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William: So introduce yourselves, like one at a time say what you guys do-

 

Nazar: She’s good at English so I’ll follow her lead. 

 

William: Yeah like your practice 

 

Cheyenne: My name is Cheyenne Beh, I’m 22 and I study English Literature at Concordia. I’m currently in my last year and my favourite veins of English would Aestheticism, modern fiction, gothic literature. But I’m sort of veering towards decadent era because I find that most of my writing is very, it’s sort of like a borderline obsession with Aestheticism. Super decadent, it’s incredibly dark and nihilistic even. I would say a combination of Kafka, Tolstoy, big names-

 

William: That’s a pretty good list

 

Cheyenne: Yeah big names. Currently I’m trying to write a really good screenplay. I’ve named it Modus Operandi. I’ve heard it’s sort of a… god who’s that director?

 

Nazar: Anderson? 

 

Cheyenne: No, no… it’s, he does sort of absurd British comedy. But anyways I’m trying to recreate that and have this modern feel to it. 

 

Nazar: I’m Nazar Klepatskyy and I graduated at Concordia in music, classical composition. I play in a rock band, write the songs, sing and play guitar. 

 

William: What’s your band called?

 

Nazar: Hoozbah! We play rock and roll. Big emphasis on groove and not so much about rock and roll persay to be within those standards. But just trying to make good music. Without really trying to… like genre isn’t so important, just the quality. I guess the best judge of that is my taste. That’s only criteria thus far! 

 

William: Were you guys looking for an apartment with spaces to be able to have your own music room or writing room?

 

Nazar: Well I was definitely pushing towards a two bedroom place because I knew I needed an enclosed space to do my music. I still get on her nerves because it’s loud but at least I’m not self conscious about belting out in an open space. Now I have my own little private room where I can be as loud as I want and do as many weird sounds as I want.

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Cheyenne: Yeah I sacrifice my own sanity for Nazar’s sake. But luckily this place came with a little nook. 

 

Nazar: Yeah that was just an added advantage. 

 

Cheyenne: For me yeah

 

William: Ok, so you were mostly looking for a room for you and it was just happenstance that-

 

Nazar: Happenstance! Third day in a row that we hear that word!

 

Cheyenne: That YOU hear that word! I’ve heard that one before 

 

Nazar: You’ve heard it before?

 

Cheyenne: I study english literature

 

Nazar: I’ve never heard it, I literally learned about this word two days ago- 

 

Cheyenne: He’s going to start using it now

 

Nazar: And yesterday we watched another movie and it had it again and today boom. Third time in a row. I always say that whenever you learn a new word-

 

William: You start to hear it

 

Nazar: You’ll hear it immediately after

 

William: Yeah because you’re aware of it

 

Nazar: I don’t know if it’s because it’s coincidental or if it’s pure happenstance

Cheyenne: wow

 

Nazar: You know what I mean… What was the question?

 

William: It was, like did it just turn out that-

 

Cheyenne: Yeah it just turned out that my nook came with the place and it was right next to the balcony which is always a nice bonus. It’s open air and I can just open the door whenever I want, step out-

 

Nazar: Except it’s cold as shit in the winter because it doesn’t heating

 

Cheyenne: Yeah whatever, but that’s why if you go to my little nook you’ll see tons of furry carpets and I’ve hand sewed my own pillow cases and everything’s really fluffy. It’s kind of small but I, I’m not claustrophobic at all

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William: So you like a more enclosed cozy space? 

 

Cheyenne: I do! Sort of like Roald Dahl’s creative space. I don’t know if you’ve seen a video of him and his little shed

 

William: No I haven’t

 

Cheyenne: He basically has this huge chair and he has his little leg stand and he’s got a tray for him and pencils. Everything is close with his cigarettes and ashtray. So I can just turn around and everything is there. It’s just really accessible and I love being sheltered. Like a little nest

 

William: Do you think it’s because, because you’re discipline with writing and literature you don’t need that physical space? Or is it just more of preference?

 

Cheyenne: I guess in English Lit I do a lot of close analysis so I guess form informs content. Sort of like a concrete poetry meets an actual real life space and entity that can embody that. But yeah, I use my room more as a space of comfort more than I would actually go to. There’s a magnetic flow to it and it’s definitely extremely, like a nest, I feel very protected in there. But that’s the only reason why I like it small. 

 

William: And so did you have any other characteristics you wanted in your music room? Or was it something isolated?

 

Nazar: I mean yeah something isolated, it’s good that it’s not a full square shape. There’s a little 45 degree wall which helps with reverberation. But it’s a bit small for what I want and it’s annoying how not soundproof it is. Because literally everyone hears it it’s completely useless to have it except for my own perception of what’s going on in my own environment

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William: So there’s a lot of sound bleed then?   

