch plenty of shows when our schedules align.
And you're still painting?
Yes of course! I opened my commissions back up after graduating and I’ve been working through them since. I also expanded to print sales which you can find on my website as a more cost-effective/less time consuming option for people who may want to own my art. I’ve been feeling super inspired to create some work for myself with a bit more meaning behind it, so I've committed to working on one piece a month so that I can do an exhibit in maybe a year’s time, hopefully sooner. I’ve been updating my own little blog on my website where I talk about my process and paintings and life in general.
Cool, cool. So what do you think of the Afends hemp intimates collection?
I actually love the fit and look. They are so soft and comfortable and the perfect work-from-home, painting/drawing in my bedroom uniform. I love that they are sustainably made from hemp because that stuff is really important to me. I just know it’s going to be a go-to for me from now on whenever I feel for a comfy night in. Thanks for letting me pick out some stuff for you guys this season!
See ya soon!
Keep up to date with Katie over on her Instagram and drop by the shop to check out the Afends intimates and other fall 2021 styles.
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Hey guys, happy summer.
Mateo: Happy summer Mike! The day-to-day is always up for me - a perfectly timed balance of work, pleasure, music, fun and creativity.
Chris: Hey Mike! I just wrapped up a mural project in Muskoka, now back in the studio knocking out a commission painting and some personal projects.
I saw a photo of the mural. Super cool. Who was it for?
Chris: Thanks! That one was for a client who owns a motor sports exhaust company and is also a race car driver. He wanted a cool backdrop for car photos and basically let me do whatever I wanted. It was eighty-feet long but luckily I had my girlfriend Nicole helping me out!
Nice. So cool edit with this video, Mateo.
Mateo: Glad you enjoyed it. It’s been an enjoyable process from the early days of you and I chit-chatting about these video portraits, to pre-production, to filming/editing and now watching.
Yeah it’s something we’ve been really stoked to do and are grateful that you kickstarted it with Chris. Let’s talk a bit about it. Where did you film?
Mateo: It all started at Chris’ studio, which is such an inspiring place to create and hang. We did some early test shots there and immediately I knew it was going to be perfect. Lots of natural light and every nook and cranny perfectly embodies his work and personality. The intro ‘nature’ shot and mural footage was at Urban Surf. Finally, the cloud shots were filmed at Lakewood Park in St. Clair Beach. Nothing but a sunny afternoon and time to kill.
Cool. Chris, tell me more about your studio.
Chris: My studio, Strange Tempo Studio, is an old detached auto garage behind my house. I believe it was once used by a trucking company.
Ah rad. Do you do most of your work there or go find other places for inspiration?
Chris: Mostly there but I’m always adding and changing things to keep it fresh. If I don’t, things start getting stagnant and I find myself spending less time there. Travelling always gets the inspiration flowing though.
How long have you been painting? Did you go to school or just sorta get into it without any formal training?
Chris: Some of my earliest memories are of painting and making crafts and stuff with my grandma so I’ve always enjoyed creating. I did a very short stint in art school but decided it wasn’t for me. So for the most part I'm self-taught.
And you’ve worked with some brands, right?
Chris: Yeah most recent would be some can designs for a few different beer companies including a cool artist can for Collective Arts. Prior to that I’ve done a couple solo pop-up events with John Varvatos store in Detroit.
What are your thoughts on that, like working with companies and other corporate work?
Chris: It’s definitely something I want to do more of. I think it’s great when brands can see the value in working with artists, though I do think it’s important to stay true to you and not be afraid to say no to opportunity if it doesn’t align with you artistically.
I’m really excited about the RVCA capsule you pulled out for our fall collection. Can’t wait to bring that in.
Chris: Can’t wait either! Clothing is another huge interest of mine that I’ve always dabbled in, RVCA has always been my favourite brand so I was hyped to curate that for the shop.
So let’s move back to the video. I mean, I watched it and it didn't take long to sorta sink into this meditative state. Was that what you were going for?
Mateo: Totally. When I first met with Chris to do some test footage, I immediately realised how his work is heavily inspired/driven by the idea of flow state, meditation, and relaxation. I knew that I needed to reflect this ethos of his work/lifestyle into a visual form.
I was immediately struck at the beginning with Chris behind the tree. Like he's deep in a forest somewhere but then there's this shipping container which is a real juxtaposition.
Mateo: I knew that I wanted the first and last shot to be a ‘portrait’ of Chris. But at the same time, I wanted it to be abstract yet calming, to reference his work. The second shot of the shipping container is pretty much from the view of where Chris was standing during his ‘portrait.’ So in an alternate reality, I guess Chris was watching himself paint that mural all along. Hah!
Love the way things work out. I think there’s this commentary on nature and industry that sort of lingers in the work that we see coming out of this area.
Mateo: I agree and I love it. Nature provides a lot of creative inspiration for me and the idea of industry provides the fuel to keep the engines rolling.
Chris: I think that makes sense with the way Windsor is situated so close to Detroit but also so close to more rural areas. I did a “Nature vs. Technology” installation in Miami in 2019 which I think was definitely influenced by living here. It’s a juxtaposition I want to play more on in the future.
The part when Chris talks about using different mediums and then we see him tearing up the canvas. The sound on that struck me.
Mateo: I knew I wanted a segment with just sound effects and the voice over, to once again hone in on the meditative experience during Chris’ painting process. It’s also a very personal segment to the video, it feels like you are in the room with Chris. I love the canvas tearing scene because it’s almost startling, in contrast to the calming brush strokes and spray sounds on the previous scenes. I love how Chris uses a destructive/constructive outlook on his work.
