The final projects from this year’s senior art students go on display April 2 in a gallery exhibit entitled “Gift Shop.”

The opening night reception begins at 7 p.m. at the Langley Centennial Museum in Fort Langley.
Alysha Creighton, a fourth-year art major and coordinator of this year’s show, encourages students to come out and celebrate the achievement of the 10 graduating art students.

“The pieces are really insightful, personal,” says Creighton.

Displaying their art for friends, family and the larger community also allows for helpful dialogue with the artists. “I always learn something about my work when I show it to others,” Creighton comments.

Holding the studio show at the museum allows students to engage in aspects of a realistic gallery experience, such as working with a curator. The location also provides a space within the area that is both close to campus and inviting to citizens of the local community.

The museum is providing the gallery space free of charge. The art students have also held fundraisers, such as their Valentine’s Day cupcake sale, to cover the cost of promotion for the event, refreshments for the reception and the materials necessary for displaying the art pieces. In addition, the Trinity Western University Student Association has provided funding for the show. “TWUSA has always been really supportive of the senior art shows,” says Creighton.

Creighton explains that the exhibit’s title is the combination of several ideas. The idea first came up when students visited the Centennial Museum, where a gift shop separates the permanent museum collection from the art gallery. It is also a “play on the whole commercialization of art,” says Creighton.

The idea of commercialized art versus art for art’s sake is something that the students consider as they develop their own careers as artists. She adds that the exhibit also allows the students to share their artistic gifts with others.

The senior art show is the culmination of ART 411 and 412: Senior Studio. The two-semester course, required of all art majors and concentrations, allows students to explore different mediums, do research and develop their personal artistic process.

Some students determine the focus of their project early on in the year. Others, like Creighton, take a little more time to explore the possibilities for the final product. “I’m very pressure-oriented,” she admits.

Creighton says coordinating the event has been a positive experience, highlighting the collaborative effort of putting together the show. “The class makes my job easy. Everyone gets done what needs to be done.”

Unlike past shows, which displayed projects for only a few days, this exhibit will last until April 25. Admission to “Gift Shop” is by donation.

Robert John Butler and B. Mason Judy graduated from TWU last year; they work for the Portland Hotel Society.

Even if you haven’t heard of the Portland Hotel Society (PHS), you will likely know of the Downtown East Side (DTES). Bound by Vancouver’s Chinatown and historic Gastown, this infamous space is one of continual media exposure throughout the province as well as the nation. In this poverty stricken neighbourhood, prostitution, heavy intravenous drug use and mental illness are commonplace. It is an area where the majority of Vancouver continually turns a blind eye to because the problems are so great and solutions so complex.

What began as a grassroots effort in the early 1990s has become the premier provider of Single Resident Occupancy (SRO) hotels in the DTES, one that recognized the need for safe and affordable housing for those who would otherwise be living on the streets. The role of the PHS has grown significantly. They manage a myriad of different projects that benefit and try to enable more stable and positive conditions for those who call the DTES their home. Among other projects they have nine SROs with virtually no eviction policy, a rehab facility, homeless shelter and the controversial safe injection sites.

Since its inception, the PHS has been guided by a number of key philosophies, the most foundational being harm reduction. Harm reduction doesn’t impose values or judgments on lifestyle choices but instead seeks to “meet people where they are at.” In practice this reveals itself on the job through the provision of clean rigs (syringes) and other drug related paraphernalia all in an effort to prevent the spread of diseases such as Hepatitis C and HIV.

Robert John Butler:
During my time at university, I became interested in the marginalized individuals of society and preventative measures against the spread of infectious diseases. After graduation, I sought out Vancouver’s DTES and North America’s first supervised safe injection site and before long I found myself employed with the PHS at one of their many illustrious manors: namely, The Portland Hotel. Far from the ambitious dreams of saving the world by the almighty power of science, I am a lowly night clerk at what is essentially a mental health institution without the characteristic infrastructure of shrinks and straitjackets.

I am what my pay stub calls a “mental health worker.” In more colloquial terms I am a doorman, a porter, a pharmacist, a security guard, a verbal garbage can, a needle exchange facilitator and a cigarette vendor. These basic goods and services are provided in exchange for a cheque twice a month and a vantage point from which I can view the intricate social drama that occurs in the DTES around the clock.