 

Nazar: There’s a bunch of that, I wouldn’t call it the ideal place but it definitely helps

 

William: It serves its purpose

 

Nazar: Yeah it serves its purpose

 

Cheyenne: Yeah with a post-grad pay I’m not sure you can have exactly what you want just yet! Look at this boy!

 

Nazar: But that’s the thing it’s not fully set up yet. Because I’m always advocating how it takes at least 6 months for an apartment or a room or whatever to find its true form

 

Cheyenne: Yeah to flourish completely 

 

Nazar: So at my old apartment on Prince where you were, that one was a lot… we’ve done a lot more wackier musical shit there and it was really cool because I had the piano there. Another big downfall here is it’s not big enough to have an actual acoustic piano. That’s a really big bummer. 

 

William: So you’re still adjusting to being able to create in your room?

 

Nazar: Yeah well I’m building a table currently to put in the corner to facilitate my musical needs.

 

William: So do you find in that case that you’re more compatible with working in different spaces (pointing at Cheyenne) and that for you (pointing at Nazar) it takes a while before you get comfortable enough to able to have that creative flow?

 

Nazar: Yeah it definitely takes time setting up the right environment to feel like it’s mine and a comfortable place. Here in this place I haven’t really done too much in there. Like I practice in there but in terms of the creativity that comes with it, I haven’t fully garnished the movement for me to able to get what I need. 

 

William: How would you say you organize your space? Are you messy or clean? 

 

Nazar: Disorganized. Organization is disorganization

 

Cheyenne: I think it’s easier to find things and find objects when your room is in a disarray because I feel as if you’re more susceptible to remembering where exactly you put it. For me I have a significantly smaller space that Nazar, like it’s so much easier for me to find whatever I need but-

 

William: So you guys don’t have any problems with like a difference in organization?

 

Nazar: No I mean honestly it just depends on the mood. Like I literally just cleaned up that place before you came here but before it was just all my shit just in a random pile and that’s just how I’ve been in there. I can’t say that it’s been making my process any easier because it’s cramped and-

 

William: Do you think after, like forcing it to be clean by having me come over and take pictures, do you think it’ll help or hinder the process?

 

Nazar: Well I like to keep it organized but seldom does it work out that way 

 

Cheyenne: I think I’m a lot more adaptable than you (Nazar) in spaces

 

Nazar: Yeah well definitely too because let’s say if I was just doing music compositions and if I had the music in my head and just writing it it would be a lot easier but for it’s a lot of experimentation with the sounds. Literally just doing it over and over and over like obsessively for me to be able to get something out of it

 

William: So you have to concretely play it, you’re more practical

 

Nazar: I have to play it like 40 times until I get it right and then-

 

William: Then you can write it down?

 

Nazar: I don’t even write it down I just record it. I write the lyrics down but yeah.

 

William: So I guess, do you feel as though your space is done evolving (pointing to Cheyenne) do you think it’s where you want it to be and you’re comfortable with what it is?

 

Cheyenne: Definitely. I think for me what’s very important is that it’s aesthetically pleasing but also for it to exude this comfort. Not only do I want myself to be comfortable, but I want whoever that walks in to be impressed with it. I guess that ties into my fascination with decadence. Sort of the beautiful entities in life

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William: So for you it’s less of like pure functionality, it’s as though aesthetic is function in a way?

 

Cheyenne: It is! And I think I have organized it into a way where it is very pleasing to the eye but also super accessible and I can function completely normally. Like I sat in that nook and I wrote my entire creative portfolio in the time span of two days and I was fine because I had everything there. I was just so comfortable. It’s light, the air control is good, I’m much more in my head, I rely more on my mentality like my psyche to push me throughout unlike Nazar, like Nazar needs to be very handsy and grab onto things. To be physically stimulated. I’m more mentally stimulated.

 

Nazar: It’s why I hate working on music on computers

 

Cheyenne: Yeah, like I’m heavily reliant on using my right hand and just a pen. It’s all I need. I can work anywhere practically.

 

William: And for you Nazar you feel like you’re space is still evolving

 

Nazar: Definitely, it’s still a work in progress I don’t feel comfortable in there yet I’d say

 

William: And that hinders your creative process?

 

Nazar: Yeah but overall I feel like I’ve been missing something and I think the biggest factor in that is just not having a acoustic piano. Because it’s so much-

 

William: You relied on it a lot?