Chris, the theme of equilibrium returns later in the video when you talk about not really having a direction but always ending with balance. Let’s go a bit deeper into that. I’m interested in your concept-to-finish process.
Chris: Yeah, this is a huge part of my process, especially for my latest abstract series, Construction and Deconstruction. I usually like to start at least two paintings at the same time with absolutely no end vision in mind. Once I like the compositional direction it's going in, I’ll then start tearing up the other canvas and layering it onto the first one. This starts to become almost like a visual dance or conversation where each placement or brush stroke is purely a reaction to the previous. This process goes on until I feel a good balance in colour and composition.
And Mateo, we hit about four minutes into the video and there’s a significant transition. Can you tell me more about some of your ideas with this?
Mateo: That’s exactly what I wanted the shot to do. I wanted the final/credits shot to SNAP the viewer out of this meditative visual experience in the previous scenes, out of the studio, out of the art world, just Chris as Chris. Also if you watch closely, the video starts and ends pretty much with the same scene - an abstract portrait of Chris in nature, signifying the entry and exit of a flow-like-state.
One of the things about the video is how detached it is from so many of the stereotypes of living here: The closeness to nature, the ease at which one escapes into haze and humidity of long summer days by the lake. We get caught up in this urban stereotype when in fact we’re actually quite the opposite.
Mateo: I think you nailed it and I’m happy that we were able to bring that vibe to this video portrait of Chris and his work.
Okay guys, super cool to chat. Looking forward to seeing you at the shop soon.
Mateo: Can’t wait to hang under the oak tree.
Chris: I’m sure you’ll be seeing plenty of us around this summer lol, Cheers!
Mike: I think it's a maple tree but what do I know about nature.
Hi Haley.
Hey Mike!
Crazy that it turns out you live right down the street from me. How’s living on Windsor’s drag strip?
I’ve never heard it be called the drag strip before! Love that.
Cars burn rubber. It's so awesome to have a front row.
Oh wow that’s totally spot on! Honestly, it happens way more often than I thought it would and can be quite entertaining.
Have you ever considered throwing something out your window at them? Like eggs or passed due chicken?
LOL personally, no. But I’m sure my sister (who I live with) definitely has. I think it’s humorous. Also I’m vegan so don’t have a lot of past due chicken lying around.
Ah, how long have you been vegan?
I’ve been fully vegan for about a year and a half now, but I was vegetarian for three years leading up to it.
Why the switch?
At first, when I went vegetarian, I wanted to do it for my health and because I was curious to see if I could. Then, along the way and through more research, I became more knowledgeable about the impacts an omnivorous diet has on the planet. On top of that, being exposed to the cruelty of factory farming really drilled in for me that I didn’t want to take part in supporting it.
So I guess you won’t be hanging out on our patio this summer for jerk chicken and pork night?
If you introduce a jackfruit pulled pork, or bring in some veggie burgers, I’M THERE.
I think we actually might be doing that this year. So you used to live in Ford City, right by our shop? Like when we first opened I remember you were always walking by with a coffee.
Yeah! I had a unique little apartment that I loved with the coolest landlord. You’ll still most definitely see me walking just around anywhere any time with a coffee in hand. It basically a personality trait at this point.
Best coffee in Windsor?
Haley: Oh geez this is hard! I’d have to say either Cafe March 21 (on Pelissier) and Cafe Amour Art (On Ottawa). Although, you guys make a mean cappuccino, too.
If you had an unlimited amount of money - like let’s say another pandemic hit and you could get a million dollars a month from the government - what would be the perfect studio for you?
Oh wow, I would LOVE a studio apartment. Something I could live in and work out of. I picture an entire wall of floor to ceiling windows, painted white brick walls, a loft area with a spiral staircase, a kitchen with dark, sleek cabinets and countertops, and hardwood floors that look like they’ve been well lived on. Ideally this is higher than the 4th floor so I have nice view and golden sunlight coming in through the windows in the evening. And probably in Toronto where there's a bit more work.
Ah Toronto, then you’ll need the dough. So what inspires you the most?
I’m inspired by so many things on a daily basis, the ones that typically have the biggest impact are: nature, life experiences, and music.
Life experiences. So what's Haley's best life experience thus far?
This would be my Bali trip. I was healing from a breakup and needed to get away to figure things out about myself so I bought a last minute ticket and took off solo. But I ended up meeting someone who I now consider one of my best friends, and he and I spent the time exploring beautiful islands and taking lots of photos.
How did you get into photography?
Ah, I love talking about this! I picked up a small, pocket sized digital camera at 16 and loved taking photos of myself and flowers with it. Eventually, my grandparents gave me the greatest gift and bought me my first DSLR camera. This was what really kickstarted everything for me.
What's your go-to cameras?
I'm definitely not a 'gear head' and only really know what I know and am comfortable with. I love my Canon 5D MK III for professional work and the Canon M50 for more laidback stuff like YouTube and easy quick snaps of life.
So tell me about your business. What kind of services to you offer?
My business is always changing, but currently I’m heavily focused on self-portraiture, travel photography, and food photography, specifically treats. I do brand collaborations/sponsorships with my self portraiture and travel work and I photograph food for Windsor local businesses!
It was cool to work with you. What do you think of the Afends capsule?
I had a blast working with you, I can’t thank you enough for trusting me with your vision. I’m so impressed with this collection. The quality, the designs, the attention to detail, all of it. This collection has something for every aesthetic, and I think that’s so important.
