Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Tuesday's #FolklorePhoto: Simms House


Today's Folklore Photos are of the Simms House which is a two-and-a-half storey, mansard roofed residential structure built in the late 19th century. It is situated on Pleasant Street in the west-end area of St. John’s, NL, once known as Lazy Bank. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Tyler Stapleton and Dale Jarvis.
Tyler Stapleton, a 24 year old Nautical Science Graduate from the Marine Institute, is actively restoring the 1882 Registered Heritage Structure in Downtown St. John’s. In March 2018, Tyler gave Dale and Terra with the Heritage Foundation a tour of his property and described the ongoing restoration and the background research on the history of the house. 


The home was built in 1882 for draper George Taylor and sold to cooper Henry V. Simms in 1902. Simms ran a successful trade out of a shop once located behind the home and, by the time he died in 1947, owned several properties in the area. Henry’s son William Simms inherited Simms House in 1947 and also worked as a cooper. Simms House has aesthetic value as an excellent example of an early middle-class home in urban St. John’s.


Henry V. Simms played an active in his community, serving as Vice President of the Master Coopers’ Association and an organizer of the local prohibition movement. His interest in prohibition may have been influenced by his neighbourhood, Lazy Bank, which generated reports of public intoxication and unsanitary conditions around the turn of the century. 

A bottle of Labbatt's Blue and a pack of Man-Tex condoms found during the restoration of the home. An interesting find given Simms' interest in the prohibition movement. 
If you would like to learn more about the Simms House have a listen to the Living Heritage Podcast episode number 104. In this episode, which can be found here, Dale and Tyler discuss on the history of the building, his process of research and restoration, and some of the secrets of the Simms House.

Thursday, May 31, 2018

Living Heritage Podcast Ep112 Felted Folklore and Paper Maché

Janet Peter has been working with the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador for approximately 20 years. She possesses a great interest in creating paper maché mummers and figurines of local traditions and folklore, and these themes recur in much of her work. She has been making marks on paper since she was old enough to hold a pencil and it motivated her to embark on a journey to a career in the arts.

After high school, Janet briefly studied animation. Shortly after graduating with a Visual Arts diploma, she began a line of paper maché mummer figurines. She earned a Masters’ in Political Science; worked as a workers’ advocate; then moved across the country to St. John’s to start her career afresh. Currently, she is working on a series of needle felted sculptures depicting pre-Victorian yuletide folklore and practices for an upcoming solo exhibit.

Janet Peter is one of those who have been constantly working to keep the craft tradition of Newfoundland alive. In this episode, Janet talks with Nadia Sarwar about her upcoming solo exhibition, her notable creations, the activities of the Craft Council, and the future of craft in Newfoundland. This episode is part of a series of programs in partnership with the Memorial University graduate course Folk 6740 - Public Folklore, and the Craft Council of NL, to document craft traditions in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Download the mp3




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The Living Heritage Podcast is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Saving Our Stories workshop - An Introduction to Community Oral History



Presented by the Heritage Foundation of NL in partnership with Admiralty House Communications Museum

Friday, June 8th, 2018
12:30pm-4:30pm
Admiralty House Communications Museum
365 Old Placentia Road, Mount Pearl

Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, communities, and everyday life using recordings and transcriptions of planned interviews. We have important stories to share in Newfoundland and Labrador, and properly planned oral history projects can be a valuable tool for museums, towns, historical societies and heritage organizations.

This introductory, half-day workshop is open to anyone with an interest in local history, culture, and folklore. It is intended to give a background on how to conduct research interviews, and will give people a chance to try their hand at creating interview questions and to explore the world of oral history! We will talk about the practical matters of creating, designing, and executing effective oral history and folklore research projects, project planning, ethical issues, and recording equipment.

This workshop will be beneficial to people who are contemplating folklore and oral history projects of all sorts, ranging from short-term projects involving a single researcher to complex, long-term projects involving many researchers.


The workshop will be taught by folklorist Dale Jarvis of the Intangible Cultural Heritage office, Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Workshop limited to 10 participants. Tuition: $50. Pre-registration mandatory.

Register online at Eventbrite

Monday, May 28, 2018

Transformation and Talking Tigers: Tales from Afar at The Rooms


This Wednesday at The Rooms, join folklorist Dale Jarvis as he chats with storytellers Zoe Wu (Taiwan), Tanyan Ye (China) and Jae Hong Jin (Korea), about dangerous dried persimmons, fiendish tiger grandmothers, mysterious snail maidens, and the folklore and stories of their respective childhoods.