 

Nazar: I really did yeah. Because whenever you feel like it you can just sit down and you play something. It was in the living room too so it was more of a social thing to. It wasn’t isolated but that also didn’t get in the way so it was just really easy and accessible and nothing beats a real piano. Having that, or rather not having that form of expression is hindering the process a bit I feel. Also not having the table so all my gear is laid out in a way that’s easily accessible. So sometimes I just don’t do it-

 

Cheyenne: Except we sing

 

Nazar: Yeah instead we sing sometimes

 

Cheyenne: We sing in the living room. Because this is also essentially like a creative space for us. I think both our creative processes flourish in this area. It’s colourful. I think we’re both very very dependent on colour to stimulate us. Right wouldn’t you say so (looking at Nazar)? Like Nazar needs his blue lighting and there’s a red lighting in this living room and we also love candles and the ambient lighting. 

 

Nazar: Well I’m a strong believer that it’s all inspirational, productivity or whatever it just comes to you like that but it’s very important to have a place where once it comes to you you can just go there and hone it in. 

 

William: So you feel like the spark can come from living room here but-

 

Nazar: Exactly! The spark always comes from the living room actually. Very often when we’re just sitting here I’m like okay bye I want to play guitar but then I go there and I’m kind of turned off by the space a little bit because it’s not in its final form. Probably also because it’s a fucking pig sty most of the time.

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William: And is it the same for you (Pointing to Cheyenne) do you get your sparks here or?

 

Cheyenne: Honestly I get my sparks everywhere-

 

William: Well would you say the social aspect of the living room helps? 

 

Cheyenne: Oh definitely, I’m a strong believer in energies and whoever comes over to the house they sort of have something or something that they emit and permeate in the air then I’ll definitely go to my nook and write. But sometimes I’m just very happy here. I guess it just depends, the lighting for me is really important. Like sometimes I just really want his presence around me and that works a lot. 

 

William: So you feed off his energy in a way?

 

Cheyenne: Sometimes, yeah depends whether if he’s in a good mood or not. Sometimes it’s like ok fuck off I’m donezo with you mate. 

 

Nazar: And I just realized, because you’re talking about the social aspect. To be honest the only reason why I need that room is because I’m living with her. If I was living alone then I really wouldn’t need that space. In fact I’d prefer to just be able to do it wherever whenever. It’s kind of how my old place was but the advantage, I had a roommate, but it was a really big apartment and it was too floors. So the first floor, whenever I wanted to do my shit it was mine. So yeah it’s like a cave for me to hide from external eyes and ears.

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Cheyenne: Except I’m still always there

 

William: Yeah even though she can still hear it

 

Nazar: Yeah she can still hear it! (Looking at Cheyenne) Have you noticed that I always had a hard time being creative at your old apartment? 

 

Cheyenne: Well it was open concept

 

Nazar: Well it was open concept but the problem was that you were there. If you weren’t there then it would be super cool.

 

William: So you have to have your own space?

 

Nazar: Like I need to be completely closed off from other people because then I get too worried about opinions. 

 

William: I think I’m the same

 

Nazar: Because I do some weird shit, I’m making weird sounds and practicing and making a bunch of mistake. I just don’t want to get self conscious about people hearing me do that. It’s just something for me alone but I have a great time doing it. 

 

Cheyenne: Yeah I’m the opposite I was literally here doing Karaoke here by myself belting out good songs. I don’t know, what’s the problem (looking at Nazar)? 

 

Nazar: That’s just how it is when it comes to art I’m a lot more introvert. Like a lot more so. 

 

Cheyenne: Yeah I mean I think as we grow older inspiration is for amateurs the rest of us just have to get to work you know what I mean? 

 

William: Yeah I operate in the same mentality, I just want to force it

 

Cheyenne: And I think if you were to cave yourself in constantly, if you were to only isolate yourself in one space you don’t train yourself to be adaptable so that when inspiration does hit you

 

William: But then also it can have an advantage of when you walk into that space *snaps* you’re productive

 

Cheyenne: Yeah immediately triggered by it which is fantastic

 

Nazar: Not there yet though

 

Cheyenne: Not there yet

 

William: So having been through the experience of building your spaces, obviously you’re still building yours (Nazar)

 

Nazar: I’ve built a previous one that worked really well

 

William: Oh okay, so for the both of you do you have any advice for anyone building in your case (Nazar) a music room, or in your case (Cheyenne) a writer’s nook?

 

Cheyenne: Yeah I think if you’re building a writer’s nook you have to have a lot of images like paintings, little canvases. Because it depends, say for me I have tons of little paintings of Japanese art because I’m really inspired by how beautiful it looks like the Hokusai wave and these Japanese demons. They allude to something else, something deeper and darker and when I stare at them I’m just fascinated. You also need a really good table with tons of compartments. Pull out papers and have tons of pens.

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William: Do you feel like you work better on paper? 