Residents of the Portland Hotel are notorious for their severely complex mental health issues and instabilities. When placed together, these conflicting personality traits often create a chaotic environment with little or no order. At any given moment it is not uncommon to see residents pacing around the perimeter of the lobby like caged animals, or rocking to the rhythmic sound of their own laboured breathing. It is equally common to see them engage in hand-to-hand combat over scraps of tobacco or crack cocaine, spilling blood and tears the entire way.

However, these seemingly brazen displays of anarchy are not entirely without their own unique system of control. The activities that occur in the DTES are the personification of an entire lifetime’s worth of abandonment and mistreatment on the part of individuals’ families and society as a whole. It is the hidden hand of neglect so deeply rooted in the psyche of these individuals that drives them to unspeakable acts of desperation and I remind myself daily of this fact.

This places a significant degree of pressure on my part. It is difficult, if not impossible, for me to make up for a lifetime’s worth of trauma during my experience at the Portland Hotel. But it is important for me to remain focused on the act of embracing every individual on their own terms by rejecting the very thing that brought them to their troubled position to begin with: neglect.

Mason Judy:
This January I found myself looking for a job. Returning from a summer job in Alaska, I had moved into Vancouver with the hope of just getting a job. Before the holidays I sorted clothes and women’s undergarments at The Bay (I lasted two days) and did a month stint as a dishwasher in a Kitsilano diner. I decided that I could no longer handle just another menial job and Rob suggested I apply to the PHS. The account of his experience with the last few months of working in the DTES had triggered a desire for a job where I would not only be doing something, but doing something positive.

My experiences with the DTES prior to starting work in the area had been limited to passing through, attending concerts and the occasional protest. Essentially, I had the view of the average resident of the Lower Mainland who is not accustomed to a regular interaction with the people and the lifestyles prevalent in the DTES.

The last couple months have begun to expand the way that I view poverty and addiction. When you hear about the varying “ills” of society and live from a perspective where it is only a problem or an issue, it loses the humanity involved. Instead of perceiving the whole I have begun to see and meet people, who may have a mental illness or have experienced extreme hardship, but are still people, who are no different from myself.

My role at the PHS involves facilitating, making sure medication is taken, cleaning floors and handling any emergencies that arise. I was told in my first interview not to expect success or changes based on the typical idea of “progression,” and I don’t. I am a communications major: all I can do is go to work, ask people “how is it going?” and try to keep things in order. 

To get more informed on North America’s only legalized Safe Injection Site, check out the Fifth Estate’s documentary online “Staying Alive.” http://www.cbc.ca/fifth

On Feb. 12, the ISJC put on its annual fundraiser, the RAID Project. Through this project, ISJC annually partners with International Justice Mission and Love 146. These are organizations that seek to alleviate sex trafficking and rehabilitate girls who have been coerced into the trade. IJM focuses on freeing those enslaved, and Love 146 is geared more towards the rehabilitation and prevention of trafficking. In partnering with both organizations ISJC has annually held a fundraiser selling flowers, candy and serenades for Valentine’s Day. The proceeds are then distributed to the individual organizations.

This year, through the help of regular attendees of the club and additional volunteers, we were able to raise $1,130. From the time of the fundraiser’s origin three years ago to now, we have been able to donate almost $3,000 to IJM and Love 146. So if you thought you were just being entertained on Valentine’s Day, don’t be fooled, all that singing and dancing was not in vain.

So thank you to all who contributed to the purchasing of flowers, candy and serenades for the RAID project; without your contributions this would not have been possible. Additionally thanks to all who volunteered their time and services. There was a lot of time and energy invested into the songs, candies and cards; thank you to all for your support.

If you want to know more about the organizations we support, check out their websites:
Love146: www.love146.org
International Justice Mission: www.ijm.org

Job Position: Director of Alumni

Mars’ Hill: How long have you been at TWU?
Dave Swan: I’ve been in this position for about three years. I graduated here in ’95, with a PhysEd degree.

MH: What’s your six-word memoir?
DS: Follow your passion and dream big.

MH: What’s the best part of your job?
DS: Connecting with people.

MH: What would you do if you won “roll-up the rim”?
DS: I would repurpose it and use it for an alumni event.

