"I hated working with Porky Pig" Frosty Valentine Gets Real on the Cartoon Industry, Shares Beauty Secrets and More!

Photo courtesy of Debaser

If you aren’t already in the know, Toronto’s Frosty Valentine is the next it-girl. Now retired from three decades in the cartoon industry, Valentine is turning heads as a triple-threat performer; singing, dancing and animating her way to the top of the charts, all while setting the record straight on her previously unrecognized talent. Rather than a thorn in her side, Valentine’s plight with the seedy underbelly of the entertainment world fuels her desire to make change in the form of sugary-pop anthems and elaborate, uncanny productions. 

We got the chance to connect with the pop-star leading up to her performance at the second edition of PIQUE, a new forward-thinking, artist-driven quarterly event series featuring eclectic musical, visual and multimedia artists produced by Debaser. Valentine will be performing at the festival this coming Saturday, September 11th, 2021 at Arts Court in Ottawa. 

Read our exclusive tête-à-tête with Valentine below. 

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter for Also Cool: Hi Frosty! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with Also Cool. To start, can I ask you how your retirement has been going? It seems like you've taken an unconventional path since leaving cartooning behind. Where did this new energy come from?

Frosty Valentine: My whole cartoon career

I was a shadow in the back.

I sang, stunt doubled, danced

to be honest I lost track…

I dressed as Lady and the Tramp

for the scene with the spaghetti.

Cause Lady was gluten intolerant

and I was camera ready!

I hated working with Porky Pig

and looked for a new job.

It was nearly impossible

and every day I would just sob.

I sang at Chucky Cheese at night

and then got my big break!

Manager Sticky was sitting there

and said that I was great!

Also Cool: You've spoken candidly about the industry leaving a bad taste in your mouth. Knowing that ethics are important to you, how do you cultivate an ideal work environment now that you're the ringleader of your troupe?

Frosty Valentine: Since being in the industry

I really saw it all.

That’s why I only have puppets

and a robotic doll.

AC: Speaking of your entourage, how did all of you come to know each other?

FV: I studied to become a wrestler

that was my retirement plan.

My costume is for a wrestler

just so you understand.

Every time I got knocked out

these visions came to me…

That’s when I came across

my heavenly puppet Pinky!

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Frosty Valentine and Pinky by Kate Killet at The Harbourfront Centre - Long Winter Festival, 2019

AC: At the same time, how do you take time for yourself, and look so good doing it, while managing your recent rise to fame? Any words of wisdom, or beauty secrets, that you'd care to share?

FV: It’s true that I'm famous

there are days that I forget…

But then everyone will know my name

Whenever I go to the vet.

You better drink lots of water

if you want to look like me!

Wear sunscreen every single day

and “Miscellaneous Water” by Cerave!

AC: Knowing that you're beginning to tour again, how will you keep yourself grounded and motivated as your schedule picks up and the paparazzi begins to swarm?

FV: I wear a tinted sunscreen

every single day.

it takes care of my skin

and it makes me look okay.

I stretch every morning

to release yesterday's stress.

If I don’t do that daily then

I promise I’m a mess!

AC: We’re excited to see your performance this Saturday in Ottawa at Debaser's PIQUE festival. Can you give us any hints about what your set will entail?

FV: This time my robot won’t be there but,

I have a body double.

I can’t say too much more

or you might get me in trouble.

I will say that a lot of local

people are involved.

I feel so grateful to them

that my heart will soon dissolve!

Frosty Valentine will be performing in-person at the second edition of PIQUE, Debaser’s new forward-thinking, artist-driven, quarterly event series at Arts Court (Ottawa Art Gallery - Jackson Courtyard) on September 11th, 2021 at 9:30PM EST.

For more information on PIQUE and to purchase tickets to Saturday’s event visit thisispique.com

Frosty Valentine

Instagram | Bandcamp | Youtube | TikTok

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The Second Edition of Debaser's PIQUE Takes-Over Arts Court on September 11th, 2021

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PIQUE poster by @mouthoftiger, original wordmark typeface created by Moritz Esch

The second edition of PIQUE, a new forward-thinking artist-driven music and multimedia arts event series produced by Debaser, offers up music, art, comedy and drag in its hybrid in-person/online program.