 

Cheyenne: Yeah definitely I’m actually technologically inept like I don’t know how I even run, like I haven’t even looked at my website in a month

 

William: Yeah I’m the same

 

Cheyenne: Yeah I think pen and paper is the most solid way of getting anything done because you’re processing what you’re thinking and putting onto a piece of paper. What better way to cement that. Like you can’t lose a piece of paper, well you can but it’s there and it’s tangible. When I look at a computer screen I can’t grab onto it whereas [on paper] I can look and trace my fingers, what’s going on where’s my thought process, my creative process. Stream of consciousness type thing. I would also recommend having tons of books because then you can refer to certain books. Like I just annotate all over my novels even if it’s just for leisurely purposes and not for academia I’ll just remember instantly one quote or instance in the chapter that I want to go and garner inspiration from this or a certain phrase that I’d love to… what’s that word you used before? 

 

William: Incorporate? 

 

Cheyenne: No it’s sort of a collage

 

William: Pastiche?

 

Cheyenne: Yeah Pastiche, pastiching different quotes from different books and creating this new story. It’s fantastic. 

 

William: I’m curious actually this is a small tangent but have you ever tried using a typewriter because I feel like that might be a middleground 

 

Cheyenne: Yeah I mean I would love one but I can’t… I feel as though if I were to get a typewriter I would need to really commit. I can’t just get a cheap one or else if it gets stuck mid page

 

William: Right I’m the same I want a typewriter so bad 

 

Cheyenne: But you want good quality you know, like if you get a cheap one and it starts being faulty mid sentence and you’re inspired what do you do then!? You’re like ah shit! But definitely when I do get a typewriter what I’m doing has to be precise and that would force me to try to attain perfection no matter what

 

William: And for you Nazar would you have any advice for building a music room?

 

Nazar: Well I’d say don’t rush it because from my experience it always, you have this one idea, you set it up and then you just got to-

 

William: You have to use it and learn how to use it

 

Nazar: Exactly, you have to listen to the room speak to you in a way. Because it’s going to evolve into something, eventually it’s going to take its final form. That’s why I say the 6 month approximate thing, at least that’s how it is with me. Because we jumped in here and put a whole bunch of art up and we ended up taking it all out and I restructured the room and now the ideal form is different from what it was initially and that’s because I set it up. Tried it. Realized it didn’t really work for so and so reason and so it just evolves. So I think the perfect space comes with time and patience. 

 

Cheyenne: And preferably some usable instruments considering this is a music room right?

 

William: Right 

 

Cheyenne: Completely neglected that fact

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William: If you could change one thing about your space what would it be? 

 

Nazar: Change how? Because I’ve got change coming 

 

William: You’ve got like full omniscient power you can change anything in the room 

 

Nazar: Can I give two?

 

William: Sure

 

Nazar: Can it be three things?

 

William: Sure 

 

Nazar: More natural light, bigger, and soundproof. Or like more isolated. Like a basement would be cool 

 

Cheyenne: A basement with more natural light?

 

Nazar: Well no because my friend Jordan has a really really cool basement 

 

William: Yeah like I live in a basement apartment and the windows are like half my height so it lets in a lot of natural light 

 

Cheyenne: Oh then in that case that’s fantastic 

 

William: But yeah if it’s one of those Montreal basement apartment where the window is a tiny cube just no 

 

Cheyenne: It’s scary

 

William: Yeah, I don’t know how people can do it

 

Cheyenne: I wish my nook was just a glass nook. Like four dimensional with all glass

 

Nazar: Wish you could just float around 

 

Cheyenne: I would love like even the floors made out of glass

 

William: Do you think it would be so that you could look at the world or so the world could look at you?

 

Cheyenne: I guess both. I think I thrive off being open and allowing myself to be seen and to also see. I want to be the observed and the observer. I find a lot of inspiration that I’ve personally garnered from my protagonists or antagonists comes from a deeper personal space. So trying to write from the lens of other people who perceive me and make myself a lot more warped. Just a little hint to my creative process 

 

William: So you feel like you could work pretty much anywhere? (Cheyenne)

 

Cheyenne: I could work anywhere except at a cafe, a really noisy cafe. The minute I hear footsteps around me that are excessively loud I just get, I just shut off. I think I’m also highly irritable. Also depends if someone’s looking at me weird and staring at me I’m like ah fuck please just stop. I don’t like when someone accidentally touches me especially when I’m in the element it grinds my gears but other than that I’m fine you could leave me in a car park in a car for three hours and I’m pretty sure I’d be able to write a little short story

 

William: And you’re not at all like that right? (Nazar)

 

Nazar: No for me I think I need to be in a place where I feel comfortable. Where I know my music isn’t getting on anyones nerves or that anyone is criticising it. It has to be a comfortable space where I feel comfortable producing sound and experimenting with creative ideas and implementing them. A place where it doesn’t get heard or judged by ears that I don’t want them to hear or if there are ears that are hearing it then it would be ones that don’t care. You know who are conscious of what I’m doing and are in and out

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William: So you (Cheyenne) mentioned Roald Dahl but was that one of your inspirations while building your space? 

