Partners!
The
Scribbler is running a series of creative people that happen to be partners
with other creative people. The second part of this series includes two former
guests to the Scribbler, visual artist Nicole Tremblay and author Zev Bagel. They are back as a team
for a 4Q Interview.
**Of special note, Moncton's famous Frye festival begins this week and as a kickoff, Zev will be reading from his work, along with other authors at the Shediac Frye Fringe Fest.
4Q: First question is for you Nicole. Since your previous visit to the Scribbler, you have completed many beautiful paintings. Which one is your favorite and why? Please share what inspired the painting.
NT: Well…..isn’t
this a bit like asking one…and which one is your favourite child?
HAHAHA! I would say that there is always a certain part of a painting that
brings it together and gives me the big YES! Some paintings are much
quicker than others giving that ‘yes feeling’. I do not really plan a
painting… I might have a colour in mind and I start building up the background
– I love colour and texture. I cover the surface with paint,
collage, stencils until it takes a form/shape I can feel and then go on…it can
sometimes be a rather long process….and then it happens. I listen to
music while I paint. Chris Rea is probably my favourite singer/musician and will
often inspire the title of the piece I’m working on.
4Q: I’ve
recently completed your latest novel Zev, Secrets,
and I enjoyed it very much. Please tell our readers about the story.
ZB: Most of
my books are based on real events or personal experiences. Secrets is pure fiction. Well, almost. I was a life-coach for thirty years, and
would never divulge the secrets people told me. The idea for this book came
when I thought “What if a psychopath became a life-coach?” Imagine what such a
person could do with the secrets he heard. So here’s a man who arrives in New
Brunswick, decides to become a life-coach and takes on clients, opening the way
to fraud, blackmail and murder. Getting into the mind of such a character was
frighteningly easy! It must have helped that an undercurrent of humour pervades
the mayhem.
4Q: You have
an exposition at present Nicole at Café C’est La Vie in Moncton, NB in which
many of your paintings are on display until mid April. Where else can your
paintings be viewed and/or purchased?
NT: The
exhibit at Café C’est la vie will come down on Monday April 30th. Zev and I will be at the Shediac Market in
the Park every Sunday from June 3 to September 30 (9am-2pm) rain or shine. Friday evenings (6-10pm) July and August
(check newspapers for dates) you can find us at the Allée des Artistes off Main
Street in Shediac. We will have books,
paintings, poems and cards. Viewings
can also be arranged by appointments (506) 351-0645.
4Q: Your
latest novel which you discussed above was published by Museitup Publishers and
in the last section of the book, it tells us that there are 5 more novels
waiting for publication. Care to tell us about any of them, or perhaps all of
them.
ZB: The
titles awaiting publication by MuseItUp are: The Last Jew in Hania, Bender’s
Box, State of Flux and Lost. I have just completed my latest,
which is called Solitary. This last
one is about a Canadian who is in solitary confinement in Iran’s notorious Evin
prison. He befriends an Iranian prisoner by communicating through a hole in the
wall. Some of the story is based on the family history told to me by an
Iranian-Canadian friend. This was the hardest book for me to write, since I had
to get into the head of someone enduring forced confinement willing himself to
survive. The relationship between the two prisoners is what lifts the story.
4Q: We are
going to cheat this week and slip in a fifth question.
What’s in the immediate future for both of you?
NT: Having fun, working on my next art projects,
going to workshops, travelling.
ZB: The
immediate future is now, which is where I like to be. Now is good. I’m between
novels right now, and enjoy writing poems to Nicole’s paintings. We have some
travel plans, and will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary
while we’re away. As for the next book – inspiration awaits.
Thank you
both for sharing your thoughts. I'm very happy to say that I own two of Nicole's paintings and enjoy them daily. It is my hope to add more to my collection. I have also collected Zev's novels and am looking forward to the coming stories.
Great work from these 2. I had the pleasure sharing the Artist Alley with them in Shefiac last summer. Looking forward to it again this year.
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