Yeah, it’s a really cool brand doing cool things. I just opened the new men’s hemp plain tees and they are so buttery soft I’d spread ‘em on toast on Sunday mornings.
Ha, I love that. I totally agree with that statement. The fabric is just... incomparable.
Before we hangup, can you just give some insight into the fit of this collection, just for everyone about to head over to the website to sell us out.
So I'm wearing a couple different sizes: 24 in the trousers, medium in the tops, and the jumpsuit is a size small. I wanted the trousers to fit more to my form, so I sized according to my waist. My usual size 26 actually fit a bit larger so I sized down to a 24! They still had some room in the waist and became very comfortable (not tight at all) throughout the day of wear.
I'm really loving the baggy/boyfriend shirt look right now, so I opted for the medium in both the hemp crewneck and long sleeve shirt!
The jumpsuit felt more like a 'true to size' garment, so I stuck with my regular size small and I'm glad I did. It fit so comfortably with just the smallest amount of 'oversize' to make it more comfortable and easy to move in.
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Well if that doesn't sum it up, I don't know what does. And it sums up Russell Cunningham, the easy-going Windsorite who grew up in the Detroit music scene of the early 2000s before leaving to go start a record label in Vancouver, only to return to Windsor and bless us with last summer's Saturday night Evergreen Dreams patio sessions.
Russell's curating our new music selection and so I sat down and spoke with him about growing up here in Windsor, the perils of owning a record label, and some of the cool things he has planned now that he's back home.
Hey Russell.
Hello sir.
First, thanks so much for hanging out with us and playing some music on the patio last summer. It was so good to have you around.
My pleasure, it’s been really nice collaborating with you and Marina over the past year.
Why is your Instagram handle ‘Early?’
Yeah, that’s my pseudonym. I used to go through life on my own schedule. I was never very punctual and it became a bit embarrassing at times. I also needed an alias to perform under - something short and obscure. Being told I was late all the time, I figured I would fake it until I made it.
Gotcha. So you were living in Vancouver for a while. What’s it like being back in Windsor?
It’s been quite nice, I’ve had a lot more time to work on my own projects and help raise our two young boys, which is most important. The timing was definitely right to come back home, having been gone for over 10 years, we have a different perspective on the people and places we have here in Windsor-Detroit.
Yeah I think a lot of people who left would echo that sentiment. Plus, dunno if you get this, but there’s a feel that people are starting to create some cool things here. Not that they didn’t before, just that there seems to be a new small wave of creative things happening, like they’re moving back and bringing some ideas from other places, maybe some of the Detroit energy is drifting across the river.
I agree, most seem to be people who also have lived away for quite some time and want to bring back something unique - the other half appear to be the eccentric type who would thrive in any environment. Windsor is a place where you can afford to dream and take your own shot while still putting a roof over your head and good food in your stomach. Instead of waiting around for someone else to make something happen others are realizing they can do it on their own or with the help of some friends.
Speaking of, you and some friends started a record label out west. Tell me a bit about Pacific Rhythm.
Yeah so Pacific Rhythm is first and foremost a record label that was founded by Derek Duncan and myself back in Vancouver in 2013. There was a lot of unique and interesting music being made by our close friends that we wanted to share worldwide so we thought we should get to work. We acquired a distribution deal with Honest Jon’s out of London, UK and started pressing and selling our own records. Simultaneously as we started importing and selling records, we were collecting and playing locally which ultimately led to us having our own brick-and-mortar location. And all the while we were throwing parties and inviting international artists to come perform. Seven years and twenty releases later here we are, still doing the damn thing.
Starting a record label doesn’t seem like the kind of thing that is really that easy. What are some of the challenges?
Definitely scheduling. Since we press our music on vinyl and dub to tape we are beholden to the supply chain from the manufacturing plants.This makes scheduling very unpredictable and trying to keep a steady stream of music coming out without a large drought can be tough.
If we went through mastering and manufacturing process at the start of the calendar year we are competing with all of the major labels repressing their huge catalogs to get ready for Record Store Day - so when they press up say 16,000 copies of Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” naturally we get pushed to the back of the line.
We are also competing with father time, although having a resurgence in the past 10 years records are by and large not how most people consume their music. It doesn’t take much to throw a wrench into the gears of production. For example, last year Apollo Masters burned down, they are one of only two lacquer manufacturing plants in the world. This could also mean further delays in production for us in the future.
Other challenges are no different than other businesses. Did these orders get shipped? Who responded to this email? Did this invoice get paid? Small things add up quickly and soon enough you're spending the day putting out fires instead of listening to some new music or planning for future projects.
And on top of that you guys were throwing a lot of parties. Sometime this summer I ran into someone who had been to a Pacific Rhythm soirée and said they were pretty unique.
The lack of access to licensed venues or nightclubs in Vancouver meant we had to have our shows in some interesting locations. We’ve had parties in basement grottos, defunct buildings, restaurants, art galleries, ex porn theatres, auto shops, carriageways, industrial courtyards, and that’s just the condensed version.
There were so many memorable events beyond the ones we put on. The whole community elevated one another so effortlessly. We were on the edge of the continent in our own ecosystem — all that mattered was beautiful music, solid friendships, and good times.
Music, friendships, and good times - what more, right?
For sure.
So let’s talk about the music piece. How did it become so important for you? Where did that start?
I recognized very young that music was something that enhanced or diminished the mood I was in. Most new music in the early 2000’s did not resonate with me - bad lyrics, corny production, image first mentality. So I started to look around for alternatives and between close friends, the world wide web, and my geographical location it led me directly into electronic music.