 

Cheyenne: I mean not really Roald Dahl’s creative space is a little shed where he’s all cooped up. I mean it’s a nest

 

Nazar: It’s the size of your nook

 

Cheyenne: Yeah but it’s very dark and dreary. I’d imagine his is more of a hibernation type area. For me I guess… I mean I suppose I went on pinterest and looked up ‘cute nook ideas’ but I didn’t really draw from anything in particular. I just knew. Whenever I walk into a space I have a knack for knowing what would look good and for me, I guess the only inspirations that I drew from is that I don’t like rooms that don’t have your corners filled. I just don’t like any sharp corners. I feel as if it’s too jarring I want it to have a soft blur effect. I guess I want my nook to look like an instagram filter just picture perfect but also super functional how great is that

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Nazar: My opinion on her nook, the one thing that really opened it up for me at least is the world map. Because I feel that the world map is just an inspiring… you realize that your life and where you live and everything that goes on in your individual life that’s just happening to one person but it’s so much shit. There’s literally 7 billion of that going on. And if you look at world map you’re just in one place but you see there’s so much that it really opens up your perspective I think. Maybe I’ll steal it and put it in my room

 

Cheyenne: That was Nazar’s idea I find that these world maps are a little cliche. It’s a little generic white girl wants to go-

 

Nazar: Well they just want it for aesthetic purposes you know they probably never look at it and actually wonder. 

 

Cheyenne: Yeah it’s just it’s what sort of comes to mind for me. If it was up to me I’d just have blocks and blocks of those little cupboards and have books crawling from the ceiling down. Just tons… but I guess the atlas does open it up I look at Malaysia back home and I’m like cool

 

Nazar: Like that’s where I’m from I’m literally halfway around the world

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William: Did you have any inspirations? (Nazar)

 

 

Nazar: From where?

 

William: Like building your room or was it really just for your own function?

 

Nazar: No this one, I’d say the most inspiring part of that room is in the early afternoon when the sun is shining into it, into that window

 

Cheyenne: It’s gorgeous

 

Nazar: So that’s why I knew the main focus, or where most of my attention goes in the room when I am working has to be from that spot which in front of that window. Because when the light is coming in it’s really inspiring. Especially since I put the piano there, or well the electric keyboard because then sitting and playing out into the window, obviously it’s closed but playing out into sunlight and looking onto a courtyard is very-

 

William: You feel like it’s less closed off?

 

Nazar: Yeah, it also feels like it’s recharging you or something 

 

Cheyenne: So lighting is important

 

Nazar: Lighting is very important

 

Cheyenne: Now he says it! 

 

Nazar: And I think that one spot is the most inspiring

 

Cheyenne: That’s why I loved my old place because it was all just glass and my table, I’d just write there. Balcony in the front windows on the left, windows on the right sort of panoramic

 

Nazar: Yeah like that idea of what she said about being in a glass booth, I fucks with that it was really cool but me I wouldn’t want to be seen

 

Cheyenne: I’m an exhibitionist 

 

Nazar: Like I feel very naked in a piece of glass

 

Cheyenne: What’s wrong with being naked? 

 

Nazar: Well if they’re just looking at me like that

 

William: You’d want it to be like a way one mirror?

 

Nazar: No but that’s why from that window

 

William: It’s still inclosed?

 

Nazar: Yeah like you’re in this little thing but you’re looking out at the world the world isn’t looking out onto you. It’s nature in a way

 

Cheyenne: But why should you be able to look at nature without nature looking back at you?

 

Nazar: No no no nature yeah but not other people 

 

William: Nature doesn’t judge

 

Cheyenne: But nature is a living breathing entity no?

 

William: Yeah but it doesn’t say ‘hey you suck!’ 

 

Cheyenne: But it can feel your energy!

 

Nazar: The ideal room would probably be a big window and there’d be the piano and you just sit at the piano and the window is all you see with lakes and trees behind it. But the window wouldn’t be full lenght they’d be waist height just so you feel like that thing is grounded

 

William: Like you’re above?

 

Nazar: Well no it would be higher and I’d be very comfortable you know

 

 

William: (looking at Cheyenne) I can tell you’re just thinking ‘I don’t get this guy’

 

Cheyenne: No no I do! I’m just admiring him for actually getting on board with this idea of having this glass area it’s just amazing

 

Nazar: It’s really really… especially the nature. 

 

Cheyenne: Well I wouldn’t even mind having it at like the 35th floor in New York, imagine just looking down and seeing all these pedestrians and seeing life going on. Just minute specs in the chaos 

 

Nazar: Right but if they could see you

 

Cheyenne: I wouldn’t care I’d flash them this is my body I’m human I’m here let’s go

 

William: Reminds me I’ve been listening to this song by Courtney Barnett 

 

Cheyenne: Does she have a song called Depreston?