The multi-level building-wide arts event and digital program takes place September 11th, 2021 in-person in and around the Arts Court and Ottawa Art Gallery buildings, and online at thisispique.com.

PIQUE’s second edition will be a hybrid event featuring live in-person outdoor performances, indoor screenings and installations, a skill-sharing workshop, and a virtual program of audio-visual works available on-demand. PIQUE is produced by Debaser, Ottawa’s leading independent and underground music presenter.  

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PIQUE poster by @mouthoftiger, original wordmark typeface created by Moritz Esch

PIQUE is experimental in form and content. Its second edition features:

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Live performance by Polaris Prize-winning rapper and producer BACKXWASH with original set design by Méchant Vaporwave

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Photo courtesy of Debaser

An immersive audio/visual play by Vancouver-based experimental artist/composer Debby Friday featuring AI deepfake tool Holly+ (developed by musician and researcher Holly Herndon)

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Photo courtesy of Debaser

Live performance by Toronto spitfire “rapper supermom” and scene builder Sydanie, curated by Shaya Ishaq

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Photo courtesy of Debaser

Live performance by Toronto-based RnB and electronic pop artist Quinton Barnes with visuals by Justin Atkins

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Frosty Valentine by Jesi Jordan

A site-specific performance by drag artist, pop star and “retired cartoon” Frosty Valentine with her animatronic back-up singers, live dancers, and projections

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Photo courtesy of Debaser

A playful immersive audio installation exploring childhood diary entries by local artist and composer Yolande Laroche

Virtual video performances by innovative artists New Chance, La Neve, Abdu Ali and Amanda Lowe, which will be screened in Club SAW at the in-person event

Photos courtesy of Debaser

Live performances by local artists Jules Filmhouse, Lady Charles, and Randy Schmucker

Photos courtesy of Debaser

Pass the Vibes logo

“Infinite Vibes”, an intro to DJing workshop, curated by Shaya Ishaq and facilitated by QTBIPOC-centring artist collective Pass the Vibes

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Photo courtesy of Debaser

Guest curation by interdisciplinary artist, designer, writer and world-builder Shaya Ishaq. Her solo exhibition, Library of Infinities, is currently on display at the SAW Gallery.

Pique is produced in partnership with SAW, Ottawa Art Gallery, Firegrove Studio, Ottawa Fringe, Artengine, DAÏMÔN, Digital Arts Resource Centre, CKCU FM, CHUO FM, Apt 613 and Also Cool Mag and is supported by Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Canadian Heritage, City of Ottawa, Ottawa Community Foundation, SOCAN Foundation, and FACTOR. 

Tickets are pay-what-you-can, with a suggested donation of $30-$50, and are on sale now on Eventbrite

For more information contact: Rachel Weldon at hello@debaser.ca

Check out PIQUE’s fall edition schedule below

Debaser

Website | Instagram | Facebook

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Your Canon is Dead: Exploring Trickhouse Press and Virtual Oasis

Front cover of Virtual Oasis. Designed by Dan Power

When I think about the future, I admittedly drift to something ominous. Today’s youth must concern themselves with disenchanting realities: the rise of hyper-capitalist overlords, crises and collapses in every corner of the world… it’s easy to feel jaded with what could be.

But the future has also brought new opportunities for innovation, for tomorrow’s visionaries to tear it down and start anew. This era of interconnectivity can breed possibility and creativity like never before. This is the philosophy that guides Trickhouse Press, an online indie publishing press – particularly with their collection Virtual Oasis, a “dream shared between machines both fleshy and fibre-optic”.

Trickhouse Press and the Defense of “Weird Work”

Trickhouse Press is the brainchild of Dan Power, a Lancaster-based creative who takes inspiration from the gaps he longs to fill in the publishing industry. Trickhouse was founded during the UK’s lockdown in July of last year. Power notes that the press’ goals are “...to offer high-quality books at low costs, to treat each book as an object in itself, and to try and upset the stodgy UK poetry establishment by dropping books which are risky, playful, inventive, and wilfully going against tradition and convention.” 

One principle of the press is that its only physical components are the publications themselves – submissions, sales and promotions occur entirely online using their webpage and Twitter. “I like the idea of these objects coming out of the ether,” Power shares, “like the digital has transferred into the real world when usually it's the other way around.” These relations between the digital and the physical are of key interest to the press, both thematically and in operations.

