toronto | Julie Mollins

Collette Savard, Rebecca Campbell, John Switzer, Martin Worthy, Tim Posgate, and Megan Worthy. Handout photo.

Take a dollop of rock ‘n’ roll, add a little country, jazz, rhythm ‘n’ blues, combine with compelling lyrics, mix with seasoned singers and musicians, and voila: you’ve got a brilliant new album by Collette Savard and the Savants.

The band, recently named one of Now magazine’s top to watch, includes singer-songwriter Collette, singer Rebecca Campbell, guitarist Tim Posgate, drummer Martin Worthy, keyboardist Megan Worthy and bassist John Switzer, who produced the self-titled album.

I first met Collette about a year ago, and I’ve watched Rebecca’s career unfold since we met at about age 9 as kids living in Ottawa, the nation’s capital.

Rebecca had just finished a performance as one of Rabbit’s friends and relations in a theatrical production of Winnie-the-Pooh when we were introduced.

Over the years, Rebecca has continued honing her spectacular musical talents in various bands and with a range of musicians.

Since I returned to Toronto a year ago after many years living abroad, it’s been a real pleasure seeing her perform around town with Collette Savard and the Savants, the Special Interest Group and On the Bus.

With this new album she and the entire band have hit their stride, delivering eminently re-playable resonant tunes with superb, heartfelt lyrics.

The official word on the new album can be found here: Jason Schneider Media.

Don’t miss the launch on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, at the Tranzac Club on Brunswick Avenue, just south of Bloor Street West, where Collette and Rebecca serve on the board of directors.

See you there.

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Updated after the show on Jan. 27 with Periscope live streams:

Watch on #Periscope: Album launch: @collettesavard and the Savants @tranzac #MusicTO https://t.co/6HJixGOcOe

— Julie Mollins (@jmollins) January 27, 2018

Kristine Schmitt and Jesse Corrigan @tranzac https://t.co/KE6SAJfZN0

— Julie Mollins (@jmollins) January 27, 2018

Watch pre-show interview with @collettesavard and Rebecca Campbell—backstage @Tranzac https://t.co/1FN2HzUNEG

— Julie Mollins (@jmollins) January 28, 2018

NUIT BLANCHE TORONTO 2017

Casting Yarns: forest-street disequilibrium Rebirth amid urban decay

Installation to be slightly different. Drawing: Julie Mollins

Sat., Sept. 30, sunset to sunrise

TORONTO (Sept. 18, 2017) – A niche on an inner city street is transformed into a forest paradise with colourful oversized flora, fauna and other mixed media objects.

Rocky Dobey and Julie Mollins, co-creators of the temporary art installation fleetingly on show from sunset on Sept. 30 to sunrise on Oct. 1, 2017, offer passersby the chance to gather around a table to peer into a glowing crystal ball, recline beneath a living wall made of crocheted vines or cozy up to a fireplace made of cement and metal.

“Casting Yarns: forest-street disequilibrium,” at 707 Dundas St W outside the Scadding Court Community Centre by the food market, provides a setting for “The Living Library,” produced by the Toronto School of Art, Theatre Passe Muraille and Scadding Court for Nuit Blanche. People known as “human books” will tell tales about the neighbouring Alexandra Park area.

Scadding Court is a buzzing hub frequented by those who use the community centre for key services, and by customers of Market 707 – mini-restaurants in retrofitted containers.

Through the “Casting Yarns” installation the artists aim to draw attention to the harsher aspects of city life and the potential for rebirth amid urban decay.

About the artists

Dobey’s artistic practice focuses on redefining the urban environment through a political lens. He typically articulates his vision in street art and political posters (ie: “Anti-globalization – Quebec 2000;” “Reclaim the Streets;” “Prison Justice;” “Anarchist Gathering – Toronto 1988”). He has been installing street art in Toronto and other Canadian cities for almost 40 years, since he began producing street posters and graffiti in the mid-1970s. In the mid-1980s, he installed painted billboards depicting political parodies on abandoned buildings. He has installed concrete sculptures, street-post mounted books and political historical plaques around Toronto streets. His most recent art is etched copper plaques bolted to street posts.

This is the first street art installation for Mollins, who has primarily produced art and craft for public consumption as a former prop builder and jeweller working at the Stratford Festival, National Ballet of Canada, Theatre Passe Muraille and other companies. Her pastel drawings were exhibited at the Casa de Cultura in Texcoco, Mexico, and her photographs appeared in a group art exhibition at the former Gallery 96 in Stratford, Ont. She recently returned to Toronto after almost 10 years away working as a journalist at Reuters in the UK and as an editor for international food security science organizations in Indonesia and Mexico. Currently, she is working for the same organizations as a consultant writer-editor focused on forests, maize, wheat, agriculture, environment, climate change and food security. She also teaches knitting and crochet lessons part time at Michaels craft store in the Toronto Stockyards. Additionally, she takes classes at the Toronto School of Art.

WHO, WHAT, WHERE AND WHEN

WHO: