Studio visit: Hard Time in the Maritimes
*Note: Since the publication of this post, the Hard Times in the Maritimes zine has folded. After 20 issues Julia and Pamela decided to allow the project to be laid to rest. Check out the still-active Facebook page if you want to walk down memory lane or get in touch with the founders.
The Internet offers an infinite, literally limitless sea of options. A zine is finite, rare and special. - JW
Julia Wright and Pamela Pierce are the creative force behind Hard Times in the Maritimes, a handmade, typewritten ‘zine made up of written and illustrated submissions by Saint Johners. Julia is voice of the project through writing and editing, and Pamela, as the illustrator, expresses its soul. The zine flies in the face of the online media beast, of microwave content, going viral and hashtag trends by being what you might call slow-media. It is democratically assembled, cut and pasted by hand with a limited print run (300) and localized availability. Julia and Pamela bring a personal touch rarely seen in the media/art worlds, from reaching out to submitters to personally delivering and mailing copies to interested readers. They combine their unique abilities and enhance people’s submissions to create a collaborative work of art, a finite piece of shared work. The idea is so old that it’s new.
How did you guys get started?
PMP - the truth is, it was a very difficult time for those in our circle after the death of a friend, and it became a creative outlet. I’d say we did it for ourselves. And it worked.
Can you describe the process of putting together an issue of the Hard Times?
JW- We pick a theme and send out a call for submissions about a month before printing time. We figure out a fun, poetic way to solicit entries from Saint Johners that we put out through social media and our website, then people mail stuff in, email them, drop them in my mailbox in all formats. We very rarely refuse a submission, but we often edit pieces, or we fill spaces when we have to. It takes us 2-3 weeks to put everything together. We type them all up, photocopy photos and illustrations, then put it together in completely analog fashion, scissors and glue onto 8.5’ by 14’ legal size paper. Pamela designs the titles and does some illustrations, I edit texts and add some of my own. Then we assemble it we sit down and go until it’s done, sometimes until 4 am...
How do you work together?
JW - We compliment each other very well, Pamela has skills that I don’t have. As a visual artist, her style is very singular and instantly recognizable. There is a huge level of interest in the kind of work that she does, celebrating Saint John. PMP - I have never really worked well with other artists, there are usually conflicting visions, but this seems to work. I think because we’re friends, we’re just sort of hanging out. Julia is excellent at networking and getting people, she is also a very good editor.
PMP - When she says I need an illustration for this, I know what she probably wants. I find we’re often on the same page. JW - I might say do this in a Hellboy mood but cuter and she’ll know what I mean.
Why have an open call for submissions?
JW - Here in NB, where there is a monopoly on the media, the range of perspectives that we see are quite limited and polarizing. On the one hand you have the cheerleaders for Saint John on who say a renaissance is happening and life is rosy, and on the other hand you have those who who are leaving because they are so dissatisfied. There’s not much in between. The Hard Times provides an outlet for the people of Saint John to share with others what they see, for their voices to be heard. We get stuff from children, retirees and grandparents, from people with low education levels who have never written anything before to university professors. Even to a small limited print of 300 copies their words still have significance and their views and perspective of life in Saint John still is vital.
What makes this zine special?
JW - You have to find it to read it, live in the Maritimes or have it mailed to you. In that sense it is very much about place. We like the idea of it remaining the size and way that it is, because we feel that it suits the handmade nature of the thing, and the rough-hewn nature of Saint John.
Without the people in this community, the Hard Times wouldn’t happen. We do work very hard on it and it is our creative partnership that has made this so strong, but I think it’s also because we’re doing it in Saint John. I don’t know if you could do this anywhere else and have the same result. People have just shown it so much love. I love Saint John for that.