MH: Any advice for students?
DS: Get involved with as many things as you can at TWU – you’ll be thankful for all of the relationships you’ve created and all the experiences you’ve had here.

Reformed Community Standards:
At time of printing the proposed changes to the Community Standards or Responsibilities of Membership or Community Covenant or Whatever-its-name-is will have been released to the student population. There are several things that may occur 1) casual alcohol drinkers will rejoice at the proposed changes, 2) smokers will be saddened that smoking will still not be allowed on campus (although judging by the drive into campus, the rules don’t seem to affect everybody), 3) a grand total of 11 students will actually read it and many will not actually take notice, 4) mass riot will occur necessitating the arrival of the Langley S.W.A.T. and riot police (they do have them, right?) to put down the unruly conservative students unwilling to accept the changes. Any way it goes down, it may actually be pretty entertaining.

TWUSA:
The Student Association started off with a bang with a carnival-like BBQ, but has since failed to live up to the lofty expectations they named for themselves. With the end of the year fast approaching, many questions are left answered: where is the promised Toga party that $3,000 dollars was allotted for? Whatever happened to that snappy slogan “No more bull poop” (oh wait, we don’t wonder about that one, just thankful it’s gone)? How did next year’s executive council become filled with men? These are all interesting questions, but who has the time to figure it all out?

Glover Road Bridge: one year later:
New students this year will not appreciate this, but for two years the bridge on Glover was a one-way road. This has been due to the designers who decided to build a bridge that few semi-trucks could pass through without damaging it, so year after year drivers were forced to take turns crossing the bridge. So let’s tip our hats to nearly one year with a working bridge (just keep praying for more. Langley isn’t the best at constructing logical road systems).

Seniors will graduate complaining of not knowing where to go next:
This is a common cry amongst those fourth- (or fifth-) year students who are making the quest beyond Trinity Western University’s crazy cozy environment and entering into the secular world. For those with no idea what to do with their lives now, take heart in the fact that many are predicting that now is the “greatest time to be coming out of college since the Great Depression.” Comforting words, and words which we can all take a little stock in, or you could do what TWU is now promoting: spend another $25,000 to wait out this floundering economy to better equip yourself to move into a jobless market. Neat.

While our stories are an important facet of our lives, the majority of people are either unwilling or feel unable to tell their stories. All of us want to be heard, whether through our opinions or stories, but many prefer to let someone else tell their story or to simply pass on the opportunity. This is a travesty as there is a plethora of stories worth hearing, but unfortunately there are few who are willing to create and invest in them.

Most people fear that their stories aren’t interesting enough to be told, especially in print, and that there is someone else out there with similar experiences who can tell their story better. It is difficult to foster the idea that it is not necessarily the story that people are interested in reading or hearing, but the feelings and personal experience of the author. This is why we as a culture have popularized memoirs in the last few years; the experiences are not often extraordinary, but the author has spun the story to create a deep sense of meaning and connection with the reader.

Creating your own personal blog has become easier and more accessible; people today can share their ideas, opinions and stories to the masses with a stroke of the keyboard and a click of the mouse. This advent has allowed freedom of expression that our parents weren’t afforded and so our stories can be heard by more than just one’s friends and family.

Stories, tales, sagas, chronicles or narratives, however you want to spin it, are tools for which others can discover and experience life with you and that you can use to create something that is self-relevant. Spinning a tale is more than just being able to cobble a string of interesting words together into a plot; it’s more than that, it is something which allows you to take a introspective look into your own life and to cultivate your own humanity. Our stories are what make us unique and should not be withheld for lack of “talent,” but all should look for that medium which best expresses their own personal experiences.

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Dear Theoretical moneybags, 

Now that you’ve made the big-time investment in yourself, your life is like a ship, about to set sail into a world of goodness and prosperity. Actually, it sounds more like a Spanish treasure ship, off to pillage the New World for all it’s worth. In any event, my advice for you is of similarly noble and artistic merit. Many years ago in New York, Hugh Troy painted a mural of a regatta of ships on a bank. The flags upon the ships read, “Keep Your Money in Your Mattress.” Given your keen overuse of optimism, that’s probably the best thing you can do.

But wait a second: you’re just graduating after four or five years of being a student at TWU. Are you toying with us? Is this a “when I’ve finally paid off my student debt” fantasy? Where is all this money coming from? Anyway, if this is real cash and you don’t go with the “mattress fund,” just make sure it’s well laundered.

