A Room of One’s Own: Simon Webb
A Room of One’s Own is a new photography series by Laura Murray Public Relations that showcases the beloved spaces belonging to members of Canada’s artistic scene. With a nod to Virginia Woolf’s essay by the same name, we present self-portraits from artists, arts media, and arts administrators in a room they call their own, simultaneously highlighting leaders in the arts alongside the importance of space in their creative work. How they define ‘room’ is up to them.
This week we spoke with actor, musician, painter, and all-around renaissance man Simon Webb. Simon is a favourite of the Vancouver theatre scene, and has been since settling here in 1976. He has spearheaded the development of Equity Co-op productions, was a frequent artist-in-residence at UBC Theatre Department, has taught at Studio 58, SFU, and the National Theatre School, and is a frequent performer in Blackbird Theatre productions. Next week he will join fellow Blackbird veteran Gabrielle Rose on stage at SFU Woodward's in The Secret Doctrine.
This is Simon’s room:
Q: Which room did you choose?
The room is my office, archive and storage space – vintage vinyl, royal commemoratives, WWII relics, couple of instruments.
Q: What makes this room ‘yours’?
It's where I write. It's not a pretty room – chaotic and shape-shifting. My kitchen is always messy, too. Chaos is both an essential prerequisite and a byproduct of creativity. The shelves crammed with boxes, bags and bric-a-brac, are a great metaphor for my head.
Q: Identify three items in the room that you love, and explain why they’re special to you.
The three plays I'm writing are the only reason the room's important, right now. They're in the computer, right behind me.
Simon Webb can be seen in The Secret Doctrine from July 2-5 at SFU Woodward's.
Categories: MPMG