I bought turntables and started my own record collection in 2003. I was in high-school, living at home and working part-time at Chrysler’s making a lot of disposable income. I was spending thousands of dollars a month on music equipment and records.
My friends and I were also travelling over Detroit and Ann Arbor for shows on weekdays and weekends coming back early in the morning only to go to class or work a few hours later. It was exhilarating. From that point on everything I did seemed to revolve around music - I went to college for audio engineering, travelled around Canada/USA and Europe attending festivals and nightclubs, I started my own radio show on CJAM, hosted parties and spent long days over in Detroit digging for records.
Where were you going in Detroit?
For records I was going to Record Time, Melodies and Memories, Neptune, Detroit Threads and Submerge - many of those stores are no longer with us but have made an impact worldwide. As for shows we went to Motor, The Shelter, Necto, Oslo, The Works and countless other locations with no name.
I’ve always found that really interesting, the intersection of Windsor and Detroit and the cultural byproducts that it produces. There have been plenty of artists from Windsor that will tell you that Detroit had a huge influence on their work, yet at the same time their perspective is unique as a bit of an outsider with a fly-on-the-wall point-of-view.
Without a doubt - that is a huge advantage we have living here. It doesn’t matter the medium either, there is an originator or influencer in every single one of the arts. It still amazes me when I can leave a concert, party, art show or museum and be back to my house in 20 minutes. I likely wouldn’t be doing what I was doing if it wasn’t for Detroit and the wonderful people that call it their home.
Safe to say we all miss it with the border being closed. What’s the first place you’ll go when we can cross again?
If I’m rolling solo it’ll be straight to Eastern Market to grab a coffee and head to Peoples Records to dig for a few hours. On the way home I’ll stop into Lafayette to grab a coney and attempt to stop smiling for the rest of the night.
So in the summer you were working behind our outside bar for the Evergreen Dreams summer residency. Man those nights were memorable - the warm weather, great music, food…
In such a wild and turbulent year it was nice to have something that felt so pure. Being able to play some beautiful music to people enjoying their food and drink out on the Pressure Drop patio was extremely cathartic.
You were playing music right next to Mark from Peace Love & Jerk - sometimes the smoke from his grill was so thick I could hardly see you. I’d have snacked the entire time and gained 50 lbs if I were that close!
It was almost comical, every week I would be in the middle of mixing a track and I would catch Mark out of the corner of my eye drop down a plate of jerk pork right next to me. I’m no chump, that got eaten quickly. Don’t ask me how much weight I gained because I didn’t check.
Well you have a few months to work on making room for this summer. In the meantime, tell us a bit more about what we will see now that you’re putting together a music collection at Pressure Drop.
We had such a positive response to the music I was playing on the patio I felt it was the perfect opportunity to curate a collection of music and have it here at the shop. We’ll have records, cassettes, zines, books, screenprints and various merch all available. The music collection will consist of soul, funk, disco, jazz, ambient, library, house and experimental genres and won’t be found anywhere else in the area.
We’re super excited and think it will really fit the vibe.
Exactly. People can drop by, browse, play some records, grab a coffee or beer and just enjoy themselves.
And let's hope that happens soon! Well, thanks for the chat, Russell.
I’ll go take a snooze - wake me up when it’s time. Thanks Mike!
Russell’s music collection opens in March. The collection can be found on the Pressure Drop website and through Discogs.
Purchases are available in-store, curbside pickup, same-day delivery, or shipping anywhere in the world. Please keep in mind that in-store capacity issues will be enforced as per Provincial regulations.
Keep an eye on everyone’s Instagram to see what’s new: you can follow Russell at @stayearly and Pressure Drop at @shop.pressuredrop.
Interview: Mike
]]>I first met Jamie in the summer of 2011. She was a tanned and barefoot sailing instructor, living in a sail locker at a yacht club on Toronto Island, working on boats by day and and drinking Kraken Black Spiced by night. She’s the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type with an appetite for adventure like no other. I remember a few years later calling her from Jamaica and asking if she wanted to join me for a sailing regatta. She landed the next morning.
Eventually Jamie became a commercial airline pilot, but in 2017 she and her then-boyfriend, Trevor, decided to quit their jobs, buy a boat, and sail to the Bahamas.
Hey Jamie. Congrats on getting married! Don’t take it the wrong way but I find it crazy that you’re married.
I find it crazy and I’m pretty sure my husband does too! We just celebrated one year in September. It’s actually nice given how much time we spend apart to have the extra sense of commitment and teamwork. Having a life partner is rad!
So, summer ’11 and ’12 we worked together at Queen City Yacht Club. Those were fun summers. Although I recall having the flu every Thursday for some reason.
Was a great lifestyle. We barely left Toronto Island, unless we needed food or beer. I often look back fondly on those years. I get the flu a lot worse these days – another thing I miss about back then!
So, enough nostalgia. The latest on your Insta feed is you and your husband winning a fishing tournament. Congrats! I didn’t know you were into fishing.
We dabbled in fishing while we were on our sailing trip but really had no idea what we were doing. There’s my first cruising tip: learn a little bit about fishing before you go!
Now that Trevor’s landed a job Captaining a sportfishing boat, we’ve found ourselves fishing competitively! I’m learning a lot. I won the award in the Montauk Canyon Challenge for Best Female Angler for my albacore tuna weighing in at 38 lbs! But to be honest I think I may have been the only female in the tournament so perhaps I won by default.
Did you eat it?
