Tuesday, October 11th, 2016, from 6:00PM to 8:00PM, make your witchy literary dreams come true.

We are excited and honoured to invite you to the first SAD Seance workshop! The evening will feature conversation, recitations, and sweet, sweet dranks from Mission Hill wineries to grease your witchy, creative wheels. The workshop will be held at the Vancouver Art Gallery in the Art Rental and Sales Gallery, and facilitated by the brilliant Adèle Barclay (author of our most recent Secrets Poetry installation).

Gaze upon the artworks of Scott Bertram, bring your favourite poem or paragraph by your very favourite writer, and prepare for an evening of magical literary meditation. For better insight, read workshop leader Adèle Barclay's take on the evening:

SAD Mag: What kind of magic are you planning on facilitating with this seance/workshop? Can muggles attend?

Adèle Barclay: We are looking at some communal, creative, literary magic for folks of all interests and levels. The seance is a playful, open invitation to anyone interested in writing in a workshop setting that focuses on generative energy, experimentation, and sharing.  

SM: How do spells and poetry differ, or how are they similar, in your writing practice?

AB: I feel like spells and poetry come to you when you most need them. They can hold all the disparate, paradoxical impulses that govern our lives without needing to resolve them—just holding them is good enough. However, I feel more intentional with spells. Poetry, for me, tends to be a little more wild or working with intentions that aren't always immediately known to me. The poet brain is sometimes hidden a little too well. For me, spells are a self-reflexive practice of thinking about myself in connection to my needs, family, friends, community, the environment, the elements, the cosmos. I think anything that prompts you to think about and act out of respect for these connections is helpful. 

SM: What inspired you to package the workshop in this way?

AB: I've taken workshops with Ariana Reines and CA Conrad who tap into magical, ritual practices when they lead workshops and I found these experiences transformative both in terms of literary and personal growth. I wanted to carry forward that torch in my own community.

SM: Write us a spell!

AB:

Bring your best guesses to tomorrow's workshop! Buy tickets here!