Jennifer O’Connell, Artist

Jennifer O’Connell is a multidisciplinary artist based in New York City. We talk about Jennifer's approach to making art, why it brings meaning to her life and how an unexpected Instagram co-sign from art critic, Jerry Saltz impacted her art practice. Jennifer also talks about fear and the double standards applied to women in the art world.

Marissa Sean Cruz is a digital multimedia and video performance artist from Kjipuktuk (so-called Halifax). Cruz’s topics of interest are related to labour, power and surveillance as seen through digital platforms and pop culture. Their experimental videos comprise found footage, 3D modelling, sound design and costumed performances to look at value systems with critical sensibility. These satirical works aim to capture a fast-paced contemporary present and envision possible, liberatory futures.  Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.  Award categories are as follows:  Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré  Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist  Indigenous Artist  And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia’s creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000! Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. artpaysme.com

Lydia Zimmer, a graduate of The Boston Conservatory (BFA ’11), is a dancer and choreographer in Halifax, NS. Lydia has created several works supported by Canada Council for the Arts and Arts Nova Scotia. These include 'Bonne Nuit,' Live Art Dance (2016); 'Embankment,' Votive Dance (2017, 2021); 'Sonderlings,' Nostos Collectives (2018), 'Sonderling,' Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal (2019) & 'Extremophile,' FODAR (2021). Recent creations include 'Mercurials' commissioned by Mocean Dance (2022), a work for The Boston Conservatory's First-year students (2023), and 'Xenofauna', which was created for Atlantic Ballet Theatre's ImpactFest 2023 during a residency with the company. In the summer of 2023 Lydia launched ZIMMERDANS at Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal where an excerpt of The Devil’s Intervals was performed, a full-length work that premiered through Live Art Dance in December 2023. Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.  Award categories are as follows:  Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré  Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist  Indigenous Artist  And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia’s creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000! Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. artpaysme.com

Nancy E. Oakley is a Mi'kmaq/Wampanoag artist who was raised in Mashpee, Massachuttes but now lives and works on the Eskasoni First Nation Reserve in NS She is a graduate of the Institute of American Indian arts in Santa Fe, NM and studied for a year at NSCAD, taking courses in Photography, ceramics, weaving and jewellery making. Through softly curved pottery forms created by hand or by the wheel. Nancy creates culturally significant pieces that imbue her spiritual and traditional knowledge and honor her role as a mother. Her process is a collaboration with the land. Clay harvested from mother earth and shaped by hand Pieces are stone polished and smoke fired outdoors with fir tips, seaweed and sawdust imprinting beautiful smokey finishes. Her pots are adorned with traditional Mi'kmaq embellishments such as black ash, beadwork and/or braided sweetgrass. Nancy is a mother of 6 and grandmother of 5. Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.  Award categories are as follows:  Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré  Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist  Indigenous Artist  And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia’s creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000!  Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. artpaysme.com

Juanita Peters is known by many people, as many things. She is an actor, journalist, news anchor and playwright, film and theatre director. As a writer and director some of her films include: I Made a Vow Hannah’s Story Africville Can’t stop Now 8:37 Rebirth…which has picked up multiple awards in Canada, New York, London and Paris. Juanita Peters directed two seasons of the Film Nova Scotia Award winning dramatic series “Studio Black” and the multiaward-winning television series DIGGSTOWN. As a playwright she has given us: The San Family The Mother Club I M Possible The Green Book Founding member of Women In Film and Television Atlantic and Found-ing member of Atlantic Canada’s newest multicultural festival Nova Mul-tiFest. Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.  Award categories are as follows:  Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré  Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist  Indigenous Artist  And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia’s creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000!  Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. artpaysme.com

Jah'Mila is a reggae singer from Kingston, Jamaica, now based in Atlantic Canada. With a deep-rooted love for traditional roots reggae, her music blends the vibrant spirit of Jamaican roots music with elements of jazz and modern soul. She has been blessed to share stages with renowned acts like The Wailers, Black Uhuru, and Groundation, which has enriched her journey as a reggae artist and cultural ambassador. Jah’Mila is passionate about social justice and uses her music as a platform for both a form of entertainment and activism, advocating for community, inclusion, and support for the arts. Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.  Award categories are as follows:  Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré  Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist  Indigenous Artist  And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia’s creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000!  Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. artpaysme.com

Garry Williams is an actor, director, singer, writer, musical director, and composer-lyricist. He received a Merritt Award for his performance as Polonius/Gravedigger in Hamlet, and for his original score for KAMP. Previous nominations include Gloucester in King Lear, Ambrose in The Miracle Man, and Isaac in A Tournament of Lies. His Merritt-nominated scores include Pinocchio, as well as Crypthand, Twelfth Night, Peter Pan and Eduard II/The Jew of Malta. He has written over a dozen additional scores, scripts, and appeared in countless productions in Nova Scotia, and across Canada. He has co-created experimental works including Café DaPoPo and DaPoPo’s The Drinking Game as DaPoPo Theatre’s Artistic Director, and curated the Live-In Festival for ten years. Most recently, he wrote music & lyrics for Rain on the Parade, musically directed the River Clyde Pageant: A Windfall in the Hollow, and directed A Beginner’s Guide to the Night Sky. Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.  Award categories are as follows:  Creative Community Impact Prix Grand-Pré  Established Artist Emerging Artist Black Artist  Indigenous Artist  And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia’s creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition. Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000! Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self! This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz. artpaysme.com

Arte & Movement is a series featuring artists who exhibited work during the Halifax Salsa & Bachata Festival. Dedicated to the crafts-womanship of monster making, Elanor’s practice focuses on creating other worldly creature masks and coordinated prosthetics aiming to animate the uncanny in the film industry.  

Moses Diallo is the director and owner of Haliente Creative Studio, an organization in founded in 2017 to increase the awareness of Afro-Latin dance in Nova Scotia, especially in the City of Halifax.  He started the Halifax Salsa & Bachata Festival (formerly “Salsa on Argyle”) to encourage community engagement through the medium of dance. Moses believes this event proves that the language of dance is universal.

African Nova Scotian Music Association (ANSMA) are recipients of the 2023 Creative Nova Scotia award’s Community Impact Award. On this episode, I chat with Julien Matwawana, their first Executive Director about who they are and their impact on Nova Scotia’s music industry. This series of Creative NS award winner interviews would not be possible without the support of Arts Nova Scotia, The Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, Heist and Keke Beatz. Visit artsns.ca to nominate a Nova Scotia based artist or apply for awards and grants for yourself.