We sure did! We fed our neighbors’ neighbors with that trip. Poke bowls for days.
Cool. So you’re hanging out in New York? Give us an update as to what’s going on.
I had been working for a United regional carrier based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. But after the pandemic hit, the flying pretty much stopped at the airlines. Luckily Trevor works for incredible people so I was able to move onto the boat with him and enjoy summer in the Hamptons.
And Trevor is a boat captain?
Well, he works on a 76’ sportfishing vessel. He’s responsible for repositioning the yacht up and down the east coast of the US and throughout the Caribbean, maintaining it, etc. It's a great gig.
So, the point here is to learn a bit more about the time you guys took a winter off and sailed your boat from Toronto to the Bahamas. Let’s talk about that. Tell us how that all started.
Well, Trevor and I had been dating a while - we’re talking early 2017 and he was working in New Zealand - and on one of our regular Facetime calls in February he said something along the lines of, “Let's quit our jobs, buy a boat, and sail to the Bahamas for the winter." So, he was home by the end of March, and we had our boat by mid-April and we left on our trip that fall!
I couldn't imagine it any other way. What kind of boat did you buy for this trip?
The plan was to buy something in the forty-foot range but we quickly realized it wasn’t in the budget. We knew if we wanted to just pick-up and do this on such short notice and without going into debt, we had to scale back our hopes and dreams a little bit.
So we settled on a 1978 twenty-nine foot Bayfield named ‘Frannie C’. We kept the name. Not sure who Frannie was, but we like her!
How much did you pay?
We paid $13,000 CAD. The listing price was $15,000 but we found enough wrong with it to knock off a few grand.
How much did you have to put into it?
I would say about $5,000. But some of that was aesthetic (e.g. we did the floors because I didn’t like them, and to this day Trevor will say was a waste of money). Biggest ticket items were an inflatable dinghy and life raft. And maybe some other safety equipment.
Cool. So when did you leave? What route did you take?
We left Toronto on September 27th and went across Lake Ontario, through the Oswego/Erie barge canals, and then down the Hudson River to NYC. This is kind of “the way out” of the Great Lakes and to the ocean.
One issue we had was our timing, which was autumn. The locks close for the winter, but if you want to know when the locks will close on a particular year, you'll just get a typical sailor-vague, weather-dependent non-answer. So here’s my cruising tip #2 – don’t bother! Just get out as early as you can! Knowing this, and since I was working still, Trevor got our friend Dave to help him with this first part.
Once they got to the Hudson River, they went about halfway down and left the boat in Poughkeepsie, upstate New York. Toronto to Poughkeepsie took them 8 days. Dave wrote a rather amusing blog post about the journey on our website.
Ok and then what?
Once we were both back on the boat we went down the Hudson River and out into the ocean from New York City. From there we did a combination of offshore sailing and motoring the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). It really went NOTHING like what we’d planned (at one point we were thinking we’d just jet right out into the ocean and go straight down to the Caribbean.) But yeah, in the end it went a little something like this:
Offshore sail NYC -> Norfolk, Virginia
Intracoastal Waterway Norfolk -> Beaufort, North Carolina
Offshore sail Beaufort -> Southport, North Carolina
Intracoastal Waterway Southport -> Charleston, South Carolina
Offshore sail Charleston -> Brunswick, Georgia
Intracoastal Waterway Brunswick -> West Palm Beach, Florida
Offshore sail West Palm Beach -> Miami, Florida
We wanted to sail more, but didn’t always have the weather for it. Our engine wasn’t the most reliable and it wasn’t a very stable boat in greater than five-foot seas. So we were always hopping into the ocean when we could, but motoring/sailing down the ICW the rest of the time. I wrote a post about some of the offshore sailing and Intracoastal waterway experiences we had on our way south.
How long did the entire trip to Florida take?
The Toronto-Poughkeepsie leg through all the locks and canals was one week. Then it was about six weeks before we arrived in Miami on December first. But there were ten days or so in North Carolina when we were rebuilding our engine which obviously we didn’t plan for. So I’d say about four-and-a-half weeks from New York to Miami.
What was the best/worst part?
I’d say the best part is a tie between the wildlife and the awesome people we met. Like, in North Carolina we met this guy Chris who lent us his car to go get engine parts and groceries – that made our week! And we met some cool folks while waiting for weather in Beaufort – there are a lot of fun bars there. It’s this cute little coastal town that we’d probably never have explored if it weren’t for those circumstances.
The worst part was not getting to sail as much as we wanted. A good chunk of the ICW is so narrow you have to motor it. So you’re putting in eight to ten-hour days motoring along at five knots, listening to the loud engine and smelling the Co2 fumes.
And then once you were in Florida you sailed across to the Bahamas?
We spent the entire month of December in Miami, enjoyed Christmas with friends, and left for the Bahamas on New Years Eve, arriving in Bimini on the first morning of 2018!
How was that ride? I’d image pretty rough in such a small boat?
We accidentally chose the calmest weather window you could imagine and it was a beautiful crossing! There was a lot less wind than forecasted so we ended up having to motor the entire way across! I wrote about the Gulfstream crossing too if anyone is interested in learning more about the infamous Gulfstream or entering a new country by boat.
If you want to hear about rough in a small boat I should tell you about our trip from Chub Cay in the Berry Islands to Nassau. Through the tongue of the ocean things can get nasty, and it was a night sail. Gusting to forty knots and six-foot swell. That’s the day we found out just how NOT waterproof our hatches and companionway were. We took waves over the ENTIRE boat and had a few inches of water on the floor down below.