Each Trickhouse publication is treated as its own entity, bearing no resemblance to other releases and with no universal stylings for publishing design or format. Each publication carries its own creative philosophy and purpose. As Power puts it, “...each book is treated as a project in itself, and not like another gem in the press' crown.”

Front cover of Sticker Poems. Designed by SJ Fowler

Power is committed to taking the attitudes and processes of today’s creative outlets and flipping those on their head. “I want the press to be a space where weird work can be treated as something other than a novelty,” he explains, “and put on a level footing with the rest of the contemporary canon.” His perspective is inspiring, and much-needed on the scene – creative experimentation is not a cultural phase, but a longstanding and respectable tradition.

Power also expresses that the press holds a deep appreciation for aesthetics, and how “...visual culture forces language to adapt.” Trickhouse aims to “...stretch the definition of a poem as far as it can [go] by playing into the visual properties of the words as much as their meaning or contents.” He offers i know god is watching by Crispin Best as an example – a ludicrous collection of Minion memes accompanied by existentially-strained musings. These memes, a dialect within the digital language of boomers, are re-examined as vessels concealing the heaviest weights of the collective psyche. If this sounds ridiculous, yet believable, good – Trickhouse has delivered on its promises.

The first season of Trickhouse Press’ publications. Photo courtesy of Dan Power

Virtual Oasis: A Human-AI Anthology

Building off of these values and goals is Virtual Oasis, a poetry collection published by Trickhouse Press this past April. 

Virtual Oasis is primarily an exercise in ekphrastic poetry, with human writers taking creative direction from AI-generated photographs and compositions. Creative submissions came from across the UK, representing contemporary scenes in Glasgow, Lancaster, London, and a few places in between. Power observes that “...the poems [in Virtual Oasis] tend to be more conventional, although the variety of the approaches ... and previously untapped source material allow [the work] to feel fresh and striking.” It humours me, how I underestimated these adjectives.

Going into my review of the collection, it was made clear that every stylistic choice in Virtual Oasis serves a purpose and warrants consideration, further obscuring the boundaries between human and artificial intelligence. The main idea is to suggest something far more reciprocal than AI as a source of creative inspiration – AI is in itself a creator, capable of mutual exchange and possibility.

The cover design of Virtual Oasis is a callback to cyberculture, with a Windows 95 WordArt banner and a shore of vaporwave gridlines. While this aesthetic hit its peak years ago, I interpret its purpose (and that of the title) as something precursory to comfort the reader with technological memories. I feel stretched between visuals of the near-past and approaches of the near-future, leaving me with a sense of disorientation that fits perfectly with the freefall of what’s to come.

AI-generated image for “to the woman on the Zoom open mic who started crying” by Rhiannon Auriol. Photo courtesy of artbreeder.com

A first look inside leads to a subverted oasis. All images for the collection were taken from artbreeder.com, a machine learning-based art website that relies on the ‘remixing’ of existing database images to generate new––and increasingly obscure––creations.

Cross-bred mutant pigs stand with assertion amongst a floating pool of sea anemones. What appears to be both a bird and a banana gapes at me from the depths of a sapphire sea, because why not? I am fascinated by the simultaneous freedom and limitation involved in deciphering this imagery. Does this technology ruminate on failures and successes in the name of creativity? Do the authors?

Regarding the collection’s typeface, Power notes a deeper consideration:

“The font was chosen to resemble code text, since in this anthology the poems function in the same way as lines of code - just as code was read and processed by a computer to generate the images we see on one page, the poems are read and processed by a human reader to generate mental images on the other. In this way, the distinction between artificial and natural intelligence is called into question, as the reader is asked to perform the exact same task as the AI.”

This reflection weighs heavy on my sleepy brain. Let’s see what this reader can accomplish.

AI-generated image for “Leaving is a sense of breaking contract” by Naomi Morris. Photo courtesy of artbreeder.com

Flipping through the collection, the reader is subjected to the same system crashes faced by technology. I naturally––unintentionally––fixate on the pieces that my brain can make sense of, but every passage is worth the mental exercise. 

Accompanied by a knock-kneed girl with distorted attire, Naomi Morris’ piece “Leaving is a sense of breaking contract” describes personal habits of independence and detachment. I take comfort in its relevance and the synergy of this collaboration.