Tales From Afar: Old Stories from New Residents is a collection of world folktales, myths, and legends, collected by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador in partnership with the St. John's Local Immigration Partnership.

Time: 7:00pm
Date: Wednesday, May 30
Where: The Rooms Theatre
Cost: Included with the cost of admission to The Rooms

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Living Heritage Podcast Ep111 Yellow Rose: An interview with natural dye artist Anna Murphy



Anna Murphy is a natural dye artist from St. John’s, Newfoundland. Inspired by her travels and many adventures, she has recently opened her own dye studio and shop in Bonavista, Newfoundland. She serves on the board of directors for the craft council of NL and the Irish Heritage Organization, Rose of Tralee. She is deeply committed to learning new techniques and plans to expand her gallery work in the future. In this episode, Anna sits down with Ellen McCutcheon to discuss her techniques, processes, and the influence of her family and heritage on her work.


This episode is part of a series of programs in partnership with the Memorial University graduate course Folk 6740 - Public Folklore, and the Craft Council of NL, to document craft traditions in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Download the mp3




###

The Living Heritage Podcast is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Living Heritage Podcast Ep110 Inspiration in Clay


Wendy Shirran is an accomplished ceramic artist and certified art teacher from Bonavista, Newfoundland. Upon completing her BA in English Drama and History at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Wendy Shirran moved to Halifax Nova Scotia to attend NSCADU where she discovered her connection with clay. Since graduating with a BEd Art Specialist degree in 2003, Wendy has spent most of her time teaching the fundamentals of ceramics and creating one-of-a-kind pieces for exhibition both nationally and internationally. Drawing on the influence of her travels to India, China, Japan, and the Mediterranean, her forms and shapes reflect the lines and fluidity found in ancient architecture, art, and folklore. She is also the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Clay Studio Coordinator, after spending several years with the Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Council.

In this podcast episode, Wendy talks with Qian Huang about her ceramic work, how and why she became a ceramic artist, and how travelling gives her inspiration.This episode is part of a series of programs in partnership with the Memorial University graduate course Folk 6740 - Public Folklore, and the Craft Council of NL, to document craft traditions in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.




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The Living Heritage Podcast is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Wanted: Portuguese Arraiolos tapestry makers in Newfoundland!




Today, I got an interesting question from the lovely Sarah Nivea, originally from Brazil and now living here in St. John's, who was one of our participants in the Tales From Afar folktales project.

Sarah is working on a tapestry utilizing Newfoundland motifs in the Portuguese Arraiolos tapestry style.



Portuguese Needlework Rugs, also called Arraiolos Carpets (Tapetes de Arraiolos) or Arraiolos rugs, are a type of embroidered wool rug which were made traditionally in the small town of Arraiolos, Portugal, since the Middle Ages, and which are said to be inspired by Persian carpets.

Sarah is interested in meeting anyone in the province familiar with the techniques. She also writes, "I’d like to know where I can buy the materials because I want to make a tapestry special to NL."

Anyone with knowledge, expertise, or ideas for Sarah can send your contact info to dale@heritagenl.ca



Thursday, May 10, 2018

Living Heritage Podcast Ep109 Textiles, Dyes, and the Art of Craft



Kerri Ivany is a textile artist in St. John’s. She graduated from the College of the North Atlantic’s Textiles program in 2013 and now has a studio space at Quidi Vidi Plantation, where she makes clutch purses, cards, dyed fabrics, and embroideries. Kerri’s art is inspired by the natural world.

In this episode, Natalie Dignam chats with Kerri about how she got started in her art, organic patterns, the shibori dye process, and what it means to be a juried member of the Craft Council of NL.

This episode is part of a series of programs in partnership with the Memorial University graduate course Folk 6740 - Public Folklore, and the Craft Council of NL, to document craft traditions in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Download the mp3




###

The Living Heritage Podcast is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Eliza Petten of Flat Islands, and the Women's Patriotic Association



Recently, our office was sent the above photograph from Jason Davis. He writes:
"I just saw your posting on the Women’s Patriotic Association. Attached is a picture of my great-grandmother, Eliza Petten, MBE, wearing the medal presented to her for the work done with the WPA. She was a resident of Flat Islands, Bonavista Bay. Any information you can share on the WPA and her contributions would be great."
Do you know anything about Eliza Petten? Send me an email at dale@heritagenl.ca or leave a comment!