And so other than that gnarly sail, you just hung out down there all winter?
Yeah, we had zero plans. At that point we sort of knew we wanted to spend the rest of the trip in the Bahamas. There’s so much to see there and we both had to be back to work by April-ish. We ended up doing a lot of island hopping. We did the Berry Islands, Nassau, the whole Exuma chain (a few times), and then also Long Island and Conception Island.
Top three things about Bahamas boat living:
Definitely number one is being able to jump off your back deck into crystal clear water, the diving is just INCREDIBLE. And delicious if you spearfish.
Also, the feeling of freedom. Sometimes we’d wake up and just decide to move to a different island. Or we’d have planned to sail somewhere and just decided to stay another day. Having ZERO commitments and only the weather to dictate your schedule is something else.
Time moves SO slowly because you’re not busy. It’s such a strange but delightful feeling to get up and just have no obligations whatsoever and getting to just say, well, should we go exploring with the dinghy? Sail somewhere? Spearfish a new reef? Cook something cool? Sit our butts on a beach? Get randomly day drunk? I don’t know the options were just endless yet at the same time there was nothing to do.
I’d pick the randomly day drunk.
So a lot of people are reading this because they’ve always thought about taking off and living on a boat for a year. And then COVID hits and all-of-a-sudden normal freedoms are taken away, and a lot of people realize the scarcity of time and are like, ‘shit, we need to make these things happen!’ And now many people are in this new kind of work-from-home existence and living on a boat while working is actually feasible. What advice would you give to anyone who might want to do what you did?
My advice would be to not worry so much about the “perfect timing” or the “perfect boat” or even being “fully ready”. There’s never going to be a perfect time. And no boat is perfect. In fact ours was such a bad choice! Too small and not great in any kind of adverse weather.
Sure, we both had experience backing us (me being a sailing instructor previously and Trevor being a motor yacht Captain), but there are plenty of people with FAR less experience than us doing it. I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t overthink it. If it’s something you want to do then JUST DO IT. You’ll be fine. Don’t make any risky decisions and you’ll get down there eventually.
Any other resources for people considering this trip?
Well, here’s what we’ve got from sailing Frannie:
I’ll also note that it doesn’t have to be just a trip like in our case. There are a lot of people who are literally leaving life behind to sail. Using various methods of supporting themselves. Some do it in phases, coming home to work during hurricane season for example. Others have remote jobs where they can work from anywhere. Some make their living by YouTube even. Checking out their YouTube, blogs, or social media can be really helpful if you want to learn more about cruising. I’ll link my top 5 favourites below:
A rad couple making videos that are super informative (talking about how they afford it, how they refit their boat, etc.) And now they are in Europe and doing some realllllly incredible exploring. Also, Kika speaks out about the racism she has experienced in her life, and the inequality she has experienced as a Haitian woman. She’s really just a beautiful badass that is doing great things!
A hilarious couple from Wisconsin, Missy and Kyle. An example of people who just went for it with little experience! They’ve made it all the way to Grenada from Wisconsin and Missy is such a laugh! Kyle really just goes for it and figures things out along the way.
They started on a monohull and now are sailing on a catamaran. Their early videos back when they had no idea what they were doing are especially funny/helpful, they’ve been sailing around the world for about five years now. They have a baby now, and they’ve really refined their videos. They’re very well done and it’s just so calming to watch. And they are both rather funny so it’s always a good laugh.
Their videos have been TOP NOTCH since the beginning because it’s what they do for a living (production), and their channel follows them from complete newbies who don’t even own a boat, to doing a refit, to actually making it down to the Caribbean!
My husband especially likes these guys. They bought a hurricane damaged catamaran and refit it in the Caribbean – now the channel follows his journey to try to sail it back to New Zealand!
Thanks Jamie, hope we can grab a beer soon!
Or twelve!
Interview: Mike
]]>Hey, Anthony. Happy Heat Wave.
Hey Mike, this heat's rough but at least we can do outdoor activities! Lots of time on the water!
Was that you riding by the shop the other day?
Yeah I was rippin’ around with my buddy, we were going for a nice Friday afternoon cruise. Then his throttle cable locked up and he was flying down Riverside Drive with no hands while the bike was getting gas, which was pretty awesome but it was just a little dangerous so we had to go back to his place to quickly fix it.
What are you riding these days?
I still got my Harley 883 sporty, with a little style added to it. I love my bike, I’ve been on it so much this year, it’s great.
COVID interrupted our planned 2nd Art Shop Drink, a real bummer. The first one was so fun.
I was super bummed, I had the whole thing planned, bands, artists, I even had the poster designed. But what’re you gonna do, gotta stay alive.
I remember at the first one, you sold that pink bag to Eugenio!
I’m the unspoken secret salesman for the shop.
With the best commission rates, too.
Ha!
So let’s chat about your photography biz. Tell us a bit about it. Do you mostly do weddings?
I do photograph a lot of weddings but I wouldn’t say it’s where I make most of my money. It probably accounts for 45-50%. I shoot a lot of stuff, I do a lot of commercial work, head shots, families, products, branding photos, food, real estate, events, newborns, I shoot it all! I keep pretty busy with everything else. I’ll really see this year how much weddings make an impact on my business because I really don’t have very many left due to COVID. It’s okay though, most of them just moved to next year.
What are some of your favourite projects?
I do really enjoy shooting everything on the business end but what I really love, where the heart of my passion lies, is in all the art photo projects I have going on. Currently I’ve been shooting a lot of self portraits and friends, making cool photos out of them. I’m always thinking up and planning new art shoots. I like to break down my art photos into four categories: travel and lifestyle, street, portraits and music.