Matthew Whitton’s “from [ ] [ ] of what remains, With little else [ ] [ ] who complains?” stems from what appears to be a tilted desk lamp illuminating crimson-red walls. This postmodernist piece situates the function of a poem as a lighthouse meant to both highlight and obfuscate literary messages:

“...and what is our purpose, of course, but to say this: that the poem illuminates, without necessarily clarifying, the stream of revolution, which is, at once, an overturning and returning, and our metaphor of the lighthouse, therefore, is not a happy accident or the smug self- assurance of the perfect image; no, it is at work in the poem itself: steadfast, reliable, the light alights always on the same point, but always in motion…”

AI-generated image for “from [ ] [ ] of what remains, With little else [ ] [ ] who complains?” by Matthew Whitton. Photo courtesy of artbreeder.com

In fact, it is more fulfilling to make one’s way through the thickest fogs of experimentalism that the collection deploys. These entries revel in the syntax errors, ensuring speculation and deep reflection between reader and artist. Somewhere in the contents of James Knight’s “Drone” is commentary on modern technology’s ever-changing forms and functions. This piece is inspired by a similarly chaotic corruption on the AI’s behalf, involving an almost-collage of a disfigured entity strolling through clouds.

Visual Oasis has not done enough to dissolve my skepticism of artificial intelligence – but fortunately, that is not its intention. The collection pushes boundaries and challenges the mind to meta-rationalize its definitions of artistic merit; it prepares us for the future and appeals to our past. Virtual Oasis rejoices in the imperfections of both man and machine, delivering a coherent collection that only sometimes makes sense.

AI-generated image for “Drone” by James Knight. Photo courtesy of artbreeder.com

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VIRTUAL OASIS

An anthology of human-AI responses

Edited by Dan Power

Trickhouse Press

Lancaster

April 2021

Featuring the creative work of Alex George, Calum Rodger, Dan Power, Denise Bonetti, Emma Bolland, James Knight, Kirsty Dunlop, Maria Sledmere, Mary Clements, Matthew Haigh, Matthew Whitton, Max Parnell, Memoona Zahid, Naomi Morris, Nasim Luczaj, Rhiannon Auriol, Robin Boothroyd, Sam Riviere, Sameeya Maqbool, Scott Lilley, SJ Fowler, T. Person, and Vik Shirley.

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Trickhouse Press

Website | Twitter

Rebecca L. Judd (she/they) is the features editor of Also Cool Mag. She writes and creates out of her studio apartment in Ottawa, kept company by vivid dreams and a cuddly grey kitty named Dora.

This interview was conducted over email, and has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Also Cool Astrology: August Horoscope 2021

Illustration by Malaika Astorga

Also Cool Astrology is a monthly column by Autumn Fox (@autumnfox) & illustrated by Malaika Astorga

Summer is in full swing as we bask in the playful, affectionate and courageous energy that Leo season is known for. As we move through August, we’re collectively asked to tap into our inner Leo, opening up our hearts and fearlessly expressing the unique parts of ourselves that make us each individually shine. On August 8th, the Sun and Moon will both meet up in fun loving Leo. This New Moon invites us to set intentions over the next four weeks. This is a beautiful energy to begin a new chapter, initiate projects and take steps to turn our dreams into reality. With Mercury, the planet of communication and intellect entering devoted, sensible Virgo on August 11th, we’ll have help approaching our goals with a pragmatic curiosity. Then on August 16th, relationships may take center stage as Venus, the planet of beauty and pleasure enters into harmonious, sociable Libra. Finally on August 22nd, our second Full Moon in Aquarius arrives, breaking us free from the current status quo. Full moons can often be emotional, closing certain chapters of our lives. It’s important to take time to rest and allow ourselves to bask in the warm and generous Leo sun, tapping into our individual creativity that will pave a way for the beautiful, new opportunities to come. 

Your monthly horoscopes are here to inspire you! Take what serves you, and forget the rest. If you know both your rising sign and sun sign, it may be helpful to read both horoscopes as one may resonate more than the other.

