past workshops

vINES FESTIVAL: Our Stories Embodied

New Brighton Park, Vancouver, B.C.

A poetry reading by writers Erica H Isomura, Laura Fukumoto, and Carolyn Nakagawa.These poetics offer gratitude to the land that pro vided a home to ancestors a century ago, taking place beside Hastings Park, which served as a detention centre during the 1942 Japanese Canadian incarceration.

past workshops

Erica sits in front of a group of participants who write at tables

Writing about Family History, workshop at The Blue Cabin: Floating Artist Residency in Steveston, B.C.

creative writing

Re-making Memory: Exploring Family, Ancestry, & Origin Stories
In this writing workshop, participants explore different ways of writing about family, ancestry, and personal origin stories. Through childhood objects and family “artifacts,” they consider both known and unknown histories, and the way formed memories shape us today. This workshop is geared towards all genres and forms of writing, including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, comics, and hybrid forms.

Narrative and eco-poetics
During this workshop, participants consider their relationships to the urban environment and experiment with writing activities to craft a poem or short piece of writing. In the past, these activities have been used to build on future performance pieces and develop new hybrid theatre works.

book arts

Bookbinding Basics: Saddle-stitch
In this beginner-friendly workshop, participants are introduced to bookmaking tools and techniques to make single signature books. These are excellent for notebooks, journals, sketchbooks, or handmade zines.

Accordion Bookmaking: Making Collage & Memory Books
During this workshop, participants learn to create handmade books using collage and accordion techniques. These projects can combine personal writing, photographs, mementos (e.g. tickets, brochures, letters, documents), stickers, stamps, and much more.

A completed accordion book with family documents and photos

A workshop participant combines family photos and documents to produce a unique book as a gift for her daughters.

A workshop participant works on an accordion book using round washi cut-outs

A workshop participant creates an accordion book project using round pink and gold shapes.

Participants in memory bookmaking workshop sitting around a table

Participants assemble workshop materials for their projects

Handmade book made by a workshop participant.

Memory Bookmaking workshop, hosted by the Ottawa Japanese Cultural AssociationPicture

Handmade book made by a workshop participant

Handmade book made by a workshop participant.