Dreamers Interview Series – Tania Mignacca : Answers and Giveaway winner!

You've been waiting for it!  I'm pleased to announce that Tania's giveaway winner is...

 But first, the answers to your questions!

Meg Hanna asked

Tania, I have got to commend you on your original and optimistic take on the city that we call home. Vibrant colours, hard hitting issues, a promising message and cute characters - you most certainly have the winning recipe! I've been following Ponto for a while now and as a municipal employee starting out, I can relate to this universe that you have created. You have no idea! That being said, I'd be curious to know where you hope your art will take you in the next year. You mentioned getting your work out there and really diving into the artistic community through conventions and the web. During this process, what kind of subjects and themes do you hope to explore along the way?

Thanks Meg, it's always a pleasure to hear what municipal employees think about Ponto and I'm happy that you can relate to the comic. I have a lot of readers who work on the municipal level and they all seem to enjoy Ponto's adventures which is a huge compliment. To answer your question, I'm not really sure where my art will take me but I hope it will get people interested in what I do and maybe it will lead to possible contracts or collaborations. I also have a lot of ideas for Ponto but not enough time and resources so there's a potential for collaboration there as well. I'm also looking into going back to making bigger scale artwork like paintings which I didn't have much time to do in the last year because starting Ponto required a lot of time. As for subjects I'd like to explore, I feel what's missing in Montreal is a feeling of belonging. My sense of belonging to the city is something that I like to portray in my art. Now that Ponto's getting settled in Montreal, I hope to talk about this issue more in depth at one point in the story. I want to inspire people to appreciate how awesome Montreal is even with all the problems. If we start to feel proud about our city things wil surely start to change in a positive way. 

Mathieu asked

In upcoming issues of Ponto, will we see Mr. Turcot with the famous woolen stockings of Les Ville-Laines? Will it be something that helps Ponto to warm Mr. Turcot during our rough winter? 

When I saw this art manifestation done by the collective the « Ville-Laines » on the Turcot interchange, I thought it was the coolest thing ever! So yes, I'm thinking of drawing it. I'm not sure it will be in the comic but maybe in a special comic strip for winter.I think Mr. Turcot needs one on every leg! I wonder if this would help shield the concrete against temperature variations. 

Dave asked

I spent a couple years in Montreal, and when I first moved I remember seeing the Turcot and feeling a strange sense of pride as a Vancouverite (since all the new infrastructure in Vancouver that was built for the 2010 Olympics stood in stark contrast). Maintenant, je suis retourné à Vancouver, mais le Turcot est un bon souvenir de Montréal... d'après moi, il fait partie du personnage de la ville. J'aime bien lire des BDs de Montréal pis j'aime reconnaître mes lieus -- comme ca: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidpoon/11899396445/. Quel est le lieu favori de Montréal de Ponto? What's Ponto's favourite place in Montreal?

Hi Dave! First of all thanks a lot for this photo. I think it's awesome that your girlfriend took the time to take it. Now I know my illustration was pretty accurate! I'm also happy to learn that reading the comic helps you remember good memories of Montreal. Je pense aussi que l'échangeur Turcot fait partie du paysage Montréalais. Some people suggested turning it into an elevated park like the High Line in New York instead of tearing it down. In response to your question, Ponto has many different favorite places in Montreal since he's too marvelled with the city. He does enjoy the main landmarks but he prefers those that we sometimes forget about like the Guaranteed milk bottle, the Farine Five Roses sign or the Turcot.

 Odrie asked

J'ai vu Ponto pour la première fois à Comic Con et je suis ses aventures depuis. Bravo! Je me demandais : où est-ce que Ponto rêve de travailler à Montréal? 

Merci Odrie de suivre les aventures de Ponto! Pour répondre à ta question, je crois que Ponto rêve de travailler sur les gros chantiers comme celui de l'échangeur Turcot ou du Pont Champlain. Il espère aussi travailler dans différents quartiers pour apprécier la richesse culturelle montréalaise. Et peut-être aussi au centre-ville car il y a beaucoup d'action! English translation: Thanks Odrie for following Ponto's adventures! To answer your question, I think Ponto dreams to work on the big construction sites like the Turcot interchange or the Champlain bridge. He also hopes to work in different boroughs to appreciate all the cultural diversity Montreal has to offer. And, maybe downtown as well because there's a lot of action there! 

GIVEAWAY

And the giveaway winner is... MEG! Congratulations!  Please send me an email at stephanie.noel.writer(at)gmail.com to claim your prize!