ARIES & ARIES RISING

Leo season has you feeling extra social and creative this month, Aries! With the New Moon in your 5th house, you may be feeling an urge to put yourself out there as you feel more playful and inspired. As Mercury enters Virgo in your 6th house, your mind may become focused on your routine and how you're spending your time, which will come in handy as Venus enters your 7th house of relationships. Venus in Libra loves to socialize so you may be spending more time with your partner or you could even find a new relationship starting if you’re single. As the Full Moon in Aquarius approaches, you may find yourself continuing to reach out to your inner circle as you yearn for a greater sense of connection and support within your community. 

TAURUS & TAURUS RISING

You're striking a balance between work and home life this month, Taurus. As the Moon joins the Sun in your 4th house, you could be setting intentions around your home or making long-term plans for you and your family. Mercury in Virgo in your 5th house will have you thinking about the different ways you express yourself. You may also find you have a lot of creative ideas and could even feel inspired to start a new creative project. Venus in Libra in your 6th house will bring harmony to your day to day. Perhaps you’re really valuing your routine or getting on well with someone you work with everyday. Your job will continue to be on your mind with the Full Moon entering your 10th house. You might be wrapping up any unfinished projects at work or figuring out how to pursue what it is you really want to do in your career. 

GEMINI & GEMINI RISING

Leo season has you feeling like a social butterfly, Gemini and you’re ready to expand your wings this month. The New Moon in your 3rd house gives you the perfect opportunity to set intentions around any ideas you have or how you want to show up in your local community. When Mercury enters Virgo in your 4th house on August 11th, your mind will be on your home life. You may be reflecting on the past, reorganizing your space or connecting with those closest to you. You’ll be feeling extra creative as Venus approaches your 5th house. A new romance may come your way or you could find that the work you’re creating is receiving a lot of praise and attention. The Full Moon in Aquarius in your 9th house will bring some insight into your current beliefs. You could feel the need to let go of anything that is no longer sitting firmly within your heart. With an urge to expand your horizons, you may find yourself taking on new subjects, signing-up for a new course or planning a long trip. 

CANCER & CANCER RISING

You’re working on yourself this month, Cancer. With the New Moon in your 2nd house, you may be setting intentions around your finances, sense of security or the way that you value yourself. As Mercury enters Virgo in your 3rd house, you’ll feel inspired to share your ideas. You could be organizing your thoughts into a new writing project, connecting with new people or getting involved with your local community. On August 16th, Venus enters Libra in your 4th house. This is the perfect time to fill your home with the people you love and spend time decorating your space with beautiful things. The Full Moon in Aquarius in your 8th house will bring a heavier energy your way. You could be feeling particularly vulnerable during this time or may find that you're letting go of any past wounds or self-limiting beliefs you have in order to transform and grow. While it’s important work, it could also feel emotionally taxing, so don’t forget to give yourself a lot of love and compassion during this time! 

LEO & LEO RISING:

It’s your time to shine, Leo with the sun in your sign! On August 8th, the moon is meeting up with the sun in your 1st house. This powerful New Moon is perfect for setting intentions around your appearance and how you want to  express yourself to the world. When Mercury enters Virgo in your 2nd house, your thoughts might shift to your money and spending habits. You may be strategizing on how to save more money or thinking of different ways to raise your income. With Venus in Libra entering your 3rd house you could feel inspired to write more or share your ideas with those around you. Then on August 22nd, the Full Moon in Aquarius will shift your thoughts from working on yourself to your relationships. You may find you’re paying more attention to how the relationships in your life are really making you feel. This could cause you to deepen your relationship or close the chapter completely. 

VIRGO & VIRGO RISING

The month may begin a bit heavy, Virgo, with the New Moon in your 12th house. This New Moon energy is asking you to practice self-care as you may be feeling really burnt out. Tapping into your creative side or taking time to journal may help you sift through any emotions that come up. When Mercury enters Virgo, you’ll be thinking a lot about yourself in terms of who you are, what you want and how you hope to present yourself to the world. As Venus in Libra enters your 2nd house, you’ll begin to feel more confident about yourself. You may even get a pay raise or recognition at your job. This is the perfect time to treat yourself and celebrate you! The lessons you learned during the New Moon will help you lean into the energy of the Full Moon in Aquarius as it makes its way into your 6th house. You may be thinking about your routine and how you feel in your body. Make sure to nourish yourself through healthy food and practice mindfulness through activities like yoga or meditation to help you get back to center. 