Whatever you do, don’t go with the savings account. Besides the pathetically low interest, it’s too easy to get to. You may just impulse-buy that Ferrari or pay for some Interpretive Dance Centre at your old Alma Mater if you’re not careful.

Okay, okay. So you can get the best of all these worlds of dead capital: buy gold. Although they are making more of it, unlike land and common sense, gold has distinct benefits: it’s shiny, fits in with even the most basic laundering and ‘creative accounting’ schemes, is a key component of “bling bling,” retains its value, and best of all easily stores in your mattress.

Finally, thanks for the buttering-up. Next year, when you’re literally rolling in gold, please think of us.

– Ares

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Dear Investor,

Investing is a tricky business, much like the Forrest Gump quote about boxes of chocolates, “you’ll never know what you’ll get.” Since you are only just now coming out of university, the likelihood of you having any significant amounts of money are slim, so your ability to invest is limited. With the current state of the economy, there are lot of variables that one needs to navigate in order to get through all the confusion. There seems to be some groups saying the economic crisis isn’t as bad as people imagine and others who are preaching the total collapse of the modern world as we know it. One should attempt to find the happy median of the two arguments in order to decipher what one should do with their money.

My advice to you is to be wary and not jump into any short-term financial contracts because of the instability of the economy. Buying a house at 22-24 probably isn’t the soundest thing to do, unless you are planning on living in that area long-term. The same goes with the stock market: unless you find something too good to pass up, you should probably start small and build yourself up first. But then again we’re advice columnists and not financial planners. Good luck to you.

– Athena

Mars’ Hill: What have you been doing since graduating?
Matt Laine: My post-graduate life has been fairly normal I think. While I officially graduated I guess in April of ‘07, I also did one last semester at the Laurentian Leadership Centre in Ottawa. This was by far one of the best experiences I had at Trinity, and one of the greatest opportunities I’ve had in life. So, first of all, I would say that if anyone out there is wondering if they should apply to the LLC program, I couldn’t emphasize enough what a great opportunity and experience it is.

MH: How has it been living in the “real world?”
ML: Living in the “real world” pretty much reminds me daily of how great university really is and how I probably didn’t appreciate it enough all the time. But of course, it’s the next stage of life, and it’s the time in life when you get the chance to take all these skills and lessons you learn and habits you established throughout university and apply them. University is not so much about the specifics of what you learn – although those play a very important part – but the habits you establish while going through all the routines.

Living in the real world is a lot of fun, and believe me, I love that I don’t have to worry about writing a paper the next day – but with my job, I have a whole new set of responsibilities, and I wish I had spent a bit more time really preparing myself.

MH: You recently ran for Parliament in this last year’s election; how was that experience?
ML: Running for Parliament was a blast and something I think everyone can and maybe should embark on at least once in his or her life. There is nothing quite like standing up in front of a crowded room of people and being asked a serious question about a serious issue and having to somehow find the confidence and the seriousness somewhere deep inside and give a response.

I think so often we focus so much on the “politiking” of politics, that we forget about the dialogue side of it. Look, in reality, I’m just some 25-year-old kid who recently graduated from university. What do I have to offer? When the campaign first started, this was an almost paralyzing fear. What could I possibly be able to say that would be of any real value?

That’s when I realized that first and foremost, it had nothing to do with me as a person. I mean, maybe a little bit, but I think we make politics so much about personalities, and that’s unfortunate. But anyone and almost everyone has something to say. We are all a teeming universe of experiences and ideas, completely unique and different than anyone else. For me, realizing that was the key. The campaign wasn’t so much about me, but it was about presenting ideas and values and principles that I hoped would shift the way we approach the world and say, hey guys, what about this?

MH: What motivations did you have for running?
ML: Well, a few years ago, during my time at Trinity, I voted for the Green Party for the first time. I studied and majored in Political Science, so I’ve had a keen interest in politics for a long time. It had been a dream of mine to run as a candidate for a long time, so it really was the realization of something I’d always wanted to do.

I also ran because I believe that through my own experiences and learning in life, I had a different perspective on some issues and a perspective I believed was worth sharing. I got involved with the Green Party because I believe the stewardship of this planet is the single most important issue we face in the future.