 

William: Yeah! There’s this song I forget the name of it right now [Elevator Operator] and I was listening to it on the way here, there’s a lyric that’s like don’t worry I’m not depressed I’m basically going to the roof to look at people and imagine I’m playing SimCity 

 

Nazar: Oooh that’s so cool

 

Cheyenne: Well Courtney knows what she’s saying 

 

William: Do you feel as though you work better in a situation of controlled chaos or neat tidiness? 

 

Cheyenne: Controlled Chaos definitely

 

Nazar: Same here, absolutely

 

Cheyenne: I think we’re just chaotic 

 

Nazar: Neat tidiness doesn’t quite cut it

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Cheyenne: It’s beautiful to look at, like you have to admit when something is extremely tidy you’re like ‘wow this person must have their life completely organised’ like they go to the gym at 6:15 before class or before work. But I think there’s a beauty to chaos

 

Nazar: To create things can’t be black and white and square. It can’t be straight edges 

 

William: So for you (Nazar) you wouldn’t be able to

 

Nazar: I wouldn’t want to

 

Cheyenne: Although we were having this discussion in New York actually in our hotel and Nazar was just saying that everything has to have its little outline and boundaries and I was arguing that no everything… like what you create has to have no boundaries at all. There’s no square that you have to pander to but then we came to this united decision that in order for us to really create is we need a very brief skeletal outline but the ability to transcend out of it. So I guess that’s what controlled chaos is isn’t it, like you’re teetering on the edges of it and you’re still over but you still come back to this controlled core

 

Nazar: Me paraphrasing on how she put it; I’d say-

 

Cheyenne: Was it hard to understand?

 

William: No no

 

Nazar: I’d say you need to put boundaries on creativity because if you put no boundaries then the possibilities are endless and whatever stream you go off it isn’t going to be precise. But if you put some sort of boundary that’s when the creativity happens because you have confinements and rules in which you have to work and that’s when you get creative  

 

Cheyenne: But you need that center core to come back to always that’ll be the heart of it

 

William: So not too much confinement where it’s all too neat and tidy but still something to ground you?

 

Nazar: Yeah well to give you a really good analogy say look at the Beatles in the 60’s, their imagination was endless but the only technology they had to record with was a 4 track tape machine. They could only record 4 tracks and then bounce those four onto one and then they had a maximum of 7 things they could record. Having that limitation, that confinement, really sparks your creativity and your creative process. Because then they have to work out ways how do it, right now you can just have 100 tracks or more, a thousand even. You can record every single aspect individually and have that freedom, but then I feel like something is wasted there

 

William: Do you sometimes try to confine yourself to 7 tracks?

 

Nazar: Well yeah that’s why I got a 4 track tape machine and having that was really cool and fun until it started breaking and now it’s broken. So maybe that’s part of the reason why I don’t feel that that room has come together yet, because I don’t have my medium in which to record on. Because now I’ve got my iphone, but I can record as many things as I want 

 

Cheyenne: It’s so clinical

 

Nazar: But then I can’t really layer them over one another while there (on the 4 track) I only have a limited amount of options and it’s how I work with those options, what I do with my amount of choices is what matters I think

 

William: What is the prevailing emotion you experience while in your space?

 

Nazar: For me it’d just be frustration 

 

Cheyenne: It’s just a side thought that I think will help formulate my answer; in the Cree language most words that they use when directly translated into English use two adjective or two verbs. So instead of saying ‘I think this way’ it would be like ‘I’m think feeling’ or I ‘see say’, ‘I see dream’. I feel that with the two corresponding emotions that I predominantly feel in my room is deep deep concentration and also frustration. Because I think those go hand in hand when you’re deeply invested in something and frustrated because you’re trying to bring it out of you. As a job as a writer, to capture that je ne sais quoi that no one else can it’s to extract that essence… god I’m getting frustrated thinking about it I don’t know how to put it

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Nazar: It’s like to tell the simplicity of life in a way that hasn’t been told before. Something that’s everyday but say it in a new way, something so relatable

 

Cheyenne: But not even for me mine is just to capture that I don’t know what, god I wrote it in my manifesto and now I’m getting all these feelings and concentrating so hard, I’m so deeply zoomed into it and yet I’m getting so agitated with the fact that I can’t explain it

 

William: Do you… when you come out of that, do you feel like you need to decompress?

 

Cheyenne: Yeah I open this window and take three deep breaths or I’ll listen to some music but yeah definitely it always comes out after a few hours of this ebb and flow of creativity. So yeah those are mainly the two feelings or emotions that I feel 

 

William: And so for you it’s just frustration? (Nazar)

 

Nazar: I think so, for now yeah

 

William: How does that compare to your past space? 