LIBRA & LIBRA RISING:

You’re setting intentions around your future, Libra as the New Moon enters your 11th house. You may find yourself making new connections with like-minded people, volunteering with organizations you care about or creating goals to accomplish all of the dreams you have for the future. When Mercury enters Virgo, you could feel reflective or have a lot of internal chatter. Writing or meditation may be helpful as you sort through any emotions and recurring thoughts that are coming up. Then on August 16th, Venus enters Libra in your 1st house. This is an invitation to indulge and pamper yourself. Embark on a solo date or treat yourself to a fresh new haircut! You’ll continue to feel more confident in how you express yourself as the Full Moon illuminates your 5th house. This playful energy is perfect for scheduling a fun outing with friends or spending time on a creative activity. 

SCORPIO & SCORPIO RISING

Leo season is shining a spotlight on your future, Scorpio with the sun in your 10th house! When the moon joins the sun there on August 8th, you may find yourself setting intentions around your job. Whether you’re initiating a big project, starting a new role or pursuing a different career route all together, you’re looking for clarity around what steps you want to take over the next four weeks. The future will continue to occupy your thoughts as Mercury enters Virgo. You may be thinking about goals you want to accomplish, seeking advice from friends or brainstorming ideas as you figure out your hopes for the future. Towards the end of the month, you might find yourself going inward a bit. Venus entering Libra in your 12th house is a great time to reflect, create art and show yourself some love by practicing your favorite self-care routines. You may also find yourself spending more time at home, connecting with family as the Full Moon illuminates your 6th house on August 22nd. 

SAGITTARIUS & SAGITTARIUS RISING

You’re all about the journey this month, Sagittarius! The New Moon will be in your 9th house, inviting you to expand your horizons. You may find yourself planning a long trip, taking up a new interest or discovering faraway places through art and literature. As Mercury enters your 10th house, you might begin to think about what’s next in your career. This is a great time to visualize what you want, create a mood board or connect with friends to brainstorm with and bounce ideas off of. Spending time with those close to you will be especially rewarding when Venus enters your 11th house on August 16th and then later when the Full Moon illuminates your 3rd house on August 22nd. You may feel the urge to connect with new people, plan a night out on the town with your best friends or share your ideas through an online writing project. 

CAPRICORN & CAPRICORN RISING

Leo season has you keeping an open mind, Capricorn! As the Moon meets up with the Sun on August 8th, you may be setting intentions around your close relationships. This could be through forming a deeper connection with a loved one, creating goals around your finances, or starting therapy. The urge to transform your mindset will continue as Mercury enters Virgo in your 9th house. You may be exploring different cultures, studying a new subject or thinking about your beliefs and what they mean to you. When Venus enters your 10th house, you may receive an unexpected pay raise, recognition from your boss or find inspiration to begin a new project. The Full Moon has you focusing on your sense of security as it illuminates your 2nd house. Perhaps you’re creating a budget, thinking about your spending habits or rewriting the current narrative for how you see and value yourself. 

AQUARIUS & AQUARIUS RISING

This month is all about relationships, Aquarius, kicking things off with the New Moon in your 7th house. You’re paying attention to how the relationships in your life make you feel and setting intentions accordingly. This could be the start of a new relationship or a brand new chapter with your current partner. When Mercury enters Virgo, you may begin having intimate conversations with your loved ones, diving deeper into your relationship and uncovering any secrets or fears you both may have. This is also a potent time to release any negative habits you may want to shed in order to allow room for self-transformation. The urge to grow will continue as Venus enters your 9th house. This transit is a catalyst for opening up your mind and broadening your life experience through art, travel or connecting with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Finally, the Full Moon exposes your heart on your sleeve as it enters your sign on August 22nd. You may find yourself feeling emotional and reflective, especially when it comes to your relationships. This is a great opportunity to explore the delicate balance between tending to the needs of your loved ones while leaving enough energy to nurture the relationship you have with yourself at the same time.

