A Conversation With the Featured Contributors of SAD’s Latest Issue: “Play”

film photography by yin mei for sad’s issue “play”

The SAD team recently celebrated the launch of our 38th issue and to keep the party going— and hold you over until the next issue— we’re bringing you a Q&A with some of our stellar featured contributors. I know I’m looking forward to seeing what Hilary, Simona and Yin do next, and am more than thrilled to have a few café recommendations to add to my rapidly growing list…and keep me busy in the lazy summer days.

Hilary Angus (she/her)

Writer

hilary as potrayed by talented artist kathrin teh

Hilary Angus is a writer, photographer and emerging journalist in Vancouver. She has contributed to The Georgia Straight and The Langara Voice (amongst others) and is now joining the SAD team as a featured contributor! Hilary is passionate about urban and rural planning and is well known for her passionate book reviews— otherwise known as the “Book & Booze Project”. Her witty, whimsical tone really shines through in her profile on rising artist Oliver New as Hilary details the art of a puppeteer making magic happen on the unlikely stage of Kitsilano Beach. 

Kirsten Danae: How did you hear about SAD and what inspired you to get involved?

Hilary Angus: SAD has been on my radar for a few years now but I've honestly always been nervous about pitching anything. Then this past spring I finished a journalism program, and Becca Clarkson, who is a friend of friends and a journalist herself, reached out to see if I'd contribute and I was honoured to be asked!

KD: What does PLAY look like in your life?

HA: PLAY for me is tactile and physical. So much of our lives has become digitized, so I try to incorporate as much outdoor movement and tactile experience as I can into my life, whether that's hiking, swimming, riding my bike, digging in the sand, wrestling my dog, or poking weird mushrooms I find in the woods. 

KD: What’s something you’re working on that you’re excited about?

HA: I just bought a fancy new camera, and I'm trying to get good enough at photography to feel like I deserve it. 

KD: What’s your creative vibe in 3 emojis?

HA: 🤠🤡🙃

KD: What’s your favourite coffee shop where you like to sit and get work done?

HA: I love Mum's the Word on Commercial, although I generally run into someone I know from around the neighbourhood there and I can't say I ever actually get anything done!

Simona Dolinská (she/her) 

Writer

SIMONA through the eyes of artist kathrin teh

Simona Dolinská is a first-year MA student in Art History and Visual Culture at the University of British Columbia. Her critical approach to art and the manner in which it brings people together makes her piece about Vancouver-based artist Germaine Koh and her ongoing project League —centered around reinventing games and creative problem solving— all the more compelling. Simona’s writing is meticulous, bringing Koh’s vision to life and perfectly embodying the essence of ‘Play’.

KD: How did you hear about SAD and what inspired you to get involved?

Simona Dolinská: It was a mix of everything –Germaine emailing me a link for submissions and her idea for me to write about her ongoing project League, or my friends having worked with SAD prior. It’s always been on my radar.

KD: What does PLAY look like in your life?

SD: As someone who works with an artist whose practice is centered around play, I play a lot and I’ve learned that it’s very important in any person’s life. We need to schedule out some space for recreation or our brains would go crazy. So I junk journal. I collect scraps anywhere and everywhere I go, which is a little game in itself, and then at the end of the day I make a little collage in my sketchbook. And that’s it; that’s my art for the day. It’s also little incentive after I complete a task that keeps me motivated to push through the day.

KD: What’s something you’re working on that you’re excited about?

SD: There’s two exciting things that we’re working on right now! Gernaine is gonna have an art exhibition opening at the Nanaimo Art Gallery on July 31 that’s gonna run through until October 5. We’re gonna transform the Nanaimo Art Gallery into a playground and there’s gonna be a publication that I’m coediting with her that’s coming out too, probably somewhere around Autumn. If you wanna come and play in Nanaimo with us you’re very welcome to – and it’s gonna be a blast!

KD: What’s your creative vibe in 3 emojis?

SD: Well…I don’t know about emojis but it’s a lot of repurposed everything. I don’t know…Same with my writing, it happens in bits and fragments so maybe the ♻️🤔🤩 because I do get excited about most art projects like that.

KD: What’s your favourite coffee shop where you like to sit and get work done?

SD: Well, I can’t answer with only one. The best coffee and best architectural space is Nemesis Great Northern Way. Then, there’s my favourite for chai lattes and brunch –Just Another on West Broadway. Since I’m doing my Masters in Art History at UBC, my favourite coffee shop on campus is Loafe in the Sauder building.

Yin Mei (she/her)

Designer

yin colorfully depicted by artist kathrin teh

Yin Mei is an artist that uses photography and mixed media to explore queer Chinese identities, often addressing trans-fem experiences and generational trauma in her work. She holds a BFA from UBC and played a big part in the development of the newest issue and the visualization of Play. It can be difficult to come up with fresh and creative ways to depict the broader themes we seek to tackle at SAD, but if anyone can do it (while adding her own personal and vibrant touch) it is the mastermind behind Melted Epiphanies. 

KD: How did you hear about SAD and what inspired you to get involved?

Yin Mei: I was introduced to SAD magazine by my surrounding community and (our very own portrait artist) Kat! I met Kat at a concert funny enough.

KD: What does PLAY look like in your life?

YM: Play is to be queer, audacious, and have unparalleled confidence. To embrace camp and potty words, to immerse in delusion and make believe with eyes only on blues, reds, pinks and yellows. Play is bathrobe Haute couture and crayon contracts mediating between realities. A concoction of shampoo potions so strong you pass out instead. 

KD: What’s something you’re working on that you’re excited about?

YM: I'm working on a photoshoot with a very close and dear friend of mine based off of her artworks. The concept is a reclamation of girlhood as something otherworldly with themes of childhood and wanderlust decay. 

KD: What’s your creative vibe in 3 emojis?

👯‍♀️🫃🗿

KD: What’s your favourite coffee shop where you like to sit and get work done?

YM: Hiel Cafe in Edmonds/New West!