The Learning Zone

POW! ZAP! BAM! The OCAD Zine Library has a searchable zine library catalogue!

You can now search from the comforts of your laptop, classroom or your favourite café — zine title holdings from the OCAD U Zine Library.

Creating a searchable zine library catalogue had been a long-term project for Learning Zone Librarian Marta Chudolinska. Working collaboratively with OCAD U Library Visual Resources since 2011, the zine library catalogue was launched in Spring 2017 and is hosted on Artstor’s Shared Shelf.

Having an open and accessible searchable zine library catalogue to OCAD U community and the general public was a positive step forward for the OCAD U Zine Library collection.

A great article about the challenges of conceiving a searchable zine library catalogue, Staying true to the ethos of zines at OCAD U by Marta Chudolinska can be found on the Arstor Blog.

To keep up-to-date with OCAD U Zine Library, visit the zine library libguide to view new zine displays or to see the activities and workshops by the Zine Collective.

The POW! ZAP! BAM! zine display is about ACTION, like superhero action, activism, BDSM, superpowers — so take action now and search titles for this display here!

OCAD U Library presents a new speaker series called Research Wednesdays.

Students, staff and faculty are invited to present a paper, thesis or research on Wednesdays between 1pm to 2 pm hosted by the Learning Zone.

It’s a great opportunity to deliver a presentation or discover new creative resources.

Empowering Creative Researchers at the Toronto Public Library – October 18

This first presentation of Research Wednesdays series was Empowering Creative Researchers at the Toronto Public Library presented by Irene Gotz.

Irene Gotz is an Arts Librarian at the Toronto Public Library, freelance illustrator and OCAD U alumna. Irene introduced many of the art specific resources and services available to artists and designers; online or in-person at a Toronto Public Library location.

Celebrate Open Access Week at OCAD U with Chris Landry – October 25

Celebrate Open Access week with Scholarly Communications Librarian Chris Landry. Chris will guide you through what Open Access is while dispelling any misconceptions about this international movement.

Learn about the OCAD U Open Research Respository (http://openresearch.ocadu.ca/) and how you can contribute to this growing portal that promotes OCAD U creative research to the world.

Stay tuned for more Research Wednesdays presentations.

Interested in presenting your thesis or research at Research Wednesdays? Send an email to Daniel Payne (dpayne@ocadu.ca) and include:

• brief 250 word description of your talk
• indication of which Wednesdays would be available for you
• list of technological heads
• ideal set up of the presentation seating arrangement
• description of any participatory activities that may be used. (NOTE: any focus groups or survey-type activities may need Research Ethics Board approval, so be prepared to include this in your proposal)

We are exited to announce a second year of Student-Led Creative Workshop series. It’s a wonderful series of workshops established by the Learning Zone in collaboration with the Writing Learning Centre through the First Generation Program.

It’s an opportunity for students to develop valuable teaching experience while providing hands-on skill-building and community building for OCAD U students.

This year’s workshop line-up includes:

Arabic Calligraphy with Nabeela Malik, Monday October 23, 4 pm to 6 pm

Nabeela Malik will introduce basic techniques and words of Arabic Calligraphy letter forms. You will practice using brushes, ink and calligraphy pens, and by the end of the session you will be able to create and keep a word or phrase in Arabic. Examples of Arabic calligraphic art, sample words and phrases will be provided as a source of inspiration.

All materials will be provided.

Stop Motion Animation: Paper Puppets Workshop with Nikole Hidalgo Tuesday October 24, 4pm – 6 pm

This workshop will begin with building jointed paper puppets and then creating an animated short production using your puppet. Nikole Hidalgo will introduce paper animation techniques for creating backgrounds and other effects. Software will be used execute the animation process. You will have a rewarding experience making an animation using paper cutouts.

All materials will be provided. Students can bring photos and drawings to use as reference or as the basis of their puppet.

Needle-Felting Workshop with Sydney Madia, Thursday October 26, 4pm – 6pm

Sydney Madia will cover the tools, basic techniques and safety tips of needle-felting while taking you through a step-by-step creation of your own project. At the end of the workshop you will take home a small felted apple and a felting needle for future projects. Have another project in mind? You can create your own personal project while still learning from the demo.

All materials will be provided

Watercolour Sketchbook Bookbinding Workshop with Jazmin-Cordon-Ibanez, Tuesday October 31, 4pm – 6pm

Jazmin Cordon-Ibanez will demonstrate how to make a watercolour sketchbook using the kettle stitch method of bookbinding. You can customize you own creation.

All materials will be provided

Workshops are free and open to all current OCAD U students.

This exhibition features a series of works by two abstract painters from OCAD University; Danielle Coleman and Mashayla Ritchie.

Both artists bring a distinct approach to their work. Ritchie experiments on mixed media and texture with application and technique, while Coleman introduces experimental materials and old world imagery.

Works featured by Ritchie includes studies and abstract paintings.

Acrylic paint and oil pastel/sticks are explored on miscellaneous surfaces. Utilizing plastic baggies as piping bags for acrylic paint, she creates an intrigue to the overall composition and texture of the work. In combination with an unconscious train of thought, these works embed past felt emotions and mental states.

Material experimentation is important to Danielle Coleman’s art practice. The use of glitter, protective sponge liner, electrical tape and floral textiles and her studio’s atmospheric component of disco and alternative break up tunes frames a context for the creative process.

Combinations of colours reflect kitschy, nostalgic graphics and retro floral textiles through mixing vibrant, reflective and neon acrylic paints. Works seek to visualize the kitsch feeling of heartbreak of post relationship status.

Visit the Learning Zone Gallery.

On until October 28