PISCES & PISCES RISING

Leo season has you thinking about the way you take care of yourself, Pisces with the Sun in your 6th house. Your habits and routine will take the spotlight on August 8th when the Moon meets up with the Sun in Leo. You may be setting intentions around your daily routine, creating healthy boundaries at work or starting a new exercise regimen. When Mercury enters Virgo in your 7th house, you’ll shift your focus to your relationships. You might be thinking about a current business partnership, having important conversations with a close friend or reflecting on what it is you want in a future relationship. Your partnerships may feel supportive as Venus enters your 8th house. You may even find that you're forming a deeper connection with someone close to you. Then on August 22nd, the Full Moon will enter your 12th house, asking you to take some time for yourself. There may be a lot of heavy emotions that come up during this time and you could find yourself reflecting on the past. Spend time with your thoughts, let yourself rest and allow the door to close on anything that no longer serves you. As difficult as endings may be, when you close one chapter, you’re allowing yourself to open up to the beautiful possibilities of new, brighter opportunities ahead. 

Autumn Fox

Instagram I Canvas & Cassette

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Olive Andrews Shares "I’m trying to tell you" From Three-Part Poetry Series

Artwork by Olivia Meek AKA Regularfantasy

I’ve been waking up earlier and earlier 

and boiling the kettle and forgetting the tea 

but the floor is warm and I have my lemon shampoo 

there was one day in the spring 

I poured the booze down the drain and put the bottle by the window in the light 

do you remember the night I was up sick 

and feeling very by myself and quiet 

afraid to text I thought you’d be sleeping 

and now you’re here 

and being alone doesn’t fill my brain like that 

as a child to relax I’d imagine 

taking each bone from my body and giving it a good scrub gently pushing it back into place 

but how impossible it is to do everything right 

creating space in my spine is a nice thought 

and really that’s all 

except there’s something right about trying to do better so I try to do better 

and boil the kettle 

Previously published in rock salt, baseline press 2020

Via Olive Andrews

Olive Andrews (they/them) is a poet living in Tiohtià:ke (Montréal). Instagram I Twitter

This is the third of three poems they have shared via Also Cool. Their work has been published in a number of magazines, including PRISM International and Plasma Dolphin. Their debut chapbook, rock salt, was published with Baseline press in 2020. They are currently interning at Canthius mag.

Artwork by Olivia Meek AKA Regularfantasy Instagram I Paintings I Design

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Olive Andrews Shares "orange glow" From Three-Part Poetry Series

Artwork by Olivia Meek AKA Regularfantasy

I spent all night in the bathroom pissing blood and crying

everything painted bright blue even the hardware

and the fan whirring

if I wanted I could give it all up

be hooked by a finger over my bottom teeth

and pulled liked a fish

in the morning now the wind whistles

I’m in the waiting room still bundled and

fantasizing about being picked up

and falling asleep in the car

what would I look like stripped of everyone I love

would the light through the curtain still glow orange

it doesn’t matter we’re all spun together in the washing machine

turning our whites pink

Previously published in rock salt, baseline press 2020

Via Olive Andrews

Olive Andrews (they/them) is a poet living in Tiohtià:ke (Montréal). Instagram I Twitter

This is the second of three poems they’ll be sharing via Also Cool. Olive’s work has been published in a number of magazines, including PRISM International and Plasma Dolphin. Their debut chapbook, rock salt, was published with Baseline press in 2020. They are currently interning at Canthius mag.

Artwork by Olivia Meek AKA Regularfantasy Instagram I Paintings I Design

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Olive Andrews Shares "loneliness moments" From Three-Part Poetry Series

Artwork by Olivia Meek AKA Regularfantasy

loneliness moments

stir the cardamom into your tea and wait

think about weyes blood all day

love yourself silly

all the energy you’ve been searching for

in spring it’s early morning always

you’re out walking

hoping someone will tell you something

dark and heavy

you can sit with for a while

a song comes on about longing

go to a coffee shop and waste the afternoon away

writing nothing in your journal

just watching the pen needle loop

calling landlords

surprised when they’re expecting you

someone says hey three times you realize they’re

talking to you

blocking off the hallway

talking about endings

wondering when they’ll be real to you

the power’s out and it’s exciting

just you and the wood floor and the wind whistling

your boyfriend breathing heavy and the table shaking

finding warmth under duvet

peeling tape up from cardboard

turn your phone off for an hour

wishing the plums were sour

enough to make you pucker

it’s okay until your roommates leave for the weekend

just you and your cat running laps

the frantic dep employee

the neighbour you spot on your walk home from groceries

long enough to remember being 18 again

wrapped up in bed all day

you could have died in that apartment

no one would have noticed

Via Olive Andrews

Olive Andrews (they/them) is a poet living in Tiohtià:ke (Montréal). Instagram I Twitter

This is the first of three poems they’ll be sharing via Also Cool. Their work has been published in a number of magazines, including PRISM International and Plasma Dolphin. Their debut chapbook, rock salt, was published with Baseline press in 2020. They are currently interning at Canthius mag.