And your book release is coming along? Give us an update.
In November 2019 I went to Popoyo, Nicaragua for the third time. Popoyo is a small town on the west coast of the country with great surf. My newest book, named after the town, is compiled of my favourite photographs from this most recent trip as well as an interview with that local writer, Layan Barakat. I began working on the photos as soon as I returned from the trip and I started designing the book in late March. I’m super happy with how it turned out. I can’t wait to throw the release party. I want to have the books laid out everywhere, I built these cool frames in a style I’ve never done before for all my favourite photos that I’m going to hang on the walls. I want live music, food, drinks, surf videos & more at the party. Of course the event is taking place at Pressure Drop!
We can’t wait either! I think we’ll try to make it work outside to keep people as safe as possible.
That would be sick.
So since the photography has slowed down but you aren’t really a sit-at-home-and-twiddle-your-thumbs kind of guy, what are you doing in the meantime?
With running a business, even when there’s no specific jobs there's always something to do, so I’ve been doing a lot the small things I never had time for before. My studio is in my back yard so I work from home, just in a separate building, so during the beginning of quarantine I did a lot of housework. The whole time I just really put a lot of work into my art work and projects I had going on, working on current ones and planning new ones for when things go back to normal! It’s been a lot of fun!
At least you’ll have enough money for travel once we’re allowed to. Any trips planned?
Yeah, hopefully in early December we’ll be able to travel again and I want to head down to Central America somewhere to surf/shoot photos for a week or two. But for now I have a ton of camping trips planned for this summer in Ontario so that’s cool! I really, really want to go back to New York City as soon as I can as well to shoot street photography, it’s been a year and a half since I was last there so that’s high on the list.
And you love California, too, right? I seem to recall you were over there last year.
Three times last year! If the borders open up I plan to drive down to California for about 4-6 weeks next winter and live out of my car around the whole state doing anything fun - surfing, shooting photos, camping, hiking, rock climbing, skating, dirt bikes, shooting guns, you know, the good stuff ahah. Then my friends are going to come down for 10 days or so for my bachelor party so we’ll hang out in Santa Monica or Venice and just have a good time doing fun stuff and on the weekend we’re gonna drive to Vegas for two nights as well. I’m not a big partier but you gotta go to Vegas for your bachelor party if you're only a couple hours away!
And you got to go to the Deus Ex Machina Emporium of Postmodern Activities in Venice! That store was a big inspiration for Pressure Drop.
Yeah, that place is just a great time man! I went to their spring launch party one night with my buddy Jordan who lives down there. I actually met him in Iceland at 5am in a snowstorm at the airport over 2 years ago. We’ve met up twice over the last two years, he’s a solid dude! So yeah, I saw they were throwing that party so I shot him a text, we met in Venice beach, grabbed some tacos and headed up to the store. The party was wild, a ton of motorcycles out front, free to enter, free food, free beer and free tequila! Like what?! We sat at the same table as the drummer from Alice In Chains for a bit. California’s a time, man!
I want to know more about your pal Dave Vieceli. Dude turns up at the shop with a modified vintage windsurfing board on top of his Subaru!
LOL, Dave’s my best friend, we do all this crazy stuff together. He garbage picked that board last year, took it out to the water, tied it with a rope to a jet ski and we had his cousin tow us on it, we lay down and hold on and as he starts to go we popup and surf it as it gets pulled. Sometimes you just gotta improvise!
Dave seems like the kind of guy who quietly goes about things and then one day will just like land on your front lawn in a spaceship.
LOL, yeah, that sounds about right. It’s not uncommon for him to go to a foreign country alone for weeks and weeks on end to just chill & have a good time!
Follow Anthony at: @anthony.sheardown and be sure to drop by his new book release party on Friday, September 18.
Interview: Mike
Now we can add the sweet smell of jerk and breezy beats to the mix!
Thanks to everyone who came out to our patio opening, especially Mark and Sonia from Peace Love & Jerk and our new pal, Russell, from Pacific Rhythm.
The idea here is guest chefs, musicians, artists...whomever and whatever! Keep an eye out on our Instagram to see what we're planning and be sure to drop by every Saturday for some delicious Jamaican fare, easy tunes, and relaxing vibes.
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There are laidback people, and then there are laidback sailors. Tim is definitely the latter. The 22 year-old recent poly-sci grad bought his first sailboat when he was just 17 and last summer he jumped at the chance to make his first ocean crossing. We sat down and chatted about his trip across the Atlantic, sailing in Windsor, and some of the cool microplastics research he's doing while spending the summer cruising around the Great Lakes.
Let’s start with one of those ‘small world’ stories: So last summer I’m in the shop with Carly from BLUEM and I’m telling her about you and your upcoming trip across the Atlantic. A few days later she messages me from St. John and says, ‘Hey, I’m in Newfoundland and I just met that sailor guy you were telling me about!’
Yeah, so unbeknownst to me and the rest of the crew, it was Royal St. John’s Regatta’s Day and we found ourselves at a brewery in Quidi Vidi and some people mentioned they were from Windsor. When I found out she worked at Pressure Drop it was one of those small world moments.
How was the beer?
I had their Iceberg Lager... and yes it’s made from real iceberg! They send someone out to chip away at 'bergs passing by.
Cool. Man, I must get out there. Never been out east.
It was my first time in Atlantic Canada. The scenery and culture was absolutely stunning, particularly by sailboat.
Tell me more about that trip across the ocean. How did that come about?