MH: What are your future plans in relation to running for the Green Party? Any more plans for a career in politics?
ML: Who knows what the future holds. I do intend to run again for public office, and maybe even win an election one day. But I’m currently involved in a campaign provincially, and decided not to run as a candidate this time around. I want to support the best people with the best ideas.

MH: How do you feel your education at TWU has affected your plans and outlook for the future?
ML: My education at Trinity played a huge part in who I have become. I had some great opportunities to get involved in the community and meet some amazing people. I would say my education was easily split fifty/fifty between the classroom and my social experiences.

It also gave me a safe place to examine many of the important questions in life. Trinity is unlike other universities because it offers a place where truth is constantly being examined. Unfortunately modern rationality says that “truth” is in the domain of provable, scientific fact alone. I think truth is far more interesting and dynamic than that. I don’t necessarily subscribe to any specific explanation of “ultimate truth” but I am always searching and glimpses of truth are fast fleeting. Never know, but always search.

Dear Teetering-on-the-Brink-of-Bankruptcy,

I’ll be honest. The truth hurts and it’s your own fault. First, the world economic crisis is your fault. I know: you neither defaulted on a mortgage nor violated your sense and integrity by selling spurious pseudo-assets, but your attitude just isn’t helping build market confidence, here. Remember: in the emergent economy real money is a psychological construct.

As for your educational financing, the best way doesn’t involve all your needless stressing, or even sound fiscal management. No, the best way to go to work is smiling. Because the truth is that no matter what you do, your winning smile and engaging way of casually propaganda-dropping in conversation with whatever wealthy relative of yours is actually bankrolling your tuition. Leverage your charisma and inter-subjective magnetism effectively enough and you might even get a new sports car and trip to Hawaii out of the deal.

Of course, the other option is that you’ve probably got a massive scholarship you’re not admitting to and are just stressing about having to take on a bit of debt. But don’t worry. Red numbers look kinda pretty on the balance sheet, and financing your debt is fairly easy, even through menial toil. It may be hard on your carefully-cultivated aura of academic supremacy, but some cash flow a day keeps the auditors away!

In the off-chance you actually have to give the tuition an honest college try, I hear low-paid heavy labour is always in fashion. Remember: though the money you generate may seem a ragingly quixotic gesture in the face of a sea of troubles if you’re willing to sojourn forth with brutal self-discipline, three jobs or a sufficient obscure and distant one may just make you content enough to continue the whole racket again next year. 

– Ares

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Hello my friend,

There are no easy answers for what you ask. Unfortunately, according to some these times are some of the worst to be coming out of university since the Great Depression. With the high influx of college-aged men and women into the job market and the decrease in available jobs, there just aren’t the opportunities there have been in previous years.

Unless you are willing to flip burgers at McDonald’s or any other minimum wage job, then there will likely be some difficulty finding stable employment. That isn’t to say that there aren’t well-paying jobs out there; they just might take being a bit more creative than before.

As far as places to look, Craigslist is always a useful tool for job hunting, but many jobs still are based around word-of-mouth; so keep a sharp ear out and continually ask questions to find out what is available. Or if you can afford it, perhaps working at a summer camp might be a legitimate avenue; some camps even pay their summer staff. One could also check out their local schools, as some hire summer staff in order to fix up the area. Lastly, if worse comes to worst, go around town putting up fliers and posters advertising how great of a manual labourer you would be. Give those a try and see what you come up with.

I wish you luck in your employment endeavours.

– Athena

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Facing a conundrum? Let us assist you!
Spill to AresandAthena@gmail.com and
await our wisdom in the next Mars’ Hill.

Job Position: Faculty Assistant for Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, GLC and Research and Faculty Development

Mars’ Hill: How long have you worked at TWU?
Linda Matties: Two years

MH: Who is your favourite celebrity?
LM: I might watch them on TV, but I don’t pay much attention. I don’t really have a favourite.

MH: What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
LM: Culture Making: Recovering our Creative Calling by Andy Crouch. You can get it in the library.

MH: What’s the best thing about your job?
LM: Every once in a while I get challenged to do something new that I’ve never done before.

MH: What advice would you give to students?
LM: When students write exams I tell them I’ll pray for them, that they remember everything they studied.