Artwork by Olivia Meek AKA Regularfantasy Instagram I Paintings I Design

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Debaser Welcomes Summer with PIQUE: A New Forward-Thinking, Artist-Driven Event Series

PIQUE poster by @mouthoftiger, original wordmark typeface created by Moritz Esch

This week, Ottawa/Hull’s independent underground music presenter Debaser presents PIQUE: a new forward-thinking, artist-driven quarterly event series. Since 2013, Debaser has supported and exhibited underrepresented creatives, garnering a reputation for its curation of experimental music and emphasizing inclusivity at its events. Hot off the buzz of its unique music-recommendation project Mood Ring, Debaser is resurfacing from the pandemic lull with a summer kickoff that can’t be missed.

This inaugural installment of PIQUE on June 12th, 2021, features online performances, art, sound and media from a wide-ranging lineup, including: Ami Dang, Asuquomo, GloryHull, Golbon Moltaji, Marisa Gallemit, Matthew Cardinal, Mercedes Ventura, Lauren Bousfield (with visuals by Naomi Mitchell), Orchidae, respectfulchild and See No Stranger (sanjeet & Emissive).

Alongside the performances, artist talk TOPIQUE, with speakers Ami Dang, Matthew Cardinal and moderator Heidi Chan, will delve into “tracing our voices in ambient electronic music.”

PIQUE event poster by @mouthoftiger, original wordmark typeface created by Moritz Esch

Tickets are available via Eventbrite and are pay-what-you-can, with a suggested donation of $25. Proceeds will be donated to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society. Register for a "pay-what-you-can" ticket to receive a notification when the programming goes live. The TOPIQUE discussion will have live transcription and an ASL Interpreter in the call.

Visit thisispique.com for more information and to watch the performances!

Debaser

Website | Instagram | Facebook

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Letter From the Editors: Also Cool Patreon Launch

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Become a patron of Also Cool and support us on Patreon!

We made a Patreon because we want to get to know you better. We’re testing new ways to make our platform more sustainable and interactive. We’re thinking online workshops, snail mail, fun digital goodies, and skill-sharing groups. Most importantly, we want a more concrete and sustainable way to compensate our contributors. 

We are a group of four volunteers: Malaika, Zoë, Maya and Rebecca. We all have day jobs, big dreams, and just really love working on this project in our spare time. Also Cool operates on a not-for-profit model, where all the money coming in goes back out to supporting the creatives who contribute their work to it, in addition to covering operational costs like having a website domain, and a podcast platform, and Canada Post’s astronomical shipping costs for merch. 

We believe in creating for each other and investing in each other. Reinvesting into the community has been our objective since day one, but it’s not a complete circle without your support! We’ve been hesitant to launch a Patreon for a while now, especially during this last year when all of us have encountered financial insecurity at different levels. We’ve put a bunch of our own savings into making this work so far, but we’re at a point where we need to ask for your help to keep the dream alive. 

That being said, we aren’t interested in sourcing our budget from methods that deviate from the ethics at the core of Also Cool. Can you imagine targeted ads on our website? We can’t! We decided Patreon would be the best way for us to go, considering that we will still be able to maintain our focus of sharing resources and highlighting the importance of collaboration and solidarity in creative circles. 

We’re offering all sorts of knowledge-sharing and entertainment goodies at every subscription level, in order to accommodate how much our subscribers are able to spend, from $3 to $25. These Patreon exclusives include things like access to special digital content, fun activities, early registration to our workshop series and events, and special edition merchandise. 

We can’t wait to hang out with you on the interweb. And most of all, we can’t wait to keep building the Also Cool community together with you. 

Check out the breakdown of our subscription exclusives by visiting our Patreon profile!

Thank you for supporting Also Cool!

- Malaika, Zoë, Maya and Rebecca

Keep up with us online!

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