One winter's day I was sitting in class and thinking about sailing and started to search for crew opportunities. I found an application, filled it out, I and the next thing I knew I got accepted.
So you started in St. John and where did you finish? How long did it take?
We actually started in Camden, Maine, before taking off to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. We then left to St John’s for provision and do some maintenance before the crossing. We finished in Cardiff, South Whales, after almost 2,000 nautical miles. I was on the boat for almost a month from the time I got to Maine before I got off in the UK.
And what did you think? Was it what you thought ocean sailing would be?
It was exactly what I went to to do and my expectations were exceeded in a good way. It was truly amazing to see that part of the world.
Tim somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, summer 2019.
Was there anytime when you were like, ‘uh, this is sorta scary and I might die.’
Definitely a new experience but I always felt safe and calm. The boat was very safe so I would say it was fairly comfortable for getting caught in 40+ knots for a few days mid-Atlantic.
Where did you learn to sail?
I learned to sail at South Port Sailing Club here in Windsor, but the truth is you’ll never be finished learning about sailing and everything that comes with it. As a sailor you’re forever learning.
What do you like most about sailing? I mean, there’s so much it offers - racing, cruising, drinking - what does it for you?
I’m more of a traditionalist when it comes to sailing. I enjoy racing and cruising alike but I think the drinking is best left at the dock when on passage. Cruising will probably be my bread and butter unless I can get onto a good team for racing.
A rare breed!
Ha!
And when did you buy your first boat? What kind of boat was it?
I bought my first boat when I was 17. It was a 22 foot yellow Tanzer named Bumblebee.
Ah! Then I’d like to welcome you to the Yellow Sailboat Club! I started it in 1990 with my first boat, a yellow Laser.
You'll never miss a yellow sailboat in the vast blue of the Great Lakes. I even painted most of the inside yellow. That boat definitely has character haha!
How much did you pay for it?
I think we paid maybe $1200 for the hull and more for a new engine.
That’s so cool. I think that’s one of the things so many people who don’t sail aren’t aware of: There are thousands of these boats built in the 1970s and '80s that are still super good and super cheap and pretty much anyone can pick one up on Kijiji or Craigslist and spend a summer cruising around.
I think that’s the kicker when it comes to sailing. At the end of the day you’ll look at the same sunset and anchorage, no matter how much you spent on your boat.
And now you’re sailing a bigger boat?
Yeah currently sailing on a Hughes 31. It’s much more suitable for cruising.
Where have you been?
Well this year with all the restrictions I travelled to Port Stanley and the North Channel. Both are great places to cruise to and enjoy the area.
Tim's Hugh's 31 anchored in the North Channel.
Any plans to go somewhere far away again? Any ocean crossings planned?
I’ve been invited back to crew on the yacht that I crossed on last year. This time we’re going to the North Sea and the Nordic countries. Otherwise I’ll be looking to be doing trans-ocean yacht deliveries.
Let’s talk a bit about your work for the University of Windsor. Tell me about what you’re doing.
Well I’m volunteering for a professor to do microplastics sampling around the Great Lakes. We’re collecting samples in waters not typically reached by sampling boats.
Where are the plastics coming from?
They come from everywhere from your plastic packaging to the cotton and polyester fibres in clothing. Plastic bags, balloons that people carelessly release into the air not knowing where it will go. All of it contributes to the problem.
Yeah I just read a recent article about the problems with plastics and how there isn’t actually much understanding about their effects.
Microplastics engage with the environment in more ways than we understand, so the degree to which they harm animals and the greater ecosystem is still largely uncertain.
It can’t be good for us to be walking around full of plastic inside of our bodies.
No.
What’s the best thing we can do to reduce this problem?
There’s no easy route to meeting these challenges, but if we can really focus on reducing the amount of single-use plastic we use and produce then we can make a significant impact on the amount of plastic that gets into our lakes and oceans.
Cool. Let’s end with a quickie: Let’s say you're hanging out on your boat over at Bayview Yacht Club and Donald Trump is there to thank all of his supporters. He walks up to your boat and says, ‘Hey, Tim, that’s a big beautiful boat and I’d like to go for a sail.’ What do you say?
HA! As a political science graduate I would have to pick his brain a little bit first but I could put my views aside. Anyone is welcome to sail with me if they are genuinely interested in it.
Follow Tim on his sailing adventures: @tim0929
Interview: Mike
Well at least we can dream, Windsor.
It will be THE summertime party in Lakeshore and everyone from all the big shops will be there.
She will say that at sunset, when tans glow golden and everyone looks successful. Soon Josh will show you his new driver.
But the fish flies are out and you’re wearing khakis! Alert!
The solution: dark shorts.
For a bug stain-hiding alternative, try replacing your go-to summer shorts with something darker.
Plus, they will better contrast with your loose and untucked party shirt (perhaps linen), you can get away with wearing your Vans or Chucks, and they'll draw her gaze to your Ray Bans.
But let’s face it, the goal here is to differentiate: let’s say more techno or 1950s modern architecture than Jimmy Buffet and ornate porch columns.
The RVCA Week End Shorts are my favourite option, shown here for Beach Grove with Pam or when we can finally have Datsunn and TEO play our patio.
We have a full size range. I wear a 30. We also have army green and classic black.
You can order online and pickup at the shop Friday or Saturday from 10am-2pm. I’ll be there with fresh tunes, tasty drinks, and other cool rad dad gifts for Father’s Day.
]]>We hope this is the first of many Art Shop Drink events and can't wait 'til the next one.
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