'Labour of Love' Poetry Magazine published by Norman Cristofoli

On my second open mic reading ever, last November, after all the writers had read, when the lights came back on, a man came over and handed me a card and said, "I want to publish that poem."

This is how I met the Toronto poet and publisher, Norman Cristofoli.

The issue of Labour of Love with my poem is now out, and, since the story of how the magazine itself  came to be is so interesting, I thought I would interview Norman so you could hear it too.

Labour of Love publishes poetry, prose, short short stories, artwork and photographs. Norman formats it himself and prints it twice a year, each issue having a print run of 400. The magazine is given out freely. It is fully funded by Norman himself.

He has published 35 issues since 1994! Labour of Love publishes high quality work. Norman himself is not only a great poet, but is said to be one of the best editors around.

The interview takes place outside the Annex Live at Brunswick and Bloor, just before a spoken word reading, on Wednesday, March 21st 2012, and was recorded with my iPhone4.

To enquire about submissions to Labour of Love, or to request copies (he only asks that you provide postage), please go to Norman's website, labouroflovemagazine.com.

Direct link: 'Interview with Norman Cristofoli on 'Labour of Love'' (13:48min)

PLEASE NOTE: It is now July 2016, and Norman has published the last Labour of Love.

Woman Seated, Waiting

Woman Seated, Waiting, a small, strange painting. She reminds of me the Eight of Swords in the Rider-Waite deck, with thorns and sharp things all around her. She is fairly placid in the middle of it, though. Patiently waiting. It also echoes the Pre-Raphaelites to me somehow, and I'll have to ponder of which of those artists - maybe Hope by Watts, (1886)? , and Medieval mystic, nearly Byzantine, though of course very modern and abstract. This is one of those paintings that I cannot hang at the top of the stairs for people to see when they first come in. Nothing too pretty here. :smiling: And a series is beginning to emerge, which makes me happy.

Woman Seated, Waiting, 2012, 16" x 20", 40.6cm x 50.8cm, graphite, India and acrylic inks on stretched canvas.

Thanks for any kind comments, and I also enjoy more difficult responses that call upon strange inner metaphorical systems and obtuse aesthetics, too. :smiling:

An album with earlier versions of this ink painting as well as the other one I did at a non-instructional drop-in live model painting session at TSA last Friday night. (Click on any image in the slideshow to go to the album and a larger size.)

Ruminations on Mystical Consciousness

'Ruminations on Consciousness' (9:41min) as I prepare to write a prose poem to be called Colour of Near Death for a forthcoming videopoem.

The Falling Room Ends

I'm so sad! I hope Joe Halder develops another venue for the minimalist and avante guard music he filled The Falling Room with. The Falling Room introduced me to many artists. I found his perceptions often so brilliant, and his taste in music echoed my own. Far out, funky, strange, moving, so many ways of describing it, and then the spoken word/acoustic artists, wow, his show was an example of transgenre music!

I deeply appreciate his support of my poetry and music productions, and wish him the best in all his endeavours.

Here is a show, Female Acoustic Artists, from The Falling Room:



From Joe (on March 25, 2012):

Hello all,

I wish to inform you that The Falling Room has come to an end and will no longer be broadcasting from CFBU 103.7FM.

It is time to say goodbye and to move on to different projects and other ideas.

Unfortunately, with the onset of new projects and other opportunities I no longer have the time to devote to the program.

My intention was to finish the currently 12 programs I have in pre-production and end The Falling Room in June 2012, but sadly I do not have the time to finish those programs and produce them for broadcast.

During its existence The Falling Room broadcast 113 shows and introduced over 140 independent artists to the acoustic art community.

You need to know that your art, has been heard in China, Poland, France, USA, Italy, England, Ireland, Russia, Finland and Australia via the internet download site and the distribution of copies of the show over the last 2 years.

I am extremely grateful to the artists who have supported the show and so readily have allowed me to broadcast their material to the community.

I wish you all the best in your endeavors; you are a very talented group of people.

My special thanks to those artists who demonstrated consistent support for the program over the last 2 years, they are;

Michael Chocholak
Brenda Clews
Mickey Zero
William Schaeffer
Richard Dunlap
Mickey Zero
Kraftim
Cometa (Angelo Secondini)
Dr. Memory (Marlon Kempman)

As to the future? I am not sure. I am sure that my passion for your music and art remains strong to give up on it completely. (another program, in 6 months via the internet titled “The Labyrinth”?) who knows, what I do know is that now, its time for a rest and other things.

Again, much thanks and best wishes to all.
Joe (aka Halder)

Seated Woman (one finished, one in process), TSA 23 March 2012

Woman of the Sea Far Inland is finished. I painted a beautiful model at a non-instructional drop-in session at TSA on Friday night. Last night I whipped up the energy of the painting with some oil sticks I had bought at Gwartzman's. Looking at it, I think it might be a painting to go with a poetry manuscript I am in the process of compiling for submission.

I'm still working on the second painting below, Woman Seated, Waiting. She does look like a woman caught in thorns, a jagged and perhaps dangerous situation, doesn't she. There's something Pre-Raphaelite about her, and Medieval Christian saint.

2 Woman of the Sea Far Inland (final), 2012, 18" x 24", 35.7cm x 61cm, 

acrylic, oil sticks, oil pastels on triple-primed canvas sheet.

2 Woman Seated, Waiting (in process), 2012, 16" x 20", 40.6cm x 50.8cm, 

graphite, India and acrylic inks on stretched canvas.

Here is a little slideshow of the album where these paintings from the 

non-instructional drop-in painting session I went to at TSA last Friday night. 

Click on any image in the slideshow to go to Picasa and a larger size.

                              

Seated Woman, TSA 23 March 2012

Last night I went to TSA (Toronto School of Art) drop-in painting session (it only took a year to get there). Many fine artists. Perhaps these capture an essence. I'm considering going at the painting with oil sticks, and the pencil drawing on the canvas is going to get an ink treatment.

Woman of the Sea Far Inland, 2012, 18" x 24", 35.7cm x 61cm, acrylic on triple-primed canvas sheet.

Woman Seated, Waiting, 2012, 16" x 20", 40.6cm x 50.8cm, graphite on stretched canvas.

                              

Sketch of a Saluki

A very simple sketch of a Saluki (smooth variety). Saluki are the oldest domesticated dogs. Saluki-like dogs have been found on Sumerian seals dating back to 7,000-6,000BC; they are in pictures in ancient Egyptian tombs from 2134-1650BC. They are also called Persian Greyhounds, and are an Egyptian desert dog, and often travelled across the Sahara to the Caspian Sea with nomadic tribes. They are extremely thin, sleek, fast, and intelligent. No idea how I'll finish this sketch - design, or paint - but sharing a little scan. No, not my dog, but an extraordinary animal.