 

Nazar: To create you need to feel a certain way and I think that just depends on your creative process not on the space 

 

William: So you think the creative process informs the space and not the space informs the creative process?

 

Nazar: I mean it hasn’t been the latter yet. I haven’t had a space that informs the creative process so far. I would love to have a space like that and one that would be would be like I explained to you; looking out onto mountains or trees on a lake, that would do that

 

William: What do you use most often in your studio?… Before the 4 track was busted

 

Nazar: The guitar. I would love to…. At the old place it was the piano which I don’t have here I just have an electric keyboard and guitar but I would much… one of my favourite things to do in life is to sit in front of a piano and just sing, I think there’s nothing quite like that

 

William: Is there an acoustic piano at your jam space?

 

Nazar: No, only at Concordia in those practice rooms and that was why I can get something out of a very clean space. Because you’ve been to those spaces they’re really uninspiring, very clean and proper. But just having that piano there-

 

William: It’s all you need?

 

Nazar: It just didn’t matter. Like even the amp, it really… see again for me with music I don’t think it’s so much the space that informs the feeling it’s the process

 

William: And for you what do you use the most? (Cheyenne)

 

Cheyenne: Just pen and paper. A good pen, for ideally I need a felt tip. Really thin felt. It just looks beautiful on paper. I think I’m really motivated by aesthetics

 

William: So do you also try to write neatly and nicely too?

 

Cheyenne: I ironically enough have doctors handwriting so I guess it’s a controlled chaos once again. I guess the creative space is an extension of myself in a way. You can also add that an important element to take into consideration when building your creative space is to make sure it’s an extension of yourself. Somewhere that you’d be proud to sit at or show people and work. You feel as if you’re actually delivering to your craft and paying homage to it. It’s kind of shit if you’re in a room and you’re making this beautiful music but the room in which you’re in is crappy. Sometimes it’s fine when you’re in some random place and you’ll never visit it ever again. But when it’s at home it has to be a place that you feel is representative of yourself

 

Nazar: I think yeah somewhere to be comfortable. Where you can be yourself

 

Cheyenne: And proud

 

Nazar: Yeah

 

Cheyenne: I think pride is a big motivator for all artists actually. So as artists we all have special snowflake syndrome, I guess that’s why I like being a bit of an exhibitionist because I want people to appreciate 

 

William: Well it’s also interesting because Nazar is almost the opposite in the sense that you (Nazar) want to only show the perfection. When you’re experimenting you don’t want people judging your experimentation

 

Cheyenne: But experimentation is also part of the process, it is faulty at times

 

Nazar: Yeah it is and I love it but for my ears only. I would feel uncomfortable knowing someone is hearing these imperfections 

 

Cheyenne: Yeah I’m more of a sharer

 

William: So to go off on that since you guys share your spaces in a way, you have your own enclosed space but it’s in your apartment and there is this social aspect to the living room. And you (Nazar) feel more productive when you’re alone and you’re (Cheyenne) productive when there’s some social aspect to it? Would you say that’s true

 

Cheyenne: Honestly it all depends on mood. There’s been times where we had people over and I’m just like let’s write a poem. We had Xander over, Nazar’s keyboardist, and he and his boyfriend we were a little inebriated and we were like let’s write something! Xander used to be in English lit so it all just worked and I was looking at it the other day and I was considering allowing this to manifest into something larger

 

Nazar: Xander had the best points “stop, stop, stop”

 

Cheyenne: Yeah just the most beautiful sound poetry coming out of his mouth. But when it comes to writing anything analytical, I need to be alone. When it comes to English Lit, just the craft of it and the dissertations I have to write, I have to be in a place where it’s just me and my thoughts alone. But I guess with creativity it’s good to have a social aspect to it

 

Nazar: It’s just something that takes you outside of the world

 

Cheyenne: Yeah like in creative writing you’re looking from the perspective of different characters, to immerse yourself with people and different trains of thought and philosophy, it’s a great way of going about it. 

 

William: And would you say that that’s true for you Nazar where you feel that you can only be really productive where it’s like no other ears are hearing- 

 

Nazar: Yeah well I definitely feel more at ease, creatively at least I don’t know about productive but I’m creative when I am alone. Just the fact that sometimes we’re hanging out here and we’re watching TV in here and I feel like playing, I’m a little more hesitant about it than say if I were alone 

 

William: Right because you don’t want to bother

 

Nazar: Yeah and just I feel like it would be a lot more comfortable 

 

Cheyenne: Ok Nazar is literally making it seem as though I am not part of his creative process but the fact of the matter is that I write some of his songs! And also I sing and help him sing so can you please own up to that? 

