This is the on-line home of W. Mark Giles. I make stuff.
I live in Dawson City, Yukon on the territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, who have lived here since long ago time. For a long time I lived at Mohkinstsis (aka Calgary), on the traditional territory of the the Kainai, Piikani, and Siksika Nations of the Blackfoot Confederacy, and also the traditional territory of the Tsuu T’ina and Stoney Nakoda First Nations. My (his)story of colonial settlement cannot overwrite the(ir) story of continuous habitation.
I offer acknowledgement to the original dwellers and keepers of the land, and my gratitude. I hope I can learn to learn from this land too.
I’ve written two books of fiction, both published by the amazing Brian Kaufman and his gang at Anvil Press in Vancouver. Knucklehead won the W.O. Mitchell City of Calgary Book Award, and was nominated for the Howard O’Hagan Award. Seep has been shortlisted for the 40th Anniversary First Novel Award. About Seep, E.H. of Kelowna, B.C., had this to say: “I read the scene with the dog on an airplane and got the stink eye from my seat partner.”
I have published stories and poems, presented visual poetry, and performed theatre in venues in Canada and the U.S.A.
Self-Portrait after Holbein’s Portrait of Erasmus with kinda Cubist and Brutalist stuff and a cartoon handI came to Dawson City to find new ways of making things. I am investigating visual art, photography, comics, and experimental filmmaking to further my text-based work.
In the Covid era (April 2, 2020) I began making an image-text every day of a haiku and a photograph. These are posted on IG @w_mark_giles_haiku. Since making the 1000th I occasionally take a few weeks off every so often.
