Heather Pawsey - Soprano

My Mother's Red Shawl - El Rebozo Colorado
Heather Pawsey - Soprano

When Alex contacted me about his mother's red shawl project, I had no hesitancy in saying yes.  I'd admired his work for years in the Georgia Straight and other publications; it would be an honour to have him take my photograph.  But the rebozo gave me pause:  I knew little about the history and use of this classic Mexican garment, and was unsure as how it would relate to my life, or what I could say about it.

It did set me thinking, however, about shawls -- or, to be more precise, one shawl in particular:  a soft, luxurious, red shawl that my friend Mara Gottler had lent to me when I went to study in Austria.  I had never worn a shawl before, and didn't quite know what to do with it.

I found out.

Shawls are remarkable.  They are beautiful, functional, and multi-purpose.  I wore Mara's as it was intended -- for warmth on chilly nights.  It could be dressed up (over a concert gown), or down (with jeans.)  I was so impressed with its versatility that when I returned home and reluctantly returned it to her, I bought one for myself, taking it with me when I moved to Munich.

That red shawl morphed into a sarong, a head-covering, a towel.  I used it as a blanket on chilly trains, and as a pillow.  On more than one occasion it was pinned across curtain-less / blind-less windows, and it often came in handy as a make-shift grocery bag when I found myself without (Europe at that time being far ahead of Canada when it came to customers being expected to provide their own bags.)

I marvelled at the flexibility of this simple, unassuming piece of cloth – the deceptiveness of its appearance, its seemingly singular use.  It reminded me to look at everything -- people, jobs, opportunities, objects -- with multi-lensed eyes, assuming nothing, and to marvel at myriads of possibility.

The Celtic pin I'm wearing in this photo?  The day I went to meet Alex, the Scottish referendum on independence was taking place, its outcome as yet unknown (defeated, 55% to 45%.  Scotch individuality lives on a-politically.).  I'm of Scottish descent, and wore the pin – a gift from a deeply treasured friend – as a sign of honour and respect.  After the shoot, Alex treated me to tea and scones, and one of the topics of our wide-ranging conversation was homogeneity and its increasing trend in a world we should be celebrating as luxuriantly diverse.

It made me think about rebozos - shawls - and how poor it would be if they were to be confined to one definition, one purpose only.

Long live the rebozo.



Randy Rampage - Bassist

Nora Patrich - Pintora

 Keely Jade Daikin - Photojournalist & Treeplanter

Nicole Langdon Davies - Photographer

Juliana Soltis - Cellist - Nomad

Kyla Gardiner - Theatrical Lighting Director

Curtis Daily - Contrabassist

Bob Mercer – Editor – Musician - Friend

Jorge JoséO'Reilly - Primo/Sobrino - Amigo - Campeón de Rugby

 Art Bergmann Singer-Songwriter- Guitarist

Homero Aridjis Poeta

Zippy Pinhead Musician

Caitlin Legault Art Model

Holly McRea Model - Poet - Creation Conduit.

Lisa Ha Model - Volunteer - Friend

Carmen Alatorre Diseñadora de vestuario

Roberto Baschetti Sociólogo, Investigador Histórico - Amigo

Jennifer Froese Youth Worker

Rachel Cairns Actor

Jennifer Landels Espadachina

Judith Currelly Pilot- Artist

Jim Erickson Set Decorator

Alexandra Hill Soprano

Georgina Elizabeth Isles Figure Model

Emma Middleton Actor

Mark Pryor Author/Lawyer/Assistant DA Travis County TX

Brother Edwin Charles Reggio, CSC Mentor & Teacher

Veronica Vex Burlesque Dancer

George McWhirter Poet

Raúl Guerrero Montemayor Padre-Compadre

Alexandra Waterhouse-Hayward Maestra

Shirley Gnome Singer/Provocateur

Yeva & Thoenn Glover Dancers/Choreographers

JJ Lee Writer

Jacqueline Model

Cathy Marsden Psychiatrist

André De Mondo Wanderer

Colin MacDonald Saxophonist/Composer

Nina Gouveia Yoga Instructor

Stacey Hutton Excercise Physiologist

Colleen Wheeler Actor

Sarah Rodgers Actor, Director,Mother

Tim Turner - Real Estate Agent

Kiera Hill Dancer

Johnna Wright & Sascha Director/Mother - Son/Dreamer

Decker & Nick Hunt Cat & 19th century amateur

George Bowering Poet

Celia Duthie Gallerist

Linda Lorenzo Mother

Katheryn Petersen Accordionist

Stefanie Denz Artist

Ivette Hernández Actress

Byron Chief-Moon Actor/Dancer

Colin Horricks Doctor

Ian Mulgrew Vancouver Sun Columnist

Jocelyn Morlock Composer

Corinne McConchie Librarian

Rachel Ditor Dramaturg

Patrick Reid Statesman, Flag Designer

Michael Varga CBC Cameraman

Bronwen Marsden Playwright/Actress/Director

David Baines Vancouver Sun Columnist

Alex Waterhouse-Hayward Photographer

Lauren Elizabeth Stewart Student

Sandrine Cassini Dancer/Choreographer

Meredith Kalaman Dancer/Choreographer

Juliya Kate Dominatrix