 

Nazar: Yeah ye-

 

Cheyenne: Not to mention I fuel his inspiration I mean ‘Be my Queen’ who the fuck is that about, me!

 

Nazar: I’m not saying be creative in general because there’s many ways to be creative but your own innate creativity comes from within and that would be away from the outside world and in a way is done in a place of isolation but this doesn’t undermine creating with other people because there’s so much of that as well. Like so many times I was playing organ with her where she’s just bouncing back ideas at me because she’s there and then they end up changing the song and evolves in a completely different way

 

Cheyenne: Like remember when I told you to do it in the major key and then you did it and now that’s the song, I’m not crazy

 

Nazar: Yeah 

 

Cheyenne: Yeah Nazar’s got a… you should hear what he says at night like ‘baby I’m so grateful that you’re here and there listening and watching 

 

Nazar: Having her around really influences the creative process 

 

Cheyenne: In a good way!

 

William: Universally, what do you think is a must for any studio? I guess this can be a two part question, either with music and then writing in particular, and then maybe if you both have something in each of your spaces that’s similar that you think you have to have

 

Nazar: For me it would be the right gear and the right set up in the way that it’s easy for there be a flow of ideas. So like you’re playing guitar, spark boom it’s easy for you to turn around, press something turn a knob and all of a sudden you can record it and play it without having to spend minutes that distract you to try to set something up and boom everything is at your disposal. Then boom you stop then you got something else, you want to play piano, you want to play it back, you play sit down at an actual piano or actual keyboard of your preference

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William: Yeah there’s a good quote by a photographer that I really like called Richard Avedon and he said ‘In a way I wish I could work without a camera, I wish I could work with my eyes’ like that’s the goal to make the camera just an extension of yourself

 

Nazar: Yeah yeah, and you gotta make that the room the extension of yourself. Something that allows it to have that flow

 

William: And what about you? (Cheyenne) 

 

Cheyenne: For me definitely from a writer’s aspect it’s books. I can’t even stress enough that if you want to be a writer, if you are a writer you always have to have either poetry on hand if you’re into that or even the classics like Shakespeare. It depends on your craft and what you’re interested in. And I would say a blanket, or like a little wrap you gotta feel cozy you gotta feel comfortable and that nothing external is going to penetrate your thoughts. Nothing is going to enter your mind and corrupt it or put confabulated ideas into it, it’s just you, your hand, and your piece of paper or your laptop. Books and a blanket for me, simple things, it’s cute

 

William: So you think in writing that it’s important to know and be well read about what’s come before in your practice and being aware 

 

Cheyenne: I definitely think so, we all have to buckle down and learn our basics before we go out on our own. There’s always that off person who is able to create without having learnt anything

 

William: Or like rejecting 

 

Cheyenne: Yeah and they can reject but there will be a point where they will be stagnant, history repeats itself. Hemingway said it’s ok to write about cliches it’s about how you deliver it or how you execute the idea and to be well versed in even the most basic and simple ideas, it’s honestly a skill and it’s a tool that will eventually help you flourish and write these bigger topics. It’s like stepping stones. With English Lit, to also know a bit of Philosophy is important; Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, even Immanuel Kant from the period of Enlightenment. It all comes hand in hand. I do think we should pay homage to the precursors, even Ezra Pound, I don’t like him personally as a man he’s a fucking fascist or he was but he was an amazing poet. There are writers, poets, and musicians that people will reject because they didn’t like their philosophies or what they lived for but we have to understand that we can separate the artists from the art

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Nazar: Like the Italian Futurists 

 

William: Yeah burn everything

 

Nazar: Yeah like war is good! War is Art!

 

Cheyenne: Yeah and from our precursors we can learn what not to do or what not to write. There’s always a lesson and a point in learning anything in your art

 

William: And do you guys notice anything that you guys both have in your rooms?

 

Cheyenne: Yeah we both have carpets and we both have painting and canvases

 

William: So you guys both draw from a visual-

 

Nazar: Yeah well I definitely like having wall art, have the space be cool. Like I like the lighting, candles and stuff

 

Cheyenne: Like eventually Nazar’s room will be a hybrid of… what’s that place downstairs you wait before a show?

 

William: The Green Room?

 

Cheyenne: The green room and just cool vibes, kind of like a shag pad 70’s vibe. But yeah me and Nazar both share a love of visuals. See even Nazar likes the visual of my face

 

Nazar: She brought that back with her from Malaysia

 

Cheyenne: No I didn’t! I’m gonna fuck you up. Nazar actually bought that for me for my 22nd birthday, or well he got it made for me. So I guess you’re (Nazar) surprised that I like to exhibit myself but I have my boyfriend literally paying someone to paint a picture of my face how can I not be both the artist and the art!

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