May 13, 2005 - Glebe Report

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Report May 13, 2005 24
Bhat Boy, left, and Alexander Thomas sitting on a
mail box with amused classmate, standing.
BY BHAT BOY
It was 30 years ago this month
that I first appeared in the Glebe
Report. I was sitting on a mailbox at
the corner of Lyon and Clemow with
Alexander Thomas when someone
took our photograph. The following
month, it appeared in the paper with
the caption "Male Boxes."
bring me into the
community's field of
vision, and to get my
business off the ground.
As an art student, I was
overjoyed to have the
opportunity to make
money selling house
portraits.
After graduating from
college, I recognized the
value of my relationship
to the community and
promoted my work by
becoming involved with
community events. In
return, the community
came out and supported
me in the things I
endeavoured to do. We
would talk to each other
through the Glebe
Report. In 1993, I
founded Art in the Park
and, with the help of the
paper, got it up and
running.
In 1995, Ian Van Lock
went to California and
came home Bhat Boy. It was at the
height of the Glebe Community
Centre crisis, when the building was
doomed to be sold off by the city.
It was war! Everyone was pitching
in. I was in the basement of the
community centre painting protest
signs with the children. The month
was June and it looked like a sweat-
but the kids sure didn't mind, nor
did the Glebe Report. So, I was
accepted by my community and that
made me real.
Sometimes I like to think of myself
as the community's superhero,
and I would like to think that my
community thinks of me the same
way. All through this is the common
thread of the Glebe Report which
Pen and Ink Orcaring
by
Ian Van Lock
has helped me converse with my
community. My life would have
certainly been different, these 30
years, without it. Oh, by the way, I
still do house portraits.
Bhat Boy has contributed art
work for over 10 Glebe Report
covers including this month's Art in
the Park dragon.
Photo: Janet E. Harris
The protest banner for Save the GCC, produced in June 1996.
Ottawa, January 14, 1983
In 1983, I did my first Glebe Report
cover. The circulation manager,
Sylvia Holden, called me at Glebe
Collegiate to ask my permission to
use a drawing of mine she had seen
in a school calendar. At the time, it
was the most exciting thing that had
ever happened in my life. I still have
about 10 copies buried deep in a closet
somewhere.
Sylvia went on to commission a
drawing of her home. I was already
busy selling pictures by that time,
and I remember charging her the
recently raised fee of $25. My name
was Ian Lock then. By 1989, I was
in my second year at the Ontario
College of Art and Design, and I had
' become Ian Van Lock. I was still
drawing houses and I was now
charging $150.
I was going to spend my third
year of college in Florence, Italy,
and was eager to promote business
when another story was published
about me. The article helped to
shop factory down there. We marched
in protest along Bank Street to
the meeting at Lansdowne Park. I
was with the kids at the front of the
mob, waving the signs we had
painted.
We were the first ones to arrive in
the big, empty chamber where the
meeting was about to be held. About
ten people from the city were calmly
sitting behind a long table at the
front of the room, no doubt starting
to wonder if anyone was going to
show up for their meeting.
I wish I had a photograph of the
look on their faces when the mob
behind us started flooding through
the door. It was somewhere in the
course of the evening, when Jim
Watson thanked Bhat Boy for his
contributions, that I made my public
début.
The Glebe Report was quick to
pick up on it. I am sure many adults
were skeptical about my
reincarnation as Bhat Boy at first,
Summer Day Camps
for Children
July - August, 2005
at Glebe-St. James United Church
ART AND DRAMA Grade 1,2,3
July 18 to 22, 9:00 to 4:00
Theme: CHINESE MYTH
ART Grade 1,2,3
Aug. 29 to Sept. 2, 1:00 to 4:00
Theme: ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
ART AND DRAMA Grade 4,5,6
July 11 to 15, 9:00 to 4:00
Theme: CHINESE MYTH
MADHOUSE DAY CAMP Ages 4-6
July 4 to 8, OR Aug. 29 to Sept 2,
9:00 to 11:30
236-0617
DRAW AND PAINT
IN THE AFTERNOON WORKSHOP
Grade 6,7,8 - July 4 to 8, 1:00 to 4:00
CREATIVE CLASSICS
"THE TEMPEST" THEATRE
WORKSHOP Ages 9 to 12
Aug. 2 to 12, 9:00 to 4:00
VACATION BIBLE CAMP
"CAMP AWESOME" Ages 4 to 12
July 25 to 29, 10:00 to 3:00
Arts Under One Roof
Glebe-St. lames United Church
email:glebestjames.church@bellnet.ca